For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
2 Timothy 4: 6-8
Luke did not end the book of Acts with the death of Paul and no other Scripture writes of Paul’s death. But, here in 1 Timothy, the words of Paul himself to his protégé, Timothy, are the last words Paul wrote to the man who would succeed Paul after Paul’s earthly departure. Historical writings describe Paul’s death as a beheading that convicted Roman citizens were sentenced to. But, Paul himself describes to Timothy his “departure” as being like a “drink offering” being “poured out” to his Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Paul never feared death. He knew that death in this life was not the end for the Christian. Paul was confident in the promises of our Lord Jesus as He said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in Me.” Paul also knew that to close his eyes to this world would be to open his eyes in the next world, the eternal place of rest, bliss and, in the presence of Christ. Paul had been there before when he wrote, in 2 Corinthians 12, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows…” Many theologians believe that, though Paul is using the third person grammar here, he is describing what happened to him when, in Lystra, Paul was stoned, dragged outside the city and, left, supposing he was dead. Paul saw great things in Heaven, things that he could “boast” about if he were of the mind to do so. But, to remind Paul of his not speaking of such things, Paul was given “a thorn in the flesh” which reminded him that he was not to speak of these things. Paul prayed three times to have the thorn removed but, God, in His Wisdom, told Paul that His strength was what Paul needed in his fleshly weakness. So, Paul lived the rest of his earthly life with that thorn and never spoke of it again. When Paul opened his eyes in Heaven, that thorn, his fleshly inclinations to sin and all maladies Paul suffered in this life were gone. He stepped into Heaven never to be in pain, suffering or any other of this world’s afflictions. 2,000 years later, Christians stand at the precipice of the return of Christ. We still die to this world. Christians enter in the presence of Christ, as Paul did, to live evermore with Him. Praise God, all Christians, for what has been done to secure our future with our Savior and Lord Jesus.
Source: S C Ball August 21, 2023
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