Nearly one million five hundred thousand, that is how many people, on average, die every seven days on this planet, around eighty million people a year.
But this statistic is not widely spread by the news media, the number is too great, almost inconceivable, and it would cause a form of personal fear not yet desired by our adversary.
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Heb. 9:27)
The young who perish, the atrocity of a single person upon a small group, what is called a natural disaster that claims the life of several, these are reported on, for it keeps the knowledge of approaching death “over there,” it remains distant and therefore unexpected, unwelcomed.
“My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:2)
A million and a half every week, and soon, billions will die, then they will speak of death, and as it has always been, most will fear it.
Few things are sadder, and more perplexing to me than those who profess to love the Lord Jesus Christ, who long to be in His presence, but fear the way we must go to be where He is. I realize that most fear the way they may die, the possibility of pain, of old age robbing them of their physical abilities and the wait becoming burdensome. Every possible scenario rolls through their minds, and instead of waiting in patient anticipation, they begin to fear that moment.
“Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.” (John 14:28)
They want to hold on, to remain here as long as possible, yet not so that they can be further used for His glory, not so that perhaps one more will hear from their lips the wonders of His grace and mercy, but solely for selfish reasons, solely because of a fear that is not to reside in us.
Eighty million is too many, those singular incidents reported on occasionally keeps the fear away, and when reported upon enough, causes apathy. That is the plan today, create doubts, a form of despair within the masses, a loss of hope in the future of mankind at such a level as to create apathy, allowing Matthew 24:12 to become a reality.
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”
Mourn for the few, but never the many, reveal the reality of death, but never, unless necessary, on a massive scale.
My friends, it is sad to say this, but the extreme subtlety of our adversary is realized by few who serve the Lord Jesus Christ, they do not study the house of their enemy, and therefore have no true knowledge of how to apply wisdom in how their armor is to be employed.
Few grieve over a million and a half people going to hell every week, and so few reach out to the one placed before them with the truths of the Scriptures. There is no urgency within them, and so instead they seek for self, to keep themselves unspotted from the world, but not go out in it to search for the lost, to not forsake the assembling of themselves together, and expecting others to reach out to those who do not know the One whom they claim saved them from their sins.
And hoping that death will arrive without pain, that in sleep they will be called home.
Imprint that number in your mind, one million five hundred thousand every seven days, see the majority of them opening their eyes in hell, and perhaps you will look on every person you meet in a different way.
They may be the next “statistic.”
