Death is the ultimate tragedy, the final disaster, for the unbeliever. It makes his life an absurdity, and for those who will not listen to the word of God it is utterly without explanation.
Death is a great teacher put in place by the Lord. It is God’s kindness that we continue to live under the shadow of death, before we reach that final hour. Death terminates man’s hope, and closes off every escape route for those who wish to reject the Lord. It sets a limit on their hopes and closes the door so effectively that it should drive everyone to seek deliverance from God. When a man’s power to help himself is exhausted, he cries out for help. When he sees an enemy approaching who he cannot cope with, he asks himself where he can find someone stronger than himself. Only Christ has power over death. Only he has conquered death, and he has done so one behalf of himself and all those who trust in him. There is no peace for the soul while death’s power remains unanswered. An eternal soul cannot convince itself that seventy odd years of existence is enough and then it can let go of eternity.