Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.

Both the English and the Japanese say “swallowed up,” but the Japanese at least uses a different character from the one you would use for taking a drink. This is like in an earthquake, when a fissure opens and things disappear into it. This theme is taken up by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, and by John in Revelation 21. Of course, the proof of this is the resurrection of Jesus, but it is very impressive to me that God spoke it to Isaiah hundreds of years before the manger in Bethlehem. At this point, death is the universal enemy, feared by all. I spoke yesterday on Eternal Life, and how for Christian believers, physical death is no big deal (as Jake Hess memorably sang). In our present context that requires a lot of faith, but that faith is available to all who are open to receive it. Isaiah had absolutely nothing to go on other than hearing God speak it into his heart, but we have the record of Jesus, as well as the triumphant deaths of countless saints. The advice is certainly valid: “When a baby is born, they are crying and everyone around them is smiling. Live so that when you die, you are smiling and everyone around you is crying.” We do shed tears when a loved one dies, but as God promised to Isaiah, to Paul, and to John, He will wipe away every tear. That is a wonderful prospect indeed!

After yesterday’s service I was talking with someone who was visiting from America, and he said his mother had died just a week and a half ago. I think he was one of the reasons God had me speak on Eternal Life yesterday! As I told him, I think my attitude toward death is pretty unusual in the world today. I have seen a lot of people off, and the difference between a believer and a non-believer is striking. I have no fear of death whatsoever for myself, but the idea of my wife going ahead of me isn’t something I look forward to! At the same time, even then I know that the separation will be strictly temporary, so I know it’s not something to be anxious about. When I talk about such things my hearers are generally incredulous, but I think I’m being completely honest. Faith is a wonderful gift! Having tasted it myself, I want to share it with as many people as possible. That’s the marvelous thing about God’s gifts: sharing them means they are increased for us, and not diminished in any way. The more I impart faith to someone else, the more faith I have!

Father, thank You for all of this. Thank You for the marvelous “economics” of Your Kingdom, where giving away means you have more. Help me be the steward You want me to be of Your Gospel, of saving faith, so that as many as possible may be brought from death to life, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!