James H. Cagle
“One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth remaineth for ever” (Ecclesiastes 1: 4).
We are all constantly coming and going someplace. As we pass through the doors of a store to leave, others are passing through the doors to enter. And yet the store remains for many years to serve many customers.
Likewise when one generation passes through the doors of death to leave this world others are being born and entering this world. And yet the earth remains as a host for innumerable generations.
We exist on planet earth as mortals in bodies that grow old and are subject to death. As mortals we live a life that is based on our morals and morale. Our whole life is represented by a dash on our tombstone between our birth date and the date of our death.
As one generation passes away and leaves through deaths door, the earth becomes host to another generation of newly born. These new arrivals will also one day pass away and others will take their place. And so it has been from the beginning of time.
These new arrivals fill the void left by the previous generation. They pick up where they left off. We may think the world can’t make it without us. But the world doesn’t even stop to let us off.
King David said on his death-bed, “I go the way of all the earth.” All who are born will die. The moment we are born we are headed for the grave yard. The Christians who are alive at the Rapture of the church will not experience death.
Though death is not natural because it was not part of God’s plan, but the result of Adam’s fall; it is still a reality we must face. Death is not annihilation, but another condition of existence. God does not annihilate anything He created. He changes, renews and restores but doesn’t annihilate. Our soul is immortal and will be dressed in a body to suit our eternal conditions of existence.
The earth, the globe, the planet that was host to all of mankind will not be annihilated. It will be renovated by fire and then given a new dress, a new covering to make it inhabitable for the regenerate race of mankind.
