Articles
Our Last Day
Our Last Day By Derek Long
Everyone living upon the earth right now will eventually come to a day which will be their last upon this earth. Death is a reality for all mankind no matter who we are. Ecclesiastes 9:2-6 remind us of this sobering reality. It says, “All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath as he who fears an oath. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun” (NKJV). Hebrews 9:27 equally reminds us, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (NKJV). It is true not everyone will face death. There will be some who are still alive when the Lord returns but such individuals will still have a day which was their final day upon the earth and their last day to prepare for eternity. Paul speaks of what will happen to those who are still alive when the Lord returns in 1 Corinthians 15:50-54, saying, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corrup tion inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’” (NKJV). As Hebrews 9:27 pointed out, our last day on earth will not be followed by nothingness as some teach but rather will be followed by a judgment. Following the judgment we will spend eternity in either everlasting punishment or eternal life (Matthew 25:46). It is important for us to prepare for our last day upon this earth. Our last day upon this earth will perhaps come unexpectedly. There are many people who have died who I am certain did not wake up that morning or go to bed that night thinking today is going to be my last day upon the earth. The rich fool in Luke 12:16-21 felt he had many years left to live but he ended up dying that very night. James 4:13-17 reminds us our plans need to be based upon the Lord’s will. One reason given for such is, “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14, NKJV). Earlier in the book of James, we are reminded, “So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits” (James 1:11, NKJV). A person may have many irons in the fire we might say or might be a very active person thinking they will accomplish much more in life and yet die or the Lord may return. Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 remind us things can overtake us we never expected to. Let’s remember we do not know when our life will end or when the Lord will return. In light of the fact our last day may come unexpectedly, our last day may be filled with doing what we normally do. Matthew 24:37-39 gives us a description of what people were doing leading up to the flood as an example for what people will be doing leading up to the final judgment. It says, “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (NKJV). Such a thought should motivate us to live each day in a manner in which we would have no regrets if it ended up being our last day upon the earth due to death or the Lord’s return. If our normal day involves us living in some sin, there is a good chance our last day might involve us living in some sin. If our normal day involves us putting off studying the Bible, there is a good chance our last day might involve us putting off studying the Bible. If our normal day involves us failing to pray to God often, there is a good chance our last day might involve us not praying to God often. If our normal day involves us failing to teach those around us who are in sin, there is a good chance our last day will involve us not warning those in sin of their need to repent. If our normal day involves us failing to do something we know God would have us to do, there is a good chance our last day will involve us sinning by not doing what God would have us do (James 4:17). If our normal day is not what we would want our last day upon earth to look like, we need to make the necessary changes and repent. Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 provides us with some good instruction on how to live life realizing the fact our last day upon the earth is approaching. It says, “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works. Let your garments always be white, and let your head lack no oil. Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do. do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going” (NKJV).
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