Mercy for the Righteous

“The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness” (Isa. 57:1,2). God doesn’t see things the way men see them. It’s just natural for men to think that it’s always a bad thing that someone has died, but sometimes that is far from the truth. God often times honors those who have served him faithfully by taking them away from the earth before he sends judgment on the wicked. One such example was Josiah, the ancient king of Judah who did all that was humanly possible to reform a long revolted nation back to God. But too much damage had been done for too long by too many wicked kings, and God had already determined to cast his people out of their inheritance. Nevertheless he gave this word of consolation to Josiah after Josiah had read the book of the law and realized that God’s judgment was coming: “Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD. Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place” (II Kin. 22:19,20).

It is this mindset of ‘mercy by death’ that inspired the following words that were imparted to the beloved apostle John in 'the revelation’ of end time events, and particularly the reign of 'the Beast’ and the issuing of his mark upon all mankind: “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Rev. 14:9-13). I assure you my friend that we are not far from that time, and as the scripture states it will take great patience to endure it. God will have a people who finish his work in this age and will endure faithfully. Many will be put to death, but there are also those who will live to see the Lord’s coming (Rev. 12:11; Rev. 13:7,15; Dan. 8:24; Dan. 12:12; Mat. 24:13; I Cor. 15:52; I Thess. 4:17).

God will also have a people who have been steadfast in the faith for a long while, whom he will remove from the earth before things get really bad. The truth is, dying is much easier than living if one’s heart is wholly with the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul openly preferred being executed to remaining alive, knowing the reality that “to depart, and to be with Christ… is far better” (Philip. 1:23). “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (I Jn. 4:18). When the fear of death is purged from our heart then the reality of the apostle Paul’s statement is clear. So if you have been on the battlefield of faith for a long while, and you are weary of all the warfare, it may be that God will grant you the mercy of being “taken away from the evil to come.” On the other hand, if you are younger and newer to the glorious faith of Jesus; fear not, for the Lord will make you mighty and strong in him if you will continue to “purify [your] heart, even as he is pure” (I Jn. 3:3). And if it is your lot to be one of those who finish the work of the Lord in this age, then the word that David gave to his son Solomon at the end of his life is the word that the Lord has for you: “Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed : for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD” (I Chron. 28:20). God be praised for making us winners in Christ, whether in life or in death! Amen.