Burial…the Final Christian Witness
By Jan Matthews, Founder
COVENANT WOMAN MINISTRIES
“Jesus said
unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though
he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall
never die.”
John 11:25, 26
The
following excerpt is taken from the Pneumatic Quest Deeper Life Bible Study on the Book of Ruth published through
Covenant Woman Ministries. It sums up
what the Lord told me through prayer.
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Did you know that “cremation” is a heathen practice? Ruth was a Moabitess from the land of Moab. It was a Moabite custom to cremate the
dead. It is basically a humanistic,
anti-God practice and sends the message of New Age thought, that, Everything is part of
everything else and goes back into the system.
This life is it, there’s no God,
no resurrection, no anything — just
recycling!
But God’s people have
always gone to great lengths to prepare the body for burial. Remember when the angel Michael contended
with the devil over Moses’ body? And
then Joseph’s bones were carried out of Egypt.
John 19:38-40 tells us, “…Joseph
of Arimathaea…took the body of Jesus.
And there came also Nicodemus…and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes
(about 100 pounds!)...Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen
clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.”
Burial is a Christian witness, just as water
baptism is. Water baptism doesn’t
save a man, and burial doesn’t preserve the body for eternal life. Just as baptism is a witness to the world that a we are dead with Christ and risen with
Him, burial of the body is the believer’s final opportunity to witness
to the world that they’re anticipating the return of the Lord Jesus Christ
and expectant of the Great Resurrection! When Ruth’s 6-point message included, “I will die where you die and be buried there,” she was declaring by faith that,
“I too will be numbered among the people of God and awaiting the resurrection
of my body when Messiah comes!”
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Now we all know that God can raise
ashes wherever they’re scattered. After
all, the body does turn to ashes anyway.
Otherwise, what would happen to the Christians who were burned at the
stake or lost at sea and eaten by fish?
But to those of us who are able to make that final proclamation of
“Jesus is the Resurrection and the life,” burial
is the witness.
And we also are aware that it is a ploy
of the devil to steal that witness by forcing Christians into this worldly
practice because of financial pressure.
It is so much less expensive than burial. But God can take care of the expenses. (And
of course, those who have already partaken of the “convenience” and efficiency
of cremation versus burial – there is no condemnation. Your loved ones will be resurrected just the
same as those who have been laid to rest in anticipation of bodily resurrection.)
Furthermore, speaking of that blessed hope of
resurrection, do you know that oftentimes the saints of old requested to be
buried on a hillside facing toward the east? They did this because Matthew
24:27 says, “For as the lightning cometh out
of the east and shineth even unto the west; so
shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” And then of course, 1 Thessalonians 4:16
tells us that, “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: Then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds,
to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these
words.”
The Bible further
tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:26 that death is the last enemy to be destroyed
and put underfoot. Christian burial
continues to share the story of resurrection and it reminds the enemy of our
souls (the devil, that
is) of his utter defeat and the triumph of God and His people!
Beloved, burial
is truly our last chance to wave our banner high and preach the Gospel that
“Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords. He is
the great Resurrection…and He’s coming back for my body”!
“I am he
that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive
for evermore, Amen.” Revelation 1:18
Jan Matthews, Founder &
Executive Director
COVENANT WOMAN MINISTRIES