Topical Bible: Natural Death is Described as Departing

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In the Scriptures, natural death is often depicted as a departure, a transition from the earthly realm to the presence of God. This metaphorical language underscores the belief that life continues beyond physical death, aligning with the Christian hope of eternal life.

One of the most poignant examples of this description is found in the account of Jacob's death. In Genesis 49:33 , it is written, "When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he drew his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and was gathered to his people." Here, the phrase "gathered to his people" suggests a departure to join his ancestors, indicating a continuation of existence beyond the grave.

Similarly, the Apostle Paul uses the language of departure to describe his own impending death. In 2 Timothy 4:6 , he writes, "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand." Paul views his death not as an end, but as a departure to be with Christ, reflecting his confidence in the promise of eternal life.

The concept of death as a departure is also evident in the Psalms. Psalm 39:4 states, "O LORD, make me know my end and the measure of my days, let me know how fleeting my life is." This acknowledgment of life's brevity and the inevitability of departure encourages believers to live with an eternal perspective, mindful of their ultimate destination.

In the New Testament, the departure of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is described with a sense of peace and assurance. Acts 7:59-60 recounts, "While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' And when he had said this, he fell asleep." The phrase "fell asleep" is a euphemism for death, emphasizing the peaceful transition from this life to the next.

The imagery of departure in the Bible serves to comfort believers, assuring them that death is not a final end but a passage to a new beginning. This perspective is rooted in the hope of resurrection and eternal life through Jesus Christ, who declared in John 14:2-3 , "In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also."

Thus, the biblical portrayal of natural death as a departure reflects a profound theological truth: that believers, upon leaving this earthly life, are welcomed into the eternal presence of God, where they will dwell forever.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Philippians 1:23
For I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Christian Described
... THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED. ... to be visited by them is when thy life is smitten down as
it were to the dust of death, even when all natural infirmities break in ...
/.../bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xii the christian described.htm

Chapter xxxiv
... and they "may establish themselves in it," departing from their ... The gate of the city
is the natural place for ... she is now after Rachel's death described in her ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxiv.htm

A Last Look-Out
... through the gate as our grand old poet has described death. ... It is not easy to discern
this; the natural order of ... If you take counsel with death your flesh will ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/a last look-out.htm

Concerning Things Accomplished in the Synaxis.
... ministered, according to the regulations described, the Hierarch ... and the goal of
the destructive death [256 ... For, as a natural consequence, the pernicious falling ...
/.../dionysius/ecclesiastical hierarchy/caput iii i concerning things.htm

The Triumphant End
... is exercised by preaching the Master's death of expiation. ... brought into unison with
their natural sentiments and ... Two separate motions are described in verse 51 ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/the triumphant end.htm

The Miraculous Feeding of the Five Thousand
... In the circumstances described in the previous chapter, Jesus ... on the lake, and the
deliverance from death of His ... It was natural that Christ, wishing to avoid ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxix the miraculous feeding.htm

Letter xxxix. To Paula.
... Moses; yet when the funeral of Joshua is described [837] no ... the claims of a grief
which seems natural and right ... no limits, and bring you to the verge of death. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter xxxix to paula.htm

Israel's Obstinacy and God's Patience
... of Israel was the product of natural evolution, or ... III. Respite and deliverance are
described in verses 16 and 18 ... Why should the death of the instrument affect ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture f/israels obstinacy and gods patience.htm

The Pastoral Epistles
... set free again after the imprisonment described in Acts 28 ... The most natural inference
from the data of ... his first defense, and his impending death." Moreover the ...
/.../drummond/introduction to the new testament/the pastoral epistles.htm

The Scripture Way of Salvation
... in its native form, just as it is described in the ... blessing which lies on the other
side death; or, as ... and yet no more discerned by our natural faculties than ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 43 the scripture way.htm