May 16 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

1 Samuel 15:24–33

Devotional

Agag thought that the bitterness of death had departed from him. But unknown to him he was to die. A child of God can also think he has much life ahead of him, and then unexpectedly die. But even if death comes suddenly for a child of God, it is an entrance into glory.

Sudden death reminds us of the stark need to be prepared for eternity at all times. Sadly, man can think he is prepared. He can sing: “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” He can cry out: “Death is not a terror to me.” He can imagine that the bitter taste of death has been taken away. And yet when the reality of impending death hits him, he is not as self-assured. This is the worst mistake a mortal being can make.

We can commemorate the resurrection of Christ. That tells us: “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” It commemorates that death has been swallowed up in victory. The apostle mocks death when he says: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” Yet celebrating Easter can lead us to think prematurely that the bitterness of death is past. Let us not make this mistake. Be sure, then, that you are personally grafted into the Prince of Life by a true faith. We must know Him personally in the power of His resurrection.

Death is the consequence of sin, our sin. And our sin causes us guilt. We feel unworthy before a holy God. What is Easter to us if we have never felt this guilt? It is not sufficient to shout that the bitterness of death has gone away. We must first learn to sign our own death senetnce. The dead sinner must come into a sanctified contact with the living Christ. The bitterness of death is at that moment departed. This contact takes place when the sinner considers himself to be guilty of death.

Agag celebrated too soon. His life had been spared by a mere man, an unjust man, but God said: “Thou shalt surely die.” Let us not rejoice too soon. Let us not rest until the Lord Himself has assured us that our life is in Him.

Has the bitterness of death departed from you? Do you have a personal relationship with Christ, the Prince of Life? Have you been driven to the empty tomb with your spiritually dead state? If not, remember Agag and keep yourself from the worst mistake. Let the king of the Amalekites be a deterrent to you, for it will be most terrible to have to enter eternal death. You need not die unprepared as Agag. The gospel of Easter still proclaims that the bitterness of death is past. But it is not past and it will even become worse if we perish while we are under the offer of this gospel.

“Surely the bitterness of death is past.” A child of God, however, can also speak these words. It will be uttered by one who was spiritually wrapped in the cords of death and held in deep despair, but who has now found comfort in the bitter death of Christ, the Surety. Such a person will not make Agag’s mistake, even though with painful fear he feels the workings of death in him. For such a one, the words of Agag will be his pilgrim song. He, who has taken him out of the power of death, will also take him along to His heavenly kingdom. Let the words of Agag be your departing song, because when death comes at last, it is then merely an entrance into life eternal. Then these words of Agag do not constitute the worst mistake a mortal being can make, but they are words of the most glorious wisdom a sinner can confess.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.