Legend says that Thebes was once invaded by a great monster, a Sphinx, a creature with the head of a woman and the body of a lion. The Sphinx would wait for travelers to come by and then give them a riddle. “What animal is it that in the morning goes upon four feet, at noon on two and in the evening on three?” If they answered the riddle correctly they could pass, if not they would be killed. Each person who passed was faced with the fear that if he didn’t answer the riddle correctly he would die.
Death: It’s one of those words that immediately bring fear or deep concern. It’s the ultimate disaster we feel we must face. Since December 27th of last year I’ve had to put death dates by five family members. It’s a strange thing to write that number after the dash.
People have spent large amounts of time and money to find a way to beat it or at least prolong the inevitable. “The Fountain of Youth”, has been a topic throughout history. Herodotus wrote of it thousands of years ago. Ponce de Leon supposedly searched for it. Even today there are places where the water is supposed to prolong your life.
Today we have artificial hearts, breathing machines, transplants and the like that repair our worn out parts and help to keep us alive. There are anti-aging drugs and creams. Special newly discovered berries and oils that are intended to add years to our lives.
Even those of us who are Christians struggle with death. I often tell people that we spend a lot of time praying people out of heaven, asking God to heal them when it’s really their time to be with Him. But like everyone else the fear of the unknown is there. We don’t want to think about it. We hesitate to plan for it. We surely don’t want to talk about it.
Dr. F.B. Meyer once wrote a friend, “I have just heard, to my great surprise, that I have but a few days to live. It may be that before this reaches you, I shall have entered the palace. Don’t trouble to write. We shall meet in the morning.”
Death is only scary for those who do not have the answer to the riddle of life. Death only has to be feared by those who look at it as the end and not the beginning. When death is viewed as a door, a moment’s sleep or a packing up and moving to another home it’s not scary at all. It’s just another part of life.
Paul writes in Corinthians, “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Oedipus in his travels came upon the Sphinx and the creature repeated his riddle. Oedipus replied, “Man, who in his childhood creeps on his hands and knees, in manhood walks erect and in old age with the aid of a staff.” The Sphinx, Death, had been cheated and defeated at least temporarily by Oedipus and the monster threw itself from the cliff and died.
To Oedipus it was temporary, but to those who fear God it Is life eternal.
PRO 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
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