July 24, 2005

FAST ASLEEP OR WIDE AWAKE?

Daniel 12:2

 

   Our title describes things completely opposite. Awake speaks of life, asleep of death. These also are complete opposites. It is a wonder that there could be confusion, that those awake could be said to sleep, or that those asleep could be awake. Words have lost all meaning if such confusion reigns. Yet these are the very words God has chosen in the Bible to describe life and death. Through sin came forfeiture of life. "By one man sin entered, and death by sin."

   God's warning, "thou shalt surely die [dying you shall die]" was met by Satan's first and ever-continuing lie, "Ye shall not surely die" (Genesis 2:17 & 3:4). We can't have it both ways. Who can we believe? Shall it be the devil who "is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44), or "God, Who cannot lie" (Tit. 1:2). To ask is to answer!

   David wrote, "Arise, O LORD...Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword, with Your hand from men, O LORD, From men..." who were seeking David's life. With hope of resurrection he concluded, "As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness" (Psa. 17:13-15). Daniel 12:2 reads, "...many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." We have it from God Himself. Out of the sleep of death the believers are given hope of being awakened and resurrected by the Lord's own shout, when "all who 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 judgment" (John 5:28-29). The Lord's words are neither confusing nor misleading. Only the shout of Him Who has conquered death is sufficient to awaken the dead, both righteous and wicked, and bring them forth. All graves will be emptied, but not at the same time nor for the same reward.

   "If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, and you are yet in your sins. Then [even] they who have fallen asleep in Christ have perish-ed" (1 Cor. 15:18). "But now is Christ risen," and so shall we! Our bodies of humiliation will be "like His body of glory..." (Phil. 3:21).

 

Ivan L. Burgener