Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Praying Against the Wicked

You Must Die

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2015-12-03

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver expounds Deuteronomy 31:14, where God tells Moses, 'Thou must die.' He explains that death is a certainty for all, ordained by God's sovereignty, necessitated by sin, and required for entrance into the eternal state with a glorified body. For believers, death's sting is removed through Christ's victory. The sermon concludes with practical applications: prepare for death, be faithful in duty despite its approach, and continue serving God after the loss of loved ones.

[John Weaver] Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy 31 and we'll look at verses 14 through 16 the main verse today is verse 14 Deuteronomy 31 And the title of the message today is a very simple title, You Must Die. Notice if you would what God told Moses, Deuteronomy 31 verse 14, And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold thy day's approach, that thou must die. Call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation. And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle, and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle. And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers.

[John Weaver] And this people will rise up, and go a-whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whether they go to be among them. forsake me, and break my covenant that I have made with them."

[John Weaver] Now if you'll look back at verse 14, and the Lord said unto Moses, Behold the day's approach that thou must die. Have you ever really considered the fact that you must die? Life is short, death is sure, eternity is forever. And unless our Lord returns in our lifetime, the truth of the matter is none of us are going to get out of this world alive. That's all there is to it. Denial is absolutely useless. Failure to think of death and dying is actually childish. because there are some who think, or at least they act like they are going to live forever. And like children they think that well if we don't think about it, if we don't talk about it, it will not happen or it will just somehow vanish and go away. Well the Word of God teaches differently. In fact, God said to Moses specifically, thou must die. It's not a matter as whether or not we want to die, would like to die, or desire to die, we must die. Have you ever considered that there were some in the Bible that God spoke to directly and told them that they must die?

[John Weaver] One of them, of course, is Moses, which we just read about. He said thou must die and certainly he did if you will look in your Bibles hold Deuteronomy 31 But if you would turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 38 Isaiah chapter 38 and look at verse 1 because also We find that God said the same thing basically to King Hezekiah in Isaiah 38 in verse 1 the Bible reads in those days was Hezekiah sick unto death and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amos came unto him and said unto him thus saith the Lord set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live So here God is telling King Hezekiah that he's going to die If you would turn right over to the book of Jeremiah chapter 20 and look if you would please in verse 6 Pasher was a false prophet and he prophesied lies to the children of Israel and God pronounces The penalty upon him through eyes through Jeremiah and in verse 6 He said in thou passion all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity And thou shalt come to Babylon and there thou shalt die and shall be buried there thou and all thy friends to whom thou has prophesied lies So God said to pasture you're certainly going to die.

[John Weaver] That's all there is to it. I book of Amos chapter 7 and verse 17 you might want to turn there if not I'll just quote it but you remember Amos was a prophet he lived actually in Judea but he prophesied to Israel to the northern kingdom and while he was up there Amaziah who happened to be the king's preacher he was telling Amos that he should not prophesy against Bethel and Because it was the king's chapel and it was the king's court and he basically told Amos He said get back to Judah and there eat bread. In other words If you don't get out of here, we're gonna kill you. That's all there is to it. And so Amos said to Amazion verse 17, therefore thus saith the Lord, thy wife shall be a harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line, and thou shalt die in a polluted land, and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land."

[John Weaver] So he said again you are going to die it is just that simple. But if you look in your Bibles to Numbers chapter 20 This is a where God tells Aaron that he has to die And I want you to note if you would please God says to the godly and to the ungodly alike Now must I it's not just the wicked. I Notice if you would in Numbers chapter 20 beginning there verse 23 and I want to ask you a question about this But look in Numbers chapter 20 verse 23 now the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the coast of the land of Edom saying Aaron shall be gathered

[John Weaver] unto his people and For he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because you rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eliezer his son, and bring them up into Mount Hor, and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eliezer his son. And Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there. Moses did as the Lord commanded, and they went up into the Mount Horn, the site of all the congregation. And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there in the top of the mount. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount. And while all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel." So here is what God has said to Moses, now you take Aaron your brother up to Mount Horn. you take Eleazar and you take all the priestly garments off Aaron and you dress Eleazar and when all those priestly garments get off of Aaron That he's going to die now my question would be this if you were Aaron and Would you not try to hold on to those garments as long as

[John Weaver] you could? I mean just stop and think about that. Can you imagine not only the psychological but the emotional experience that Aaron was having because he knew just as quickly as those garments were taken from him that he was going to die. So God then has spoken and said Aaron is going to die. So here's my question Has God spoken to you and told you that you're going to die?

[John Weaver] And the answer is yes if you understand the biblical doctrine of inspiration now it is true that God spoke in the Old Testament in different ways and times past and through the prophets. But the Bible tells us in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. But when you understand 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 and 17 which involves the biblical doctrine of inspiration. There the Bible says, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine and reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work." Now when the Bible says, all scripture is given by inspiration, the Greek word is theopneuptos literally which means God breathed or God exhaled. So that means then every word that we have has been breathed out or exhaled from the mouth of God. So when I ask, has God said that you are going to die? And the answer is yes, because He said that in His book.

[John Weaver] He has given us the very fact that we must die. When I was reading through the book of Deuteronomy recently and I ran across this phrase that God spake to Moses and said, Thou must die. The question hit my mind, well, why must we die? And most of us probably know one of the answers, but let me give you three answers to that question today. The very first reason we must die is simply because of God's sovereignty. Now, you say, what do you mean we must die because of God's sovereignty? Well, God is sovereign in the fact that He has not only ordained the day of our birth, He has also ordained the day of our death.

[John Weaver] Now, probably everyone in this room can quote Hebrews 9 verse 27, it is appointed unto man once to die, after that the judgment. Notice it is appointed unto man. In other words it is ordained unto man once to die. So God then has ordained death. So we might say that death in one sense of the word is a divine necessity because of the ordination of God.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Job chapter 7. And hold the book of Job because we will come back there just shortly. We'll look in the book of Job chapter 7. The fact of the matter is our time on earth is very, very limited. If you'll notice in Job 7 in verse 1, here's the question, is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?

[John Weaver] Are not his days also like the days of a hireling? So, look at the first part, is there not an appointed time to man upon the earth? Do you understand that there was a set time for our coming into the world? There is a set time for our continuing in the world. And there is a set time for our going out of the world. Everything has been ordained by God.

[John Weaver] It's not left to chance, luck, fate, or fortune. It's in the ordination of God.

[John Weaver] Now, if you would hold the book of Job please, but look in your Bibles back to Deuteronomy 31 and look if you would please at verse 16. Look what he says, And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers. God has already told him in verse 14 you must die. Now He says you are going to sleep with your fathers. If you look in chapter 32 beginning there with verse 48 you will see exactly where and when Moses died. Notice Deuteronomy 32 verse 48, And the Lord spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, Get thee up into this mountain of Barim, unto Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho. And behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for possession." die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother died in Mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people. Because you trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.

[John Weaver] Yet thou shalt see the land before thee, but thou shalt not go further unto the land of which I give the children of Israel." So God tells Moses, look, you're not going to get into the land, but I'm going to let you see it. Now climb up in the mountain and look. And when you're through looking, you're going to die. Well I think I'd be looking for a long time if I could have. But he said, you are going to die. So Moses knew exactly when he climbed that mountain exactly what was going to happen to him. He knew that he was going to die. Now here is the interesting thing Moses lived 120 years. 120 years is a long time. It's more than any of us are going to live that's for sure. But one thing for sure, even though he lived 120 years, there was a set time for his exit out of this world. It came to pass.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back, if you would, to the book of Job chapter 14, and let's begin looking there with verse 1. Here are a number of truths concerning man in this passage. especially death. Notice if you would Job 14 verse 1, man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. So you've got fewness of days and fullness of trouble if you've been born of a woman.

[John Weaver] Watch, he cometh forth like a flower and is cut down. He fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean, not one?" In other words man can't do anything for himself. Notice verse 5, seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass. Now note if you would, he said seeing his days are determined, number of his months are with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass." It's kind of like when God created the oceans.

[John Weaver] You remember what the Scripture said? Into the seas He said, hitherto shalt thou proud waves come, but no further. In other words God says this is it. This is your boundary. You are not coming any farther. So God then has set our boundaries. Just like He set up the pillar of the world. we cannot trespass those boundaries. God has ordained, the Bible says in verse 5, not only that He has ordained the number of our days, but the number of our months.

[John Weaver] And we are not going to live one day longer, or one hour longer, or one second longer. Everything is going to simply be exactly like God says. Now, You will find that there are a number of verses that talk about lengthening your days or shortening your days So here's my question if God is ordained the day of our death How in the world can we either lengthen or shorten our days I Well you see the Bible says in Proverbs 10 and verse 27, the fear of the Lord prolongeth days, but the days of the wicked shall be shortened. Now the fear of the Lord prolongeth our days, it prolongeth life, but the days of the wicked are going to be shortened. Well how do we explain that in light of the fact that God says our days are numbered? The number of our months are with Him. Well, the answer is very simple. God has not only ordained the end, He has ordained the means to that end as well. So a righteous man will use obedience and godliness to lengthen his days.

[John Weaver] He is still going to die in God's appointed time. And the wicked man will use sin and rebellion to shorten his days and yet he is still going to die in God's appointed time. In other words, If we're obedient, we may outlive a lot of folks, but we're still going to die in our appointed time. It's just that simple. And whenever that time is. So, the Bible is teaching very clearly that no matter how long or how short our time is upon this earth, We have to understand that our term upon this earth is very, very brief.

[John Weaver] I want you to look in your Bibles to Psalm 90. Psalm 90 is a Psalm of Moses, the man of God. I want you to understand that David did not write all of the Psalms. He wrote most of them. Asap wrote some of the Psalms. Moses wrote Psalm 90. But in Psalm 90 if you look at the heading there a prayer of Moses the man of God And this is a wonderful song and I've preached from this song many times But look if you would please beginning with verse 5 I want to read through verse 10 and then I want you to take note of how Moses describes our lives notice Psalm 90 verse 5 Thou carry'st them away as with a flood They are as a sleep.

[John Weaver] In the morning they are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth and groweth up. In the evening it is cut down and withereth. For we are consumed by thine anger and by thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all of our days are passed away in thy wrath. We spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten. If by reason of strength they be fourscore years, if we make it to eighty, yet is their strength labor and sorrow, for it is soon cut off and we fly away." Now, I want you to note, if you would please, what he says in verse 5, Thou carriest them away as with a flood. In other words, our lives on this earth are kind of like a flash flood. Most of us do not understand flash floods.

[John Weaver] If you lived in Arizona and some of these other places like Arizona, Nevada, even Northern California, where you get a lot of water from the snow melts, you can be in Arizona in the desert. And here's a gully. And you start trying to cross that gully. In fact, it happened while I was out there that some folks were actually died because the snow melted in the mountain and all of a sudden the water came rushing and just sweeping the cars right on the way. And the people die just instantly. And then just as quick as the water washes you away it is gone.

[John Weaver] And the next thing you know it is dry again. So he said it is like a flood. But look if you would please again in verse 5 he says there as a sleep. Have you ever thought about sleeping? Isn't it amazing? that you can lie down at night and go to sleep and wake up eight hours later and it seems like you just went to bed I mean you don't even realize the time that has passed and that's what he's saying our life goes by just that quickly and then he says that we're like grass that grows up in the morning in the evening it's cut down and it withers And then he says in verse 9, for all our days are past, our years are as a tale that is told. How long does it take to tell a tale? Not very long. And he said it's all gone. And notice if you would please, He's using all of these illustrations and telling us how quickly our lives are over. Each of these illustrates the shortness, the brevity of our lives.

[John Weaver] And then he points out that many lives are still filled with anguish and heartache. Job also uses illustration. I want you to turn to the book of James, but I'm going to quote from Job, but I want you to look if you would please in the book of James chapter 4. But in Job 7 and verse 6 Job said it like this, he said, my days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle and are spent without hope.

[John Weaver] Now I don't know if you've ever seen a weaver's shuttle when those things work, but I mean it's just back and forth almost instantly. It flies almost as fast or faster than your eyes can see. So I said my life is Over like a weaver shuttle, but if you look in James chapter 4 beginning at verse 13 Here's another illustration on the gravity and the shortness of our life He says in verse 13 go to now ye that say today or tomorrow We will go into such a city and continue there a year a year and buy and sell and get gain Whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow for what is your life?

[John Weaver] even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that you ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that."

[John Weaver] Now notice he says, for what is your life? It is even a vapor or a fog. I got up one morning this past week and there is a little fog. But an hour later it was gone. And this is exactly what James is saying. We don't know what tomorrow may hold. And he's talking about the brevity of our lives. Now, anyone that is 70 or older understands the brevity of life. Because we can sit around and we can say, I know you're not 70 yet, David. We can sit around and say. We can sit around and say where did those years go?

[John Weaver] How in the world did time pass so quickly? I mean it seems as if yesterday We were playing with our children and now we're playing with grandchildren and great-grandchildren And you look Where did they go? Do you remember when you were young? You thought you would live forever. You remember that? And do you remember when you were young, you wanted to get older? I remember thinking if I can just get to be 16.

[John Weaver] And then it was 18. And then it was 21. I never will forget the time that Alice's father and he died one at 90 89 he would have been 90 his next birthday, but he and I were sitting and playing chess and I was probably in my 30s at the time and and pop was 75 and Finally he looked up and he said to me son now when I get old and I thought pop you are old I mean Well to a 30 year old man, I mean that, or 37, that's an old man. But you know the closer I get to it, it's not too old at all, you know. But you have to understand, you know, it doesn't matter if we live 200 years, we're still going to die. And it's still a short time, comparatively speaking. It seems as if we went to sleep young and woke up old. And here's the thought, you know, you actually begin dying when you're born. And in one sense of the word, we grow into death.

