An older gentleman quizzed a young man about his plans for life. The young man responded with the usual answers about schooling, career, family, etc.. After each response the older gentleman would ask “Then what?”. Finally, exasperated at the older man's persistence the young man concluded, “Well after that I guess I'll just die.” You guessed it. Right back at him the older man queried “Then what?” Sobering thought, isn't it. Each of us, from birth is destined for death, but what then?

Death, technically speaking, is the separation of the soul from its body (Jas. 2:26). It is, and will remain, very mysterious (Job 38:17). All who are not living when the Lord returns will die. Death is impartial. It is the great leveler of all men. A moment after death, each will know his eternal and un-alterable destination (Heb. 9:27).

We read in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16) about the Hadean world. Hades is the dwelling place of dis-embodied spirits and contains two chambers. One is paradise and the other torment. It is a place of consciousness and feeling and our eternal destiny is thereafter fixed and irreversible.

Knowing these things we are moved to be ready for our death. Certainly we are aware that life is uncertain ... For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (James 4:14). The foolish rich man of Luke 12:16-21 thought he had many years left in his life. In truth, he didn't even have tomorrow. We do not not the time of our death, nor the time of the Lord's coming (Matt. 24:42, 25:13).

Were you to die or were the Lord to return in the next few moments after reading these words would you be ready to meet Him? If the answer is negative, then the most important thing in your life this very moment is to get right with God. You will die. You will meet God in judgment. Then what?