Let Us "Die In The Lord"

In Acts 7:59-60, Luke records that when Stephen was stoned, he “fell asleep.” Our English word “cemetery” comes from this same Greek word (koimao – Strong‘s 2837), which means “to put to sleep.”

When we consider “death” as “falling asleep,” we are thinking positive thoughts about death rather than the usual harshness men associate with it (Ecclesiastes 3:18-22; Ecclesiastes 9:1-3).

The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 116:15, that “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.”

Revelation 14:13 says, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.‘”

There have been many unjust murders since the beginning of time, however, Stephen’s murder was different in that he “died in the Lord.”

Beloved, let us proclaim along with the prophet Balaam, “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!” (Numbers 23:10).

When it is our time to depart the walks of men on earth, let us too “die in the Lord“ (Revelation 14:13).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets