PSALM 23; A VERSE-BY-VERSE UNDERSTANDING (Part 4) (verse 4)
" EVEN THOUGH I PASS THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I SHALL FEAR NO EVIL, FOR THOU ART WITH ME. THY ROD AND THY STAFF, THEY COMFORT ME" (KJV)
"EVEN IF I PASS THROUGH DEATH DARK RAVINES, I WILL FEAR NO DISASTER; FOR YOU ARE WITH ME; YOUR ROD AND STAFF REASSURE ME" (Complete Jewish Study Bible)
Death is something every single person on planet Earth will experience, sooner or later (except Enoch and Elijah). Is there a reason to fear death? Is there a reason for a "believer" to fear death? I would say NO. It is but a doorway that leads to the World and Life to Come. It is the door that takes us into eternity. We are but a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. Death was introduced by sin (thanks, Adam!), and physically, we will all die physically. Yet "we, ourselves" will continue to live on for eternity. There are only two places a soul will live after death: the Kingdom of Heaven or the Lake of Fire.
Perhaps the "fear" that some might have is the "mode" of death. How are we going to die? I remember back in my college days, during the week of Halloween, some students set up "Scaremare." It was an actualization (by students) of different ways of death and dying, culminating in the presentation of the gospel.
Some might fear the "pain" of death, perhaps, burning in a car wreck, drowning, falling from a cliff, being eaten by a shark, a plane crash, a gunshot wound, etc...Others might just "die' in their sleep, a slow illness. At least this way, one is given time to think; otherwise, it could be quite sudden (like some of those Mafia and drug smuggling movies), the police against the bad guys. The guns that never seem to run out of bullets. The bad guys dropping like flies. Unfortunately, many will die in their sins and never have a chance to repent, and thus be separated from God for all eternity. Now THAT is fearful! (Fear not those who can destroy the body, but fear God who can cast the soul into the Lake of Fire)
For a believer, pain might be quick or painless, yet we will be in the presence of the LORD. The Apostle Paul said that to be "absent from the body is to be in the presence of the LORD. No wonder David says, "Thou art with me." What is the "Rod"? What is the "Staff?" The shepherd usually carried with him a "rod" and a "staff". The "rod" was a short, heavy stick used for defense, to protect the sheep while the "staff" was used to "guide" the sheep. The WORD of God is both a "rod" and a "staff" used to guide us and correct us when we wander off the path.
The WORD of God reassures us of the promise of eternal life with God after our visit to this Earth ends. Jesus conquered sin and death on the Cross of Calvary. He took the "bite" out of "sin and death." He took the pain and horror of suffering. If you have received Jesus/Yeshua as your Savior and LORD, at the time of physical death, you will be ushered into eternity into the Kingdom of Heaven. Have no fears, Heaven will be your home forever.
" EVEN THOUGH I PASS THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I SHALL FEAR NO EVIL, FOR THOU ART WITH ME. THY ROD AND THY STAFF, THEY COMFORT ME" (KJV)
"EVEN IF I PASS THROUGH DEATH DARK RAVINES, I WILL FEAR NO DISASTER; FOR YOU ARE WITH ME; YOUR ROD AND STAFF REASSURE ME" (Complete Jewish Study Bible)
Death is something every single person on planet Earth will experience, sooner or later (except Enoch and Elijah). Is there a reason to fear death? Is there a reason for a "believer" to fear death? I would say NO. It is but a doorway that leads to the World and Life to Come. It is the door that takes us into eternity. We are but a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. Death was introduced by sin (thanks, Adam!), and physically, we will all die physically. Yet "we, ourselves" will continue to live on for eternity. There are only two places a soul will live after death: the Kingdom of Heaven or the Lake of Fire.
Perhaps the "fear" that some might have is the "mode" of death. How are we going to die? I remember back in my college days, during the week of Halloween, some students set up "Scaremare." It was an actualization (by students) of different ways of death and dying, culminating in the presentation of the gospel.
Some might fear the "pain" of death, perhaps, burning in a car wreck, drowning, falling from a cliff, being eaten by a shark, a plane crash, a gunshot wound, etc...Others might just "die' in their sleep, a slow illness. At least this way, one is given time to think; otherwise, it could be quite sudden (like some of those Mafia and drug smuggling movies), the police against the bad guys. The guns that never seem to run out of bullets. The bad guys dropping like flies. Unfortunately, many will die in their sins and never have a chance to repent, and thus be separated from God for all eternity. Now THAT is fearful! (Fear not those who can destroy the body, but fear God who can cast the soul into the Lake of Fire)
For a believer, pain might be quick or painless, yet we will be in the presence of the LORD. The Apostle Paul said that to be "absent from the body is to be in the presence of the LORD. No wonder David says, "Thou art with me." What is the "Rod"? What is the "Staff?" The shepherd usually carried with him a "rod" and a "staff". The "rod" was a short, heavy stick used for defense, to protect the sheep while the "staff" was used to "guide" the sheep. The WORD of God is both a "rod" and a "staff" used to guide us and correct us when we wander off the path.
The WORD of God reassures us of the promise of eternal life with God after our visit to this Earth ends. Jesus conquered sin and death on the Cross of Calvary. He took the "bite" out of "sin and death." He took the pain and horror of suffering. If you have received Jesus/Yeshua as your Savior and LORD, at the time of physical death, you will be ushered into eternity into the Kingdom of Heaven. Have no fears, Heaven will be your home forever.
