Overcoming Death 725
two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far
better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your
account. Convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and
continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith. (Phil.
1.22-25)Paul was not afraid to die, nevertheless before the work was done
he knew by faith in God he would not die. This was his victory over
death. And towards the end, when he said “I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith,” he also knew
that “the time of (his) departure (had) come” (2 Tim. 4.7,6). Before
our race is fully run we must not die.
Peter knew the time of his departure too: “I know that the putting
off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me” (2
Peter 1.14). To concede—by a sizing up of our environment,
physical condition, and feeling—that our time has come is an error
on our part; we instead need to possess definite indications from the
Lord. As we live for Him, so must we die for Him. Any call for
departure which does not come from the Lord ought to be opposed.
In reading the Old Testament we find that all the patriarchs died
“full of years.” What is meant by this phrase? It means they totally
lived out the days appointed them by God. God has apportioned each
of us a particular age (John 21). If we do not live to that age we have
not conquered death. How are we to know the span appointed us?
The Bible offers a general yardstick—“the years of our life are
threescore and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore (Ps.
90.10). Now we are not suggesting that everybody must live to be at
least seventy, for we cannot encroach on God’s sovereignty like that;
but in case we receive no registration of a shorter period, let us
accept this number as standard and repulse any earlier departure. By
standing on the Word of God we will see victory.