Death, Darkness, and Distance

From: Echoes of Grace: 1965

• 2 min. read • grade level: 8

Death is the judgment of God, the power of the devil, and the terror of man. Christ on the cross met it all and annulled it all for the believer (Heb. 2:14, 15¹⁴Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; ¹⁵And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14‑15)); but for the unbeliever death still retains its threefold character.

Death is viewed in three ways in the Scriptures: morally, physically, and eternally. Morally, it is separation from God in thought, purpose, and life. "God is not in all his thoughts." Psa. 10:4⁴The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. (Psalm 10:4). The Holy Ghost's description of man's separation from God as a consequence of sin is awfully portrayed in Rom. 3:10¹⁰As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10). Physically, it is the separation of soul and body from each other. Eternally, it is the lake of fire.

Sin plunged us into darkness, distance from God, and death. Christ in grace went into all on the cross that He might deliver those who believe in Him from it all. But these will be the certain portion of the unbeliever throughout eternity.

Death in Scripture is not an absence of life, for God says: "She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth." 1 Tim. 5:6⁶But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. (1 Timothy 5:6). An unsaved person is utterly unresponsive to God.

Darkness in Scripture is not the absence of light only. It is an awful moral condition into which sin plunged the whole world.

Our darkness, distance, and death, all that God could possibly express against sin and the sinner, Christ endured and passed through when He cried out, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Psa. 22:1¹<<To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.>> My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? (Psalm 22:1).

Distance, separation from God, is the present portion of every unbeliever; and unless he turns to Him in humble contrition and acceptance of the gift of His love it will be his portion forever.

“And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath; even as others." Eph. 2:1-3¹And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; ²Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: ³Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (Ephesians 2:1‑3).

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