First Death. Second Death.

The Second Death.

Our Savior died for us-- yet we all still die.  Our Savior did NOT die for our first death, He died for the second.  Did you even know there was a second death?

Rev_2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the SECOND death.

Rev_20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the SECOND death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Rev_20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the SECOND death.

Rev_21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the SECOND death.

*******

We are appointed to die the first death--

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment

There is a time to die--

Ecc_3:2  A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted

We know we shall die--

Ecc_9:5  For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

*******

Heb_2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Jesus tasted death for ALL of US.  Yet we KNOW people still DIE. So to say Jesus died for us it wasn't to prevent us from dying that first death, but the SECOND death.  The second death is permanent wiping out, the first death is a sleep from which all the dead- both good and evil will be raised from.  The second death none of the evil will be raised from. And all of us are worthy of the permanent separation from God except GOD did not want us wiped off the face of the earth, He offered a way to reunite us with HIM, to make us ONE with Him again and that WAY is our SAVIOR and the sacrifice He made for us.  We might die the first death and sleep in our grave, but when our Savior returns we will be raised from that sleep and NOT face the second death because our Savior tasted it for us! He died for ALL of us- making the Way possible for us to live, possible for us to escape the second death.

There will be some alive with Christ returns-

*******

Rev_7:4  And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Rev_14:1  And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

Rev_14:3  And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

*******

1Co 15:51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall NOT all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1Co 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1Co 15:54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

1Co 15:55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

1Co 15:56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1Th 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

*******

Our SAVIOR was left in the tomb because He died the SECOND DEATH. 

When we die IN Christ, we die knowing we are safe in our Savior's care. When Jesus died He did NOT die knowing He was safe in God's arms- He did NOT know He would be raised, why? How can I say that? I know He predicted He would rise, He did have the hope that He would rise but He lost that hope--

Mat_27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

HE WAS FORSAKEN BY GOD!  Jesus didn't lie as He was dying upon the cross! He was COMPLETELY and UTTERLY separated from His Father.

Luk 23:46  And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Jesus in the very last moments before death, even though He knew He was separated from the Father, forsaken of Him, cried out to His Father anyway, giving Him His breath of life, that which kept Him among the living human beings. Then after He died He did NOT ascend to HEAVEN! He went into the dark tomb!

Jesus was the SAVIOR but He did not and could not raise HIMSELF from the grave! Jesus could SAVE us and will raise us all from the grave, some to life everlasting and some to death everlasting. Until Jesus was raised from the tomb and given life everlasting we did have a Savior, we were all separated from God. We had the PROMISE of the Savior, the promised He'd given to us, the hope! They had it then, we have it now, and everyone has it until He comes again.

Our Savior died for us a death that by His grace we will NEVER taste, the permanent separation from God.  When we do die and taste death's sleep we can do so safe in Christ's promises.

Please, Heavenly Father, please keep us safe in YOU, in Your love and Your promises of life everlasting in YOUR love!

All by the sacrifice, the grace, the mercy of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever, amen!