IF ONE DIES ,SHALL ONE LIVE AGAIN?

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV)

NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939  E-mail: profesorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

IF ONE DIES, SHALL ONE LIVE AGAIN?

“IF a man dies, shall he live again?  All the days of my hard services (appointed time) I will wait, till my change comes,’’(Job 14: 14)

INTRODUCTION:

            Death is the separation of one’s soul from the body, ( Eccl.12:7). This phenomenon brings about the end of one’s life on earth, and in turn enforces one’s journey of no return to face the judgment of God, ( Hebrew 9: 27). In this case, the physical form of death is thereby described. There are other forms of death, namely; the spiritual death (living in the pleasure of sin, I Tim. 5: 6)  and the eternal death (final separation from God, Rev. 21:8). However, the focal point of this gospel project centers on Job’s reflection on the physical death. “If a man dies, shall he live again?’’( Job 14:14A).

            Job’s meditation brings to bar the important question of eternity. “ If a man dies shall he live again? He further views man’s limited time on earth, “ all the days of my hard service ( appointed time) I will wait, and finally, he sees man’s transition at death, “till my change comes’’. Therefore, with the scripture in focus, one notes three things in Job’s reflection:

(i)         HIS DEEP THOUGHT ON LIFE AFTER DEATH

       Here Job reflects on what happens when one dies. “ If one dies, shall one live again? ( Job14:14A). Believingly, Job considers the eternal destinies of both the believer and the non- believer. After living here on earth, and eventually death calls, shall one consciously live somewhere? God’s word says, YES “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing (consciously) before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and the Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades ( or hell) were cast into the lake of fire. This is second death. And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire, ( Rev. 20: 12-15).

(ii)   HIS REFLECTION ON THE LIMITLESSNESS OF MAN’S TIME ON EARTH

       Job also conveys the fact of man’s limited time on earth. “ All the days of my hard service ( appointed time) I will

wait’’ , ( Job 14: 14B). By this, he reflects on the time from birth to death (Eccl. 3: 2). At death, one returns to one’s God, (Eccl. 12:7), to give an account of one’s life on earth, (Romans 14: 12), and equally to face God in judgment, ( Hebrew 9: 27).

(iii)  HIS MEDITATION ON TRANSITION AT DEATH

        Finally, job brings to  light that death is not an annihilation of life (total destruction) ,but a transition into another world where one spends eternity. “ Till my change                                ( transition ) comes, (Job 14: 14C).  At death one changes one’s earthly body, earthly home and earthly possession into eternity, namely; Heaven or Hell. Biblically speaking, Heaven is a place for the blessed, (Matt.25:34), whereas, hell is a place for the cursed, (verse 41). One is blessed when one’s transgressions (or sins) are forgiven by the virtue of one’s repentance (Acts. 3:19), and one is cursed when reverse is the case, (see Psalm 32:1-2). This makes it important to note that “the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God?. Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters nor adulterers nor homosexual, nor sodomites nor  thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the Kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

JESUS, THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN

            Eternity in Heaven can only be secured by receiving Jesus who is the only source of eternal life, (1 John 5: 11-12). Jesus confirmed this when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). This implies that NO JESUS, NO HEAVEN. Only Jesus can guarantee a happy eternity in heaven.  Only His name can enforce it, (Acts 4:12). No other persons, but Jesus. Therefore, for one to obtain the authority that qualifies one to heaven, one must receive Jesus as Lord, (John 1:12).

STEPS TO ETERNITY IN HEAVEN

(1)       ACKNOWLEDGE  that through Adam you became a sinner “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23).

(2)       REPENT therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,                            (Acts 3:19).

(3)       CONFESS every known sin you have repented of. “If we confess our sins,                        He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all                 unrighteousness, (1 John 1:9).

(4)       FORSAKE every sin you have confessed. “He who covers his sins will not prosper. But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy, (Proverb 28:13).

(5)       RECEIVE Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour. “But as many as                     received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God”---  (John 1:12).

            In conclusion, Job’s mediation on life after death as one can notice forms a masterpiece that inspires every right - thinking individual on the issue of eternity. Life on earth begins at birth and terminates at death. This is a process that must be completed by everyone.  Dear friend, if death calls today, are you  sure of making it into heaven? “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? (Mark 8:36).

CENSUS OF THE SAINTS

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV)

NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939  E-mail: profesorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

CENSUS OF THE SAINTS

“The Lord spoke to Moses... Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one”, (Numbers 1:1-2)

INTRODUCTION:

  Famoyin (1990:63) defines census as the real counting or enumeration of the persons living in a place at a particular point in time.  Popular opinion holds that it is better done at the intervals of ten years, and normally at the instance of the government of a country.  Certainly, from the scripture cited, it becomes obvious that census is not against the will of God.  However, when a mere sense of national pride and lack of dependence on God become the bases for a given census, God is not pleased.  David’s survey of his kingdom in order to glory of its size and its potential military strength as opposed to God’s desire for the nation to rely on Him for help and guidance brings to light the woes of a census that ignores God (see 1 Chronicles 21:1-7).

            CENSUS OBJECTIVES IN THE BIBLE

...”number by their divisions all the men in Israel twenty years old 
or more who are able to serve in the army”, (Numbers 1-3).

