A Peaceful Death

"You shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age."
GENESIS 15:15
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A Peaceful Death
God declares that Abraham will die; yet He promises that He will be Abraham's reward [see Genesis 15:1]. How are we going to harmonize these statements unless we conclude that after this life there remains another life, one that is better and eternal, to which we shall be awakened out of the very dust of death by the Son of God? . . . "But these words—were written not for Abraham's sake alone," says Paul (Romans 4:23-24), "but for ours also," in order that we, too, may believe that there has been laid up a reward for us when we shall lie buried in the earth, and indeed such a reward that we may live with God as long as He Himself will live, that is, forever. With this hope Abraham is satisfied. Even though he does not obtain the promise of the land of Canaan, yet he is cheerful. He disregards and despises death, for he knows that he will live with God in all eternity. . . These things, as we have said, were not written for Abraham's benefit. They are of service to us, in order that when we, with Abraham, believe in the woman's Seed, we may through this hope overcome death and no longer have a horror of departing from this life. Our bodies will indeed be buried in the earth; yes, they will decay in the earth and will be reduced to dust. But in due time the earth will return this deposit to Him who has promised that He will be our reward. This hope is sure and firm.
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