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• 1 min. read • grade level: 8

Death is symbolized in scripture by water spilled on the ground, 2 Samuel 14:14¹⁴For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him. (2 Samuel 14:14);—by sleep, John 10:11¹¹I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11);-by cutting down the grass or the flower (difference of age or rank, but all leveled by the mower’s scythe) Psalms 90;5;6—by a desolating flood, Psalms 110:5⁵The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. (Psalm 110:5);—by a shadow, Psalms 23:4⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4);—by a valley, Psalms 23:4⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4); Hosea 2:15¹⁵And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. (Hosea 2:15);—by a tent taken clown, 2 Corinthians 5:1¹For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Corinthians 5:1);—by a change of place, Philippians 1:23²³For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23):—by passing over Jordan, Jeremiah 12:5⁵If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? (Jeremiah 12:5).

To the believer death is but putting off rags for robes, falling asleep in the Father’s arms, exchanging a pilgrim’s tent for a prince’s palace, leaving school for home. It is remarkable that we have three instances in Scripture, in which the exact time of death was foretold; yet we find this solemn warning ineffectual to save the person warned: Hezekiah, fifteen years, Isaiah 38; yet see Chapter 39:5-7.

Hananiah, one year, Jeremiah 28:16, 17¹⁶Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord. ¹⁷So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month. (Jeremiah 28:16‑17).

The rich fool, one day, Luke 12:20²⁰But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (Luke 12:20).

It is singular to observe the different colors different countries have adopted for mourning. In Europe, black is generally used as representing darkness. In China, white, because it is believed the dead are in a place of purity. In Egypt, yellow, representing the decay of leaves or flowers. In Ethiopia, brown, the color of the earth whence man was taken, and where he returns. In some parts of Turkey, blue, representing the sky, where they believe the dead are gone, but in other parts, purple, because being a mixture of black, and blue it represents sorrow on one side, and hope on the other.

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