Facing Death - [Hebrews 11:20-22]

Welcome to No Compromise Radio, a ministry coming to you from Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston. No Compromise Radio is a program dedicated to the ongoing proclamation of Jesus Christ, based on the theme in Galatians 2, verse 5, where the Apostle Paul said, �But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

In short, if you like smooth, watered-down words to make you simply feel good, this show isn�t for you. By purpose, we are first biblical, but we can also be controversial. Stay tuned for the next 25 minutes as we�re called by the Divine Trumpet to summon the troops for the honor and glory of her King.

Here�s our host, Pastor Mike Abendroth.

How Unbelievers and Christians Face Death

I�d like to start off by asking you a couple of questions this morning. Question number one, how do unbelievers face death? How do unbelievers face death? I looked at some internet sites and there�s a variety of ways that they face or try to avoid death.

Some people, they just deny it. They�re unbelievers and they�re like, �Well, you know what, maybe like a Christian scientist type of thing, death is an illusion and I�m just going to deny that it happens.

Other people say, �Well, you know, we just don�t know what happens at death and so we�ll just leave that open for conjecture, kind of like an ostrich in the sand. We don�t really know. Other people say, �Well, death is just the end, right?

When you die, you die and then you�re just going to be put in a grave and forces of evolution stop. They deny any kind of supernatural event. Some unbelievers will just develop a fatalistic mentality, �Que sera, sera.

We can�t do anything about life, we can�t do anything about death and so we�ll just let it go. Others have kind of a false optimism that I was reading this week that maybe some type of out-of-body experience or near-death experience might help them.

Lastly, some people have just kind of an escapist attitude. They don�t want to think about death so they have their proverbial fingers in their ears. They try to be busy with work and with school and they try to fill their life with drugs and pleasure and hedonism.

I guess it could end finally and sadly with hopelessness. That�s why many people say, �Well, I might as well just commit suicide because that�s the ultimate escape. Do I know about death or don�t I So sad.

I guess I could understand some of these if I didn�t have the Bible and if Jesus was still in the grave. But I have another question this morning I would like to ask you. How do Christians face death?

How do believers confront death? Dear Christian, one day you�ll die. Do you ever think about that? How will you face that day? Do you face it the same way as unbelievers? And whether we like to think about it or not, short of the Lord Jesus�s glorious return, if He doesn�t return before we die, we will all die.

People say, �Well, church should be about relevant topics. This is very relevant because it will be a sickness or an accident, some external threat, a bomb, old age, all of us will die. Now, for the unbeliever, they�ve got strategies as they approach death.

Woody Allen said, �I don�t mind dying. I just don�t want to be there when it happens. But for the Christian, are we helped when it comes to death? I mean, the Bible tells us how to parent gives us wisdom in that area.

How to resolve conflict, how can we be helped in that area? How to put together a worship service, can we be helped there? Yes, of course, the Scriptures address that. But what about death? Because even for the Christian, I think of Job 18, where death is called the king of terrors.

Psalm 55, �My heart is in anguish within me. The terrors of death have fallen upon me. Hebrews chapter 2, Jesus came to free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. Dear Christian, today I want to prepare you for death.

I want you to think about it, and I want you to think about it in this manner. How does a Christian die in a way that glorifies God? Take your Bibles, before we get to Hebrews, I just want you to go to Galatians for a moment, Galatians chapter 2, as we today ask the question, how do Christians die well, and does the Bible address it?

And I think we're going to find the answer to be both simple and convicting. Galatians chapter 2, verse 20, if I had a life verse, maybe this would be my life verse. I love it because it tells me a lot about my Lord Jesus, and my Savior, and what He does in my response to Him.

Let me read Galatians 2, 20, as you follow along. I have been, and of course this is Paul talking, but it's true of all of us as believers. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, you've probably memorized this, but Christ who lives in me.

And the life I now live, in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, wonderfully, who loved me, and gave Himself for me. Now might I take a little liberty with an application of this verse, and read it this way, follow along.

I'd like each of you to be able to say this, I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the death I will die in the flesh, I will die by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.

Friends, the just shall live by faith, and the just shall die by faith. That's our message today. Please take your Bibles and turn to Hebrews chapter 11. In the old days, if I ask you this question, how would you like to die?

People would never ever say, I hope I die in my sleep. They would say, that's the worst way to die, because I can't make sure I'm right with God, I can't make amends with other people, I can't ask for forgiveness, I can't say I'm sorry, I can't say I love you.

