Life lessons arising from death

Hello Bride of Christ,

Imagine experiencing 87 funerals per day for over 35 years. For those who experienced tragic days in human history, such as September 11th, October 7th, or the Holocaust, the etched frame of reference of pain and grief lives within our hearts. How did we live on? How did we cope? Much like the Old Testament times, many like Moses, the man of God, chose prayer to find life lessons arise from death. 

A Man’s Prayer In Context

In Psalm 90, Moses cries out to God, possibly reflecting on witnessing an entire generation pass away before him. For the people of the Exodus generation 20 years and older, except Joshua and Caleb, would not live to enter the Promised Land due to their rejection of God’s promise, but perish in the wilderness of Paran at Kadesh (Numbers 13-14). As a result, Moses witnessed approximately 87 deaths per day totaling about 1.2 million people who did not see the fulfillment of God’s land covenant with Israel, including himself (Fruchtenbaum, Dr. Arnold, Psalm 90: An Exposition, 1996, 2005, p.4). Yet, Moses does not allow his grief to make him bitter towards God; rather he draws forth life from death.

Life Lessons Arise From Death

Lesson: God is everlasting, unlike mortal man. 

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. - Psalm 90:1 -2

Moses prayer begins with acknowledging God's eternal presence. God offers a haven for all generations. He exists before creation and forms all things. Moses uses the Hebrew phrase 'from everlasting to everlasting' to indicate God existed before time and outside of time and will continue to exist beyond both eternity past and eternity future (Fruchtenbaum, Dr. Arnold, Psalm 90: An Exposition, 1996, 2005, p.5).

Lesson: God uses death to judge our sin, but His heart desires repentance.

You turn man to destruction, And say, “Return, O children of men.” - Psalm 90:3

 For we have been consumed by Your anger, And by Your wrath we are terrified. You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your countenance. For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; we finish our years like a sigh. - Psalm 90:7-9

God gives and sustains human life. Moses uses the Hebrew term 'return' to describe God's call for repentance, urging a return to the path of righteousness. Moses acknowledges how sin brought forth God’s judgment upon an entire generation.

Lesson: Redeem the time for only God’s work remains.

For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night. You carry them away like a flood; they are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up; in the morning it flourishes and grows up; in the evening it is cut down and withers. - Psalm 90:4-6

The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; - Psalm 90:10

Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands. - Psalm 90:16 ,17

Moses employs poetic language to express his understanding of God's eternal nature. He acknowledges human life, whether lasting seventy or eighty years, is fleeting compared to eternity. In closing his prayer, Moses asks God to bless the Wilderness Generation, the children of Israel who entered the Promised Land, by establishing their work in the Lord. In other words, Moses asks for the restoration of the Lord’s beauty amongst the people to remain.

Conclusion

Bride of Christ, let us strive to embody Moses' prayer by acknowledging God’s supreme authority over all creation, including ourselves. Let us redeem our days by aligning them with God's purpose and work. In moments of loss, may we seek and embrace God’s comfort, allowing Him to establish the work of our hands. As Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" (Matthew 5:4).