THIS world has been compared to a great hospital and, in many respects, the comparison holds good, for, as in a hospital, some are sent out cured of their troubles while others die there, or are sent out with no hope of their recovery, so in this world, some go out of it completely cured of the disease of sin, through the use of the means appointed for that end, while others, who were in contact with the same means, die in their sins. The day when the completely cured patient is discharged from the hospital is eagerly looked forward to, and in like manner the Christian ought to look forward with delight to the day when he is to leave this world. However, it is the case with
many a true Christian that instead, there is a shrinking from this solemn moment. We read in God’s Word of some “who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” There is a natural dread of the final stroke which will cause the body to go back to the dust and set free the soul to fly away to the mansions of glory.
Death, however, does not take the Christian by surprise. He has often looked into its grim face, not only on a bed of sickness, but also when he was enjoying health and strength, for the business of the child of God ought to be to die daily, so that when the actual time of his dissolution comes it may not be such a severe wrench to part with the things of the world as otherwise it would be. The more of this dying daily that is engaged in in this world the more is a child of God able to set his “affection on things above” which ought to be accompanied naturally with “a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.” Some, through engaging more in this business than others, have a more comfortable frame of mind on their death-bed. We have no written record of the last moments of the Apostle Paul, but he who was so much taken up with dying daily in serving the cause of Christ could, near the close of his life, say: “For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”
The Christian, in looking back, sees many things amiss in his own life, and can see nothing on his own part to give him any comfort. His only source of confidence is that which supported David in similar circumstances when he was saying: “Although my house be not so with God; yet He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although He make it not to grow.” From his death-bed he can look back on the transactions between God and his soul. There was a day on which he was effectually called. That day may not be so clear to some as to others, but it was a day in which they were convinced of sin, and they got a right view of their own standing before God. The Christian on his death-bed may have many a doubt
and fear as to the reality of the change that came over him, but he looks back on that day as the time when the whole course of his life was changed. He was never the same afterwards and the world was never the same to him; and no wonder, for not only did he appear as a sinner in his own sight, but he saw the suitableness of Christ to be his Saviour and was made willing to receive Him as his only hope. Thus his condition for eternity was made sure, for once in Christ, always in Him.
From his death-bed the true believer can look back on times when he enjoyed tokens of God’s favour. The candle of God shined upon his head, and he was enabled to rejoice in the light of His gracious countenance. There were times under the preaching of the Word, in the receiving of the sacraments, and in secret, when he could say, “He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love,” and then he had a “feast of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.” These tokens of His love God had given him as if to set them over against the evil day when he had his full share of “the afflictions of the righteous,” and when he had to say with Paul, “we were pressed out of measure, above strength, inasmuch that we despaired even of life.” These manifestations of God’s favour were as cordials to his weary soul.
Looking back, he has great cause to mourn his many mistakes in the world. Through lack of watchfulness and neglect of keeping a close walk with God, the Christian falls into many a snare and often gets broken bones. How often he has to upbraid himself on his death-bed for not having properly improved his time in the world, for having spent it in that which was not profitable, and for having done things for which he would give the whole world, if it were his, if it could be undone. This ought to be a solemn warning to the Lord’s true people, for it is not without cause that they often have to put up David’s prayer: “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions.”
When a Christian comes to die he may find many a thing to harass him. Satan, at such a time, will not be idle but will do his utmost to trouble one whom he shall never have, very often
taking full advantage of the weak, frail state of the body. As the father of lies he comes, questioning the reality of the change that has come over the sufferer, casting in his face his many shortcomings, and telling him that it would be presumption on his part to think that Christ would have anything to do with him. Unbelief, which has been aptly described as Satan’s first-begotten, will corroborate every word that Satan will say, and between them they will often put the true child of God in a sorry plight indeed. Along with this there is an anxious concern on the part of the Christian himself as to whether all he had was a delusion or a reality. He is, in a few moments, to be launched into eternity and it is consistent with concern for his soul that he would be seeking evidences that he is not going there without preparation for it.
At this solemn time there is a bidding farewell to all earthly enjoyments. He is bound to the earth by very strong ties and painfully realises his need of grace to support him when these ties are being severed. Husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters must in this manner part, but it is sweet for the departing believer when he can entertain a hope that he will meet his dear ones, though in an altered relationship, where there is no parting. He must bid farewell to the beauties of creation and will have to say with one who is now at his eternal rest: “Is not the world which God created beautiful? but what is good for me is that I have found Christ in it.”
In this condition he is not left alone. In the midst of bodily weakness and even a feeling of darkness and desertion in his soul his God is near him. “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee,” is one of God’s promises to His own, and when their need is greatest, even when they feel the dismal waters of Jordan creeping over them, the God who cannot lie will not desert them, though they may not at all times be sensible of His comforting presence. He will uphold them and when their despondency is greatest, He will say to them: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee:
be not dismayed; for I am thy God.” Thus the Christian’s condition on his death-bed may be described in the words of the Song of Solomon: “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” He has turned his back for ever on the wilderness of this world, and has Christ as his only source of confidence, enabling him to say: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” For him Christ has robbed death of its sting.
While under the influence of the comforting presence of Christ, the Christian gets glimpses of the better land. He was getting these glimpses now and again during his wilderness journey when faith would be in living exercise, and these views of the King in His beauty and of the land that is very far off, though he had them only through a glass, darkly, caused great joy, but now he is to see Christ as He is, and to inhabit the land where his desire is. When faith is thus in living exercise with the Christian on his death-bed, how sweet it must be to realise that before many hours are gone he will be in full possession of those eternal pleasures which are at God’s right hand!
In that better land to which the Christian is going he will be able to worship God as he never did on this earth. In this world he was bitterly conscious of how the carnal mind within himself spoiled every endeavour to worship God. He had a body of death which caused him to fall heavily to the earth when he would mount up on wings as an eagle, and his bitter lamentation often was: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” He is now to be rid for ever of this intolerable weight, and in view of that it is no wonder, though he should groan “earnestly desiring to be clothed upon” with his “house which is from heaven.”
Further, there is before him the prospect of being made like unto Christ. Men speak of a Christ-like life, but the true Christian knows nothing of such a life in his own experience in this world, for when he looks back on his life he is confronted with what the Word of God says: “How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? See thy
way in the valley, know what thou hast done.” Only Christ could say: “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” but when the believer comes to see Christ as He is, he shall then be like Him, and he shall never commit sin throughout eternity. Many a day the Christian experiences the hiding of his Saviour’s face because of how he sinned in the world but at death he shall be made “perfect in holiness” and, therefore, enabled to experience unbroken fellowship and communion with Christ.
In that happy state to which the Christian is going from his death-bed, he shall have no wants. “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Many a day they ate “the bread of adversity” and drank “the water of affliction” in this world, but at death that comes to an end for ever for the Christian, and not only so but when he joins the white-robed throng in eternity, his glory will be in accordance with the measure of affliction he had in this world; as the Apostle says, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”
The Christian on his death-bed is on the threshold of that place where God is praised without one discordant note. Those who have a musical ear will detect many a jarring note in the worship of the lower sanctuary, but it will not be so in the upper sanctuary. They shall all have one song and that song will be: “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” That song will be sung throughout eternity, and they shall never grow weary of singing it, neither shall they desire another song for there will be no room for another.
The death-bed of the Christian ought to be a solemn lesson to all who are still in a Christ-less condition. It points to a choice made, which will never be repented of, and blessings which will never be exhausted, and speaks loudly to all who know
neither the choice nor the blessings, saying in the words of Moses to Hobab: “We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it to you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.—J. C.