Why Death?

by Leonard V Johnson

Why do people die?

God’s living word gives us the answer. 

The first mention of death is in the first Book of the Holy Bible ── 

“ …’ Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17) but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’” – Genesis 2:16-17. 

Both Adam and Eve ended up eating from the ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil’ (Genesis 3:6). But, was it our first death that the LORD God was warning about? 

No.

The LORD God was not speaking of a first death ── our physical death caused by the second law of thermodynamics, also known as the law of increasing decay. Because, and I’ve mentioned this several times now ── that even if Adam had taken of the tree of life, he would die anyway, no matter if they were to choose the tree of life or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Had they chosen the tree of life, they would still have lived out their days and died. But, like what the apostle Paul wrote, “at the twinkling of an eye,” they would have been resurrected wholly spiritual beings. Have you ever thought of this before? The LORD God was speaking of a second death ── a death in which you are not resurrected again. A permanent death (cf. Revelation 20:14; 21:8). 

Indeed, both Adam and Eve ended up dying (Genesis 5:5).

Now ── let’s ponder on this a moment. We certainly know that plants were able to die before Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden tree. Because they were to serve as food for humans and animals throughout the Earth ── 

“’ Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food’; and it was so.” – Genesis 1:30. 

Certainly, you would not dispute this truth. However, many will argue that plants are not thought to be “alive” in the same sense as humans and animals. Unlike humans and animals, plants are not described in God’s living word as being a “living being” – nephesh chayyah. However, plants do die in some sense (cf. Job 14:7-12; John 12:24), and this tells us that death is a process that was created by the LORD God.

Originally ── and I have spoken of this several times ── Adam, Eve, the land animals, the birds of the air, and every creeping thing were only to eat plants (cf. Genesis 1:29-30). Again, some will want to argue that the LORD God’s creation could not have been “very good” (Genesis 1:31) if there was death. Yet, we see that creation can still be deemed “very good” by the LORD God, even with death (speaking of our first death).

Logically, if there were no death and decay, there would have been rapid overpopulation ── without death, the population would grow exponentially, potentially straining Earth's resources like food, water, and living space. 

God’s living word teaches us ──  

“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: 2) A time to be born, And a time to die; ... ” - Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2.

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23) But each one in his own order …” – 1st Corinthians 15:22, 23. 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23. 

Now, a great many continue to teach that the Apostle Paul (the above-quoted passage) was speaking of a first death ── that, because of sin, men die. However, the Apostle Paul ── under divine inspiration ── is speaking of the second death. The wages of sin is DEATH. Remember, there was sin before the creation of Adam and Eve. Some angels sinned (2 Peter 2:4). 

And here is a crystal-clear passage that teaches that death (the first death) would eventually come to man ──

“And as IT IS APPOINTED FOR MEN TO DIE ONCE, but after this the judgment.” – Hebrews 9:27.

So, God’s living word teaches us that our God Most High, and our Lord Jesus Christ,  has a Master Plan for a gift of eternal life through our Lord Jesus!

While death and decay do happen to all flesh ── death is not the finality. 

Death itself is like deep unconsciousness. A deep state of unconsciousness is where a person is completely unaware of their surroundings or the passage of time. So, the dead are NOT SUFFERING AT ALL! God’s living word speaks of death ──

“For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, …” – Ecclesiastes 9:5. 

The understanding that death is likened to sleep is exactly what our Lord Jesus teaches us ──

“While He [our Lord Jesus] spoke these things to them, behold a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.’ 19) So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

23) When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24) He said to them, ‘Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.’ And they ridiculed Him.” – Matthew 9:18-19, 23-24; see also Luke 8:49, 55.

These things He [our Lord Jesus] said, and after that He said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.’ 12) Then His disciples said, ‘Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.’ 13) However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. 14) Then Jesus said to them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead.’” – John 11:11-14. 

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, uses the term “sleep” to describe their condition ── which is a euphemism for death that is found elsewhere in God’s living word (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).

Everyone knows what sleep is ── “a condition of body and mind that typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the eyes are closed, the postural muscles relaxed, the activity of the brain altered, and consciousness of the surroundings practically suspended.” We lose a sense of time during sleep. Seven to eight hours go poof! One main factor: Consciousness Shutdown. When we sleep, especially during deep stages like REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, our conscious awareness of the passage of time is essentially “turned off.” 

So, our Lord Jesus was speaking about death ── but He likened it to sleep because it was NOT the permanent, eternal death. Our Lord Jesus said that they were merely  “sleeping.” All who “sleep” in their grave will be resurrected unto life and hear His voice (John 5:28). He showed a foretaste of this by resurrecting those people.

The Apostle Paul also likened death to sleep ── 

“For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30) For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.” – 1 Corinthians 11:29-30. 

“Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” – 1 Corinthians 15:18. 

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed ── 52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet [the SEVENTH TRUMPET BLAST!]. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” – 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. 

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:13.

Brethren, we are comforted by the LORD God’s Master Plan ── which includes “the creation itself also will be delivered from the BONDAGE OF CORRUPTION into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. … 24) For we were saved in this hope, …” – Romans 8:20-25.

The CERTAINTY OF DEATH   

Throughout my five and a half decades of life, dozens and dozens of people I’ve known have died. Most were very close to me ── and I have cherished memories ── remembering the way they were, the things they said and did, their personality and character. Yet, they all died. 

