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Today at 1:00 PM, I will witness the interment of my oldest sister, Inez Norwood in an otherwise insignificant little town in south-middle Tennessee. I reflected on matters after a memorial service yesterday and I chose to write about my feelings and two faces of death.

I am not saying that death has only two faces, but it certainly has two. The two about which I speak are the same two about which Paul wrote to fellow Christians in Philippi when he said, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.” (Philippians 1.21-24). One face of death had to do with earthly ties and the other face of death had to do with the heavenly realm.

David also knew about these two faces of death. His infant son born to Bathsheba was gravely ill. Here we pick up the story. “David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, ‘Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!’ When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, ‘Is the child dead?’ And they said, ‘He is dead.’ So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. Then his servants said to him, ‘What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.’ And he said, ‘While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, “Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?” But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.’” (2 Samuel 12.16-23).

Again we see two faces of death. On the one hand, David was so sorrowful that he was beyond consolation; on the other hand he was relieved and worshiped God upon the child’s death. One face had to do with earthly ties; the other had to do with heavenly ties. David’s soul was grieved while his son struggled for life, so grieved that he refused to eat. However, when the son died, David simply and truthfully said, “I shall go to him, be he shall not return to me.” David’s comfort was in the heavenly realm and not in the earthly realm.

In another place, Paul spoke of these two faces. “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep [died], lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4.13). He certainly was not telling his brethren not to sorrow over the death of their loved ones; such would be preposterous. He was telling them that their sorrow ought to be of a different sort than the sorrow experienced when an unbelieving loved one dies; they sorrow having no hope. Again the two faces; one having to do with earthly ties and the other having to do with heavenly ties.

I will miss my sister; for that I sorrow. She is with the Lord; for that I rejoice!

Questions:

1. Why did Paul say he was hard pressed in Philippians 1?

2. How did David act while his son was alive but gravely ill?

3. How did David’s demeanor change when the son died? What did David say that indicated that he knew the eternal fate of his infant son?

4. Why do we sorrow when a loved one dies? How is that sorrow changed when the loved one is a faithful child of God?

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Moralism