[John Weaver] We grow into death. Because death is just simply the natural end of life. That's all there is to it. We have to understand that we must die because God is sovereign. He's ordained and appointed the time of our death just like He ordained and appointed the time of our birth. Here's the second reason we must die, and most of you know this and I'm not going to spend too much time on it, but we must die because we are sinners. Death is the result of sin. If there had been no sin, there would not be any death. And frankly, we may blame death and sin upon Adam. Because Adam was our federal head and federal representative.

[John Weaver] We were in him and what he did, we did. because of his sin sin was imputed to us for instance look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 5 and verse 12 Romans 5 verse 12. Here's a tremendous passage talking about the imputation of sin Look if you would in Romans 5 and verse 12 Look what the Bible says and I'll point out one other truth here as well Romans 5 verse 12 Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin And so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned now Let me just stop here just for a moment. Look carefully at verse 12 Wherefore as by one man Sin entered in the world Why does the Bible not say wherefore as by one woman and Did not Eve sin before Adam?

[John Weaver] Yes, she took of the fruit and gave to her husband. So why does it not say, wherefore has by one woman sin entered in the world? And the answer is, because God had entered into his covenant with Adam, with the man. He was the head. He was the representative. Now, notice what else the Bible says, Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, watch this, for that all have sinned. When you look at that phrase, all have sinned, it's an Arish passive, which means it happened one time and it's over with. Well, when did all sin? When did all of us sin at one time? And the answer is in Adam who was our federal head and federal representative. So when we sinned in Adam then sin was imputed to us.

[John Weaver] It was charged to our account and we inherited a sinful nature which results now in actual sin. We sin because we are sinners. We don't become sinners because we sin, we sin because we're sinners. We're already sinners.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of James chapter 2. because you see so many people think well, you know, I'm not so bad and You know, I have not violated God's law like a lot of people have well You don't have to violate the whole law in order to be a sinner All you have to do is violate one part or one point notice in James chapter 2 let's begin reading there with verse 10. He says this,"'For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

[John Weaver] For he that saith, Do not commit adultery, saith also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.'" So obviously you don't have to commit every sin in the book to be a sinner. All you have to do is commit one sin and God will says you are guilty of all. You remember I told you in times past the law demands three things of every individual, a personal obedience, a perfect obedience, and a perpetual obedience. And none of us have ever given that to the law. So, there can be no excuse and no denial of sin.

[John Weaver] Now I know there are certain groups that try to deny sin. I think the Christian scientists deny sin. And they even denied death. I don't know how. One of my favorite stories is about the little boy who came running into the house and said, mother, mother, mother said, you know, that lady down the street has been sick so long. The mother said, no, no, son, you mean the lady that thinks she's been sick so long? He said, well, now she thinks she's dead. Well, you can try to deny it all you want.

[John Weaver] But the fact of the matter is we are sinners and we are going to die. That's what the Bible means in Romans chapter 3 verses 10 and 12. Look there if you want to, look in Romans chapter 3. You know these verses, like I said I'm not going to really emphasize this too much. But there is an interesting passage in Romans chapter 3 beginning there with verse 10. Look what God says, Romans 3 verse 10, as it is written, there is none righteous, no not one. There's none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God. They're all going out of the way They're together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good. No, not one not one By the way, I can't ever read this passage without thinking about a preacher friend of mine.

[John Weaver] He's I Think dead now But he preached in Kentucky and in their town they were hosting some type of convention for the Roman Catholics. And so he was a Baptist preacher. And so he put out on the church bulletin board, please visit with us on Sunday, I'm going to be preaching on the four nuns. And he spelled it N-U-N, N-U-N-S, N-U-N-S. So he got a lot of those Catholics to come to the Baptist church. And the four nuns he preached on are the four nuns here in Romans chapter 3 verses 10-12.

[John Weaver] There is none righteous, there is none that seeketh after God, there is none that understandeth, and there is none that doeth good. Well that is the four nuns. He just misspelled it on the board. what the Scripture says. You can't deny the fact that we are sinners and death is the result of that. Everybody knows Romans 6 verse 23, for the wages of sin is what death, and the gift of our eternal life is the gift of our Lord through Jesus Christ. But stop and think about this, even as Christians we are nothing more than saved sinners. That's all. There's none of us perfect. No, not one not in this life Have you ever stopped to think about this I Do not care How godly you are?

[John Weaver] How obedient you are or how holy you are? If you are still on this earth There is still enough sin in your obedience to damn you if it were not for Jesus Christ. I God commands us to pray. Look how many times we fail to pray, or we pray selfishly, or we pray wickedly. He commands us to study. Look how many times we read our Bibles just to be reading our Bibles, or we study just to get some type of intellectual knowledge where we can argue with someone, or boast ourselves full of vain pride and arrogance, that kind of thing. We may be obedient, but our obedience is certainly not perfect in this life, that is for sure. And so if it were not for the Lord Jesus Christ and His grace and His mercy, then obviously our obedience would not amount to anything anyhow.

[John Weaver] One of my favorite verses is where the Apostle Paul talked about the fact that how God put him in the ministry. And he said this, he counted me fateful putting me into the ministry. Now I don't suppose there is probably any better preacher than the Apostle Paul in one sense of the word. In fact God used him to write so many books in the Bible. But notice what Paul said, he counted me faithful. Not that he was faithful but God counted him that. He charged him, he imputed him as being faithful. So many times we fail and yet God counts us as being faithful regardless. Isn't that amazing?

[John Weaver] So this is what I'm talking about if it is not for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ none of us would ever be saved, period. In fact the Bible says in Proverbs 22 and verse 29, and none can keep alive his own soul, not one. We must die because we are sinners. And we must die because God is sovereign. God has ordained our end just like He ordained our beginning.

[John Weaver] Now here is the third point and I want to spend a little time on this. We must die in preparation for the eternal state. It is impossible to enter the eternal state with flesh and blood. It requires a new body. I want you to turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and you might as well hold this passage because we will come back 1 Corinthians 15. But I want you to look right now at verse 50. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 50. The Apostle Paul sets the record straight in this passage, 1 Corinthians 15 verse 50, Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. that plane flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God so you and I must die because our flesh and blood is not going to inherit the kingdom of God there must be a resurrection body there must be a glorified body you remember our Lord lived died was buried and was raised and from the dead and he had a glorified body.

[John Weaver] But it is interesting in Luke chapter 24 verse 39 our Lord was talking to his disciples and he said this, because some of them thought that he was a spirit, that he was a ghost and he said this, Behold my hands and my feet that it is I myself handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have. He didn't say flesh and blood. flesh and bones.

[John Weaver] But it was a new glorified body. Now, whole 1 Corinthians 15 but go to 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and I want you to see again how the Apostle Paul talks about a resurrected body, or a glorified body. Watch carefully. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and let's begin there with verse 1, The Apostle Paul says, For we know that of our earthly house, we are talking about our body, our earthly body. We know that of our earthly house of this tabernacle, our earthly body, were dissolved. We have a building, that is a new body of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. So he is talking about the fact that we've got an earthly body now, but there is a heavenly body made without hands eternal in the heavens. Now watch verse 2, for in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven. If so that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle that is in this body do groan being burdened not for that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

[John Weaver] Now he that hath wrought for us a selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of his Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith and not by sight, and we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body than to be present with the Lord." So the Apostle Paul is saying, look, we've got a glorified body, a resurrected body awaiting us. While we are in this body we are absent from the Lord, that is we are not in His presence. And he said we would much rather be really in this body and have a glorified body and be in the presence of Christ.

[John Weaver] But notice how he talks about our tabernacle and our building and he is simply referring to the body. Now I'm probably going to deal with this thought a little bit more later in a short series. But have you ever considered the fact that it requires a new body the beatific vision. And the beatific vision is nothing more than our seeing God. You know the Bible says in Matthew 5 and verse 8 our Lord says, Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Have you ever thought about seeing God? But now wait a minute you remember our Lord told Moses in Exodus 33 and verse 20 and He said, Thou canst not see My face and live for no man but shall see me and live. Flesh and blood cannot see God. It requires a glorified body.

[John Weaver] I get tickled a lot of times at some of the crazy things that people say that they are going to do when they get to Heaven. You know Alice and I were talking and I'm probably gonna preach a message on it Because we heard a song this past week where I was preaching a fellow saying this song starts off beautifully and then the course gets there and it gets into the foot tapping jumping up and down hollering and And it's just fleshly just emotional is all it is But Talking about shouting and glory Really I Look up the word shout shouted and shouting You know the only time the Bible talks about shouting Was the sons of God shouted for joy the creation of the world in the book of Job that's it Now, the point I'm trying to make is this. We can say, well, we're going to do this and we're going to do that. I would just imagine when we see God, when we see him in his majesty, in his beauty, in his greatness, in his glory, all we're going to do is fall down and worship.

[John Weaver] going to be like those four and twenty elders who bowed down and cast their crowns at His feet and said, Thou art worthy O Lord. You know the interesting thing is when we see God it has to be with a glorified body. If we are going to behold Him. I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3 And look if you would please at verse 2, 1 John 3 and verse 2. Then we're going back to 1 Corinthians 15. Look in 1 John chapter 3 and verse 2. John writes, Beloved, now are we the sons of God. So we're right now children of God. We've been regenerated. We've been converted by His grace and mercy. So now and we've been adopted into the family. So right now we're the sons of God But look what he says beloved now are we the sons of God and it does not yet appear what we shall be In other words, we're not exactly sure What our glorified bodies are going to be like exactly But we know that when he shall

[John Weaver] appear We shall be like him For we shall see him as he is should be sufficient to satisfy anyone. We will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is." So, there is a glorified body. Now, the question has to be asked, how do we get that glorified body? Well, let's go back to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and let's begin reading with verse 40. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 40, watch carefully.

[John Weaver] He's showing you the difference in bodies. He says there are celestial bodies and bodies terrestrial. So there's heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies. But the glory of the celestial is one and the glory of the terrestrial is another. Then he says there is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, another glory of the stars. For one star differeth from another star in glory.

[John Weaver] Now watch so also is the resurrection of the dead Now this is why I'm telling you we have to die watch So also is the resurrection of the dead it is sown in corruption It is raised in corruption It is sown to dishonor it is raised in glory. I It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body.

[John Weaver] And so it was written, the first man Adam was made a living soul and the last Adam Jesus Christ was a quickening spirit. But notice if you would please, He is saying it has to die. It is sown in corruption. But we're raised incorruptible. It is sown in dishonor, but we're raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, but we're raised in power. It is sown in a natural body, but it's raised a spiritual body. He then goes on to show that although we're talking about a new body, and we must die to get this new body, There is no sting of death. Notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse 53. He says, for this corruptible must put on incorruption.

[John Weaver] Now he's still alive, but he's calling himself corruptible. This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Now notice if you would please, the Apostle talks about there is no sting in death. O death, where is thy sting? For the child of God, there is absolutely nothing to fear.

[John Weaver] It's just kind of like the metamorphosis of a butterfly. I mean, you have the cocoon, you have the larva, you have the caterpillar, and then you have the butterfly. That's exactly what he's saying. And notice, if you would please, he asks, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us a victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And he's talking about death. So death for the child of God has to be viewed as victory. It is nothing less than a metamorphosis into glory. There should be no fear of death. The child of God why let me show you look in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 2 Hebrews chapter 2 verses 14 and 15 We're still talking about that staying it the sting is gone Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14 here. We're talking about the Lord Jesus Christ note if you would please Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14 The Bible says, for as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that

[John Weaver] is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. So our Lord through death not only destroyed the power of the devil, He destroyed death in the sense that He took the sting out of it. So the Bible is teaching us basically that he is our victory. He is our deliverer and he is our deliverance You remember David said Yeah, though I walk to the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil There's a big difference between a shadow and reality So if we're standing out in the shade of one of these trees out front, we're not in the tree. In fact, the truth of the matter is, our death is just an entrance into life.

[John Weaver] I like that passage in John 11 where Lazarus had died and our Lord went there and Martha saw him and went to him and said, Lord, had they been here, had you been here, my brother had not died. Jesus said Martha. I'm the resurrection in the life. He that believeth in me Shall never die Believe it's not this She said yay Lord. I believe thou art the Son of God really didn't answer his question But she said I believe you're the Son of God.

[John Weaver] You know what he was saying. I Am the resurrection the resurrection just walked into town. You don't have to worry about it. I'll take care of it Do you understand that our Lord is our guide unto death, in death, and through death? And when it comes to the child of God dying, our Lord is right there and I can't say it any better than this, our Lord could honestly say, been there, done that, got the t-shirt, don't worry about it. There is no staying in death for the child of God.

[John Weaver] You may not want to die. You may not desire to die. You may not look forward to dying, but you must die. There's no two ways out of it.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make some applications. Since we know that we must die, here's the first one. Let me just ask some questions. If you really genuinely believe that you must die and that you're going to die Have you prepared to die? Have you prepared spiritually And then have you prepared a number of ways as well Do you have your house in order? You remember what God told Hezekiah set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live Do you have your house in order?

[John Weaver] Do you have your cemetery plots? Do you have your casket picked out? Isn't that interesting? Do you have your services ordered that you would like? Have you paid for everything to save your children the financial and the emotional decisions of having to do that themselves? Have you laid out the service? Have you picked out the song? Have you picked out the preacher? If you own property, have you made a will? Have you arranged for your children to inherit?

[John Weaver] I'm just simply saying, if we're going to die, and we know we're going to die, something should be done in advance. My father died instantly. 21 years ago, 76 years of age on July the 4th, He told my mother, he asked her, is dinner ready? She said, no. He was watching the news. And he said, well, I'd like a glass of tea. She said, well, I'll get it for you. She went in the kitchen, fixed a glass of tea, turned around and came back, and he was dead. Just that simple. Just that quick. And of course, he had things pretty well taken care of. So after he died, my mother lived until she was 90. And my mother and I, I took her up to the funeral home and she picked out her casket. She did everything in advance. We laid it out, paid for it in advance. Same thing with Alice's mother. And her mother lived to be 95. But I'm just simply saying, it was all taken care of in advance.

