Finding Peace in Midst of Death

We will all die one day, and no one is exempt from it. For some the topic of dying is very scary because no one really knows what happens after we die. In this world, death is all around us. We hear about it in the news and experience it through the loss of a loved one. Death makes us sad because when we lose a loved one, we won’t be able to see or talk to them anymore.

We all must die as the result of our sins. In Romans 5:12, it states that “sin came into the world because of what one man did, and with sin came death. This is why everyone must die—because everyone sinned.” The man in Romans 5:12 is referring to is Adam. Adam was disobedient to God in the Garden of Eden and his disobedience led him to be punished by God and God’s punishment was death. We also must die because we inherited the sinful nature from Adam.

We will experience death but there is hope and peace in the midst of it. We find our hope and peace from God because He is merciful and already had a plan to save us from death. His plan involves sending Jesus, His son to suffer and die on the cross for the punishment for our sins (Romans 6:23). As a result, we do not have to fear death. All we must do is repent and believe Jesus is our savior of our sins and we will be able to live with God forever in heaven (John 3:16).

We can also find peace in God’s promise of heaven. He promises that heaven will be better than earth for those who believe in Jesus. In Revelation 21:4, God promises that “He will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain, because all the old ways are gone.” In heaven, we will live with God without pain, sadness, and death because all our sinful ways will be gone.

The peace we feel knowing heaven is real comes from Jesus Himself in John 14:1-2. He said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house; I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” As Jesus prepares a place for us in heaven, we can be confident that our treasure is in heaven.

The apostle John had a chance to see the true treasure of heaven in Revelation 4:1-11,

After the vision of these things I looked, and there before me was an open door in heaven. And the same voice that spoke to me before, that sounded like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” Immediately I was in the Spirit, and before me was a throne in heaven, and someone was sitting on it. The One who sat on the throne looked like precious stones, like jasper and carnelian. All around the throne was a rainbow the color of an emerald.

Around the throne there were twenty-four other thrones with twenty-four elders sitting on them. They were dressed in white and had golden crowns on their heads. Lightning flashes and noises and thunder came from the throne. Before the throne seven lamps were burning, which are the seven spirits of God.

Also before the throne there was something that looked like a sea of glass, clear like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living creatures with eyes all over them, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion. The second was like a calf. The third had a face like a man. The fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of these four living creatures had six wings and was covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stop saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. He was, he is, and he is coming.

These living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever. Then the twenty-four elders bow down before the One who sits on the throne, and they worship him who lives forever and ever. They put their crowns down before the throne and say:

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, because you made all things. Everything existed and was made because you wanted it.”

The world is full of sadness, pain, and death but we can look to the promises of God to give us peace and help us stay focused on heaven. Therefore, we can go to heaven and worship and praise God forever and ever, Amen!