Songs In The Night

¹³ But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. ¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁵ For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words. – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Uninformed

Yesterday, we laid to rest the remains of little Isaiah. Our grandson who was stillborn on April 3rd. Precious little Isaiah is now buried at the foot of our daughter Brooke’s grave. If he takes after his father he will need to have his aunt looking over him!

As I try to process the events of the past week, the passage quoted above from 1 Thessalonians keeps coming to mind. It appears that the Believers in the early church were uninformed/misinformed about the truth regarding their loved ones who had died in the faith. If they were not alive when Christ returned, would they be left behind? Would they be at some sort of a disadvantage to those who were living when Christ returned for His Bride? Or perhaps, they were concerned that those who are asleep would miss out on seeing Christ in His glory when He returns.

Whatever their specific concern was, Paul would set them straight. If we pay close attention to Paul’s words, we see a good reminder for all of us. The best way to cure our sorrow is to remove our ignorance.

Brothers, those I love in the faith, we were never promised protection from physical death. In fact, we can expect it. And death brings with it grief. Deep grief. BUT, our grief is coupled with hope. That grave is just a temporary resting place for our loved ones to “sleep” until Christ comes back for them.

Facing East

²⁷ For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. – Matthew 24:27

The graves of Brooke and Isaiah, like most in the United States are facing the east. Because of our Christian heritage, most cemeteries traditionally were laid out so that the deceased would be buried facing the east in anticipation of the return of Christ. When Christ comes in His glory for all the world to see, we don’t want our deceased to miss out on it!

It appears, at least from our burial tradition, that Paul’s teaching did not go unheeded. Who would think that something as simple as the direction we face our gravesites would remind us of our great hope? Jesus lived a perfect life. He died a brutal death. Then He conquered death and rose from the grave, and ascended back to Heaven. But He is coming back!!

When lightning strikes we are awed by the flash of light it creates, but it can’t compare to the glory of Christ. When He returns in His unveiled glory, we will not only be overwhelmed by His radiance, but we will join Him in it! If you are a child of God, it doesn’t matter if you are still alive at His coming or have fallen asleep, we will be caught up with Him and will always be with Him!!

Glory

¹⁸ Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” – Exodus 33:15

It was time for Moses and the children of Israel to leave Sinai, but Moses was weary. Accordingly, he pleads with God. “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me” (Ex 33:12). And God comforts Moses with the fact that it is His presence that will go with him and give him rest. Moses, as daunting as the task may appear, you are not alone.

But Moses wanted more than God’s promise of His presence. He wanted God to reveal Himself in all of His majesty. Moses wanted to behold God in the “manifest beauty of His holiness”. Moses wanted God to reveal to him all of His “manifold perfections”. “Please show me your glory”.

¹⁹ And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. ²⁰ But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” – Exodus 33:19-20

Moses, for the time being you will have to be content with my presence. You cannot handle my unveiled glory. I am too holy for your eyes to behold.

Dim Sight

¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. – 1 Corinthians 13:12

Historically, Corinth was the producer of some of the finest bronze mirrors in antiquity. But no matter how good the quality of a mirror may be, there is a big difference between seeing an object indirectly versus seeing it directly. Especially if that object is the face of Christ.

As Christians, we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit. Similar to Moses, we know what it means to have the presence and the peace of God with us. In the Bible, we have the inspired Word of God. Or as Paul writes in fourth verse of Second Corinthians chapter four, “the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God”. 

With the illumination of the Holy Spirit, we can see the glory of Christ, who is the exact representation of God, revealed in various ways in Scriptures. As Charles Spurgeon once preached, we can see the glory of Christ in His love, incarnation, perfect life, atoning sacrifice, resurrection and enthronement. And eventually, His second coming. Which is where we began with Paul.

With the Lord

The grief we have experienced since we received word of Isaiah’s passing has been intense. In all honesty, I must confess it is the most intense grief I have ever experienced. But I have reflected upon the Truth of God’s Word to “cure” my sorrow. As I have contemplated passages such as First Thessalonians Chapter four, First Corinthians Chapter fifteen, Chapters eleven and fourteen of the Gospel of John as well as the Twenty-Third Psalm, my grief has succumbed to hope.

Although Brooke and Isaiah have been laid to rest facing the east, they are not anticipating the return of Christ. Far from it. We have merely laid to rest their earthly tents for a season. The truth is, their souls are already basking in the glory of Christ. Instead of beholding Him as in a mirror, they are seeing Him face to face. They are beholding Him in all of His holiness and perfect majesty. What Moses and every saint in Church history has longed for, Brooke and Isaiah are experiencing. And will be for all of eternity.

John Chapter seventeen records the prayer of Jesus in which He says that His followers will share in His glory (v. 22). What must that look like unaffected by the sin of this world? Some day we will know when we set down the mirror and see Him face to face like Brooke and Isaiah.

Until then, keep the faith, and keep the hope. When grief makes your heart heavy, lift your eyes and look to the east. Some day we are going to “meet the Lord” and “will always be with Him”. Thank God our grief is accompanied with hope. A living Hope.

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. – 1 Peter 1:3,8