[John Weaver] Not only was there no financial strain, there was really not too much of an emotional strain either, because you understand that dying is a part of living. You can't die unless you've lived. So, if we really genuinely believe that we are going to die, we must make some preparations.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to several passages. Here is my second application. I want you to look at the book of Joshua chapter 13 and verse 1. Find this absolutely amusing and yet comforting as well Joshua chapter 13 in verse 1 and I hope this is I hope I fit this bill But Alice keeps trying to tell me how old I'm getting but I try to ignore her, you know, but but Here's the second application. I find it amusing and yet comforting that some are Must be told. they are old and ready to die and they need to get on with what they need to do. Look what God told Joshua, Joshua 13 verse 1, Now Joshua was old and stricken in years, and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth very much land to be possessed. Now here is what God said, Look Joshua you have conquered a lot of the land, that is true, but the land has not been divided.

[John Weaver] There is some division, there is still some work left. You're old and stricken in years. Whatever you're gonna do get on with it get it done Isn't that amazing Joshua 13 verse 1 God says you're old and stricken in years and there's a lot that has to be done Get on with what needs to be done. You know, I Tell people A lot of us want to do a lot of things and we keep putting them off. Some of the things do not need to be done, but I've thought about my father so many times. He and I had planned for years to go out west and go elk hunting. And dad could have done it.

[John Weaver] He wasn't a rich man, but he wasn't a broke either. But he could have done any at the time he retired for a number of years, but he just kept putting it off And he died never did it Well, you know you can look at Joshua chapter 13 in verse 1 and apply it many ways Whatever we want to do We need to go ahead and do Because we're getting old and we're going to die and it'll get be left undone." So I'm just simply saying God had to tell Joshua, you're getting old and it's trickier than years. Get on with it son. You're not going to live forever.

[John Weaver] That's what He told him. Now, look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 31 and go to Joshua chapter 1 and hold it because we'll come back there. But go back to Deuteronomy 31 and verse 14. Here's the next application. Look at it if you would please. Deuteronomy 31, notice verse 14. And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold thy day's approach, that thou must die. Call Joshua and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation. Listen carefully.

[John Weaver] The news or knowledge of our death should not move us or shake us from our faith or our duty. God said to Moses, you must die. Now you go get Joshua and you bring him to the tabernacle I'm gonna give him a charge and guess what the Bible says and Moses and Joshua went and Presented themselves before the Lord in words the very fact that Moses knew that he was going to die Did not stop him from obeying God Moses did as he was commanding Our pending death should not surprise us nor should it deter us from doing our duty We already know that we're going to die. I So we need to learn to be faithful even unto death. And that's what Joshua did. That's what Moses did. Moses said, I've got to die, but I'm still going to be obedient. I'm going to still do what I can while I can. Now, one last application. I want you to look in Joshua one and verse one. Watch this. Joshua one and verse one.

[John Weaver] Here's the application. The death of a loved one, no matter how close, should never deter us from our duty and our service to the Lord. I've lost father and mother. I've lost aunt and uncles, cousins, never lost a mate. My wife's lost a lot of her family as well. When you stop and think about Moses and Joshua Joshua was the man who ministered to Moses You study and you will find the only two men that went up in that Mount were Moses and Joshua Joshua was always with Moses. He always defended Moses. He always stood up for Moses and spoke up for Moses and want to show you no matter how close you are to someone who dies. Look in Joshua 1 verses 1 and 2, Now after the death of Moses a servant of the Lord it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses his minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead.

[John Weaver] Now therefore rising over this Jordan thou and all this people unto the land which I do give to them even to the children of Israel. Did you read that? What did God say? Moses is dead. Get on with your life. Get on with doing what I've commanded you to do. Go ahead and obey. It's just that simple. I'm sure there's grieving time. I understand that. We're human. But God says we have to get on with our lives. I love that passage. In fact, I've preached on it where God told Ezekiel, He says, Behold, I take away the desire of your eyes with a stroke. Talk about his wife.

[John Weaver] And he said, But you must preach. And here's the next verse. And Ezekiel said, In the morning my wife died, and in the evening I did as I was commanded. Isn't that amazing? He just obeyed. That's what Joshua did. He just obeyed. We have to understand that dying is a part of living. I'm not in any rush to die. I enjoy life. I'm thankful for the life that God has given me. But I'm not afraid to die.

[John Weaver] Because Jesus Christ has taken the sting out of death. He's been there, done that, got the t-shirt, and will take us through it. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to you this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. And Lord, help us to face honestly this truth that we must die. May we prepare ourselves spiritually, mentally, emotionally, financially, in every way possible, Lord. Help us to honor thee in our lives and in our deaths. May we give honor and glory to thee. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

[John Weaver] you you

You Must Die

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	iYgIOtv1qMs
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Praying Against the Wicked
Genre	Sermon
Date	2015-12-03
Dictation Name
Book	Book 137: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 2 — Chapter 31
Source Timed Segments	75

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Certainty of Death

God told Moses, 'Thou must die.' Life is short, death is sure, and denial is useless. Everyone must die.

Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy 31, and we'll look at verses 14 through 16. The main verse today is verse 14, Deuteronomy 31. And the title of the message today is a very simple title: "You Must Die." Notice if you would what God told Moses, Deuteronomy 31 verse 14:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 31:14-16

"And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die. Call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation. And the Lord appeared in the tabernacle, and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle. And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers."

"And this people will rise up, and go a-whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant that I have made with them." Now if you'll look back at verse 14: "And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, the days approach that thou must die." Have you ever really considered the fact that you must die? Life is short, death is sure, eternity is forever. And unless our Lord returns in our lifetime, the truth of the matter is none of us are going to get out of this world alive. That's all there is to it. Denial is absolutely useless. Failure to think of death and dying is actually childish, because there are some who think, or at least they act like they are going to live forever. And like children, they think that well, if we don't think about it, if we don't talk about it, it will not happen or it will just somehow vanish and go away. Well, the Word of God teaches differently. In fact, God said to Moses specifically, "Thou must die." It's not a matter of whether or not we want to die, would like to die, or desire to die; we must die. Have you ever considered that there were some in the Bible that God spoke to directly and told them that they must die?

Biblical Examples of God Declaring Death

God directly told Hezekiah, Pashur, Amaziah, and Aaron that they would die, showing death comes to both godly and ungodly.

One of them, of course, is Moses, which we just read about. He said, "Thou must die," and certainly he did. If you will look in your Bibles, hold Deuteronomy 31, but if you would turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 38. Isaiah chapter 38 and look at verse 1, because also we find that God said the same thing basically to King Hezekiah. In Isaiah 38 and verse 1, the Bible reads:

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 38:1

"In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came unto him and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live."

So here God is telling King Hezekiah that he's going to die. If you would turn right over to the book of Jeremiah chapter 20 and look, if you would please, in verse 6. Pashur was a false prophet, and he prophesied lies to the children of Israel, and God pronounces the penalty upon him through Jeremiah. And in verse 6, He said: "And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity, and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou and all thy friends to whom thou hast prophesied lies." So God said to Pashur, "You're certainly going to die."

That's all there is to it. In the book of Amos chapter 7 and verse 17—you might want to turn there, if not I'll just quote it—but you remember Amos was a prophet. He lived actually in Judea, but he prophesied to Israel, to the northern kingdom. And while he was up there, Amaziah, who happened to be the king's preacher, was telling Amos that he should not prophesy against Bethel, because it was the king's chapel and it was the king's court. And he basically told Amos, "Get back to Judah and there eat bread." In other words, "If you don't get out of here, we're gonna kill you." That's all there is to it. And so Amos said to Amaziah in verse 17: "Therefore thus saith the Lord, Thy wife shall be a harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line, and thou shalt die in a polluted land, and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land."

So he said again, "You are going to die." It is just that simple. But if you look in your Bibles to Numbers chapter 20, this is where God tells Aaron that he has to die. And I want you to note, if you would please, God says to the godly and to the ungodly alike, "Now must die." It's not just the wicked. Notice if you would in Numbers chapter 20, beginning there verse 23, and I want to ask you a question about this. But look in Numbers chapter 20 verse 23: "Now

Scripture Reading — Numbers 20:23-29

the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up into Mount Hor, and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son. And Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there. Moses did as the Lord commanded, and they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there in the top of the mount. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount. And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel."

So here is what God has said to Moses: "Now you take Aaron your brother up to Mount Hor. You take Eleazar, and you take all the priestly garments off Aaron, and you dress Eleazar. And when all those priestly garments get off of Aaron, then he's going to die." Now my question would be this: if you were Aaron, would you not try to hold on to those garments as long as

you could? I mean, just stop and think about that. Can you imagine not only the psychological but the emotional experience that Aaron was having, because he knew just as quickly as those garments were taken from him that he was going to die. So God then has spoken and said, "Aaron is going to die." So here's my question: Has God spoken to you and told you that you're going to die?

Reason 1: God's Sovereignty Ordains Death

God has appointed the day of our death just as He appointed our birth. Our days are determined and cannot be passed.

He has given us the very fact that we must die. When I was reading through the book of Deuteronomy recently and I ran across this phrase that God spake to Moses and said, "Thou must die," the question hit my mind: well, why must we die? And most of us probably know one of the answers, but let me give you three answers to that question today. The very first reason we must die is simply because of God's sovereignty. Now, you say, "What do you mean we must die because of God's sovereignty?" Well, God is sovereign in the fact that He has not only ordained the day of our birth, He has also ordained the day of our death.

Now, probably everyone in this room can quote Hebrews 9 verse 27:

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 9:27

"It is appointed unto man once to die, after that the judgment."

Notice it is appointed unto man. In other words, it is ordained unto man once to die. So God then has ordained death. So we might say that death in one sense of the word is a divine necessity because of the ordination of God.

Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Job chapter 7. And hold the book of Job because we will come back there just shortly. We'll look in the book of Job chapter 7. The fact of the matter is our time on earth is very, very limited. If you'll notice in Job 7 in verse 1, here's the question:

Scripture Reading — Job 7:1

"Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? Are not his days also like the days of a hireling?"

So, look at the first part:

Scripture Reading — Job 7:1

"Is there not an appointed time to man upon the earth?"

Do you understand that there was a set time for our coming into the world? There is a set time for our continuing in the world. And there is a set time for our going out of the world. Everything has been ordained by God.

It's not left to chance, luck, fate, or fortune. It's in the ordination of God. Now, if you would hold the book of Job please, but look in your Bibles back to Deuteronomy 31 and look if you would please at verse 16. Look what he says: "And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers." God has already told him in verse 14, "You must die." Now He says, "You are going to sleep with your fathers." If you look in chapter 32 beginning there with verse 48, you will see exactly where and when Moses died. Notice Deuteronomy 32 verse 48: "And the Lord spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, Get thee up into this mountain of Abarim, unto Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho. And behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for possession. And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother died in Mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people. Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.

Yet thou shalt see the land before thee, but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel." So God tells Moses, "Look, you're not going to get into the land, but I'm going to let you see it. Now climb up in the mountain and look. And when you're through looking, you're going to die." Well, I think I'd be looking for a long time if I could have. But he said, "You are going to die." So Moses knew exactly when he climbed that mountain exactly what was going to happen to him. He knew that he was going to die. Now here is the interesting thing: Moses lived 120 years. 120 years is a long time. It's more than any of us are going to live, that's for sure. But one thing for sure, even though he lived 120 years, there was a set time for his exit out of this world. It came to pass.

Now, I want you to go back, if you would, to the book of Job chapter 14, and let's begin looking there with verse 1. Here are a number of truths concerning man in this passage, especially death. Notice if you would Job 14 verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble."

So you've got fewness of days and fullness of trouble if you've been born of a woman. Watch:

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down. He fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one."

In other words, man can't do anything for himself. Notice verse 5:

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass."

Now note if you would, he said,

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass."

It's kind of like when God created the oceans.

You remember what the Scripture said? Into the seas He said, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed." In other words, God says, "This is it. This is your boundary. You are not coming any farther." So God then has set our boundaries. Just like He set up the pillar of the world, we cannot trespass those boundaries. God has ordained, the Bible says in verse 5, not only that He has ordained the number of our days, but the number of our months. And we are not going to live one day longer, or one hour longer, or one second longer. Everything is going to simply be exactly like God says. Now, you will find that there are a number of verses that talk about lengthening your days or shortening your days. So here's my question: if God has ordained the day of our death, how in the world can we either lengthen or shorten our days? Well, you see the Bible says in Proverbs 10 and verse 27,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 10:27

"The fear of the Lord prolongeth days, but the days of the wicked shall be shortened."

Now the fear of the Lord prolongeth our days, it prolongeth life, but the days of the wicked are going to be shortened. Well, how do we explain that in light of the fact that God says our days are numbered? The number of our months are with Him. Well, the answer is very simple. God has not only ordained the end, He has ordained the means to that end as well. So a righteous man will use obedience and godliness to lengthen his days.

He is still going to die in God's appointed time. And the wicked man will use sin and rebellion to shorten his days, and yet he is still going to die in God's appointed time. In other words, if we're obedient, we may outlive a lot of folks, but we're still going to die in our appointed time. It's just that simple. And whenever that time is. So, the Bible is teaching very clearly that no matter how long or how short our time is upon this earth, we have to understand that our term upon this earth is very, very brief. I want you to look in your Bibles to Psalm 90. Psalm 90 is a Psalm of Moses, the man of God. I want you to understand that David did not write all of the Psalms. He wrote most of them. Asaph wrote some of the Psalms. Moses wrote Psalm 90. But in Psalm 90, if you look at the heading there, "A Prayer of Moses the man of God." And this is a wonderful psalm, and I've preached from this psalm many times. But look if you would please beginning with verse 5. I want to read through verse 10, and then I want you to take note of how Moses describes our lives. Notice Psalm 90 verse 5: "Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep.

