Line #2: Are They Praising God?

Yesterday, we established that the dead are just sleeping a sleep, from which only Jesus can awaken them. Let us continue to dissect the question of what they are or not doing, in that sleeping position.

Line 2: “I am not praising God like many people think, as I said before, I am just asleep.”

 This second line of poetry quickly dispels the idea of a person being in heaven, in the presence of God. Let’s think about this. If you were to die and go straight to heaven, would not your joy of being in the presence of the Almighty, Omnipotent God fill you with excitement and continuous praise? I mean, really now; if you have lost all of your earthly cares; your endless future spanning out before you, with the promise of no more sickness, death, disappointment, heartache or hard times, would you not break out in glee-filled praise? I know that I would! But the poem states very emphatically that that is not what the person is doing; then it reiterates that the person is just sleeping. Well, what is going on here?

Ps. 115:17 - “17 The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.”  King James Version (KJV)

  

Wow! The Psalmist declares that where the person is, is silent. Well, that makes sense doesn’t it? When a person goes to sleep, (other than for a little snoring), it is dead silence. They don’t even know they are in the world. Those around them, who are awake, know that they are just sleeping, but they don’t even know, the exact time, when they fell asleep. The same is true of death. They go down into silence. Hence, there is no shouting or praising God.

  

In order to praise God, one has to be alive and awake, with the ability to make sound and possibly the ability to move their limbs, so that they might clap their hands or tap their feet. But none of that is going on. It is just - Dead Silence!

  One would need to be more than human to praise God, under those conditions and well, we all know the truth about that; at least I hope that we do.

 Stay tuned in and keep reading; it’s about to get really interesting! Check it out tomorrow.

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All Scriptures are taken from the KJV – King James Version Bible

Notice: This is copyrighted material and is intended for the sole use of this author. No part of this material may be reproduced in written, digital form, without the written consent of its originator.

Published on this Blog – 11/4/2016

More: The Death Poem

LINE #1: I'm Not in Heaven

I mentioned in the last blog, that one of my goals was to bring healing to the bereaved. Just in the last 10 months, I’ve attended two dozen funerals. One weekend I attended three. I have watched the many reactions of the bereaved closest to the deceased. Some blankly sat and stared, as though in a quandary; some quietly shed mournful tears of pain and loss; and still others had wild displays of grief, which included standing up, clutching the casket of the deceased and loudly prophesying of future events. The latter one tore at my heart strings. I know that each of us has thoughts concerning the deceased: where will they go? Can I talk with them? How will they fair? And, if there was no saving relationship with the Creator God, will we ever see them again? All of these are legitimate concerns; consequently, this is the first analysis of the poem I just published concerning death. Prayerfully, these 23 analyses will bring hope, healing and consolation to those who read. I believe this poem gives solid Biblical answers, to the aforementioned questions

Line 1:  “I am not in heaven, I am just asleep; and I urge you to worship at Jesus’ feet.” 

This poem opens with the answer, to what I believe is the number one question: “Did my loved one go straight to heaven, when he/she died?”  I hear that question, so very often. I hear it preached from pulpits and I’ve read it in books that as soon as one dies, one goes straight to heaven. One does not pass “Go” one does not “Collect $200”, rather one has a straight shot to the throne room of God and the bosom of Abraham. It doesn’t matter if one’s life was good or bad, one gets the pass. And, especially, if one was a “good” person, one will definitely, make the cut.  I’ve often listened to people, who are bereaved, and they refer to their loved one as being in “heaven”.  It breaks my heart.

Next, the line points out the true condition of the person as: “just being asleep”. When that person died, the only thing he/she did was “go to sleep.” That is the only transition that was made. All other transitions, done with the corpse, are done by someone else.

Then the last half of the line extends an invitation for the reader, to become a follower of Jesus Christ: THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE.

Now, let us read and analyze the corroborating scripture, which shows that this is correct biblical teaching.  St. John 11:11-14

¹¹ These things said he [Jesus]: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. ¹² Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. ¹³ Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. ¹⁴ Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

One of Jesus’ best friends, Lazarus, had taken ill. His sisters, Mary and Martha had sent for Jesus, who was in the next town, to come and heal him. Jesus did not, immediately, respond to the call. He intentionally waited, until after Lazarus was dead, before going to see about him. Was it because Jesus didn’t care? No! If you read further in the chapter, it will tell you that Lazarus’ death was “for the glory of God”. Jesus needed to display His power over death and the grave, so that the people would believe that He was the Son of God or virtually God, Himself, living in their midst.

