Wednesday, September 25, 2013

DEATH, A CERTAIN END FOR ALL!

Death is the great equalizer!




Psalm 49:1-3

1 Hear this, all peoples!
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high,
rich and poor together!
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom;
the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. 


The invitation is for all people to come and listen, for what will be announced is true for all, rich and poor, of any social position in society.

Psalm 49:5-9
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble,
when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6 those who trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly no man can ransom another,
or give to God the price of his life,
8 for the ransom of their life is costly
and can never suffice,
9 that he should live on forever
and never see the pit. 


The psalmist asks a very penetrating question: Why should I fear evil people who really have no power to purchase life? With all their money they cannot keep anyone from dying. They trust in their power and wealth, but have no lasting power.

Psalm 49:10-12
10 For he sees that even the wise die;
the fool and the stupid alike must perish
and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves are their homes forever,
their dwelling places to all generations,
though they called lands by their own names.
12 Man in his pomp will not remain;
he is like the beasts that perish. 

Death is the great equalizer. Wise and foolish, rich and poor all die leaving all behind. They all end up in the grave; their power does not make any difference.

Psalm 49:13-14
13 This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;
yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
death shall be their shepherd,
and the upright shall rule over them in the morning.
Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.

Those who have placed their confidence in their strength in this life, even though they might still be praised by some people after their death, are dead forever.

Psalm 49:15
15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will receive me. Selah 

The psalmist reminds himself and us that God is his hope after death, that God will ransom him and receive him. We should not fear in life or death.

Psalm 49:16-20
16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich,
when the glory of his house increases.
17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
his glory will not go down after him.
18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed
—and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
19 his soul will go to the generation of his fathers,
who will never again see light.
20 Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish. 

How could the psalmist state it more clearly? Everyone will die, and their status while on earth will have no eternal value. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews echoes this, as well:

Hebrews 9:27
And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 

What should we learn from this psalm?

- Never envy those who seem powerful today – Their power will end soon.
- Do not fear man – His power is temporal.
- Death is the great equalizer – All die and are buried.
- Only Christ can give true hope – He is the Redeemer.
- Accumulating wealth on earth has no eternal value – You will leave all behind.
- Eternal values are the only ones worth living for – They make an eternal difference.
- Do not become distracted by the temporal – You will be working hard for things that do not make a difference.

Dear friend, look at your life right now…

Is your time driven by the temporal?
Are your thoughts captivated by things that have no eternal value?
Are you worrying?
Are you envying others or always hoping that your situation might change?
Do you fear men?

May this psalm drive you to biblical thinking. Live in light of eternity, driven by eternal goals, and rejoicing that you have a redeemer. Christ is alive today, may our lives be centered on Christ and may our desire be to dwell with Him forever!



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