In the morning they are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down and withereth. For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." Now, I want you to note, if you would please, what he says in verse 5: "Thou carriest them away as with a flood." In other words, our lives on this earth are kind of like a flash flood. Most of us do not understand flash floods.

If you lived in Arizona and some of these other places like Arizona, Nevada, even Northern California, where you get a lot of water from the snow melts, you can be in Arizona in the desert. And here's a gully. And you start trying to cross that gully. In fact, it happened while I was out there that some folks actually died because the snow melted in the mountain and all of a sudden the water came rushing and just sweeping the cars right on the way. And the people die just instantly. And then just as quick as the water washes you away, it is gone. And the next thing you know it is dry again. So he said it is like a flood. But look if you would please again in verse 5, he says, "They are as a sleep." Have you ever thought about sleeping? Isn't it amazing that you can lie down at night and go to sleep and wake up eight hours later and it seems like you just went to bed? I mean, you don't even realize the time that has passed. And that's what he's saying: our life goes by just that quickly. And then he says that we're like grass that grows up in the morning; in the evening it's cut down and it withers. And then he says in verse 9, "For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told." How long does it take to tell a tale? Not very long. And he said it's all gone. And notice if you would please, he's using all of these illustrations and telling us how quickly our lives are over. Each of these illustrates the shortness, the brevity of our lives.

And then he points out that many lives are still filled with anguish and heartache. Job also uses illustration. I want you to turn to the book of James, but I'm going to quote from Job, but I want you to look if you would please in the book of James chapter 4. But in Job 7 and verse 6, Job said it like this: he said, "My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope."

Now I don't know if you've ever seen a weaver's shuttle when those things work, but I mean it's just back and forth almost instantly. It flies almost as fast or faster than your eyes can see. So he said, "My life is over like a weaver's shuttle." But if you look in James chapter 4 beginning at verse 13, here's another illustration on the brevity and the shortness of our life. He says in verse 13: "Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."

Now notice he says, "For what is your life? It is even a vapour," or a fog. I got up one morning this past week and there was a little fog. But an hour later it was gone. And this is exactly what James is saying. We don't know what tomorrow may hold. And he's talking about the brevity of our lives. Now, anyone that is 70 or older understands the brevity of life. Because we can sit around and we can say—I know you're not 70 yet, David—we can sit around and say, "Where did those years go?"

How in the world did time pass so quickly? I mean, it seems as if yesterday we were playing with our children, and now we're playing with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And you look, where did they go? Do you remember when you were young, you thought you would live forever? You remember that? And do you remember when you were young, you wanted to get older? I remember thinking, "If I can just get to be 16."

And then it was 18. And then it was 21. I never will forget the time that Alice's father—and he died at 89, he would have been 90 his next birthday—but he and I were sitting and playing chess, and I was probably in my 30s at the time, and Pop was 75. And finally he looked up and he said to me, "Son, now when I get old..." And I thought, "Pop, you are old!" I mean, to a 30-year-old man, I mean, or 37, that's an old man. But you know, the closer I get to it, it's not too old at all, you know. But you have to understand, you know, it doesn't matter if we live 200 years, we're still going to die. And it's still a short time, comparatively speaking. It seems as if we went to sleep young and woke up old. And here's the thought: you know, you actually begin dying when you're born. And in one sense of the word, we grow into death.

We grow into death. Because death is just simply the natural end of life. That's all there is to it. We have to understand that we must die because God is sovereign. He's ordained and appointed the time of our death just like He ordained and appointed the time of our birth. Here's the second reason we must die, and most of you know this and I'm not going to spend too much time on it, but we must die because we are sinners. Death is the result of sin. If there had been no sin, there would not be any death. And frankly, we may blame death and sin upon Adam. Because Adam was our federal head and federal representative.

Reason 2: Death Results from Sin

Sin entered through Adam, and death passed to all. All have sinned and fall short of God's law, earning death.

We were in him, and what he did, we did. Because of his sin, sin was imputed to us. For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 5 and verse 12. Romans 5 verse 12. Here's a tremendous passage talking about the imputation of sin. Look if you would in Romans 5 and verse 12. Look what the Bible says, and I'll point out one other truth here as well. Romans 5 verse 12:

Scripture Reading — Romans 5:12

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."

Now let me just stop here just for a moment. Look carefully at verse 12:

Scripture Reading — Romans 5:12

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world."

Why does the Bible not say,

Scripture Reading — Romans 5:12

"Wherefore, as by one woman"

? Did not Eve sin before Adam?

Yes, she took of the fruit and gave to her husband. So why does it not say, "Wherefore, as by one woman sin entered into the world"? And the answer is, because God had entered into His covenant with Adam, with the man. He was the head. He was the representative. Now, notice what else the Bible says: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." When you look at that phrase, "all have sinned," it's an aorist passive, which means it happened one time and it's over with. Well, when did all sin? When did all of us sin at one time? And the answer is in Adam, who was our federal head and federal representative. So when we sinned in Adam, then sin was imputed to us.

It was charged to our account, and we inherited a sinful nature which results now in actual sin. We sin because we are sinners. We don't become sinners because we sin; we sin because we're sinners. We're already sinners.

Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of James chapter 2. Because you see, so many people think, "Well, you know, I'm not so bad," and, "You know, I have not violated God's law like a lot of people have." Well, you don't have to violate the whole law in order to be a sinner. All you have to do is violate one part or one point. Notice in James chapter 2, let's begin reading there with verse 10. He says this:

Scripture Reading — James 2:10-11

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law."

So obviously you don't have to commit every sin in the book to be a sinner. All you have to do is commit one sin, and God's Word says you are guilty of all. You remember I told you in times past the law demands three things of every individual: a personal obedience, a perfect obedience, and a perpetual obedience. And none of us have ever given that to the law. So, there can be no excuse and no denial of sin.

Now I know there are certain groups that try to deny sin. I think the Christian Scientists deny sin. And they even deny death. I don't know how. One of my favorite stories is about the little boy who came running into the house and said, "Mother, mother, mother!" She said, "You know, that lady down the street has been sick so long." The mother said, "No, no, son, you mean the lady that thinks she's been sick so long?" He said, "Well, now she thinks she's dead." Well, you can try to deny it all you want.

But the fact of the matter is we are sinners and we are going to die. That's what the Bible means in Romans chapter 3 verses 10 and 12. Look there if you want to, look in Romans chapter 3. You know these verses, like I said I'm not going to really emphasize this too much. But there is an interesting passage in Romans chapter 3 beginning there with verse 10. Look what God says, Romans 3 verse 10: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way; they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Not one. By the way, I can't ever read this passage without thinking about a preacher friend of mine.

He's, I think, dead now, but he preached in Kentucky, and in their town they were hosting some type of convention for the Roman Catholics. And so he was a Baptist preacher. And so he put out on the church bulletin board, "Please visit with us on Sunday, I'm going to be preaching on the four nuns." And he spelled it N-U-N-S, N-U-N-S. So he got a lot of those Catholics to come to the Baptist church. And the four nuns he preached on are the four "nones" here in Romans chapter 3 verses 10-12.

There is none righteous, there is none that seeketh after God, there is none that understandeth, and there is none that doeth good. Well, that is the four "nones." He just misspelled it on the board. But that's what the Scripture says. You can't deny the fact that we are sinners and death is the result of that. Everybody knows Romans 6 verse 23:

Scripture Reading — Romans 6:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

But stop and think about this: even as Christians, we are nothing more than saved sinners. That's all. There's none of us perfect. No, not one. Not in this life. Have you ever stopped to think about this? I do not care how godly you are,

how obedient you are, or how holy you are. If you are still on this earth, there is still enough sin in your obedience to damn you if it were not for Jesus Christ. God commands us to pray. Look how many times we fail to pray, or we pray selfishly, or we pray wickedly. He commands us to study. Look how many times we read our Bibles just to be reading our Bibles, or we study just to get some type of intellectual knowledge where we can argue with someone, or boast ourselves full of vain pride and arrogance, that kind of thing. We may be obedient, but our obedience is certainly not perfect in this life, that is for sure. And so if it were not for the Lord Jesus Christ and His grace and His mercy, then obviously our obedience would not amount to anything anyhow.

One of my favorite verses is where the Apostle Paul talked about the fact that God put him in the ministry. And he said this: "He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry." Now I don't suppose there is probably any better preacher than the Apostle Paul in one sense of the word. In fact, God used him to write so many books in the Bible. But notice what Paul said: "He counted me faithful." Not that he was faithful, but God counted him that. He charged him, He imputed him as being faithful. So many times we fail, and yet God counts us as being faithful regardless. Isn't that amazing?

So this is what I'm talking about: if it is not for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, none of us would ever be saved, period. In fact, the Bible says in Proverbs 22 and verse 29—well, actually, it's not that verse, but the point is, none can keep alive his own soul, not one. We must die because we are sinners. And we must die because God is sovereign. God has ordained our end just like He ordained our beginning.

Reason 3: Death Prepares for the Eternal State

Flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom. A glorified body is required to see God, obtained through resurrection.

Now here is the third point, and I want to spend a little time on this. We must die in preparation for the eternal state. It is impossible to enter the eternal state with flesh and blood. It requires a new body. I want you to turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 15, and you might as well hold this passage because we will come back. 1 Corinthians 15. But I want you to look right now at verse 50. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 50. The Apostle Paul sets the record straight in this passage. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 50: "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." That plain flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. So you and I must die because our flesh and blood is not going to inherit the kingdom of God. There must be a resurrection body, there must be a glorified body. You remember our Lord lived, died, was buried, and was raised from the dead, and He had a glorified body.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 15:50-57

But it is interesting in Luke chapter 24 verse 39, our Lord was talking to His disciples and He said this, because some of them thought that He was a spirit, that He was a ghost. And He said this: "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." He didn't say flesh and blood. He said flesh and bones. But it was a new glorified body. Now, hold 1 Corinthians 15, but go to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, and I want you to see again how the Apostle Paul talks about a resurrected body, or a glorified body. Watch carefully. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and let's begin there with verse 1. The Apostle Paul says: "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." So he is talking about the fact that we've got an earthly body now, but there is a heavenly body made without hands, eternal in the heavens. Now watch verse 2: "For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life."

"Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight:) we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." So the Apostle Paul is saying, "Look, we've got a glorified body, a resurrected body awaiting us. While we are in this body, we are absent from the Lord," that is, we are not in His presence. And he said, "We would much rather be absent from this body and have a glorified body and be in the presence of Christ."

But notice how he talks about our tabernacle and our building, and he is simply referring to the body. Now I'm probably going to deal with this thought a little bit more later in a short series. But have you ever considered the fact that it requires a new body for the beatific vision? And the beatific vision is nothing more than our seeing God. You know the Bible says in Matthew 5 and verse 8, our Lord says, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Have you ever thought about seeing God? But now wait a minute. You remember our Lord told Moses in Exodus 33 and verse 20, and He said, "Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live." Flesh and blood cannot see God. It requires a glorified body.

I get tickled a lot of times at some of the crazy things that people say that they are going to do when they get to Heaven. You know, Alice and I were talking, and I'm probably gonna preach a message on it, because we heard a song this past week where I was preaching. A fellow singing this song starts off beautifully, and then the chorus gets there and it gets into the foot-tapping, jumping up and down, hollering, and it's just fleshly, just emotional is all it is. But talking about shouting and glory... Really, I look up the word "shout," "shouted," and "shouting." You know the only time the Bible talks about shouting was the sons of God shouted for joy at the creation of the world in the book of Job. That's it. Now, the point I'm trying to make is this: we can say, "Well, we're going to do this and we're going to do that." I would just imagine when we see God, when we see Him in His majesty, in His beauty, in His greatness, in His glory, all we're going to do is fall down and worship.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 15:50-57

We're going to be like those four and twenty elders who bowed down and cast their crowns at His feet and said, "Thou art worthy, O Lord." You know the interesting thing is when we see God, it has to be with a glorified body if we are going to behold Him. I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3, and look if you would please at verse 2. 1 John 3 and verse 2. Then we're going back to 1 Corinthians 15. Look in 1 John chapter 3 and verse 2. John writes: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." So we're right now children of God. We've been regenerated. We've been converted by His grace and mercy. So now we've been adopted into the family. So right now we're the sons of God. But look what he says: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be." In other words, we're not exactly sure what our glorified bodies are going to be like exactly. "But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." That should be sufficient to satisfy anyone. We will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. So, there is a glorified body. Now, the question has to be asked: how do we get that glorified body? Well, let's go back to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and let's begin reading with verse 40. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 40, watch carefully. He's showing you the difference in bodies. He says: "There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

So also is the resurrection of the dead." Now this is why I'm telling you we have to die. Watch: "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." But notice if you would please, He is saying it has to die. It is sown in corruption, but we're raised incorruptible. It is sown in dishonour, but we're raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, but we're raised in power. It is sown a natural body, but it's raised a spiritual body. He then goes on to show that although we're talking about a new body, and we must die to get this new body, there is no sting of death. Notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse 53. He says: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption,

and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Now notice if you would please, the Apostle talks about there is no sting in death. "O death, where is thy sting?" For the child of God, there is absolutely nothing to fear.