So, when Jesus did decide to go and see about Lazarus, He shared His thoughts with His disciples: “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.” In other words, let us go and awaken Lazarus, for he has fallen asleep; but only I can awaken him.

His disciples are clueless! They really think that Lazarus is sleeping normally and thus is receiving the healing influences that sleeping brings the sick body.  However, Jesus knew whereof He had spoken and later broke down in the conversation and explained the truth to them. “Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.” How much clearer could Jesus get? He just came right out and said that Lazarus was “dead-dead”. The kind of dead that we all have experienced, when a loved one dies; however, He would go and awaken him out of his sleep. HE WOULD GO AND AWAKEN HIM!

I hope that is clear friend! Jesus, Himself, said that death was merely a sleep; however, it is a sleep from which only the Life-giver, himself can awaken the individual.

Stay with me through the following lines of this poem. I trust that it will become more and more clear, where a person goes when he/she dies; the true state of the dead; and in consequence of that, our need to become Jesus’ disciple.  Until tomorrow, think over these things.

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All Scriptures are taken from the KJV – King James Version Bible

Notice: This is copyrighted material and is intended for the sole use of this author. No part of this material may be reproduced in written, digital form, without the written consent of its originator.

Published on this Blog – 11/2/2016

More: The Death Poem

From Your Deceased Loved One to Those Left Behind

The analysis for each line will post after this, in numeric order. It will be permanently posted in the "In-Depth Learning" section, after the last line has been analyzed. 

©Copywrite - February 2013 - Virginia Echols Harrison

1) I am not in heaven, I am just asleep; and I urge you to worship at Jesus’ feet. -  St. John 11:11-14

2) I am not praising God like many people think, as I said before, I am just asleep. – Ps. 115:17

3) Let Jesus teach you all that you should know, about life after death; let your knowledge grow. – II Peter 3:18

4) For when man was created God gave him breath – the breath of life – which is opposite of death. – Genesis 2:7

5) Therefore, when man dies, the breath goes back, into the hands of God and that is a Scriptural fact.– Eccles 12:7

6) Moreover, all the thoughts perish and man is no more, and never ever will he return to his door. – Job 7:9-10

7) His sons come to honor and others to shame, but never again will he call out their name. – Job 14:21

8) Any love he possessed, any hatred he had; any fond  memories of you he had as a lad - - Eccles. 9:5-6

9) Are all gone now, as he rests fast asleep, the angels mark his place and vigilance keep. – Matt. 13:38-39

10) *But one day soon, Jesus will come in the skies, awaking the saints and they will arise - I Thessalonians 4:16

11) To meet Him gladly up in the air, to leave death behind and go with Him where – I Thessalonians 4:17

12)  There will be no more sickness, or sorrow, or pain, no more death, just life and eternal gain. – Rev. 21:1-5

13) This is the promise to those who receive; His offer of  salvation and the life of sin leave. – St. John 1:12

14) *But to those who refuse to accept his call, which turn their backs, refuse Him their all – Luke 21:26

15) To them – never a hope of eternal bliss – but rather His favor and grace they will miss. – I John 5:12

16) So that when He comes in the clear blue skies, the saints will hear their sorrowful cries. – Rev. 6:15-17

17) Yes, their time for salvation will be no more, as the saved of God reach the heavenly shore. – Rev. 20:6; Matt 25:46

18) *So today the call is extended to you, you have heard the  message, what will you do? – Rev. 22:17

19) God truly loves you, He sent Jesus for thee, and if you receive Him, you’ll live eternally. – St. John 3:16

20) Will you on purpose continue being deceived? Listening to Satan like our Mother Eve? – Gen. 3:4-5

21) Or will you today earnestly seek, to worship the Savior – bow at His feet? – I John 5:3-5

22) Will you leave behind your life of sin, knowing that with Jesus, you are destined to win? – I John 5:11

23)  He is here, now waiting, seeking for you – please let your  answer be – “I do”.  St. John 1:12

( THIS WAS WRITTEN IN LOVE, FOR YOUR ADMONITION AND UNDERSTANDING REGARDING THE “STATE OF THE DEAD”)

More: Lessons About God