20160105 Tuesday, January 5 2016
Hosea 13: The Last To Die Will Be Death Itself

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death"

The first mention of death in human history was the warning by the LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour) to the first humans of what would happen to them if they chose to become losers by disobeying His Law.

"2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:15-17 KJV)

Humanity remained without the means of redemption until the Sacrifice of the Messiah, Who died for all who would do what the first humans refused to do - obey His Law, rather than the "dead works" of rebellion and man-made lawless religions (see Iniquity In History And Prophecy). That is what the Judgment Day is all about (see Who Can Be Saved? and What Was The Lesson Of John 3:16?).

"1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:" (2 Timothy 1:9-10 KJV)

"7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:21-23 KJV)

"20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:12-15 KJV)

"21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." (Revelation 21:7-8 KJV)

When all is done, the Kingdom of God on Earth (as millions of people recite in the LORD's Prayer: "Thy Kingdom come..."; see The First And Last Nation) will be a place of eternal life, in which death itself will have been put to death. Those who choose to be dead, by their defiant refusal to repent and truly obey the LORD when they have every means and opportunity to do so, will not merely be made dead, because death itself will no longer exist, but rather it will be as though they never existed. Oblivion, not just death: "65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." (Isaiah 65:17 KJV)

"15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." (1 Corinthians 15:22-26 KJV)

"21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Revelation 21:3-4 KJV)

The people of ancient Israel who failed to reach their destination will yet also have the means and opportunity to finish their journey: "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes" (see also The Seasons Of The Firstfruits and The Return Of The King).

"13:1 When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died. 13:2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves. 13:3 Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

13:4 Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me. 13:5 I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. 13:6 According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me. 13:7 Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them: 13:8 I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

13:9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. 13:10 I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? 13:11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath. 13:12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid. 13:13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.

13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

13:15 Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels. 13:16 Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up." (Hosea 13:1-16 KJV)

Fact Finder: What two true Christian Holy Days prophesy the resurrections of the dead and the final Judgment of those who refuse to repent?
See The Feast Of Trumpets: The First Christian Salvation Day and The Eighth Day: When Life Will Begin Again; see also The Postponement Of Death