It's just kind of like the metamorphosis of a butterfly. I mean, you have the cocoon, you have the larva, you have the caterpillar, and then you have the butterfly. That's exactly what he's saying. And notice, if you would please, he asks, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." And he's talking about death. So death for the child of God has to be viewed as victory. It is nothing less than a metamorphosis into glory. There should be no fear of death for the child of God. Why? Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2 verses 14 and 15. We're still talking about that sting—the sting is gone. Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14. Here we're talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. Note if you would please Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14. The Bible says: "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that

The Sting of Death Removed for Believers

Christ destroyed the power of death and the devil. For the child of God, death is a victory and entrance into life.

is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." So our Lord through death not only destroyed the power of the devil, He destroyed death in the sense that He took the sting out of it. So the Bible is teaching us basically that He is our victory. He is our deliverer and He is our deliverance. You remember David said, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." There's a big difference between a shadow and reality. So if we're standing out in the shade of one of these trees out front, we're not in the tree. In fact, the truth of the matter is, our death is just an entrance into life. I like that passage in John 11 where Lazarus had died and our Lord went there and Martha saw Him and went to Him and said, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." Jesus said, "Martha, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." Believe it's not this. She said, "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God." She really didn't answer His question, but she said, "I believe you're the Son of God."

You know what He was saying? "I am the resurrection." The resurrection just walked into town. You don't have to worry about it. I'll take care of it. Do you understand that our Lord is our guide unto death, in death, and through death? And when it comes to the child of God dying, our Lord is right there. And I can't say it any better than this: our Lord could honestly say, "Been there, done that, got the t-shirt, don't worry about it." There is no sting in death for the child of God.

You may not want to die. You may not desire to die. You may not look forward to dying, but you must die. There's no two ways out of it.

Application 1: Prepare for Death

Set your house in order spiritually and practically: make a will, plan your funeral, and relieve your family of burdens.

Now, let me make some applications. Since we know that we must die, here's the first one. Let me just ask some questions. If you really genuinely believe that you must die and that you're going to die, have you prepared to die? Have you prepared spiritually? And then have you prepared in a number of ways as well? Do you have your house in order? You remember what God told Hezekiah: "Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live." Do you have your house in order?

Do you have your cemetery plots? Do you have your casket picked out? Isn't that interesting? Do you have your services ordered that you would like? Have you paid for everything to save your children the financial and the emotional decisions of having to do that themselves? Have you laid out the service? Have you picked out the song? Have you picked out the preacher? If you own property, have you made a will? Have you arranged for your children to inherit?

I'm just simply saying, if we're going to die, and we know we're going to die, something should be done in advance. My father died instantly. 21 years ago, 76 years of age, on July the 4th. He told my mother, he asked her, "Is dinner ready?" She said, "No." He was watching the news. And he said, "Well, I'd like a glass of tea." She said, "Well, I'll get it for you." She went in the kitchen, fixed a glass of tea, turned around and came back, and he was dead. Just that simple. Just that quick. And of course, he had things pretty well taken care of. So after he died, my mother lived until she was 90. And my mother and I, I took her up to the funeral home and she picked out her casket. She did everything in advance. We laid it out, paid for it in advance. Same thing with Alice's mother. And her mother lived to be 95. But I'm just simply saying, it was all taken care of in advance.

Not only was there no financial strain, there was really not too much of an emotional strain either, because you understand that dying is a part of living. You can't die unless you've lived. So, if we really genuinely believe that we are going to die, we must make some preparations. Now, I want you to turn to several passages. Here is my second application. I want you to look at the book of Joshua chapter 13 and verse 1. I find this absolutely amusing and yet comforting as well. Joshua chapter 13 in verse 1. And I hope this—I hope I fit this bill. But Alice keeps trying to tell me how old I'm getting, but I try to ignore her, you know. But here's the second application. I find it amusing and yet comforting that some must be told they are old and ready to die, and they need to get on with what they need to do. Look what God told Joshua, Joshua 13 verse 1: "Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed." Now here is what God said: "Look Joshua, you have conquered a lot of the land, that is true, but the land has not been divided.

Application 2: Do Not Delay Your Duty

Like Joshua, who was old yet had work to do, we must not put off what God has called us to accomplish.

There is some division, there is still some work left. You're old and stricken in years. Whatever you're gonna do, get on with it, get it done." Isn't that amazing? Joshua 13 verse 1: God says, "You're old and stricken in years, and there's a lot that has to be done. Get on with what needs to be done." You know, I tell people, a lot of us want to do a lot of things and we keep putting them off. Some of the things do not need to be done, but I've thought about my father so many times. He and I had planned for years to go out west and go elk hunting. And Dad could have done it.

He wasn't a rich man, but he wasn't broke either. But he could have done it at the time he retired for a number of years, but he just kept putting it off. And he died, never did it. Well, you know, you can look at Joshua chapter 13 in verse 1 and apply it many ways. Whatever we want to do, we need to go ahead and do, because we're getting old and we're going to die, and it'll get left undone. So I'm just simply saying God had to tell Joshua, "You're getting old and stricken in years. Get on with it, son. You're not going to live forever."

That's what He told him. Now, look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 31 and go to Joshua chapter 1 and hold it because we'll come back there. But go back to Deuteronomy 31 and verse 14. Here's the next application. Look at it if you would please. Deuteronomy 31, notice verse 14: "And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation." Listen carefully.

Application 3: Remain Faithful Despite Death

Moses obeyed God even knowing he would die. The death of loved ones should not deter us from serving the Lord.

The news or knowledge of our death should not move us or shake us from our faith or our duty. God said to Moses, "You must die. Now you go get Joshua and you bring him to the tabernacle. I'm gonna give him a charge." And guess what the Bible says? "And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves before the Lord." In other words, the very fact that Moses knew that he was going to die did not stop him from obeying God. Moses did as he was commanded. Our pending death should not surprise us, nor should it deter us from doing our duty. We already know that we're going to die. So we need to learn to be faithful even unto death. And that's what Joshua did. That's what Moses did. Moses said, "I've got to die, but I'm still going to be obedient. I'm going to still do what I can while I can." Now, one last application. I want you to look in Joshua 1 and verse 1. Watch this. Joshua 1 and verse 1.

Here's the application. The death of a loved one, no matter how close, should never deter us from our duty and our service to the Lord. I've lost father and mother. I've lost aunts and uncles, cousins, never lost a mate. My wife's lost a lot of her family as well. When you stop and think about Moses and Joshua, Joshua was the man who ministered to Moses. You study and you will find the only two men that went up in that mount were Moses and Joshua. Joshua was always with Moses. He always defended Moses. He always stood up for Moses and spoke up for Moses. And I want to show you, no matter how close you are to someone who dies, look in Joshua 1 verses 1 and 2: "Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead.

Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel." Did you read that? What did God say? "Moses is dead. Get on with your life. Get on with doing what I've commanded you to do. Go ahead and obey." It's just that simple. I'm sure there's grieving time. I understand that. We're human. But God says we have to get on with our lives. I love that passage. In fact, I've preached on it where God told Ezekiel, He says, "Behold, I take away the desire of thine eyes with a stroke." Talking about his wife.

And he said, "But thou shalt not mourn nor weep." And here's the next verse: "So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded." Isn't that amazing? He just obeyed. That's what Joshua did. He just obeyed. We have to understand that dying is a part of living. I'm not in any rush to die. I enjoy life. I'm thankful for the life that God has given me. But I'm not afraid to die.

Conclusion: Death Without Fear

Because Christ has taken the sting out of death, believers can face it without fear, trusting in His victory.

Because Jesus Christ has taken the sting out of death. He's been there, done that, got the t-shirt, and will take us through it. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to you this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. And Lord, help us to face honestly this truth that we must die. May we prepare ourselves spiritually, mentally, emotionally, financially, in every way possible, Lord. Help us to honor thee in our lives and in our deaths. May we give honor and glory to thee. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Sovereignty of God in Death

Summary: God has ordained the day of our death just as He ordained our birth; our days are determined and cannot be exceeded.

Evidence: Job 14:5 says, 'Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.'

Sin as the Cause of Death

Summary: Death entered the world through Adam's sin, and all die because all have sinned in Adam and inherit a sinful nature.

Evidence: Romans 5:12: 'Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.'

Necessity of a Glorified Body

Summary: Flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom; a resurrection body is required to see God and enter the eternal state.

Evidence: 1 Corinthians 15:50: 'Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.'

Victory Over Death Through Christ

Summary: Christ has removed the sting of death for believers, turning death into a metamorphosis into glory and an entrance into life.

Evidence: 1 Corinthians 15:55-57: 'O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? ... thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.'

Preparedness for Death

Summary: Knowing we must die, we should set our houses in order spiritually and practically, including making wills and funeral plans.

Evidence: Isaiah 38:1: 'Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live.'

Faithfulness in Duty Despite Death

Summary: The knowledge of impending death should not deter us from obeying God, as seen in Moses and Joshua.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 31:14: Moses obeyed God's command to bring Joshua even after being told he must die.

Key Arguments

Death is Inevitable and Ordained by God

Summary: God has appointed the day of death for every person; it is not a matter of chance but of divine sovereignty.

Evidence: Hebrews 9:27: 'It is appointed unto man once to die, after that the judgment.'

All Are Sinners and Deserve Death

Summary: Sin entered through Adam, and all have sinned; even one sin makes a person guilty of the whole law, earning death.

Evidence: James 2:10: 'For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.'

A New Body is Required for Eternity

Summary: Our current flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom; we must die to receive a glorified, incorruptible body.

Evidence: 1 Corinthians 15:53: 'For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.'

Christ Removes the Fear of Death

Summary: Through His death and resurrection, Christ destroyed the power of death and delivers believers from the fear of death.

Evidence: Hebrews 2:14-15: 'that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.'

Practical Preparation for Death is Wise

Summary: Believers should prepare for death by making wills, planning funerals, and relieving family of emotional and financial burdens.

Evidence: Isaiah 38:1: 'Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live.'

Death Should Not Halt Obedience or Service

Summary: Moses and Joshua continued their duties after being told of death; the death of loved ones should not stop our service to God.

Evidence: Joshua 1:1-2: 'Now after the death of Moses ... the Lord spake unto Joshua ... Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan.'

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 31:14-16

Context: God tells Moses his days approach that he must die and instructs him to bring Joshua for a charge.

Isaiah 38:1

Context: God tells Hezekiah through Isaiah to set his house in order because he will die.

Jeremiah 20:6

Context: God pronounces that Pashur the false prophet will die in Babylon.

Amos 7:17

Context: Amos tells Amaziah he will die in a polluted land.

Numbers 20:23-29

Context: God tells Aaron he will die on Mount Hor after his priestly garments are transferred to Eleazar.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Context: All Scripture is God-breathed, so God's Word declares we must die.

Hebrews 9:27

Context: It is appointed unto man once to die, after that the judgment.

Job 7:1

Context: Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?

Deuteronomy 32:48-52

Context: God tells Moses to go up Mount Nebo, see the land, and die there.

Job 14:1-5

Context: Man's days are determined, his months numbered, and his bounds appointed by God.

Proverbs 10:27

Context: The fear of the Lord prolongs days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

Psalm 90:5-10

Context: Moses describes life's brevity: like a flood, a sleep, grass, and a tale told; our years are seventy or eighty.

Job 7:6

Context: My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle.

James 4:13-15

Context: Life is a vapor that appears for a little time and vanishes; we should say, 'If the Lord will, we shall live.'

Romans 5:12

Context: By one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.

James 2:10-11

Context: Whoever keeps the whole law but offends in one point is guilty of all.

Romans 3:10-12

Context: There is none righteous, none that understand, none that seek after God; all have gone out of the way.

Romans 6:23

Context: The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:50-57

Context: Flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom; we shall be changed, and death is swallowed up in victory.

2 Corinthians 5:1-8

Context: Our earthly tabernacle will be replaced by a heavenly building; we are willing to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.

Historical References

Moses

Context: God told Moses he must die and would not enter the Promised Land; he died on Mount Nebo at 120 years old.

Hezekiah

Context: King Hezekiah was told by Isaiah to set his house in order because he would die.

Pashur

Context: A false prophet who was told by God through Jeremiah that he would die in Babylon.

Amaziah

Context: The king's preacher who opposed Amos and was told he would die in a polluted land.

Aaron

Context: Aaron died on Mount Hor after his priestly garments were transferred to Eleazar.

Joshua

Context: Joshua was Moses' minister; after Moses' death, God told him to arise and lead Israel into the land.

Ezekiel's wife

Context: God told Ezekiel his wife would die, but he was not to mourn; he obeyed and continued his ministry.

Important Quotes

And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die.

Significance: The central verse of the sermon, establishing the certainty of death as declared by God.

Life is short, death is sure, eternity is forever.

Significance: A concise summary of the sermon's theme on the brevity and inevitability of life.

It is appointed unto man once to die, after that the judgment.

Significance: Key verse emphasizing God's sovereign appointment of death for all humanity.

Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.

Significance: Highlights God's meticulous ordination of the length of each person's life.

Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Significance: Explains the necessity of death to receive a glorified body fit for eternity.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Significance: Declares the believer's triumph over death through Christ's resurrection.

Discussion Questions

How does understanding that God has appointed the day of our death affect the way we live each day?

Context: Based on the teaching that God sovereignly ordains our days (Job 14:5).

In what ways can we practically 'set our house in order' as Hezekiah was commanded?

Context: Application from Isaiah 38:1 regarding spiritual and practical preparation for death.

Why is it important to recognize that even one sin makes us guilty of the whole law?

Context: From James 2:10, emphasizing the universality of sin and need for grace.

How does the promise of a glorified body give hope in the face of physical decline and death?

Context: Based on 1 Corinthians 15:50-57 and 2 Corinthians 5:1-8.

What does it mean that Christ has taken the sting out of death, and how should that change our fear of dying?

Context: From 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 and Hebrews 2:14-15.

How can we remain faithful in our duties even when facing our own mortality or the loss of loved ones?

Context: Examples of Moses and Joshua continuing to obey God despite death.

What are some things you have been putting off that you need to accomplish before you die?

Context: Application from Joshua 13:1 where God tells Joshua he is old but there is still work to do.

How can we help others prepare for death without causing unnecessary fear?

