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2 Timothy 4:6-For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
The Apostle was aware that his life would soon be coming to an end when he wrote 2 Timothy. He had spent years being persecuted for Jesus Christ and the preaching of His Gospel throughout the world. He was in a Roman prison cell when writing this Epistle to his young friend and protégée, Timothy, who had been in the city of Ephesus working with the churches there.
1 Timothy 1:3-As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
What I want to share with you today is that word “departure.” It is a profound word, loaded with meaning for us to learn from. Barclay describes it for us:
“He goes on to say: ‘The time of my departure has come.’ The word (analusis) he uses for departure is a vivid one. It contains many pictures, and each one tells us something about leaving this life. (1) It is the word for unyoking an animal from the shafts of the cart or the plough. Death to Paul was rest from labour. As Edmund Spenser had it in The Faerie Queene, sleep after toil, port after stormy seas, ease after war, death after life, are lovely things. (2) It is the word for loosening bonds or fetters. Death for Paul was a release. He was to exchange the confines of a Roman prison for the glorious liberty of the courts of heaven. (3) It is the word for loosening the ropes of a tent. For Paul, it was time to strike camp again. He had made many journeys across the roads of Asia Minor and of Europe. Now he was setting out on his last and greatest journey: he was taking the road that led to God. (4) It is the word for loosening the mooring ropes of a ship. On many occasions, Paul had felt his ship leave the harbour for the deep waters. Now he is to launch out into the greatest deep of all, setting sail to cross the waters of death to arrive in the haven of eternity. So, for Christians, death is laying down the burden in order to rest; it is laying aside the shackles in order to be free; it is dismantling a temporary campsite in order to take up residence in the heavenly places; it is casting off the ropes which bind us to this world in order to set sail on the voyage which ends in the presence of God. Who then shall fear it?” (William Barclay, The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon (The New Daily Study Bible), 235-236 (Kindle Edition): Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press)
Let’s think about each of these ideas.
Death for the Christian is the completion of work in this life. God gives to every one of His people his own work to do (Mark 13:34). There is a purpose that God has for each of us to fulfill.
Psalm 138:8 (NLT)-The LORD will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.
Are we striving to fulfill the work that God has placed in our lives?
Paul says that death for the Christian is the unbinding of shackles or chains that hold a prisoner captive. Our physical body in many ways becomes confining and ensnaring as we progress through this life. Age brings with it promise of infirmity and suffering of all kinds, eventually resulting in death. Add to this the temptations of the flesh that we fight as God’s people every day (1 Corinthians 10:13) and we see that in many ways that life can become a burden. Death is how God ultimately releases His people from those burdens, and we see His graciousness even in those difficult circumstances.
Death is the taking down of a tent. Camping was never my forte growing up. However, I do remember the importance of a tent when staying outdoors! I also remember the excitement of taking down a tent and the realization that you are going home after being out in the wild. That is how death is pictured by the Apostle. We are in the wild while in this world. We are simply pilgrims here (1 Peter 2:11). In the wilderness, there are dangerous lurking anywhere and everywhere. The same is true with us. We are surrounded in this life by enemies that would destroy us. Satan (1 Peter 5:8), fallen angels, principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (demons), and elemental spirits (1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:10-12; Colossians 2:8) are only some of the supernatural forces we are at war with in this world. Add to this people who are devoted to evil (Ephesians 2:2) that have been blinded by the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4) and who are intent on our destruction (John 16:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2), to whom God sends us to preach His Gospel in love (Mark 16:15-16; Ephesians 4;15), and we see some of the frightening challenges that we face every day. At the time of death, God’s people are delivered from these powerful forces.
Finally, death is traveling Home across the ocean of mortality. God has placed eternity within the hearts of the children of men (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We know intuitively that this world is not truly our home. It is passing away, and the lusts thereof of with it (1 John 2:15-17). In this life, as we await the time of our departure, we must keep our eyes on our true Home of Heaven to which we will one Day travel.
Colossians 3:1-4-If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
The reality of the departure before us reminds us to walk wisely in this world.
Psalm 90:12 (CEV)-Teach us to use wisely all the time we have.
Father, thank You for the gift of life, and for the confidence we may have in the face of death. Only by Your grace do we have hope in light of the departure to come. Help us to number our days and to walk in wisdom, making the most of every moment while we are here. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.