Life and Death and Life Again
Biblical Themes • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Simply put, the story of the Bible could be described as a story of life and death and life again. This is a good thing because death is not something that we like to talk or think about.
How often do we talk about death? It’s not really something that comes up in conversation.
When someone does die, we use sanitized language. “They’ve passed on” or something similar.
We don’t even see death for what it is anymore because professional morticians hide that stuff from us. Here’s what’s going to happen when we die:
They dress us up in a nice suit and makeup. Essentially, they don’t want the body to look so dead.
It’s not just how the body looks… Death smells horrible, and morticians hides that from us.
It’s called Setting the Features.
We don’t like seeing, thinking about, or hearing about death – but the Bible is a story about life, death, and life again.
So, in this lesson we are going to take a journey through scripture, and trace the theme of death through the Bible story.
A Garden Full Of Life
A Garden Full Of Life
We start at the beginning.
In the beginning, we see a creation that is full of life because God is among his creation.
Genesis 1:11-13.
11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
On the third day, no one had to plant seeds or toil over the ground. Life sprouted forth because God was there.
We see the same thing in Genesis 2
8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
So, there is a beautiful image that is painted for us in Genesis 1-2. God is dwelling in his creation, and that creation is filled with life.
In the beginning, life was easy. You didn’t have to toil for it, and it wasn’t painful. Life overflowed, and there was no death in this garden because God was there…
Summary
Summary
So, what do we see in the garden?
In the Garden there is life.
In the Garden, God is dwelling with his people.
…but if you turn one page in the book of Genesis, then you see that this all changes.
Exiled From Garden And Life
Exiled From Garden And Life
…because man sins against God
In Genesis 2, we see that man was able to dwell with God in this life-filled garden, as long as they didn’t eat from one tree. In Genesis 3, they eat from that tree.
In Genesis 3, we are introduced to an adversary, the serpent. This adversary, or Satan, just wants to destroy what God has created. He wants to destroy the life that God has provided for creation.
Genesis 3:1-7.
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
God had told Adam that if he ate of the tree, that he would die, but The Serpent tells Eve that they would not die. The serpent lies, Adam and Eve disobey God, and death is introduced to God’s life-filled creation.
From that moment on, death would rule, and maintaining life would be difficult.
Genesis 3:16.
16 To the woman he said,
“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be contrary to your husband,
but he shall rule over you.”
In pain, the woman would bring life from the womb.
Genesis 3:17.
17 And to Adam he said,
“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
and have eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you,
‘You shall not eat of it,’
cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
In pain, the man would bring life from the ground.
The point is: death is now a part of this world. Genesis 3:19.
19 By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.”
So, at the end of Genesis 3, man is exiled from both the garden and life. Genesis 3:22-24.
22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
Man is exiled from the land of life & rest and sent to live out in a land of death, or in other words, a wilderness.
Death Rules
Death Rules
From that moment, death has ruled.
Death in Genesis 5
Death in Genesis 5
We see it in the very next part of the story. Genesis 5:1-32. “and he died.”
1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. 3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. 4 The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. 5 Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.
6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. 7 Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. 8 Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.
9 When Enosh had lived 90 years, he fathered Kenan. 10 Enosh lived after he fathered Kenan 815 years and had other sons and daughters. 11 Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died.
12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he fathered Mahalalel. 13 Kenan lived after he fathered Mahalalel 840 years and had other sons and daughters. 14 Thus all the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died.
15 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he fathered Jared. 16 Mahalalel lived after he fathered Jared 830 years and had other sons and daughters. 17 Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died.
18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he fathered Enoch. 19 Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died.
21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived after he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.
28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son 29 and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.” 30 Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters. 31 Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.
32 After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Does this need to be said? It’s here on purpose. God wants us to see that death is a part of the story.
“Reuben lived to be 87 years old.”
“what happened after that?”
It’s here on purpose. God wants us to see that death is a part of the story.
Death in Genesis 50
Death in Genesis 50
We also see it at the end of the book of Genesis. Genesis 50:26.
26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Here we see mankind exiled from the garden and facing death.
Death Throughout the Bible Story
Death Throughout the Bible Story
This continues throughout the Bible story. Exodus begins with Joseph’s death. Joshua begins with Moses’ death. Judges begins with Joshua’s death.
Throughout the OT, there are righteous men who lead God’s people, but they all have their flaws and ultimately die. As we read through this story, and look around in our own lives, we might wonder: where is the hope?