Context: General application from the sermon's emphasis on preparation and the removal of death's sting.

Applications

Prepare Practically for Death

Summary: Make a will, plan your funeral, and handle financial matters to relieve your family of burdens.

Evidence: Isaiah 38:1: 'Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live.'

Do Not Delay Obedience

Summary: Like Joshua, who was old yet had land to possess, do not put off what God has called you to do.

Evidence: Joshua 13:1: 'Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.'

Remain Faithful Despite Death's Approach

Summary: Moses obeyed God even after being told he must die; we should continue in our duties regardless of our mortality.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 31:14: Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves as commanded.

Continue Serving After Loss

Summary: After Moses died, God told Joshua to arise and lead; the death of loved ones should not stop our service.

Evidence: Joshua 1:1-2: 'Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan.'

Face Death Without Fear

Summary: Because Christ has removed the sting of death, believers can trust Him and not be afraid to die.

Evidence: 1 Corinthians 15:55-57: 'O death, where is thy sting? ... thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T01:38:29Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T15:32:12Z

Clean Transcript

You Must Die

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy 31, and we'll look at verses 14 through 16. The main verse today is verse 14, Deuteronomy 31. And the title of the message today is a very simple title: "You Must Die." Notice if you would what God told Moses, Deuteronomy 31 verse 14: "And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die. Call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation. And the Lord appeared in the tabernacle, and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle. And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers."
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"And this people will rise up, and go a-whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant that I have made with them."
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Now if you'll look back at verse 14: "And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, the days approach that thou must die." Have you ever really considered the fact that you must die? Life is short, death is sure, eternity is forever. And unless our Lord returns in our lifetime, the truth of the matter is none of us are going to get out of this world alive. That's all there is to it. Denial is absolutely useless. Failure to think of death and dying is actually childish, because there are some who think, or at least they act like they are going to live forever. And like children, they think that well, if we don't think about it, if we don't talk about it, it will not happen or it will just somehow vanish and go away. Well, the Word of God teaches differently. In fact, God said to Moses specifically, "Thou must die." It's not a matter of whether or not we want to die, would like to die, or desire to die; we must die. Have you ever considered that there were some in the Bible that God spoke to directly and told them that they must die?
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One of them, of course, is Moses, which we just read about. He said, "Thou must die," and certainly he did. If you will look in your Bibles, hold Deuteronomy 31, but if you would turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 38. Isaiah chapter 38 and look at verse 1, because also we find that God said the same thing basically to King Hezekiah. In Isaiah 38 and verse 1, the Bible reads: "In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came unto him and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live." So here God is telling King Hezekiah that he's going to die. If you would turn right over to the book of Jeremiah chapter 20 and look, if you would please, in verse 6. Pashur was a false prophet, and he prophesied lies to the children of Israel, and God pronounces the penalty upon him through Jeremiah. And in verse 6, He said: "And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity, and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou and all thy friends to whom thou hast prophesied lies." So God said to Pashur, "You're certainly going to die."
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That's all there is to it. In the book of Amos chapter 7 and verse 17—you might want to turn there, if not I'll just quote it—but you remember Amos was a prophet. He lived actually in Judea, but he prophesied to Israel, to the northern kingdom. And while he was up there, Amaziah, who happened to be the king's preacher, was telling Amos that he should not prophesy against Bethel, because it was the king's chapel and it was the king's court. And he basically told Amos, "Get back to Judah and there eat bread." In other words, "If you don't get out of here, we're gonna kill you." That's all there is to it. And so Amos said to Amaziah in verse 17: "Therefore thus saith the Lord, Thy wife shall be a harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line, and thou shalt die in a polluted land, and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land."
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So he said again, "You are going to die." It is just that simple. But if you look in your Bibles to Numbers chapter 20, this is where God tells Aaron that he has to die. And I want you to note, if you would please, God says to the godly and to the ungodly alike, "Now must die." It's not just the wicked. Notice if you would in Numbers chapter 20, beginning there verse 23, and I want to ask you a question about this. But look in Numbers chapter 20 verse 23: "Now the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered
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unto his people, for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up into Mount Hor, and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son. And Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there. Moses did as the Lord commanded, and they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there in the top of the mount. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount. And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel." So here is what God has said to Moses: "Now you take Aaron your brother up to Mount Hor. You take Eleazar, and you take all the priestly garments off Aaron, and you dress Eleazar. And when all those priestly garments get off of Aaron, then he's going to die." Now my question would be this: if you were Aaron, would you not try to hold on to those garments as long as
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you could? I mean, just stop and think about that. Can you imagine not only the psychological but the emotional experience that Aaron was having, because he knew just as quickly as those garments were taken from him that he was going to die. So God then has spoken and said, "Aaron is going to die." So here's my question: Has God spoken to you and told you that you're going to die?
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And the answer is yes, if you understand the biblical doctrine of inspiration. Now it is true that God spoke in the Old Testament in different ways and times past and through the prophets. But the Bible tells us in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. But when you understand 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 and 17, which involves the biblical doctrine of inspiration, there the Bible says: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work." Now when the Bible says, "All scripture is given by inspiration," the Greek word is theopneustos, literally which means God-breathed or God-exhaled. So that means then that every word that we have has been breathed out or exhaled from the mouth of God. So when I ask, "Has God said that you are going to die?" the answer is yes, because He said that in His book.
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He has given us the very fact that we must die. When I was reading through the book of Deuteronomy recently and I ran across this phrase that God spake to Moses and said, "Thou must die," the question hit my mind: well, why must we die? And most of us probably know one of the answers, but let me give you three answers to that question today. The very first reason we must die is simply because of God's sovereignty. Now, you say, "What do you mean we must die because of God's sovereignty?" Well, God is sovereign in the fact that He has not only ordained the day of our birth, He has also ordained the day of our death.
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Now, probably everyone in this room can quote Hebrews 9 verse 27: "It is appointed unto man once to die, after that the judgment." Notice it is appointed unto man. In other words, it is ordained unto man once to die. So God then has ordained death. So we might say that death in one sense of the word is a divine necessity because of the ordination of God.
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Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Job chapter 7. And hold the book of Job because we will come back there just shortly. We'll look in the book of Job chapter 7. The fact of the matter is our time on earth is very, very limited. If you'll notice in Job 7 in verse 1, here's the question: "Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?
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Are not his days also like the days of a hireling?" So, look at the first part: "Is there not an appointed time to man upon the earth?" Do you understand that there was a set time for our coming into the world? There is a set time for our continuing in the world. And there is a set time for our going out of the world. Everything has been ordained by God.
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It's not left to chance, luck, fate, or fortune. It's in the ordination of God.
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Now, if you would hold the book of Job please, but look in your Bibles back to Deuteronomy 31 and look if you would please at verse 16. Look what he says: "And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers." God has already told him in verse 14, "You must die." Now He says, "You are going to sleep with your fathers." If you look in chapter 32 beginning there with verse 48, you will see exactly where and when Moses died. Notice Deuteronomy 32 verse 48: "And the Lord spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, Get thee up into this mountain of Abarim, unto Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho. And behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for possession. And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother died in Mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people. Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.
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Yet thou shalt see the land before thee, but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel." So God tells Moses, "Look, you're not going to get into the land, but I'm going to let you see it. Now climb up in the mountain and look. And when you're through looking, you're going to die." Well, I think I'd be looking for a long time if I could have. But he said, "You are going to die." So Moses knew exactly when he climbed that mountain exactly what was going to happen to him. He knew that he was going to die. Now here is the interesting thing: Moses lived 120 years. 120 years is a long time. It's more than any of us are going to live, that's for sure. But one thing for sure, even though he lived 120 years, there was a set time for his exit out of this world. It came to pass.
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Now, I want you to go back, if you would, to the book of Job chapter 14, and let's begin looking there with verse 1. Here are a number of truths concerning man in this passage, especially death. Notice if you would Job 14 verse 1: "Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble." So you've got fewness of days and fullness of trouble if you've been born of a woman.
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Watch: "He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down. He fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one." In other words, man can't do anything for himself. Notice verse 5: "Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass." Now note if you would, he said, "Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass." It's kind of like when God created the oceans.
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You remember what the Scripture said? Into the seas He said, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed." In other words, God says, "This is it. This is your boundary. You are not coming any farther." So God then has set our boundaries. Just like He set up the pillar of the world, we cannot trespass those boundaries. God has ordained, the Bible says in verse 5, not only that He has ordained the number of our days, but the number of our months.
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And we are not going to live one day longer, or one hour longer, or one second longer. Everything is going to simply be exactly like God says. Now, you will find that there are a number of verses that talk about lengthening your days or shortening your days. So here's my question: if God has ordained the day of our death, how in the world can we either lengthen or shorten our days? Well, you see the Bible says in Proverbs 10 and verse 27, "The fear of the Lord prolongeth days, but the days of the wicked shall be shortened." Now the fear of the Lord prolongeth our days, it prolongeth life, but the days of the wicked are going to be shortened. Well, how do we explain that in light of the fact that God says our days are numbered? The number of our months are with Him. Well, the answer is very simple. God has not only ordained the end, He has ordained the means to that end as well. So a righteous man will use obedience and godliness to lengthen his days.
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He is still going to die in God's appointed time. And the wicked man will use sin and rebellion to shorten his days, and yet he is still going to die in God's appointed time. In other words, if we're obedient, we may outlive a lot of folks, but we're still going to die in our appointed time. It's just that simple. And whenever that time is. So, the Bible is teaching very clearly that no matter how long or how short our time is upon this earth, we have to understand that our term upon this earth is very, very brief.
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I want you to look in your Bibles to Psalm 90. Psalm 90 is a Psalm of Moses, the man of God. I want you to understand that David did not write all of the Psalms. He wrote most of them. Asaph wrote some of the Psalms. Moses wrote Psalm 90. But in Psalm 90, if you look at the heading there, "A Prayer of Moses the man of God." And this is a wonderful psalm, and I've preached from this psalm many times. But look if you would please beginning with verse 5. I want to read through verse 10, and then I want you to take note of how Moses describes our lives. Notice Psalm 90 verse 5: "Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep.
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In the morning they are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down and withereth. For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." Now, I want you to note, if you would please, what he says in verse 5: "Thou carriest them away as with a flood." In other words, our lives on this earth are kind of like a flash flood. Most of us do not understand flash floods.
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If you lived in Arizona and some of these other places like Arizona, Nevada, even Northern California, where you get a lot of water from the snow melts, you can be in Arizona in the desert. And here's a gully. And you start trying to cross that gully. In fact, it happened while I was out there that some folks actually died because the snow melted in the mountain and all of a sudden the water came rushing and just sweeping the cars right on the way. And the people die just instantly. And then just as quick as the water washes you away, it is gone.
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And the next thing you know it is dry again. So he said it is like a flood. But look if you would please again in verse 5, he says, "They are as a sleep." Have you ever thought about sleeping? Isn't it amazing that you can lie down at night and go to sleep and wake up eight hours later and it seems like you just went to bed? I mean, you don't even realize the time that has passed. And that's what he's saying: our life goes by just that quickly. And then he says that we're like grass that grows up in the morning; in the evening it's cut down and it withers. And then he says in verse 9, "For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told." How long does it take to tell a tale? Not very long. And he said it's all gone. And notice if you would please, he's using all of these illustrations and telling us how quickly our lives are over. Each of these illustrates the shortness, the brevity of our lives.
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And then he points out that many lives are still filled with anguish and heartache. Job also uses illustration. I want you to turn to the book of James, but I'm going to quote from Job, but I want you to look if you would please in the book of James chapter 4. But in Job 7 and verse 6, Job said it like this: he said, "My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope."
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Now I don't know if you've ever seen a weaver's shuttle when those things work, but I mean it's just back and forth almost instantly. It flies almost as fast or faster than your eyes can see. So he said, "My life is over like a weaver's shuttle." But if you look in James chapter 4 beginning at verse 13, here's another illustration on the brevity and the shortness of our life. He says in verse 13: "Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life?
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It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."
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Now notice he says, "For what is your life? It is even a vapour," or a fog. I got up one morning this past week and there was a little fog. But an hour later it was gone. And this is exactly what James is saying. We don't know what tomorrow may hold. And he's talking about the brevity of our lives. Now, anyone that is 70 or older understands the brevity of life. Because we can sit around and we can say—I know you're not 70 yet, David—we can sit around and say, "Where did those years go?"
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How in the world did time pass so quickly? I mean, it seems as if yesterday we were playing with our children, and now we're playing with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And you look, where did they go? Do you remember when you were young, you thought you would live forever? You remember that? And do you remember when you were young, you wanted to get older? I remember thinking, "If I can just get to be 16."
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And then it was 18. And then it was 21. I never will forget the time that Alice's father—and he died at 89, he would have been 90 his next birthday—but he and I were sitting and playing chess, and I was probably in my 30s at the time, and Pop was 75. And finally he looked up and he said to me, "Son, now when I get old..." And I thought, "Pop, you are old!" I mean, to a 30-year-old man, I mean, or 37, that's an old man. But you know, the closer I get to it, it's not too old at all, you know. But you have to understand, you know, it doesn't matter if we live 200 years, we're still going to die. And it's still a short time, comparatively speaking. It seems as if we went to sleep young and woke up old. And here's the thought: you know, you actually begin dying when you're born. And in one sense of the word, we grow into death.
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We grow into death. Because death is just simply the natural end of life. That's all there is to it. We have to understand that we must die because God is sovereign. He's ordained and appointed the time of our death just like He ordained and appointed the time of our birth. Here's the second reason we must die, and most of you know this and I'm not going to spend too much time on it, but we must die because we are sinners. Death is the result of sin. If there had been no sin, there would not be any death. And frankly, we may blame death and sin upon Adam. Because Adam was our federal head and federal representative.
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We were in him, and what he did, we did. Because of his sin, sin was imputed to us. For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 5 and verse 12. Romans 5 verse 12. Here's a tremendous passage talking about the imputation of sin. Look if you would in Romans 5 and verse 12. Look what the Bible says, and I'll point out one other truth here as well. Romans 5 verse 12: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Now let me just stop here just for a moment. Look carefully at verse 12: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world." Why does the Bible not say, "Wherefore, as by one woman"? Did not Eve sin before Adam?
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Yes, she took of the fruit and gave to her husband. So why does it not say, "Wherefore, as by one woman sin entered into the world"? And the answer is, because God had entered into His covenant with Adam, with the man. He was the head. He was the representative. Now, notice what else the Bible says: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." When you look at that phrase, "all have sinned," it's an aorist passive, which means it happened one time and it's over with. Well, when did all sin? When did all of us sin at one time? And the answer is in Adam, who was our federal head and federal representative. So when we sinned in Adam, then sin was imputed to us.
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It was charged to our account, and we inherited a sinful nature which results now in actual sin. We sin because we are sinners. We don't become sinners because we sin; we sin because we're sinners. We're already sinners.
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Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of James chapter 2. Because you see, so many people think, "Well, you know, I'm not so bad," and, "You know, I have not violated God's law like a lot of people have." Well, you don't have to violate the whole law in order to be a sinner. All you have to do is violate one part or one point. Notice in James chapter 2, let's begin reading there with verse 10. He says this: "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