But these days, most people say, I'd like to die in my sleep. And of course, for the Christian, any way to die is a good way to die. But I want you as the living people here today, and maybe you've got loved ones, of course, who have died.

I understand that, but I'm talking to you, how do we process this concept called death, which is more than a concept, it's a reality because of sin. And I think if the just shall live by faith, it's important that the just shall die by faith.

And it's interesting, you say, well, how did you come up with this topic? Is this based on current events? No, it's based right from Hebrews chapter 11. Take a look at verses 20, 21, and 22, and you're going to see three patriarchs who are at the end of their lives, and our writer, the preacher of Hebrews, who's extolling Jesus and faith in Him, points to each one of these men at the end of their life, one by inference, two directly, and how they died.

Hebrews 11, verse 20, by faith, Isaac, he was at the end of his life, eyes were dim, he was old, he invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. Hebrews 11, 21, by faith, Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

Verse 22, by faith, Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. I believe it is important for you, Christian, to prepare for death.

Christian physician John Dunlap said, one thing I have learned is that dying well is rarely a coincidence. Rather, it results from choices made throughout life. After all, dying well is nothing more than living well right up until the end.

There's a lot of truth to that. And so today we're going to look at three straightforward verses, Hebrews 11, verses 20, 21, 22, and we're going to ask the question, how do you die well and how, and why is that so important?

Of course, as you know, the book of Hebrews, we've just been going chapter by chapter by chapter. I think we've been in Hebrew since when? Does anybody know the year we started? I will admit it. I don't want to admit it, but I'll admit it.

Anybody remember? 1972. I'm just kidding. It was a good year. Gas was expensive. Remember? 2015. We had over 100 sermons in, maybe 200 sermons in Hebrews. And the thing is, if you took this book, the book of Hebrews, and read it, because it is a sermon, it would take about 40, 45 minutes.

And he, like a good pastor, yes, there are lots of things to do as a Christian, but he wants to frame it in who you are in Christ and what Jesus has done. He wants to set forth the object of your faith so that, in fact, you can walk by faith.

And people that walk by faith, of course, like to respond with faithful living. Here, this book, the book of Hebrews, highlights Jesus' work in what we call the new covenant, where things like this are told to all Christians because of Jesus.

I will be merciful toward their iniquities. I will remember their sins no more. Here's this great Lord that doesn't hold sin against us, and He has purchased our freedom on the cross. He has triumphed over death.

And He gives us this book so we can understand truths about life and today about death. So today we're going to look at three men. While each man was dying, their lives and their death was marked by a faith in the Messiah, a confidence, a hope that even though circumstances looked bad, they still took God at His word.

Today I brought in Larry to the men's discipleship, and we asked him a lot of questions about life and death. And the consistent thing in our brother Larry is he wants to honor the Lord Jesus as he lives, and he's living by faith.

Of course, he might outlive us all. We don't know that. But the key is no matter what circumstances look like, we, you, must walk by faith in the Son of God who loves you and has given His life for you.

These three men did not see all the promises of God become fulfilled, yet they still said God will fulfill them. If you look at chapter 11, verse 39, it helps us. These are the, this is the verse that really unlocks all of chapter 11.

If you can remember the end here, it will help you with every little section. And all these, though commended through their faith, remember not their faithfulness, but faith in the Messiah, did not receive what was promised.

Since God has provided something better for us, that apart from us, they should not be made perfect. So let's take a look at three men who died by faith as examples for all of us, because they're all trusting in the Messiah when they died.

And that is the call for each one of us to entrust our souls to a faithful creator who does what is right. Oh, one more comment before we look at these three. There's a lot of deathbed words that have been recorded.

I never thought of this until I read it from a commentary this week. Death is the acid test of faith. For hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, courts of law have been taking dying man's words at face value.

The need for lying and deception is over. And that is what said on a deathbed is usually believed. So with our testimony of faith, not only is the need for hypocrisy and pretense over, but it is extremely difficult to fake faith when you know you're facing eternity.

A dying man's faith is believable because a sham cannot stand his test. A Christian who fears death has serious weakness in his faith, for to die in Christ is simply to be ushered into the Lord's presence.

For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Three believers who set good examples for us as they look toward the Messiah by faith. You say, well, what else do these three men have in common? They're patriarchs.