   Biblically speaking, census seeks among other things, the ascertaining of the military manpower of the nation of Israel, possibly to train and in turn plan out military strategies in readiness for any external aggression.  Side by side with the military objective of census in Israel is its economic objective which allocates socio-economic duties to various groups in the nation, as a way of putting in place a formidable framework for the development of the country.  This, Moses indicates in the following lines, “count all men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work in the Tent of Meeting”, (Numbers 4:3)

   Anyanwu (1990:30) as a way of analogy hints that population census helps in manpower planning, distribution of political seats/administration, planning of education and other social services, revenue allocation, as well as, the ascertaining of the economic standard of a nation.  Similarly, census of  the saints is the census of all censuses, and aims at the gathering, as well as, the enumeration of all the saints in readiness for the return of the Lord to judge the wicked, and the subsequent setting up of the eternal administration.  The prophecy of Enoch authenticates this fact...” Behold the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment...(Jude 14 - 15).

        BUILDING THE EMPIRE OF THE SAINTS

         FOR CENSUS THROUGH EVANGELISM

“Go ye therefore and make disciples of all the nations”...(Mathew 28:19)

   Our observation so far, both from the Bible and the analysis of scholars reveals that census aims at effective planning.  This challenges the church today (which is a type of Israel) in terms of harnessing her evangelical army and subsequently planning out an effective way of training them for an aggressive world-wide evangelism.  It is obvious that the population of the world increases against the backdrop of the under-population of the church.  Certainly, evangelism makes the saints, and saints are soldiers that make up the Lord’s army designed for further evangelism and other kingdom purposes.  Kennedy (1983) in reaction to the dwindling population of the church remarks that the population of the world has been increasing at a far greater rate than the church.  While the world has been multiplying, we have been making “addition to the church”.  Inferring from Thomas Malthus’ view about population, it may be well said that while the population increase of the world is at geometrical progression (1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 32, 64, etc) that of the church is at arithmetical progression (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc.).  This trend poses a serious kingdom population problem.

     The population census in any country (like that of Nigeria in 2005) should serve as a point for the re-discovery of the population strength of both the church and the world in such a country.  To the Christian, it should be a time of revelation rather than a mere time of enumeration.  It should highlight the evangelical progress swell as, the ascertaining of the economic standard of a nation.  Similarly, census of  the saints is the census of all censuses, and aims at the gathering, as well as, the enumeration of all the saints in readiness for the return of the Lord to judge the wicked, and the subsequent setting up of the eternal administration.  The prophecy of Enoch authenticates this fact...” Behold the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment...(Jude 14 - 15).

        BUILDING THE EMPIRE OF THE SAINTS

         FOR CENSUS THROUGH EVANGELISM

“Go ye therefore and make disciples of all the nations”...(Mathew 28:19)

   Our observation so far, both from the Bible and the analysis of scholars reveals that census aims at effective planning.  This challenges the church today (which is a type of Israel) in terms of harnessing her evangelical army and subsequently planning out an effective way of training them for an aggressive world-wide evangelism.  It is obvious that the population of the world increases against the backdrop of the under-population of the church.  Certainly, evangelism makes the saints, and saints are soldiers that make up the Lord’s army designed for further evangelism and other kingdom purposes.  Kennedy (1983) in reaction to the dwindling population of the church remarks that the population of the world has been increasing at a far greater rate than the church.  While the world has been multiplying, we have been making “addition to the church”.  Inferring from Thomas Malthus’ view about population, it may be well said that while the population increase of the world is at geometrical progression (1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 32, 64, etc) that of the church is at arithmetical progression (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc.).  This trend poses a serious kingdom population problem.

     The population census in any country (like that of Nigeria in 2005) should serve as a point for the re-discovery of the population strength of both the church and the world in such a country.  To the Christian, it should be a time of revelation rather than a mere time of enumeration.  It should highlight the evangelical progress The basic fact here is that God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, (Ezekiel 33:11).  And of course, “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints”, (Psalm 116:15).  Furthermore, let it be noted that every death carries a record that populates either heaven or hell.  Where will your record be?  “The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God”,  (Psalm 9:17).

        CENSUS OF THE 144,000 AND A GREAT

                       MULTITUDE OF SAINTS

...”the number of those who were sealed.  One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel...After these things I looked, and behold a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the lamb, clothed with white robes”...(Revelation 7:4;9)

     Here marks the climax of every census.  It highlights the consummation of a relationship which God began with the nation of Israel that culminates in His covenant relationship in Christ Jesus.  This pre-written head-count indicates a total figure of 144,000 from the nation of Israel.  Twelve thousand from each tribe are sealed, probably to protect the people of God in the coming judgments.  The number 144,000, to some,  refers to members of the actual Jewish tribes, the faithful Jewish remnants of the great tribulation.  To others, the number is symbolic to all the faithful believers who live during the period of tribulation.  The great multitude apart from the 144,000 identifies those who have come out of the great tribulation, from every nation, tribe, people and language.  This demonstrates the power of God to save, (verse 10).

      Be it as it may, the basic point is that both Jews and  Gentiles are saved and enumerated.  People from every nation, tribe and language are saved and enumerated.  That means people from one’s nationality, tribe and language are very much present.  The expression...”a great multitude that no one could number”...(verse 9), indicates an unlimited opportunity that results in an unlimited response.  Great opportunities abound for everyone in every nation, tribe and language, including every Jew, apart from the 144,000 already sealed.

   Dearly beloved, by this gospel project, it has become very clear that both the Bible and history support the concept of census. However, it will be regrettable, sorrowful and lamentable if one’s name appears on the census list of one’s nation without appearing on the census list of the saints in heaven.  “If one’s name is not found written in the book of life one is cast into the lake of fire”, (Revelation 20:15).  REPENT AND BE NUMBERED.