"'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord…'"-Revelation 14:13

There is always a tinge of sadness at the thought or even the mention of death. Try as we might, no one can avoid thoughts or experience with death as we live on this earth. Death is the great equalizer; no one can avoid it, no matter how much money they have or how famous they are. As Solomon observed so many years ago, "One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice"(Eccl 9:2).

Knowing, then, that death is unavoidable and inescapable because "it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment"(Heb 9:27), it is left to us to prepare ourselves for the death that will come to all of us if Jesus does not return first. It is valuable for us to peruse the book of God and consider the lives of some who have gone before us and notice how they face death. When we observe how godly men die, we can prepare ourselves for our own death and hope that we can imitate them.

Godly men approach death with confidence. It is scarcely possible to approach death with more confidence than did the apostle Paul. While awaiting trial which would result in his death, Paul wrote to the brethren at Philippi, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain…For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better"(Phil 1:21, 23). Paul knew, without a moment's hesitation, where death would take him, and was so confident that Jesus would save him that he was anxious to be gone from the world! Of course we understand that Paul was not wishing for his own death, but was willing to offer himself and ready to die to further the cause of Christ. Some of his last words to Timothy were, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness…"(2 Tim 4:6-8). Paul knew that he had fought a good fight, knew that he had run the course God wanted him to, and so he knew with certainty that he would receive the crown. In the face of death, Paul did not doubt, but was rather confident, knowing the God in whom he had believed.

Godly men establish their successors. When a godly man dies, the world suffers a great loss, and it is important for someone to try to fill the shoes of the one departed. This is exactly what many of the godly men of the Bible, when faced with death, tried to ensure. Moses appointed Joshua as his successor, David established Solomon, Paul passed the torch on to Timothy and Titus. Because of this thoughtfulness for the future, God's people were led even after these great men died. So it remains today in the Lord's church that many times godly men going on before us need to have successors who will continue their pattern of right teaching and living. Those of us who remain on earth must attempt to fill the shoes of those who have gone before. Let us also remember the vital importance of training our young people so that when we are gone, the cause of Christ can continue and flourish. Godly men have thought for the future, and work to ensure the ongoing well-being of the Lord's people.

Godly men leave a legacy of righteousness and encouragement. Consider Joshua, the great leader of Israel, who left this legacy in Holy Scripture: "So the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua"(Judg. 2:7). Can you imagine what a powerful, godly man Joshua must have been, to lead this nation in the right way even after his death? Certainly many of the Israelites were inspired to better service to God by Joshua's famous statement "choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord"(Josh 24:15). What a tremendous legacy! Yet what sadness when we realize that despite all that Joshua had done and left behind, "another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals"(Judg 2:11). Let us always remember and take warning that we may be just one generation-or less-from apostasy!

What do we take from these lessons? We must prepare ourselves for our own death, as it is inevitable. We should not fear, but feel confidence in the Savior we have trusted. But we must also take thought for those who will come after us. What legacy are we leaving? What successors will follow God when we are gone? Are we leaving behind a generation who will turn from the Lord? When worldly men die, they are concerned about what happens to them. When godly men die, they are concerned about the things of God.___Jacob Hudgins