True. They're rich. True. They're not thinking about their lives. They're thinking about their children. True. But the key is, at the beginning of each verse, do you see it? By faith, by faith, by faith.

How do you die well, Christian? The same way you live. And it is by faith in Christ Jesus. Even though circumstances might tell you differently. Well, let's take a look at Isaac first in verse 20. So the strategy is going to be, I'm going to read the verse.

We're going to go to the Old Testament and see where this verse happened. Repeat, repeat. Verse 20. By faith, Isaac, here's our first patriarch by faith, our first dying man. By faith, Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.

Where is that found? What's going on there? Well, why don't we go to our Old Testaments and find out. Let's look at Genesis chapter 27, please. Genesis 27. We just read this several weeks ago. We've got Isaac dying, but his hope for the future is still true because he trusts in God's word.

He knows what the Abrahamic covenant is. He knows about the land promises. He knows about the seed promises. But they won't be fulfilled while he's alive. But he's still believing that God's words were true.

He was living by faith. He was trusting that God would still keep his word. I think that's a great definition of faith. God is going to keep his word, and we take him at his word. Genesis 27. What's this blessing that Hebrews 11 verse 20 talks about where Isaac is blessing Jacob and Esau?

Now, I'm not going to read the whole chapter. Just the first few verses and then the last. When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim. So, our text in Hebrews doesn't say he's dying like Jacob says he's dying or Joseph at the end of his life.

But we get the picture it's towards the end of his life. When he was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son. Remember how important that is for an older son. And said to him, my son.

He answered, here I am. Behold, I'm old. I do not know the day of my death. It's close. Now then take your weapons, your quiver, your bow. Go out to the field. Hunt game for me and prepare for me delicious food such as I love.

And bring it to me so that I may eat. That my soul may bless you before I die. And then remember Rebecca gets involved. And there's that what we call theologically. There's a theological word for this.

It's called the switcheroo. And there's that deception involved. And there's all that craziness that goes on. Remember verse 14. So when he went and took them and brought them to his mother. And mother prepared delicious food.

Such as his father loved. And took the best garments of Esau her older son. Which were with her in the house. And put them on Jacob her younger son. This is all deception. Verse 18. So he went into his mother, his father.

And said, father. Here I am. Who are you my son? Can you count the lies? What's the first lie comes? It's just easier to just keep lying is it not? I am Esau your first born. Jacob said to his father.

True? Lie? I have done as you have told me. First of all you're not Esau. You're not the first born. You've not done what you've told. There's three lies. Now sit up and eat my game. That your soul may bless me.

But Isaac said to his son. How is it that you found it so quickly my son? And then he blames God. He puts the lie in God's hand. Because the Lord your God has granted me success. Then he says come here.

I want to know if you're really my son. I want to feel you. Verse 26. Then his father Isaac said to him. Come near and kiss me my son. So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of the garments.

And blessed him. And here's what Hebrews is referring to. See the smell of my son is as the smell of the field that the Lord has blessed. Here's the blessings. Still trusting in the God of the universe.

That God will fulfill the Abrahamic promises. Genesis 3 .15 promise. Even though he's going to die. He's still trusting God. As he blesses his son. May God give you the dew of heaven. And of the fatness of the earth.

And plenty of grain and wine. Let the people serve you. And the nations bow down to you. Be Lord over your brothers. And may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. And blessed be everyone who blesses you.

And he finished blessing Jacob. This is the promise that Hebrews refers to. Where he knows he's going to die. The promises are unfulfilled. But he takes God at his word. That's the simple thing. If you go down to verse 39.

Isaac of course blesses his other son. Esau. That's included in Hebrews chapter 11. Behold away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be. And away from the dew of heaven on high. By your sword you shall live.

And you shall serve your brother. But when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck. So let's go back to Hebrews chapter 11. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.

He knew by faith that these promises of God would be fulfilled in the future. We don't know about a lot of the details in Hebrews. We're not given those. We're not told anything about the deception and the tricking and the switching.

By the way I think that's fascinating. Isaac is so old and blind. He can't figure out which son is which. But even though he's so old and blind. He can still trust the promises of God that he can't see.

That's pretty amazing. That's why he's highlighted as a man who's living and then dying by faith. Taking God at his word. This is the way we need to die. Still taking God at his word. I told you the story before.

This doesn't need to be about me and my mom or anything. But it's just in my mind with indelible ink. Laying by her on her deathbed. And telling her about the promises of God. And absent from the body present with the Lord.

