Hebrews 2: 14-15
Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
This letter is to the Hebrew Christians, who were children of Israel. The writer is telling them how, because they all lived in their human bodies, flesh and blood, so Jesus, the Lord God, also took upon Himself a human body, subject to death; and died our human death in order to conquer the devil's power to enslave us with the fear of death.
Fear is enslaving. People have done horrible things because they were afraid.
Because Jesus has conquered death, we no longer need to fear it. Death has been rendered powerless, and it will be our last enemy to be destroyed totally (I Corinthians 15:26).
Now God has given us His Holy Spirit to live in us. This is not a spirit of fear, but the Spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7). So we need never be afraid of anything any more, even death.
Since we can't "know" what happens at death, until it happens, we can only believe the ideas others have about what they think it will be like. But no one has actually died and been buried, then later come back, except Jesus.
There are lots of stories out there from ancient manuscripts to modern-day near-death experiences. And a lot of people fall into error listening to these tales, because they don't know God's Truth.
Those of us who know God and are acquainted with His written Word, and have been born into His personal Family and received Life in His Holy Spirit, can trust what He has told us about what comes after this life.
We can trust Him when He tells us about these Last Days we are living in. We can trust Him when He tells us that King Jesus will return to this World to rule for a thousand years. We can trust Him when He tells us that His justice will settle every dispute, pay every debt, level every ground. The evil will be fairly dealt with, and the Redeemed will be rewarded. Everything will come out in the wash: He will cleanse this whole Universe, re-making it totally different.
The knowledge of this Universe will become obsolete (see I Corinthians 13: 8, Whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away.) when the New Heaven and New Earth are designed according to the First Law of Thermodynamics, but not the Second.
The First Law is "Conservation," what is, is, no more can be, and none can be obliterated, it only changes form. This is Creation: What God has made, man cannot add to or subtract from. It is.
Then sin entered the picture, and God cursed Man, the World and the Universe it resides in with death. This is the Second Law: "Entropy," everything degrades over time from order to chaos, it wears out, it wears down. This is death. This is why all living things die. This is how a Savior can die for us, in our place, so we can live forever.
So we no longer need to fear death, it no longer has any power over us. This enemy has been defeated, and will be destroyed utterly. Halleluia!
O my Father, thank You so much that we can trust what You have told us. That we no longer need to listen to anyone else, that we can trust Your written Word to be True. We can rely on everything it says will happen, because You see the end from the beginning. Father, You gave Your people Your Law, so they would know what Your Messiah would do and recognize Him.
Some did, but most of them didn't. Even today, many do trust You, but the great masses do not.
I don't know why You allowed Lucifer to draw away only a third of Your Angels, reserving twice as many for Yourself; yet among Mankind, Your pinnacle of Creation, You draw only a few among the many to be Your own.
Even though You are not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance (II Peter 3:9), yet many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 20:16).
I trust You, Father, to be Who You say You are, and that everything You do comes from Your Nature of Love; so it is good that You have given us a will that is free to choose or reject Your Love. And all Your children have freely chosen to love You back.
All the rest, who don't want anything to do with You, will not be forced. They have freely chosen, and You will allow them to experience the consequences of their choices: Since You are Light, they will have darkness. You are peace, they will have no peace. You are Love, they will know only hatred. You are Good, they will be bereft of anything good. You are our Source of everything, they will possess nothing.
And we who love You and desire Your Presence will enjoy forever all Your Goodness lavished upon us.
O Father, You are just and fair. You are beautiful and generous. You have chosen to lavish Your Love upon us, giving up Your own Son to redeem us. You have loved us with a Love so far beyond what my feeble mind can comprehend, I worship You as the only God. There can be only One above all, and You are.
Thank You, Father, that I need not fear anything in this life, this Earth, this Universe. You have conquered all that has been against me, even myself, and given me the right to become Your own child, in Your own Family. You caused me to be born spiritually, giving me Your Holy Spirit to make my dead spirit alive, able to see and understand Your Truth. And not be afraid of anything.
Continue, Father, to work Your Plan, use me in any way You know I can do, and You will receive all the thanks, all the credit, all the glory, forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
