James H. Cagle
“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (Ps. 90: 10).
When we die, we fly away. “All (both man and beast) go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit (soul) of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?” (Ecc. 3: 20, 21). “Then (at death) shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ecc. 12: 7).
Man and beast have bodies made from the dust of the earth. When they die their body’s return to the dust. Man and beast have bodies, and souls, but only man has spirit. The beasts have a mental box in which are their intuition and instincts, a system in which they repeatedly do the same thing without progressing to anything greater. With their soul they are self-conscious and earthly-conscious, but not God-conscious. When the beasts die, they cease to exist. Their soul goes downward back into the dust, possibly because it was made of the earth. They do not go down to Hell, for Hell is for the wicked, immoral sinner, and all beasts are amoral and without sin. There is no afterlife for the beast of the field and the forest. They are simply annihilated.
Man on the other hand has a spirit which is made in the image of God and is immortal. When man dies he enters another condition of existence. Man has a perpetual or persistent sense of consciousness. “According to Christianity, when we die-when we are annihilated in this present world-we will either push past the light and join the evil in Hell or we will follow the light and join up with our eternal Creator in Heaven. It’s a choice we make ahead of time in this life” The spirit of the saved immediately flies away to Heaven and God. The spirit of the lost flies away first to Hell and then to God when summoned for judgment.
Another thing that flies away is our wealth. “Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as eagle toward heaven” (Prov. 23: 5).
It’s a known fact that a man’s wealth can take wings and fly away. That big nest-egg that we place so much confidence in and is our security, hatches and grows wings and flies away. Wealth is like the bird we see at the window. It’s there one moment, but we look away and back and he’s gone.
When we fly away, we’ll not leave with any wealth tucked under our arms, hung around our neck, or stuffed in a purse. “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out” (1 Tim. 6: 7). Though we will carry no coin with us when we fly away, it is certain we will leave with our character. And it is our character that determines whether we leave this world rich or poor.
Laid Full Length
Sunlight is born and grows from the east,
And its rays are buried in the west;
So man is born and tries, before death,
To accomplish his life’s purpose and quest.
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Sons of men climb upward now,
Like the sun through its arch in the sky;
Ascending to their highest peak,
For earthly merits, they know not why.
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As the sun descends and darkness falls,
So doth man’s glory and strength;
Success or failure, at sunset of life,
They’re buried ‘neath shadows full length.
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The womb of the earth is ripped open wide,
And the remains of man laid inside.
Through years the earth reclaims the dust,
That before was proud and dignified.
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From dust to dust and ashes to ashes,
The circle of life slowly comes around.
As naked man came so naked man leaves,
When he’s laid full length in the ground.
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When he danced about in all his glory,
He may or may not have thought of that day,
When he would die and his remains be laid,
Full length, while his soul would fly away.
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Taken away to Heaven or Hell,
Taken away in weakness or strength,
Taken away to shame or reward,
When all his remains are laid full length.
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When all that remains are man’s remains,
And what remains to be said are memories.
Our memories are what remain of the man,
And may or may not help our pain to ease.
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Tall or short, wide or thin, deep or shallow,
Man’s grave will vary in width and length.
Three score and ten may be our years, –
Yet ev’ry man’s life will vary in length.
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But finally will come the end we know,
And gone will be our glory and strength.
Our soul begins life then beyond the dark veil,
As our body is laid ‘neath the shadows full length.
James H. Cagle
