26 - Those who become aware of God's reality know that death is not the end!
Pat and I arrived in Ketchikan, Alaska, in September 1977 and began settling into our newly constructed home. The home still needed a few finalizing touches (carpeting, fireplace, etc.) but we were able to move in while the work was being completed. Ketchikan, sitting as it did on the intercoastal waterway, was a beautiful community and it was an exciting time for us.
Ketchikan Public Utilities, my employer, was a municipal utility of the City of Ketchikan that owned and operated the electrical, telephone, and water utilities for the citizens of Ketchikan. My position, as an electrical engineer, reported directly to the Superintendent of the Electric Utility, Don Bowey, who reported directly to the City Manager.
It was not long after, in 1978, that tragedy struck. Pat had become pregnant that year and we were excited and looking forward to the arrival of twin boys. For reasons unknown, on November 25, 1978, Pat went into premature labor and we lost the boys. They were beautiful; they lived long enough to cry; and they died five minutes after they were born. Their lungs were not mature enough to sustain them and the technology was not available at that time to save them. We were filled with grief and even today, years later, we miss them. Things happen. God does not always intervene. We didn’t even have time to pray. The only road forward is acceptance but there is a hope: the Bible says death is not the end and that we will see the boys again.
Remembering the story of Joseph (Genesis 37:1-8) in which Joseph was taken from his parents and the story of Daniel (Daniel 1:1-6) in which Daniel was taken from his parents, Pat and I decided to name our boys Joseph and Daniel. And today, we have a plaque hanging on wall along with the photos of our other four children in anticipation of seeing Joseph and Daniel again.
Notes
Why do we believe death is not the end?
Because we, Pat and I, being aware of the reality of God, of his son Jesus, and of the Holy Spirit; are in the position to accept and believe what the Bible has to say about death. This entire website reflects the experiences in my life (and Pat’s) which, of themselves, testify of the reality of God, of God’s son Jesus, and of the Holy Spirit. Absent this awareness, we would not be in a position to believe that death is not the end and to believe that we will see Joseph and Daniel again.
The Book of Daniel in the Old Testament speaks plainly of a resurrection in Daniel 12:2 when, as the angel said to Daniel, that “and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”. 1 Thessalonians in the New Testament also speaks plainly that those who sleep (those who have died) shall be raised up. Again, I say, were we not aware of the reality of God, of his son Jesus, and of the Holy Spirit, we would not be in a position to believe this.
But there is another element that lends credibility to this belief. From the story “35 – God, seeing my dad’s grief, said: “Three more years!“, it is clearly evident that God is in control of the days of our life. In that story, God made plain that he knows and sets ahead of time the number of our days on this earth; that he knows ahead of time the day in which we will die. This story lends credibility to his position as our God and creator and in so doing, lends credibility to his having the power to fulfil the scripture and raise us up from the dead to stand in our lot at the end of days.
Some scriptural references
Daniel 12: 1-4 & 13 (KJV) “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation event to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”
“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.”
1 Thessalonians 4: 13, 16 & 18 (KJV)
“But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”
“Wherefore confort one another with these words.”