A Kingdom that Never Ends

Readings for today: Ezekiel 28-30, Psalms 39

It is a healthy thing to reflect on the end. It is healthy to think about how fleeting life is and how quickly our days pass. It is a healthy thing to think about what happens after we are gone. Nothing we have is truly ours. Nothing we achieve truly lasts. Nothing we accomplish truly remains. That may sound depressing but it’s true. For example, tomorrow I am heading up to western Nebraska to bury my father. He comes from a small town where our family has lived for generations. I am related on some level to almost everyone in the cemetery. We have put a lot of hours into the genealogical work and know who’s connected to whom but even so, most of them are just names on a headstone. Whatever work they put in has been largely forgotten. Whatever defined their lives has been largely lost. Again, it’s a humbling reminder of how quickly memories fade after one or two generations.

So why is this a good thing? It keeps us from claiming too much credit for ourselves. Consider what God has to say to the nation of Egypt in our passage today. Part of His righteous judgment against them comes because they believe too highly of themselves. They believe they created the Nile. They believe they were the masters of their own destiny. The makers of their own empire. But God confronts them and reminds them who is really in charge. As powerful as ancient Egypt was, building monuments that lasted thousands of years and establishing a kingdom that lasted several dynasties, they are barely a blip on the radar screen of history. This is why the Psalmist says, “Lord, make me aware of my end and the number of my days so that I will know how short-lived I am. In fact, you have made my days just inches long, and my life span is as nothing to you. Yes, every human being stands as only a vapor. Yes, a person goes about like a mere shadow. Indeed, they rush around in vain, gathering possessions without knowing who will get them.” (Psalms‬ ‭39‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬) It helps us hold onto things loosely. It keeps us from becoming too tied to the things of this world. Even the legacy we leave should be held with open hands.

God is the only constant. God is the only Being that never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever and that’s a very good thing. Human beings come and go. At best, our life spans might reach eighty or ninety years. Kingdoms rise and fall. Empires may endure for hundreds of years. But all things eventually come to an end. This is why we store up our treasures in heaven. This is why we keep our mind focused on things above rather than things below. This is why we set our heart on Christ and His Kingdom for it will never end.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 31-33, Psalms 40

Mortality

Readings for today: Job 14-17

Years ago, I was helping lead a service on Ash Wednesday. For those who may not be familiar with the Christian liturgical tradition, Ash Wednesday signifies the beginning of a season called Lent. Lent is a time when Christians contemplate their mortality. They spend intentional time reflecting on the brevity and fragility of life. It is a time of preparation as we get ready to celebrate the glorious promise of resurrection on Easter. After the service, a man approached me to let me know how much he didn’t like the service. It was way too scary and somber and depressing. His daughter was disturbed by the imposition of ashes and the words “from dust you came and to dust you shall return.” He argued that such services were inappropriate, especially for minors, and we should never do anything like them again but instead focus our efforts on being positive and affirming. I have to admit there’s a part of me that wishes I could agree with him but God’s Word and the human experience requires us to face our own mortality.

“We’re all adrift in the same boat: too few days, too many troubles. We spring up like wildflowers in the desert and then wilt, transient as the shadow of a cloud…mortals have such a limited life span…men and women die and stay dead. They breathe their last and that’s it. Like lakes and rivers that have dried up, parched reminders of what once was, so mortals lie down and never get up, never wake up again - never.” (Job 14:1-2, 5, 10-12) Job is honest before God. He has come to grips with his own mortality. He recognizes the limits God has set. He acknowledges that he is without hope apart from God. Our lives - at their best - are but a shadow. They are here today and gone tomorrow. We are forgotten within a generation or two. Our impact is minimal. Our influence is fleeting. There is very little that we work for that endures. Remember, Job was the wealthiest man in the world. He had all he wanted and more and it was taken from him in an instant. How many of us have faced a similar circumstance in our own lives?

So where do we find hope? What good is all this reflection on death and mortality and the transient nature of life? Where does it all lead? I’m glad you asked! ;-) Listen to where it leads Job, “O Earth, don’t cover up the wrong done to me! Don’t muffle my cry! There must be Someone in heaven who knows the truth about me, in highest heaven, some Attorney who can clear my name - my Champion, my Friend, while I’m weeping my eyes out before God. I appeal to the One who represents mortals before God as a neighbor stands up for a neighbor.” (Job 16:18-21) Though Job doesn’t know Christ, he points us to Christ. Though Job has not seen the hope of the resurrection and knows nothing about the One Mediator whom God has established, he believes in Him. It’s a striking passage that demonstrates from the earliest writings of God’s people, there was the hope of a Redeemer. A heavenly being who would take up our case before the throne of God. One who would represent us and ultimately save us by taking our place. This is why it is good to reflect on death for it points us to our ultimate need for Jesus.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 18-21