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For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." So obviously you don't have to commit every sin in the book to be a sinner. All you have to do is commit one sin, and God's Word says you are guilty of all. You remember I told you in times past the law demands three things of every individual: a personal obedience, a perfect obedience, and a perpetual obedience. And none of us have ever given that to the law. So, there can be no excuse and no denial of sin.
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Now I know there are certain groups that try to deny sin. I think the Christian Scientists deny sin. And they even deny death. I don't know how. One of my favorite stories is about the little boy who came running into the house and said, "Mother, mother, mother!" She said, "You know, that lady down the street has been sick so long." The mother said, "No, no, son, you mean the lady that thinks she's been sick so long?" He said, "Well, now she thinks she's dead." Well, you can try to deny it all you want.
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But the fact of the matter is we are sinners and we are going to die. That's what the Bible means in Romans chapter 3 verses 10 and 12. Look there if you want to, look in Romans chapter 3. You know these verses, like I said I'm not going to really emphasize this too much. But there is an interesting passage in Romans chapter 3 beginning there with verse 10. Look what God says, Romans 3 verse 10: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way; they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Not one. By the way, I can't ever read this passage without thinking about a preacher friend of mine.
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He's, I think, dead now, but he preached in Kentucky, and in their town they were hosting some type of convention for the Roman Catholics. And so he was a Baptist preacher. And so he put out on the church bulletin board, "Please visit with us on Sunday, I'm going to be preaching on the four nuns." And he spelled it N-U-N-S, N-U-N-S. So he got a lot of those Catholics to come to the Baptist church. And the four nuns he preached on are the four "nones" here in Romans chapter 3 verses 10-12.
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There is none righteous, there is none that seeketh after God, there is none that understandeth, and there is none that doeth good. Well, that is the four "nones." He just misspelled it on the board. But that's what the Scripture says. You can't deny the fact that we are sinners and death is the result of that. Everybody knows Romans 6 verse 23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." But stop and think about this: even as Christians, we are nothing more than saved sinners. That's all. There's none of us perfect. No, not one. Not in this life. Have you ever stopped to think about this? I do not care how godly you are,
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how obedient you are, or how holy you are. If you are still on this earth, there is still enough sin in your obedience to damn you if it were not for Jesus Christ. God commands us to pray. Look how many times we fail to pray, or we pray selfishly, or we pray wickedly. He commands us to study. Look how many times we read our Bibles just to be reading our Bibles, or we study just to get some type of intellectual knowledge where we can argue with someone, or boast ourselves full of vain pride and arrogance, that kind of thing. We may be obedient, but our obedience is certainly not perfect in this life, that is for sure. And so if it were not for the Lord Jesus Christ and His grace and His mercy, then obviously our obedience would not amount to anything anyhow.
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One of my favorite verses is where the Apostle Paul talked about the fact that God put him in the ministry. And he said this: "He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry." Now I don't suppose there is probably any better preacher than the Apostle Paul in one sense of the word. In fact, God used him to write so many books in the Bible. But notice what Paul said: "He counted me faithful." Not that he was faithful, but God counted him that. He charged him, He imputed him as being faithful. So many times we fail, and yet God counts us as being faithful regardless. Isn't that amazing?
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So this is what I'm talking about: if it is not for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, none of us would ever be saved, period. In fact, the Bible says in Proverbs 22 and verse 29—well, actually, it's not that verse, but the point is, none can keep alive his own soul, not one. We must die because we are sinners. And we must die because God is sovereign. God has ordained our end just like He ordained our beginning.
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Now here is the third point, and I want to spend a little time on this. We must die in preparation for the eternal state. It is impossible to enter the eternal state with flesh and blood. It requires a new body. I want you to turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 15, and you might as well hold this passage because we will come back. 1 Corinthians 15. But I want you to look right now at verse 50. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 50. The Apostle Paul sets the record straight in this passage. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 50: "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." That plain flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. So you and I must die because our flesh and blood is not going to inherit the kingdom of God. There must be a resurrection body, there must be a glorified body. You remember our Lord lived, died, was buried, and was raised from the dead, and He had a glorified body.
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But it is interesting in Luke chapter 24 verse 39, our Lord was talking to His disciples and He said this, because some of them thought that He was a spirit, that He was a ghost. And He said this: "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." He didn't say flesh and blood. He said flesh and bones.
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But it was a new glorified body. Now, hold 1 Corinthians 15, but go to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, and I want you to see again how the Apostle Paul talks about a resurrected body, or a glorified body. Watch carefully. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and let's begin there with verse 1. The Apostle Paul says: "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." So he is talking about the fact that we've got an earthly body now, but there is a heavenly body made without hands, eternal in the heavens. Now watch verse 2: "For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life."
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"Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight:) we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." So the Apostle Paul is saying, "Look, we've got a glorified body, a resurrected body awaiting us. While we are in this body, we are absent from the Lord," that is, we are not in His presence. And he said, "We would much rather be absent from this body and have a glorified body and be in the presence of Christ."
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But notice how he talks about our tabernacle and our building, and he is simply referring to the body. Now I'm probably going to deal with this thought a little bit more later in a short series. But have you ever considered the fact that it requires a new body for the beatific vision? And the beatific vision is nothing more than our seeing God. You know the Bible says in Matthew 5 and verse 8, our Lord says, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Have you ever thought about seeing God? But now wait a minute. You remember our Lord told Moses in Exodus 33 and verse 20, and He said, "Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live." Flesh and blood cannot see God. It requires a glorified body.
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I get tickled a lot of times at some of the crazy things that people say that they are going to do when they get to Heaven. You know, Alice and I were talking, and I'm probably gonna preach a message on it, because we heard a song this past week where I was preaching. A fellow singing this song starts off beautifully, and then the chorus gets there and it gets into the foot-tapping, jumping up and down, hollering, and it's just fleshly, just emotional is all it is. But talking about shouting and glory... Really, I look up the word "shout," "shouted," and "shouting." You know the only time the Bible talks about shouting was the sons of God shouted for joy at the creation of the world in the book of Job. That's it. Now, the point I'm trying to make is this: we can say, "Well, we're going to do this and we're going to do that." I would just imagine when we see God, when we see Him in His majesty, in His beauty, in His greatness, in His glory, all we're going to do is fall down and worship.
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We're going to be like those four and twenty elders who bowed down and cast their crowns at His feet and said, "Thou art worthy, O Lord." You know the interesting thing is when we see God, it has to be with a glorified body if we are going to behold Him. I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3, and look if you would please at verse 2. 1 John 3 and verse 2. Then we're going back to 1 Corinthians 15. Look in 1 John chapter 3 and verse 2. John writes: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." So we're right now children of God. We've been regenerated. We've been converted by His grace and mercy. So now we've been adopted into the family. So right now we're the sons of God. But look what he says: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be." In other words, we're not exactly sure what our glorified bodies are going to be like exactly. "But we know that, when he shall
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appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." That should be sufficient to satisfy anyone. We will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. So, there is a glorified body. Now, the question has to be asked: how do we get that glorified body? Well, let's go back to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and let's begin reading with verse 40. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 40, watch carefully.
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He's showing you the difference in bodies. He says: "There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
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So also is the resurrection of the dead." Now this is why I'm telling you we have to die. Watch: "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."
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"And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." But notice if you would please, He is saying it has to die. It is sown in corruption, but we're raised incorruptible. It is sown in dishonour, but we're raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, but we're raised in power. It is sown a natural body, but it's raised a spiritual body. He then goes on to show that although we're talking about a new body, and we must die to get this new body, there is no sting of death. Notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse 53. He says: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
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and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Now notice if you would please, the Apostle talks about there is no sting in death. "O death, where is thy sting?" For the child of God, there is absolutely nothing to fear.
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It's just kind of like the metamorphosis of a butterfly. I mean, you have the cocoon, you have the larva, you have the caterpillar, and then you have the butterfly. That's exactly what he's saying. And notice, if you would please, he asks, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." And he's talking about death. So death for the child of God has to be viewed as victory. It is nothing less than a metamorphosis into glory. There should be no fear of death for the child of God. Why? Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2 verses 14 and 15. We're still talking about that sting—the sting is gone. Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14. Here we're talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. Note if you would please Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14. The Bible says: "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that
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is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." So our Lord through death not only destroyed the power of the devil, He destroyed death in the sense that He took the sting out of it. So the Bible is teaching us basically that He is our victory. He is our deliverer and He is our deliverance. You remember David said, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." There's a big difference between a shadow and reality. So if we're standing out in the shade of one of these trees out front, we're not in the tree. In fact, the truth of the matter is, our death is just an entrance into life.
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I like that passage in John 11 where Lazarus had died and our Lord went there and Martha saw Him and went to Him and said, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." Jesus said, "Martha, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." Believe it's not this. She said, "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God." She really didn't answer His question, but she said, "I believe you're the Son of God."
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You know what He was saying? "I am the resurrection." The resurrection just walked into town. You don't have to worry about it. I'll take care of it. Do you understand that our Lord is our guide unto death, in death, and through death? And when it comes to the child of God dying, our Lord is right there. And I can't say it any better than this: our Lord could honestly say, "Been there, done that, got the t-shirt, don't worry about it." There is no sting in death for the child of God.
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You may not want to die. You may not desire to die. You may not look forward to dying, but you must die. There's no two ways out of it.
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Now, let me make some applications. Since we know that we must die, here's the first one. Let me just ask some questions. If you really genuinely believe that you must die and that you're going to die, have you prepared to die? Have you prepared spiritually? And then have you prepared in a number of ways as well? Do you have your house in order? You remember what God told Hezekiah: "Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live." Do you have your house in order?
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Do you have your cemetery plots? Do you have your casket picked out? Isn't that interesting? Do you have your services ordered that you would like? Have you paid for everything to save your children the financial and the emotional decisions of having to do that themselves? Have you laid out the service? Have you picked out the song? Have you picked out the preacher? If you own property, have you made a will? Have you arranged for your children to inherit?
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I'm just simply saying, if we're going to die, and we know we're going to die, something should be done in advance. My father died instantly. 21 years ago, 76 years of age, on July the 4th. He told my mother, he asked her, "Is dinner ready?" She said, "No." He was watching the news. And he said, "Well, I'd like a glass of tea." She said, "Well, I'll get it for you." She went in the kitchen, fixed a glass of tea, turned around and came back, and he was dead. Just that simple. Just that quick. And of course, he had things pretty well taken care of. So after he died, my mother lived until she was 90. And my mother and I, I took her up to the funeral home and she picked out her casket. She did everything in advance. We laid it out, paid for it in advance. Same thing with Alice's mother. And her mother lived to be 95. But I'm just simply saying, it was all taken care of in advance.
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Not only was there no financial strain, there was really not too much of an emotional strain either, because you understand that dying is a part of living. You can't die unless you've lived. So, if we really genuinely believe that we are going to die, we must make some preparations.
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Now, I want you to turn to several passages. Here is my second application. I want you to look at the book of Joshua chapter 13 and verse 1. I find this absolutely amusing and yet comforting as well. Joshua chapter 13 in verse 1. And I hope this—I hope I fit this bill. But Alice keeps trying to tell me how old I'm getting, but I try to ignore her, you know. But here's the second application. I find it amusing and yet comforting that some must be told they are old and ready to die, and they need to get on with what they need to do. Look what God told Joshua, Joshua 13 verse 1: "Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed." Now here is what God said: "Look Joshua, you have conquered a lot of the land, that is true, but the land has not been divided.
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There is some division, there is still some work left. You're old and stricken in years. Whatever you're gonna do, get on with it, get it done." Isn't that amazing? Joshua 13 verse 1: God says, "You're old and stricken in years, and there's a lot that has to be done. Get on with what needs to be done." You know, I tell people, a lot of us want to do a lot of things and we keep putting them off. Some of the things do not need to be done, but I've thought about my father so many times. He and I had planned for years to go out west and go elk hunting. And Dad could have done it.
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He wasn't a rich man, but he wasn't broke either. But he could have done it at the time he retired for a number of years, but he just kept putting it off. And he died, never did it. Well, you know, you can look at Joshua chapter 13 in verse 1 and apply it many ways. Whatever we want to do, we need to go ahead and do, because we're getting old and we're going to die, and it'll get left undone. So I'm just simply saying God had to tell Joshua, "You're getting old and stricken in years. Get on with it, son. You're not going to live forever."
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That's what He told him. Now, look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 31 and go to Joshua chapter 1 and hold it because we'll come back there. But go back to Deuteronomy 31 and verse 14. Here's the next application. Look at it if you would please. Deuteronomy 31, notice verse 14: "And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation." Listen carefully.
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The news or knowledge of our death should not move us or shake us from our faith or our duty. God said to Moses, "You must die. Now you go get Joshua and you bring him to the tabernacle. I'm gonna give him a charge." And guess what the Bible says? "And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves before the Lord." In other words, the very fact that Moses knew that he was going to die did not stop him from obeying God. Moses did as he was commanded. Our pending death should not surprise us, nor should it deter us from doing our duty. We already know that we're going to die. So we need to learn to be faithful even unto death. And that's what Joshua did. That's what Moses did. Moses said, "I've got to die, but I'm still going to be obedient. I'm going to still do what I can while I can." Now, one last application. I want you to look in Joshua 1 and verse 1. Watch this. Joshua 1 and verse 1.
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Here's the application. The death of a loved one, no matter how close, should never deter us from our duty and our service to the Lord. I've lost father and mother. I've lost aunts and uncles, cousins, never lost a mate. My wife's lost a lot of her family as well. When you stop and think about Moses and Joshua, Joshua was the man who ministered to Moses. You study and you will find the only two men that went up in that mount were Moses and Joshua. Joshua was always with Moses. He always defended Moses. He always stood up for Moses and spoke up for Moses. And I want to show you, no matter how close you are to someone who dies, look in Joshua 1 verses 1 and 2: "Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead.
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Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel." Did you read that? What did God say? "Moses is dead. Get on with your life. Get on with doing what I've commanded you to do. Go ahead and obey." It's just that simple. I'm sure there's grieving time. I understand that. We're human. But God says we have to get on with our lives. I love that passage. In fact, I've preached on it where God told Ezekiel, He says, "Behold, I take away the desire of thine eyes with a stroke." Talking about his wife.
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And he said, "But thou shalt not mourn nor weep." And here's the next verse: "So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded." Isn't that amazing? He just obeyed. That's what Joshua did. He just obeyed. We have to understand that dying is a part of living. I'm not in any rush to die. I enjoy life. I'm thankful for the life that God has given me. But I'm not afraid to die.
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Because Jesus Christ has taken the sting out of death. He's been there, done that, got the t-shirt, and will take us through it. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to you this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. And Lord, help us to face honestly this truth that we must die. May we prepare ourselves spiritually, mentally, emotionally, financially, in every way possible, Lord. Help us to honor thee in our lives and in our deaths. May we give honor and glory to thee. In Thy name we pray, Amen.
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you you
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T01:38:29Z

