WHY DO WE DIE?

Once we realize that death is not part of the Original Plan, we can start enjoying life to the fullest

Since our purpose is to share those values that promote genuine and lasting happiness, someone would say that it would be appropriate to talk about what many see as the greatest thief of happiness, death.

Yes, death and happiness are mutually exclusive, one brings devastation, calamity and pain, while the other brings vitality, adventure and joy. However, since death is the cessation, the end of life, it is logical that in order to understand when life ends, we need to be clear when it begins.

That is why we want to talk about life before addressing death.

And it is just this subject, the beginning of life, that divides crowds. On the one hand, there are those who put all their trust in the process (1) that we know as science, which makes our lives easier in many aspects, by definition is uncertain and always updating. On the other side, there are those who trust on the definite evidence that the Creator of the universe provides us through both the Bible and nature (2).

We are going to focus on the biblical record, which because it originates in the One who was there and cannot lie (Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 11:11), it deserves all our confidence.

The first chapter of Genesis describes in a general way how in a span of six days, God creates all sort of ecosystems capable of supporting diverse forms of life, and brings them into existence through verbal instructions (Gen. 1:2-25).

We are informed that the first couple, both male and female, were created in the likeness of their Maker and given the privilege of ruling the planet (Gen. 1:26-27).

In the same chapter, we read that God blessed them and instructed them to reproduce so that they could assume full responsibility and control of the planet (v.28).

In chapter 2 we find additional, and not less important details regarding the creation of Adam (3), the first human being.

In contrast with the creation of animals, where God spoke their existence (Gen. 1:24), when creating man, the Bible inform us that God shaped him from the dust of the ground (4), and then He breathed his breath of life into the nostrils of this man made out of clay. It was then when Adam, the man became a living being or living soul (Gen. 2:7).

It is important to underscore that before the Creator infused the breath or spirit of life into him (5), the newly created body was just that, a lifeless body. Once the Lord blows into the nose of that clay figure he begins to live. In other words, it is thanks to the breath, breath or spirit of life that God lends us, that we become living beings or souls (6).

If there is a basic theme in the 66 books that make up what is known as the Old and the New Testaments, it is that God is the Creator and that everything that has life has it through Him. In other words, God is the only source of life (Deut. 32:39, Job 33:4, Ps. 36:9, Neh. 9:6, John 1:3-4, Acts 17:25, 1 Tim. 6:13 and many other verses).

As we continue reading the record, we realize that God made all the necessary arrangements for mankind to enjoy its existence.

We also read that God instructed Adam that he could freely eat from all the trees in the garden, except one in particular. Eating from it would cause him to die (Gen. 2:16). This is the first time death is mentioned. Death was not part of the original plan.

Furthermore, we are told that when God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden (7), he also assigned him a task, to cultivate and care for it (Gen. 2:15).

Then we read the way in which the Lord led Adam to realize that unlike the animals, he did not have a suitable mate, someone like him.

At that point, the Creator made Adam fall into a deep sleep, took one of his ribs, and from it He made the woman (Gen. 2: 18-24).

In chapter 3 of Genesis we find how the serpent approaches the woman and through lies, succeeds in making her distrust God. After which she and her husband end up consuming the fruit that God had warned them would cause them to die (Gen. 3:1-6).

Fortunately, the Creator did not abandon them and informed them of a rescue plan. Here you can find more information about it.

Unfortunately, the damage had already been done. By doubting God, they cut themselves off from the Source of life, and became mortal.

Thousands of years later, the apostle Paul describes that this was the entrance of death (Rom. 5:12, 1 Cor. 5:21). Thanks to God’s provision, the rescue plan has been a success, and in a very short time all who trust in Him will be restored to the original plan.

When Adam and Eve hid from God, He came looking for them to inform them about the rescue plan. One day a descendant of the woman, a human being like them, would crush the serpent’s head (Gen. 3:15).

After millennia of waiting, the expected Savior of humanity came to fulfill his promise. His first coming, also known as incarnation, offers us the ultimate proof that God can be trusted.

By his resurrection, Jesus showed us clearly and unquestionably that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

The Bible categorically states that if we accept God’s offer, we will also be resurrected upon his return (e.g. 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thes. 4:16).

When we think about it, we realize that the equations of life and death contain the same elements, but they are inverse.

In the first, the dust of the earth together with the spirit or breath of life constitute a living being or living soul (Gen. 2:7)

In the second, the breath or spirit of life returns to God (Ecc. 12:7), and the lifeless body will eventually return to dust.

So what makes the difference is the divine spark of life, a life-giving energy that proceeds from God and allows the body to be alive. Death is the reversal, God’s life giving breath (or spirit) returns to Him.

As we saw earlier, death is the result of our disconnection from God, the Source of life.

Reading the Bible, we discover:
• The identity of the serpent that led our first parents away from God, and how it continues to deceive many.
• The difference between physical death and eternal death, as well as God’s plan to rescue humanity from the latter.
• The ample provision our Creator has made to restore his relationship with us so that we do not fall prey to the deceptions that only lead to our eternal destruction.

Feel free to explore the many resources on this site and discover the true solution to the problem of death.

Photo credits: Deamstime.com, Shutterstock.com, Istockphoto.com, Depositphotos.com, Vecteezy.com

FOOTNOTES:

(1) There is no such thing as certainty in science. Additionally, science is a process, not an outcome, and whether an outcome is positive or negative does not mean that the scientific process has succeeded or failed. What it means is that the outcome may be unexpected. https://cen.acs.org/articles/95/i15/Science-process.html C&EN American Chemical society website.
(2) If you want to learn more about the overwhelming evidence that supports the God of the Bible as the Creator of everything that exists (regardless if we have or have not discovered yet) review all the Creation, prophecy, history, archaeology resources available at the https://happiness4me.info/discover
(3) Adam, man, person, human being in Hebrew.
(4) Adamah, dust of the earth in Hebrew.
(5) nishmat chayim, breath, spirit or breath of life in Hebrew.
(6) Nefesh chayyah, soul or living being in Hebrew