“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return,” Genesis 3:19.
We continue or study of what the Bible teaches the God-ordained method of disposing of the human body upon death, Is it burial or is it cremation?
I have already stressed in the first part of this article that it can be stated that the Bible sets forth burial as the God-ordained means of disposing of the dead.
Here now is the rest of our study.
II. THE FACT OF THE LONG PRACTICE OF BELIEVERS BURYING THEIR DEATH IS EMPHASISED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS.
1. In the prophecies of the last days. Here is one of the most notable prophecies of the graves being opened.
“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever,” Daniel 12:1-3.
There is a reference to the two resurrections, which I will explain a little further on in this article. “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
2. At the crucifixion of the Saviour. “ Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many,” Matthew 27:50-53.
These resurrections were but the evidence of accomplishment of Christ in His death of delivering His people from death. The few that arose in Jerusalem were but tokens of what would happen gloriously at a future day!
3. At the return of Christ in glory. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep (or dead). For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words,” 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18.
4. At the final resurrection, the rest of the dead, the unconverted dead, will come forth from their graves. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation,” John 5:28-29.
The Saviour here speaks of the two resurrections which we are later told are one thousand years apart.
When Christ returns, the converted of all previous ages will be raised from their graves. That is “the resurrection of life”.
Then after the millennial reign of Christ, which follows His return in glory, there will be a resurrection of the rejectors of Christ and they shall stand before the great white throne of judgment.
“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years,” Revelation 20:4-6.
At the end of the one thousand year reign, the unconverted dead will be raised to judgment.
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire,” Revelation 20:11-15.
Escape from God!
I have often thought that ‘cremation’ was man’s feeble attempt to place himself beyond the reach of God since there is a rendering of the body to ashes in the fires of the crematorium and therefore, according to human folly, beyond the reach of God.
What folly! Every form of torture and torment has been inflicted upon the people of God throughout the ages; unspeakable things, born out a hatred for God. But no matter how it was the child of God was done to death, by sword, by fire, by stoning, by drowning, by being devoured by wild beasts — no matter how, God will raise up their bodies again.
In like manner, the ungodly will likewise be brought forth from the dust to face the judgment of God.
Cremation provides no avenue by which sinners may escape the wrath of God!
III. AN INCIDENTAL EVIDENCE OF THE PROPRIETY OF BURIAL IS FOUND IN THE EVENTS OF THE LAST DAYS.
During the final ‘forty two months’ (Revelation 11:2) , or ‘a time, and times, and half a time’ (Daniel 12:7, Revelation 12:14) or again, ‘a thousand two hundred and threescore days’ (Revelation 11:3, 12:6), the ‘two witnesses’ will conduct their ministry and witness right under the nose of the Antichrist in Jerusalem. Their ministry will be one of God’s truth vindicated by the many miracles and judgments these two men will be enabled by God to carry out.
“And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will,” verses 3-6.
But when they have “finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them,” verse 7.
As a final act of hatred against the two men of God, their bodies will be left in the streets unburied!
“And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves,” verses 8-9.
This debasement of the bodies of the two men will be a source of great merriment for not just the citizens of Jerusalem but also of the whole of Antichrist’s dominion. “And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the (prophetic) earth,” Revelation 11:10.
To leave the bodies of the two witnesses unburied was a defiance of their God, as well as a despising of them and their witness.
Proper Priority
How our bodies are disposed of at death is not vitally important. Where we are disposed of, and the ritual that may accompany it, is of little significance. Nor indeed, who it is disposes of our mortal remains is of any real consequence.
What is important, altogether important to the peace and joy of our eternal existence, is the state of our SOUL when our body dies.
Death is inevitable for all men, with the exception of that generation of believers alive when Christ returns. But though it is thus inevitable, ever so many never make any preparation for that event. It can cause all sorts of distress and trouble and difficulty for the relatives of those left to deal with this neglect.
But, there are very many more who make no PROPER AND GOD-ORDAINED SPIRITUAL PREPARATION for that momentous occasion.
Oh yes, graves are bought, cremation arranged, undertakers consulted but this is all linked to the body. What of the soul?
True, there are those who pay money to the church and arrange for others to remember them in sadly, futile prayer after they are dead. Protestant and Roman Catholics, not to mention the heathen religions that are increasingly abounding all around, take some religious ‘steps’, in preparation for the approach of death. But sadly, such efforts are in vain!
Why? Because it is only by doing that which God has instructed us to do, that we make real and eternally effective preparation for death.
Psalm 23
The ‘Shepherds’s Psalm’, Psalm 23, has always been a feature of many, many funerals. It still is, to some degree, I am sure. It has always astounded me to see it used at funerals where the one being buried lived and died in utter ignorance of God. Many of those at the service are in that same state of darkness and yet they sing words which plainly and beautifully set out God’s instructions as to how we should all prepare for death.
1. It is to make the Lord our Shepherd and follow His voice!
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. . . . . . Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. . . ”
By so doing we provide for our wellbeing in life and death!
2. It is to be ready for that walk through the dark valley!
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
Those who obey the gospel have blessings abundant poured out upon them. “That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace: that our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: that our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets. Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD,” Psalm 144:12-15.
Inescapable
Yet, irrespective of how many blessings fall upon our heads in life, DEATH will still come to our door.
However, David in the Psalm 23, says: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death . . .”. Even when “the last enemy”, which is death, approaches, “I will fear no evil.”
Why? “For thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
By nature we were all born enemies of God and estranged from Him. As Paul taught the Ephesians: “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others,” Ephesians 2:1-3.
But a change came when they believed the gospel and were reconciled to God by the atoning blood of Christ which was shed for the remission of sin. As a result, Paul goes on to tell them:
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ,” Ephesians 2:4-13.
Like David, when the Christian comes to the valley of the shadow of death, we fear no evil for, having been made children of God and reconciled to Him by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross when He paid the price of all our sins, GOD IS THERE WITH US!
That is the preparation that MUST be made if we are to get to heaven when we die.
O reader, have you made that preparation?
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
Monday, 26th August 2024