A Vision Of Life
A Vision Of Life
Whenever we get to the prophetic writings, we see hope. I want to take a look at the book of Ezekiel.
In Ezekiel, we find the prophet, and the rest of the Israelites, in exile. The Israelites have been exiled from the promised land of rest because of their sin, and they are now dwelling in Babylon.
In Ezekiel 36, Ezekiel prophesies of a time when God would bring his people home from exile. Ezekiel 36:6-8.
6 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I have spoken in my jealous wrath, because you have suffered the reproach of the nations. 7 Therefore thus says the Lord God: I swear that the nations that are all around you shall themselves suffer reproach.
8 “But you, O mountains of Israel, shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel, for they will soon come home.
So, God promises the Israelites that they would go home.
This isn’t just talking about God bringing the Israelites home from exile. This is talking about God bringing all of humanity home from exile…
Back to the garden of Eden
But is there something more going on? Ezekiel 36:24-28.
33 “Thus says the Lord God: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. 34 And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. 35 And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ 36 Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.
In this section, God tells his people that he’s going to cleanse them from all iniquities and return them to the garden of Eden.
So, Ezekiel is not simply talking about how God is going to bring Israel home from exile.
Ezekiel is talking about how God is going to bring all of humanity back home from exile. We are going back to the life-filled garden of Eden.
This is made clear in the very next chapter.
In Ezekiel 37, the prophet of what it’s going to look like when God brings his people back home. Ezekiel 37:1-10.
1 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
Here, God talks about how he’s going to restore the dead nation of Israel to life.
But God isn’t just talking about restoring Israel to life… He’s talking about how he’s going to give humanity life as well.
Ezekiel 37:24-28.
24 “My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes. 25 They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children shall dwell there forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. 27 My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”
So, when God talks about giving Israel life, and bringing them home, he’s not just talking about Israel… He’s talking about us as well.
God will restore life to our decaying bodies and bring us home.
Summary
Summary
So, as we journey through scripture, we see death, and death, and death, but where is the hope?
God gives us hope through the prophets.
God promises that he will provide life for our dying bodies, but how do I know that I can trust God?
This leads us to our next point.
Life Come To Earth
Life Come To Earth
We see it in the gospel of John.
Life In John
Life In John
In John 1, we are told that all things came into being through Jesus because life was in him.
In John 3, we are told that whoever believes in him will have eternal life.
In John 4, we are told that Jesus is able to offer living water that wells up into eternal life.
In John 5, we are told that the son gives life to whomever he wills.
In John 6, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.”
In John 7, Jesus says that if anyone thirst, they can come to him and drink because he is able to offer living waters.
In John 8, Jesus says that he is the light of the world and that he is the light of life.
So, how can we trust that this life (Jesus) will keep his promise?
Lazarus and Jesus’ resurrection
Lazarus and Jesus’ resurrection
This theme continues throughout the entire book, but I want to make two final stops in the gospel of John
John 11
John 11
John 11:17-27.
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
“I am the resurrection and the life.”
John 11:38-44.
38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Here, Jesus raises Lazarus, and reminds us of the hope that we read about in the book of Ezekiel. Jesus is the one who is going to provide life to our dry bones. Why do I trust him? Because he’s already done it once.
Lazarus is like a down payment on Jesus’ promise to provide life.
John 18-19
John 18-19
John 18:1-5.
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.
In the Garden of Eden, the first Adam decided to ignore God’s will for his own. In this garden, the second Adam decided to give up his own will for God’s.
John 19:38-42.
38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
In the Garden of Eden, the first Adam gave birth to death. In this garden, the second Adam defeated death.
So, once we get to Jesus’ part in the Bible story we are again given hope. Jesus, the bread of life, has come into the world, and he has promised to give us life as well. We can trust him because he’s already paid the down-payment.
Life Realized
Life Realized
So, we move forward in the story, past the year 2021, to the time when Christ returns and brings us back home from exile.
Revelation 21:1-4.
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
“Death will be no more.” This verse tells us that we are going back to the garden in Eden, where there will be no more death, and where God dwells with man.
Revelation 22:1-5
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
Living waters – like in the Gospel of John.
Tree of life – like in the Garden in Eden.
Jesus is going to bring us back home.
Application and Conclusion
Application and Conclusion
What’s the point?
We live in a broken world full of death.
We can have hope that God will bring us back home to life.
…But… only God’s people are going back home.
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.