When Someone Dies…

Richard Hollerman

When a public figure dies, what do you think? When a family member dies (whether immediate family member or distant), what comes to your mind? When you receive word through some media outlet (whether you use a newspaper, the internet, or word-of-mouth), that a public figure dies, what is your reaction?

Whether the deceased was close or distant from you, how do we respond to this? Perhaps a president or other politician dies. Maybe an entertainment figure dies—who was involved in sports, music, or the like—what do we think? Maybe a teacher or pro0fessor whom you know dies. It may be a neighbor or even a family member. Whoever it may be, do we only think of the means of death, the place of death, the date of death, or the circumstances surrounding the death?

We often say that we want to be like Jesus or we want to think like God, but do we really respond to this news as God would want? Scripture asks this question: Does God remember the person and, if so, how does He think of him or her? God asks this: “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked, ‘declares the Lord GOD, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?’” (Ezekiel 18:23). In other words, it is not a pleasure for God to know that a sinner dies. What He really wants is that the person should turn from his sin! He then adds, “Therefore, repent and live” (v. 32). This is what God really wants!

We are too much like our secular-thinking neighbors, friends, or family members! Why don’t we realize that the overwhelming number of those who once were living but then died are not at all prepared to meet God? In other words, Jesus tells us that the vast majority of people are on the broad way that leads to destruction—not salvation (Matthew 7:13-14). Only the “few” are prepared to meet God!

My phone tells me some of the “news” that occurs in the world each day.  Sometimes this includes the death of a leading person—a political figure, an entertainment personality, another one who would be readily recognized. But does the news include a notice: “such and such a person went to the plaice of anguish and torment”? (Notice Luke 16:23, 24, 25, 28).

Not at all. It is all very proper—and secular. It is—quite frankly—very unbelieving and ungodly! If we really want to think like God thinks (cf. Isaiah 55:8-9) and like Christ Jesus thinks (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:16), why do we focus on merely earthly matters (as important as this may be) and not on heavenly matters? Perhaps we are more secular and worldly than we may recognize!

When you receive a notice of someone’s death, let’s begin to remember that this is not the person’s end! Asaph looked at the ungodly and finally recognized their real “end”!

I perceived their end.

Surely you set them in slippery places;

You cast them down to destruction.

How are they destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!

Like a dream when one awakes,

O LORD, when aroused, You will despise their form.

–Psalm 73:17b-20

Let’s begin to view any news of a person’s death as God does. This hapless person will no longer be able to live and love—and repent! He or she will be unable to be reconciled to a merciful—and wrathful—God. Now is the time. There is no other!