To live is Christ to die is gain. You can trust in Jesus. Whoever believes on me will have eternal life. Mom we have to turn off all the machines and everything that's keeping you awake. It's just delaying the inevitable.

You can trust the Lord Jesus. You live by faith and you die by faith. And then the last word I ever heard her say was awesome. The point is we don't know what's going on with all the future. And maybe you're thinking even on your deathbed.

What will happen with the kids and with the wife and with the husband. And with this and with that and the others. All you have to remember is I'm still going to take God at his word. And God has promised that he'll give me forgiveness.

Eternal life. An inheritance heaven. A glorified body. And I'll be there on the other side of Jordan. Because God has promised that to all Christians. Full confident in dying. And by the way you say well what about all this deception here?

I think it's good to know that even when you're dying. A little side note here. God's sovereign over sin even on your deathbed. Many are the plans in a man's heart. But the counsel of the Lord it will stand.

God's plans were not frustrated by Jacob and Esau and this big switch. It's fascinating to me. Well there's another man. We know he was dying. His name is Jacob found in Hebrews 11 .21. Isaac number one.

Jacob number two. By faith Jacob when dying blessed each of his sons of Joseph bowing in worship over the head of his staff. No matter what's going to happen I have not lived to see the promises of God.

I still believe them. I take God at his word even though I haven't seen fulfillment of the promises. Now if you turn to Genesis 48 we see the account here. We'll read a few verses in Genesis 48 that describe what's going on with Jacob as he's blessing the sons of Joseph.

Of course Jacob and all his sons and their family they go to Egypt. Why? Because there's a famine. And Joseph hears his father's ill and he takes his sons to go visit the father. The affirmation of the Abrahamic covenant is given.

And what happens here? Talk about another switcheroo. I think we see another one. Except it wasn't the sons that were switched this time. It was the arms that were switched. The arms of blessing. Genesis 48 verse 8.

When Israel saw Joseph's sons he said, Who are these? Joseph said to his father. They are my sons whom God has given me here. And he said bring them to me please that I may bless them. Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age so that he could not see.

So Joseph brought them near him and he kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said to Joseph, I never expected to see your face and behold God has let me see your offspring also. Then Joseph removed them from his knee and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

Joseph took both of them Ephraim and his right hand toward Israel's left hand. See how precise this is. And Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand. And brought them near him. And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim.

Who was the younger and his left hand on the head of Manasseh. Crossing his hands for Manasseh was the first born. And he blessed Joseph and said. And here's the blessing that Hebrews 11 talks about. Even though Abrahamic covenant has not been fulfilled in every way shape and form.

It will be. He's trusting in that. The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked. The God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day. The angel who has redeemed me from all evil. Bless the boys.

And in them let my name be carried on and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim.

It displeased him. He took his father's hand to move it. From Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. And Joseph said to his father. Not this way my father since this one is the first born. Put your right hand on his head.

But his father refused and said. I know my son I know. He shall also become a people. And he shall also be great. Nevertheless his younger brother shall be greater than he. And his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.

So he blessed them that day saying. By you Israel will pronounce blessings. Saying God will make you as Ephraim and Manasseh. No matter what's going to happen. God's promises will be fulfilled. Back to Hebrews chapter 11 please.

You can imagine we'll go back to Genesis one more time. What's the point of all this? The faith chapter by faith in the Messiah chapter. Is put right here to encourage every Christian. No matter what circumstances are.

To keep walking by faith. That you can take God at his word. That you can believe his promises. Living in a world where they all say. God doesn't exist. It's to encourage faith. It's to engender your own faith.

If these frail people could believe. And trust in God promises. When the promises weren't fulfilled. Then I must as well. Because the object of their faith Jesus. Is the object of my faith Jesus. Hebrews 11 verse 21.

I read it again. Since we just looked at the passage. By faith Jacob when he was dying. Blessed each of Joseph's sons. And worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. He was dying when he did this.

And so why was he leaning on the top of his staff? It said he was either at the front of the bed. One translation. Or he's at the top of his staff. Some have said he had faith. Because every time he leaned on the staff.

He remembered what God did to his hip. When he wrestled with God. Maybe. Maybe he's just old and he had to lean on his staff. Either way the focus is. By faith. By faith. By faith. In his dying hours.