In this modern world, for the most part, death is kept at arm’s length ── often ignored by most people. Sadly, people become immune to death ── it happens in video games, i.e., player characters (PC’s) when they are shot and “die.” ── and then the next time you play the game, that p.c. is “alive” again. Then, there is psychological distancing. People tend to push uncomfortable realities, like mortality, to the back of their minds unless directly confronted by them. It’s a form of self-preservation. DEATH HAS BECOME INDIFFERENT.  

“Only a humanity to whom death has become as indifferent as its members, that has itself died, can inflict it administratively on innumerable people” – Theodor Adorno.

However, as Benjamin Franklin was known to have said, “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” 

Well… death is the subject. It’s time we admit that there is such a thing. And, it’s time we know the truth about it.

Contrary to a growing number of people, there is no “dead” person you can conjure up to talk to about this subject. Science cannot give you the truth. Many self-proclaimed “experts” say they know ── because, as they claim, they have died and come back. Yet, there is only ONE SOURCE from which you can receive the truth concerning death ── and that is God’s living word!

 God’s People Also Died

Both John the Baptist and James ( a brother of our Lord Jesus) were murdered. The LORD God allowed it.

The Prophet Elisha, who was one of the greatest of the LORD God’s faithful servants ── who even had raised many dead back to life again ── eventually became sick and died. 

“Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. …” – 2 Kings 13:14.

Yet, he died in faith – “So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.” – vs. 21. The LORD God wanted no one to reason amongst themselves that the Prophet Elisha had lost faith, so He inspired this to have been written. 

The point is ── the LORD God’s servants do die.

It was merely time for the Prophet Elisha to die. He had served the LORD God faithfully. Elisha became sick, and the LORD God simply allowed him to die. In a sense, God took him from the evil that was to come. 

LIFE AFTER DEATH 

One cannot truly speak of death without speaking of life. Death (our first death) is linked to life.

Let us recall what the Prophet Job was inspired to say concerning life after death ── 

“’ Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath is past [speaking of the prophesied Day of the LORD!], That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me! 14) If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes.’” – Job 14:13-14. 

The Prophet Job knew about the glorious resurrection of the dead! And so do those who know of the glorious promises of the LORD God! Your Holy Bible speaks of a RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD ── A RESURRECTION TO LIFE! 

The Prophet Daniel was inspired by God’s Spirit to write for us ── 

“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life [speaking of a FIRST RESURRECTION], Some to shame and everlasting contempt [speaking of a SECOND RESURRECTION].” – Daniel 12:2.

Later, when the time was fulfilled, our Lord Jesus quoted these same words ──

“’ For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. 22) For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23) that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. 

24) Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 25) Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. …

28) Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice. 29) and come forth ── those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of [judgment].’” – John 5:21-29. 

So, our Lord Jesus Christ spoke of more than one resurrection. 

Let us also notice Revelation chapter 20, which I referenced above ── 

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls [the lives; the Greek word psuche] of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, … And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5) But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. …” – and then he finishes his thought concerning verse 4, “This is the first resurrection.” 

The RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD was the hope ── the whole heart and center of the glorious gospel message of our Lord Jesus’ early Church! It completely dominated the messages of the Apostles Peter and Paul ── i.e. 

“Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified and put to death; 24) whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, …” – Acts 2:23-24. 

God’s living word teaches us the RESURRECTIONS! It says nothing about the completely pagan doctrines of an “immortal soul,” or “going to heaven,” or “going to hell” when one dies.   

Be sure to watch our sermons, “'No One Has Ascended To Heaven'” and “Are the Dead In Heaven?” along with “Is There A Hell?”

The Apostle Peter goes on and emphasizes that even King David ── a man after God’s own heart ── that “he is both dead and buried” (Acts 2:29), and that “David did not ascend into the heavens” (Acts 2:34), but was rather waiting in his tomb, until the glorious RESURRECTION OF THE JUST!

The Apostle Paul was inspired to write a whole chapter concerning the subject of the RESURRECTIONS! The Apostle Paul ── again under the inspiration of God’s Spirit ── answered those questions that all people have since birth. 

“But someone will say, ‘How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?’”

And, again, his answer to this question ── a crystal-clear passage that teaches that death (the first death) would eventually come to man ── 

36) Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies.” – 1 Corinthians 15:35-36.

We would NEVER want eternal life living in these physical earthly bodies! As he says later, “For this corruptible MUST PUT ON INCORRUPTION, and this mortal MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY.” – verse 53. 

And true to these questions, we all have since birth ── what about those nearly three thousand that died during the September 11 attacks? What about our sailors who died during the attack and sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis in 1945? What about our peoples who are cremated? WHAT ABOUT THEM? 

Is it IMPOSSIBLE for the LORD God because the original body no longer remains? 

Our Lord Jesus says, “’ Do not marvel at this!’” This is exactly what our Lord Jesus inspired the Apostle Paul to write, “ … The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43) It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44) It is sown a natural [physical] body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. … 46) However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and AFTERWARD the spiritual.” – 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 46. 

Just as the Prophet Job taught, there is a complete CHANGE at the glorious resurrection! The resurrected person is given spirit life ── not any “zombie” body, maimed or mangled, shot or burnt, deformed or disabled physical body. 

“ … and we shall be changed.”   □ 

Additional Information:

The Two Resurrections (PDF online booklet)

What Happens After Death? (PDF online booklet)