Death's timing and circumstances

 The book of Hebrews says, “... it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment...” Hebrews 9:27

Everyone is appointed to death, and it will eventually come, and there is no guarantee that one will get to die in their old age, when the body is worn out, and all systems are failing, when it may be welcomed or desired.

Believers live in the same world as non-believers, and the believer gets to experience the same loss of life as the non-believer in this world. 

God may intervene to keep death from happening, but it may be more common than not, that God does not intervene, and he allows nature or circumstances to take their course.

The unfortunate timing and circumstances of death can happen to both believer and non-believer. Both can die together in the same event or by the same circumstances.

The same kind of horrible events and circumstances that kill non-believers can kill believers.

The book of Job records the sufferings that God permitted on Job, that Satan caused. A major part of his suffering were the deaths of all his 10 children at once.

There was a Puritan Theologian named John Owen that had 11 children of which ten died in infancy, and the one daughter that survived to adulthood, married, and shortly thereafter died of consumption.

The Christian response is usually that God will be glorified somehow, someway, in that death or those deaths. It is said that we may not know in this life how that (God's glorification) will happen. 

The believer who has experienced tragedy and loss can sympathize / empathize with others who have suffered similar loss.  If the believer can continue in the faith and trust God after such loss, then it is possible for others to do the same.  So maybe through this, God is glorified.

The believer has the benefit of a future hope, being a resurrected life with God forever in the new creation—and with those who have died, family and friends, if they are also believers in Jesus as their Savior from sin.  Believers are not to *sorrow as those who do not have this hope, but it doesn't mean they cannot experience sorrow.   

^*13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Updated 1/1/25