He didn't say. God I can't trust you. God I don't believe in you. I'm remembering about the thief on the cross. Next to the Lord Jesus. Remember Spurgeon. And he said. You know. Whenever I would go visit people in the hospital.

And they were unbelievers. And they thought they were going to die. I would say to them. You need to trust in Jesus. Or you're going to pay for your sins forever. And be cast into hell. Almost every one of them said.

You know what? I believe. And out of all those people that said. I believe. The ones that got better. Not one. Spurgeon said. In my experience. Ever continued to trust the Lord. And follow him. But Spurgeon went on to say.

We're glad the thief on the cross is in the Bible. We're glad there's just one deathbed conversion in the Bible. Because then we say to ourselves. You know what? It teaches me two lessons. Number one.

I shouldn't be presumptuous. And wait to the end of my life. Before I make things right with God. By believing. But also that I could have hope. That there could be deathbed conversions. Because there was one in the Bible.

But friends. This doesn't have anything to do with deathbed conversions. This has to do with living now. As a Christian person. Knowing that death will come. How do I face death? These three men have great.

There are great examples for us. That they died trusting in the promises of God. When I was talking to Larry today. I thought. You know what? Here I am asking him these questions. And maybe he will die soon.

We don't know. But I thought. He's just the same person that I knew. Two years ago. And when I'd asked him a question two years ago. He was answering these questions the exact same way. Because how do you die well?

The answer is. By living well. How do you live well? By walking by faith in Christ Jesus. Well there's one more person here. Joseph. And then we're going to talk. Just some practical issues. About helping you die well.

Joseph's Faith in the Exodus and His Bones

Number three. Joseph. Verse 22. We're led with that figure of speech again. Right at the front. That refrain. By faith. Shorthand. For by faith in the high priest. Jesus Christ. Melchizedekian priest.

Sacrifice intercessor. Risen Savior. By faith Joseph. At the end of his life. Made mention of the exodus of the Israelites. And gave directions concerning his bones. He had a hope. He knew that God would keep his promises.

He knew about the exodus. He knew about Israel going back to the promised land. Coming out of Egypt. He would not see it. But he believed it. Nothing could stop the promises of God. That's what walking by faith is.

Nothing will annul God's promises. Nothing will stop God. Nothing will checkmate God when his promises come. I think it's interesting here. It says when he was dying. It's where we get the word telos.

It just means coming to an end. It's a euphemism for. Remember Paul when he'd say. I finished the course. I finished the course. That's here. He's finishing his life. And what does he say? He remembers the covenant of God.

And he's rejoicing in it. And he's talking about how this is actually going to be true. Forget that I'm going to live or die. Let's go to Genesis chapter 50. And just take a look at this. And that will be our last reference for the Old Testament.

Genesis 50. So essentially what's happening is. These Hebrews recipients who received this New Testament epistle. They know all these stories. We don't really know them as well. Maybe some of you do. We're just going back to remember this story.

So we can be as familiar with it. As they the recipients were. Alright. At the end of his life made mention of the Exodus. Let's see where that happened. Genesis 50 verse 22. So Joseph remained in Egypt.

He and his father's house. Joseph lived 110 years. I believe now that's 17 years old. Until 110 living in Egypt. But he's still thinking about. You know what? I want to be buried somewhere else. How would you like to be buried in a pyramid in Egypt?

That's pretty good. But God has promised something better. I want to be in the promised land. And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation. The children also of Makar. The son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph's own.

And Joseph said to his brothers. I am about to die. And now look. Pity me. Have mercy on me. Woe is me. Here's this upward looking faith. But God will visit you. Even though I won't see the promises of God.

He still is faithful. I'm counting my eternal soul on it. And bring you up out of this land. To the land which he swore to Abraham. Rehearsing the Abrahamic covenant. To Isaac and Jacob. Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear.

This is like deathbed words. What am I going to make you swear? I'm going to make you swear that you talk like you believe in God. God will surely visit you. And you shall carry up my bones from here.

So Joseph died being 110 years old. They embalmed him. And he was put in a coffin in Egypt. By the way did he stay in Egypt? They actually obeyed. And it says in Exodus 13. Moses took the bones of Egypt with him.

For he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear. Saying God will surely take care of you. And you shall carry my bones from here with you. And then in Joshua chapter 24. As for the bones of Joseph. Which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt.

They buried them at Shechem. In the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamar. The father of Shechem. It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph. I have no doubt. Joseph said. That God will keep his word.