What impact on your life would it have if God whispered to you, “The day you will die is *****? What changes would you make? How would you alter your life?
His message might reveal more days & years than you were thinking; you may have been thinking that your end was near, only to find out that you had a lot of time left.
His message might reveal a much shorter time on earth than you were thinking; you may have made many plans for the future, only to discover there will be no time for those plans.
You may be saying to yourself, “Nobody knows when they are going to die.” But you would be wrong. Two examples in the Bible reveal very different lives lived after God told them when they would die.
In 2 Kings 20:1-11; 2 Chronicles 32:24; Isaiah 38:1-8, 212-22, Hezekiah was told when he would die. Here is a blended version of those verses.
In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, “Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. I will add 15 years to your life.
How did he use the extension of life God gave him? How did he fill those 15 years? It started off GREAT! Hezekiah wrote a song of thanksgiving to the Lord that is recorded in Isaiah 38:9-20. Can you hear a “but” coming?
But soon after (2 Chron. 32:25-26) Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the LORD’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.
How could a godly man become so puffed up so soon after being given the priceless gift of 15 years of life? Because his free will was still in place and he surrendered to the whispers of Satan, rather than daily focusing on God’s promise and his unworthiness. (another “but”)
But, Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the LORD’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah. Hezekiah crossed the finish line well. This is how Hezekiah handled God’s whisper.
Another example in your Bible of a person who knew when he would die is: JESUS. Over & over again He kept trying to tell the disciples. Jn 2:18-22; Mt 12:38-45; Lk 11:24-36; Mt 16:21-23; Mk 8:31-33; Lk 9:22; Mk 9:9-10; Mt 17:22-23; Mk 9:30-32; Lk 9:43b-45; Jn 10:17-18; Lk 11:29-32 with Mt 12:39; Mt 20:17-19; Mk 10:32-34; Lk 18:31-34; Mt 26:1-2.
And when the time was NEAR, He even shared that with the disciples.
Mt 26:1-2 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.
So how did JESUS use that revelation? He stayed totally focused on His life’s mission, even when His flesh wanted to rebel and when the devil tried to destroy Him through temptation in the Garden of Gethsemane.
How would you use that whisper from God if it came your way? Are you already living the life mission God has for you? Are you doing each week, what God has planned for you? If you are, why would knowing your death date change anything? Why would you consider setting aside God’s life mission for you, just to go do all the earthly things “on your bucket list?” Why would you bail out on God’s daily life plan for you, just to go visit your family one final time?
I know why God put me here on the earth. I know what He has called me to do. If He said, “Mike, you have one week left, then I will call you HOME.” Here is what I would do.
My kids live 1,000 miles away, 650 miles away and 300 miles away. I would not get in my JESUS IS LORD, Toyota Tundra truck, so that I could spend my final days with them. I would not take off for Williamstown, Kentucky so that I could see Noah’s Ark, the only thing on my bucket list.
I would try to write anything God puts on my heart that week, so that it might somehow bless others, especially my family. I would show up to teach my advanced Bible class on Wednesday night to some church family who hunger for the Word of God. I would show up Sunday to teach my Sunday School class and preach the sermon God has put on my heart. I would hold Shari more often that week. I would call my kids & grandkids more often that week. And on that 7th day I would go HOME.
What would you do, if God whispered, “You have 7 days left, then I will call you HOME.”
Mike Sublett is a pastor at Hi-Land Christian Church, 1615 N. Banks St., Pampa, Texas 79065. Email him at pawdad@nts-online.net.