You Must Die

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver expounds Deuteronomy 31:14, where God tells Moses, 'Thou must die.' He explains that death is a certainty for all, ordained by God's sovereignty, necessitated by sin, and required for entrance into the eternal state with a glorified body. For believers, death's sting is removed through Christ's victory. The sermon concludes with practical applications: prepare for death, be faithful in duty despite its approach, and continue serving God after the loss of loved ones.

Introduction: The Certainty of Death

God told Moses, 'Thou must die.' Life is short, death is sure, and denial is useless. Everyone must die.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 31:14-16

"And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die. Call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation. And the Lord appeared in the tabernacle, and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle. And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers."

Biblical Examples of God Declaring Death

God directly told Hezekiah, Pashur, Amaziah, and Aaron that they would die, showing death comes to both godly and ungodly.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 38:1

"In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came unto him and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live."

Scripture Reading — Numbers 20:23-29

the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up into Mount Hor, and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son. And Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there. Moses did as the Lord commanded, and they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there in the top of the mount. And Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount. And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel."

Reason 1: God's Sovereignty Ordains Death

God has appointed the day of our death just as He appointed our birth. Our days are determined and cannot be passed.

Now, probably everyone in this room can quote Hebrews 9 verse 27:

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 9:27

"It is appointed unto man once to die, after that the judgment."

Scripture Reading — Job 7:1

"Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? Are not his days also like the days of a hireling?"

So, look at the first part:

Scripture Reading — Job 7:1

"Is there not an appointed time to man upon the earth?"

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble."

So you've got fewness of days and fullness of trouble if you've been born of a woman. Watch:

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down. He fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one."

In other words, man can't do anything for himself. Notice verse 5:

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass."

Now note if you would, he said,

Scripture Reading — Job 14:1-5

"Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass."

It's kind of like when God created the oceans.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 10:27

"The fear of the Lord prolongeth days, but the days of the wicked shall be shortened."

Reason 2: Death Results from Sin

Sin entered through Adam, and death passed to all. All have sinned and fall short of God's law, earning death.

Scripture Reading — Romans 5:12

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."

Now let me just stop here just for a moment. Look carefully at verse 12:

Scripture Reading — Romans 5:12

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world."

Why does the Bible not say,

Scripture Reading — Romans 5:12

"Wherefore, as by one woman"

? Did not Eve sin before Adam?

Scripture Reading — James 2:10-11

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law."

Scripture Reading — Romans 6:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Reason 3: Death Prepares for the Eternal State

Flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom. A glorified body is required to see God, obtained through resurrection.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 15:50-57

But it is interesting in Luke chapter 24 verse 39, our Lord was talking to His disciples and He said this, because some of them thought that He was a spirit, that He was a ghost. And He said this: "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." He didn't say flesh and blood. He said flesh and bones. But it was a new glorified body. Now, hold 1 Corinthians 15, but go to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, and I want you to see again how the Apostle Paul talks about a resurrected body, or a glorified body. Watch carefully. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and let's begin there with verse 1. The Apostle Paul says: "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." So he is talking about the fact that we've got an earthly body now, but there is a heavenly body made without hands, eternal in the heavens. Now watch verse 2: "For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life."

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 15:50-57

We're going to be like those four and twenty elders who bowed down and cast their crowns at His feet and said, "Thou art worthy, O Lord." You know the interesting thing is when we see God, it has to be with a glorified body if we are going to behold Him. I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3, and look if you would please at verse 2. 1 John 3 and verse 2. Then we're going back to 1 Corinthians 15. Look in 1 John chapter 3 and verse 2. John writes: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." So we're right now children of God. We've been regenerated. We've been converted by His grace and mercy. So now we've been adopted into the family. So right now we're the sons of God. But look what he says: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be." In other words, we're not exactly sure what our glorified bodies are going to be like exactly. "But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." That should be sufficient to satisfy anyone. We will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. So, there is a glorified body. Now, the question has to be asked: how do we get that glorified body? Well, let's go back to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and let's begin reading with verse 40. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 40, watch carefully. He's showing you the difference in bodies. He says: "There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

The Sting of Death Removed for Believers

Christ destroyed the power of death and the devil. For the child of God, death is a victory and entrance into life.

You may not want to die. You may not desire to die. You may not look forward to dying, but you must die. There's no two ways out of it.

Application 1: Prepare for Death

Set your house in order spiritually and practically: make a will, plan your funeral, and relieve your family of burdens.

Application 2: Do Not Delay Your Duty

Like Joshua, who was old yet had work to do, we must not put off what God has called us to accomplish.

Application 3: Remain Faithful Despite Death

Moses obeyed God even knowing he would die. The death of loved ones should not deter us from serving the Lord.

Conclusion: Death Without Fear

Because Christ has taken the sting out of death, believers can face it without fear, trusting in His victory.

You Must Die

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	iYgIOtv1qMs
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Praying Against the Wicked
Genre	Sermon
Date	2015-12-03
Dictation Name
Book	Book 137: Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations - Volume 2 — Chapter 31
Source Timed Segments	75

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Certainty of Death: God told Moses, 'Thou must die.' Life is short, death is sure, and denial is useless. Everyone must die.
Biblical Examples of God Declaring Death: God directly told Hezekiah, Pashur, Amaziah, and Aaron that they would die, showing death comes to both godly and ungodly.
Reason 1: God's Sovereignty Ordains Death: God has appointed the day of our death just as He appointed our birth. Our days are determined and cannot be passed.
Reason 2: Death Results from Sin: Sin entered through Adam, and death passed to all. All have sinned and fall short of God's law, earning death.
Reason 3: Death Prepares for the Eternal State: Flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom. A glorified body is required to see God, obtained through resurrection.
The Sting of Death Removed for Believers: Christ destroyed the power of death and the devil. For the child of God, death is a victory and entrance into life.
Application 1: Prepare for Death: Set your house in order spiritually and practically: make a will, plan your funeral, and relieve your family of burdens.
Application 2: Do Not Delay Your Duty: Like Joshua, who was old yet had work to do, we must not put off what God has called us to accomplish.
Application 3: Remain Faithful Despite Death: Moses obeyed God even knowing he would die. The death of loved ones should not deter us from serving the Lord.
Conclusion: Death Without Fear: Because Christ has taken the sting out of death, believers can face it without fear, trusting in His victory.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Death is Inevitable and Ordained by God

God has appointed the day of death for every person; it is not a matter of chance but of divine sovereignty.

Hebrews 9:27: 'It is appointed unto man once to die, after that the judgment.'

All Are Sinners and Deserve Death

Sin entered through Adam, and all have sinned; even one sin makes a person guilty of the whole law, earning death.

James 2:10: 'For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.'

A New Body is Required for Eternity

Our current flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom; we must die to receive a glorified, incorruptible body.

1 Corinthians 15:53: 'For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.'

Christ Removes the Fear of Death

Through His death and resurrection, Christ destroyed the power of death and delivers believers from the fear of death.

Hebrews 2:14-15: 'that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.'

Practical Preparation for Death is Wise

Believers should prepare for death by making wills, planning funerals, and relieving family of emotional and financial burdens.

Isaiah 38:1: 'Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live.'

Death Should Not Halt Obedience or Service

Moses and Joshua continued their duties after being told of death; the death of loved ones should not stop our service to God.

Joshua 1:1-2: 'Now after the death of Moses ... the Lord spake unto Joshua ... Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan.'

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 31:14-16: God tells Moses his days approach that he must die and instructs him to bring Joshua for a charge.
Isaiah 38:1: God tells Hezekiah through Isaiah to set his house in order because he will die.
Jeremiah 20:6: God pronounces that Pashur the false prophet will die in Babylon.
Amos 7:17: Amos tells Amaziah he will die in a polluted land.
Numbers 20:23-29: God tells Aaron he will die on Mount Hor after his priestly garments are transferred to Eleazar.
2 Timothy 3:16-17: All Scripture is God-breathed, so God's Word declares we must die.
Hebrews 9:27: It is appointed unto man once to die, after that the judgment.
Job 7:1: Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?
Deuteronomy 32:48-52: God tells Moses to go up Mount Nebo, see the land, and die there.
Job 14:1-5: Man's days are determined, his months numbered, and his bounds appointed by God.
Proverbs 10:27: The fear of the Lord prolongs days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
Psalm 90:5-10: Moses describes life's brevity: like a flood, a sleep, grass, and a tale told; our years are seventy or eighty.
Job 7:6: My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle.
James 4:13-15: Life is a vapor that appears for a little time and vanishes; we should say, 'If the Lord will, we shall live.'
Romans 5:12: By one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.
James 2:10-11: Whoever keeps the whole law but offends in one point is guilty of all.
Romans 3:10-12: There is none righteous, none that understand, none that seek after God; all have gone out of the way.
Romans 6:23: The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:50-57: Flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom; we shall be changed, and death is swallowed up in victory.
2 Corinthians 5:1-8: Our earthly tabernacle will be replaced by a heavenly building; we are willing to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.

Historical References

Moses: God told Moses he must die and would not enter the Promised Land; he died on Mount Nebo at 120 years old.
Hezekiah: King Hezekiah was told by Isaiah to set his house in order because he would die.
Pashur: A false prophet who was told by God through Jeremiah that he would die in Babylon.
Amaziah: The king's preacher who opposed Amos and was told he would die in a polluted land.
Aaron: Aaron died on Mount Hor after his priestly garments were transferred to Eleazar.
Joshua: Joshua was Moses' minister; after Moses' death, God told him to arise and lead Israel into the land.
Ezekiel's wife: God told Ezekiel his wife would die, but he was not to mourn; he obeyed and continued his ministry.

Important Quotes

And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die.

The central verse of the sermon, establishing the certainty of death as declared by God.

Life is short, death is sure, eternity is forever.

A concise summary of the sermon's theme on the brevity and inevitability of life.

It is appointed unto man once to die, after that the judgment.

Key verse emphasizing God's sovereign appointment of death for all humanity.

Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.

Highlights God's meticulous ordination of the length of each person's life.

Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Explains the necessity of death to receive a glorified body fit for eternity.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Declares the believer's triumph over death through Christ's resurrection.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does understanding that God has appointed the day of our death affect the way we live each day?

[Context]

Based on the teaching that God sovereignly ordains our days (Job 14:5).

[Question]

In what ways can we practically 'set our house in order' as Hezekiah was commanded?

[Context]

Application from Isaiah 38:1 regarding spiritual and practical preparation for death.

[Question]

Why is it important to recognize that even one sin makes us guilty of the whole law?

[Context]

From James 2:10, emphasizing the universality of sin and need for grace.

[Question]

How does the promise of a glorified body give hope in the face of physical decline and death?

[Context]

Based on 1 Corinthians 15:50-57 and 2 Corinthians 5:1-8.

[Question]

What does it mean that Christ has taken the sting out of death, and how should that change our fear of dying?

[Context]

From 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 and Hebrews 2:14-15.

[Question]

How can we remain faithful in our duties even when facing our own mortality or the loss of loved ones?

[Context]

Examples of Moses and Joshua continuing to obey God despite death.

[Question]

What are some things you have been putting off that you need to accomplish before you die?

[Context]

Application from Joshua 13:1 where God tells Joshua he is old but there is still work to do.

[Question]

How can we help others prepare for death without causing unnecessary fear?

[Context]

General application from the sermon's emphasis on preparation and the removal of death's sting.

Applications

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