Life, Death, and Salvation: A Christian Reflection
By Elizabeth Prata
SYNOPSIS
In this reflective piece, I contemplate the profound and often staggering reality of death, drawing parallels between historical battles and contemporary mortality rates. Citing biblical accounts, particularly from 2 Chronicles and Isaiah, the narrative explores the weight of human loss throughout history, emphasizing the eternal significance of souls lost to death.
I was reading 2 Chronicles 13:1-14:15 recently. Armies were squaring off. There were 400,000 men in Abijah’s army. Jeroboam had 800,000 men. A battle took place and 500,000 died. Think about it. These are incredible numbers. The number of the army men and the number who died. Absolutely staggering. It was a slaughter and a bloodbath.
Have we ever even seen even armies that large? Even in WWII at Omaha Beach, just 34,000 landed. In the Battle of the Bulge the initial attack by the Germans was 200,000. The Bible records amazing numbers of armies who assemble to destroy.
Reading 2 Chronicles got me thinking about death. Death is an ever-present human event that has been with us for nearly 7000 years. Death entered in when Adam sinned, and the wages of sin is death. Death by misadventure. Death from ‘natural’ disasters. Death from war. Death from famine, Death from murder. Death from abortion. It seems there are many ways to die.
It seems ironic now … when I was pondering the notion of death, it was early July. Pastor-teacher John MacArthur had not passed through death into glory yet. I had looked up his explanation about infant death and found this:
Millions, perhaps billions, of such souls have died throughout history. Millions continue to die today. In fact, cumulatively, in the modern era, billions. One report I read in a book called Empty Arms says that up to twenty-five percent of all human conceptions do not complete the twentieth week of pregnancy; one out of four conceived die. Seventy-five percent of fatal deaths occur in the first twelve weeks. Neonatal death (that is, death in the womb); perinatal death (that is, death at the time of birth) occur in massive numbers even today with medical advancement.
We have a larger population in the world than we’ve ever had, we have a lower mortality rate than we’ve ever had because of medical advancement, we still have a massive amounts of death. The latest statistics from the year 1999 indicate four million, three hundred and fifty thousand babies died in that year, infant mortality. A study that concludes four million three hundred and fifty thousand babies died is based upon statistical information and estimates are that the figures are so low that the actuality maybe more than that figure by double since most losses during pregnancy may not even be reported.
The highest rates of infant mortality are found in the poorest and most primitive nations and at the same time the most pagan nations, mostly in Africa and Asia. Take four million three hundred and fifty thousand in the year 1999 and just keep adding the years, and you can see the numbers of deaths are massive – staggering. These are, as I said, eternal souls and the question about where are they, then, is of monumental significance. They’re either populating hell at an incredible rate or populating heaven at an equally incredible rate or getting divided into heaven and hell. (John MacArthur, sermon, The Salvation of Babies Who Die).
If you think about the number of humans who have died since the beginning, it’s staggering. Of the people who ‘lack knowledge’ it means they did not know the LORD before their human flesh died. In Isaiah 5:14 we read a woe to those who die outside the LORD,
Therefore Sheol has enlarged its throat and opened its mouth beyond measure; And Jerusalem’s splendor, her multitude, her noise of revelry, and the jubilant within her, descend into it. (Isaiah 5:14)
Matthew Henry said of this Isaiah verse, “Here is a woe to those who set their hearts on the wealth of the world. Not that it is sinful for those who have a house and a field to purchase another; but the fault is, that they never know when they have enough. Covetousness is idolatry; and while many envy the prosperous, wretched man, the Lord denounces awful woes upon him. How applicable to many among us!“
Attachment to the world and its vanities is an attachment to hell. Hell doesn’t mind, it entices you to be attached. It loves those tentacles to grip you and eventually tighten so much you strangle in its clutches. There is only one person who can loosen that grip of death from you, and that person is Jesus. Our attachment should be on Christ, His kingdom, and His precepts. His arms are loving and His grip is secure but easy.
I woke up with this lyric in my head from the praise song At Calvary:
Years I spend in vanity and pride
Caring not my Lord was crucified
I came to the Lord in my early 40s. I lived a long time not caring that my Lord and Savior died, that for me He was crucified. What a blessing He did not pass me by and leave me to my default eternity, hell, which would have enlarged its mouth to receive me. He lifted me, took me up to his bosom, cleaned me with his righteousness and blood, and established me as a daughter. I’m now a forgiven sinner whose sins He remembers no more.
As I mulled over the concept of death these past few weeks, John MacArthur died. There has been a huge outpouring of mourning and grief, as well as joy, for his passage into eternity. There seemed not to be one spot on the globe that his ministry did not touch. People were talking about death more than ever.
Death will come for all of us at some point. But for those destined for heaven, it is a waymarker, a mere temporary tunnel through which we pass. Our souls will be bright and joyful as we meet the savior. Our bodies will be fitted to enjoy the joys of heaven forever.
For those who cling to their sins, the world, and the devil, the Isaiah 5 verse is for them. Death will drip from their tormented flesh forever, their teeth will grind and they will find no solace.
The solace is NOW, via repentance. Repent before death comes. Lay down before the King of Kings and ask Him to forgive you of your sins. Beg for forgiveness. The song At Calvary continues:
Mercy there was great and grace was free
Pardon there was multiplied to me
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary.
