Saturday in the Word | On Death & Dying

I think we like to avoid the topic of death and dying because we somehow imagine that we won’t experience it if we don’t talk about it.

But, death is a universal experience that comes for us all in the end.

God’s Word offers several passages on death and dying. Here are a few key verses that I gleaned and hopefully provide Biblical insight on a tough subject.

In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we see the mourning ritual and burial practices of Abraham as he buried his beloved wife, Sarah.

Genesis 23:1-20 NIV

Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.

Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said, “I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”

The Hittites replied to Abraham, “Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”

Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zoharon my behalf so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”

Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city. “No, my lord,” he said. “Listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”

Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land  and he said to Ephron in their hearing, “Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.”

Ephron answered Abraham, “Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”

Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver,according to the weight current among the merchants.

So Ephron’s field in Machpelah near Mamre—both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field—was deeded to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city. 

Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is at Hebron) in the land of Canaan. So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.

In Deuteronomy we see God’s involvement in Moses’ death and burial.

Deuteronomy 34:1-8 The Message

Moses climbed from the Plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, the peak of Pisgah facing Jericho. God showed him all the land from Gilead to Dan, all Naphtali, Ephraim, and Manasseh; all Judah reaching to the Mediterranean Sea; the Negev and the plains which encircle Jericho, City of Palms, as far south as Zoar.

Then and there God said to him, “This is the land I promised to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with the words ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I’ve let you see it with your own eyes. There it is. But you’re not going to go in.”

Moses died there in the land of Moab, Moses the servant of God, just as God said. God buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth Peor. No one knows his burial site to this very day.

Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eyesight was sharp; he still walked with a spring in his step. The People of Israel wept for Moses in the Plains of Moab thirty days. Then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end.

In the Gospel of John we see Jesus’ deep sorrow in response to the death of Lazarus, illustrating His empathy towards those who mourn.

John 11:35 ESV

Jesus wept.

Here are some additional Bible verses that focus on death and dying:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 ESV

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 ESV

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

The Bible reflects the solemn yet hopeful nature of death, portraying both the human experience of loss and the promise of eternal life through faith. God’s Word reminds us of the importance of mourning, honoring our loved ones, and the hope that accompanies the Christian faith when facing the reality of death.

While not exhaustive, the Bible does mention certain practices and customs that were observed during burial and mourning. Here are a few examples that illustrate these traditions:

Mourning Practice

In Genesis 50:10-11, we read, “And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and they mourned there with a great and very solemn lamentation. And he observed seven days of mourning for his father.” This indicates that mourning was an important part of the burial process, often lasting several days.

Preparation of the Body

In John 19:40, after the crucifixion of Jesus, it states, “Then they took the body of Jesus and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.” This practice involved wrapping the deceased in linen and using spices, indicating a ritualistic approach to preparing the body for burial.

Burial Sites

The importance of having a proper burial site is highlighted in Genesis 23:19, where Abraham purchases a cave for Sarah’s burial. “After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.” A designated burial site held significant cultural and familial importance.

Expressions of Grief

In 2 Samuel 12:16, we see King David engaging in a deep expression of grief for his child, indicating that fasting and prayer were part of the mourning process: “David therefore pleaded with God for the child; and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.”

Funeral Feasts

In Luke 7:11-15, when Jesus raises the widow’s son in Nain, a funeral procession is described, demonstrating the community’s participation in mourning with the family. Though not explicitly detailing rituals, it emphasizes the collective nature of grieving.

These verses help use see the cultural practices surrounding death in biblical times, which included mourning, preparation of the body, and community involvement.

Each passage offers insight into the respect and honor afforded to those who had passed, emphasizing the need for family and community solidarity in the face of loss.

Until my next post…

Be salty, stay lit.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

You can now find my articles in The Christian Grandfather Magazine.

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