HEBREWS 2:15
“and free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”
My late brother-in-law, Dr. Wayne Barber, used to employ those words at funerals. As a pastor, he quite often was with Christians as they prepared to give up this earthly vessel. He would comment on the peace these believers had at the very doors of death and would say they received the grace they needed on that day, thus, dying grace on dying days.
The writer of Hebrews continues to alleviate the fears of death for us as believers at the prospect of dying physically. Barnes says it well in his commentary on this verse. “The dread of death may be removed by the work of Christ, and they who had been subject to constant alarms on account of it may be brought to look on it with calmness and peace; and ultimately they will be brought to a world where it will be wholly unknown…Death conducts them to heaven. A Christian has nothing to fear in death; nothing beyond the grave. In no part of the universe has he anything to dread, for God is his friend, and he will be his Protector everywhere. On the dying bed; in the grave; on the way up to the judgment; at the solemn tribunal; and in the eternal world, he is under the eye and the protection of his Saviour – and of what should he be afraid?” That pretty much sums it up, don’t you think?
ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)
May I suggest that there is a Command to Obey here? While it may not be spelled out that abruptly in the text, I believe we are told here, “Do Not Fear!” Oh, don’t those words stir up verses in your head? In Joshua 1:9, the Lord told Joshua, “‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.’” That still applies to us today, even on the deathbed. The Lord will accompany you in those final breaths.
The reference to “slavery” in our text has to do with the way many feared death. They were in bondage to the fear surrounding it. Remember, many of these believers were under constant threat of persecution or even death. But I have a picture in my mind of the early martyrs who huddled together and sang hymns while they were in the Coliseum waiting to be killed by lions. That is truly dying grace on dying days.
We are all mortal. We will all succumb to death at some point unless the Lord returns. We, however, as followers of Christ are free from the shackles of death. We embrace it knowing we will see Jesus face to face. Do not fear, beloved, the Lord is with you.
Words cannot express the peace that is ours when we embrace death as a follower of Christ.
