What if my Life was a Dress Rehearsal?

I have seen the task God has given humanity to keep us occupied. ¹¹ He has made everything suited to its time; also, he has given human beings an awareness of eternity; but in such a way that they can’t fully comprehend, from beginning to end, the things God does – Ecclesiastes 3:10,11

I often read ‘our lives are not a dress-rehearsal’.  Putting this phrase into context, we may get the idea that once our lives are over, then there is nothing.  There are two approaches to this concept: first, there is no life after we die, therefore, eat, drink and make merry and the one with the most toys, wins.  Second, we only get one spin around the merry-go-round, so let’s use it to help others and be the best people we can be.

There is very little merit in the first approach and strong in the second; however, both are premised on a faulty assumption – there is no eternal life.  Believers understand the Truth, as we have read in both the Hebrew and the Apostolic Scriptures.  In the Hebrew Scriptures, we read from the oldest book, Job: “But I know that my Redeemer lives, that in the end he will rise on the dust; so that after my skin has been thus destroyed, then even without my flesh, I will see God” – Job 19:25,26  In the Apostolic Scriptures we find, written in John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed.  What a promise this is!  I can only respond with HalleluYah!

I find it interesting that, in the Torah, God has embedded the concept of our lives being a dress rehearsal for our time with Messiah, Adonai Yeshua.  For example, all through Leviticus 23, whenever we are introduced to another appointed time of Yahweh, the word miqra (pronounced mik-ra) is used.  Miqra, which usually means convocation, also means dress-rehearsal.  As each of the moedim, Yahweh’s appointed times, refers to Adonai Yeshua, we can see how they deal with His first and His second comings.  The Spring Moedim (Pesach/Passover, Shavu’ot/Pentecost) focus on Adonai Yeshua’s first appearance on Earth as the Suffering Servant, His death and resurrection and the spoken word of the Holy Spirit, both at Mount Sinai and Jerusalem.  Then the Fall Moedim (Yom T’ruah/Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement, Sukkot/Feast of Tabernacles) focus on Adonai Yeshua’s second coming as the Conquering King and judgment, the terrible Day of the Lord.

But what do these verses have to do with our current behaviour?  If trusting in Yahweh brings eternal life, what does distrusting in Him bring?  Once again, we journey through Scripture.  Our first stop is Ezekiel, Chapter 18, verse 4, where we read – “Look, all lives belong to me — both the parent’s life and the child’s life are equally mine — so it is the person who sins, himself, who must die”.  The death mentioned here is not the first or physical death but the second or eternal death, permanent withdrawal from Yahweh.

Then, in the Apostolic Scripture, we may find, written in John 3:36 – “Whoever trusts in the Son has eternal life. But whoever disobeys the Son will not see that life but remains subject to God’s wrath”, providing us with the understanding of a life of wrath poured upon those who do not trust.

Beloved, there is no fence-sitting in God’s understanding; either we trust in Him and receive eternal life or we distrust Him and receive eternal withdrawal.  Now comes the huge question: which decision will you make?

Oh, I know some who read this piece will challenge the underlying assumption – God’s Word, found in the Hebrew and Apostolic Scriptures, is Truth.  If you challenge that assumption, so be it – you have decided.  Let me pose this question to you: Would many millions of people, over the past 4,000 years, who willingly gave their lives for trusting God, have done so for a lie or a myth?

CONSIDER:  Are you prepared to deny the promise of eternal life, because you believe God is a myth and the Bible (God’s Word) is a fiction?  What if you are wrong?  Are you willing to take that chance?

ACTION:  If you question your assumptions/beliefs about God, the Bible, your assumptions about eternal life/death, I urge you to step forward and accept Adonai Yeshua (Eternal Father) as your Messiah and Lord, before it is too late.

PRAY:  Abba B’shamayim, Father in Heaven, I do question what I thought I believed about You, about Your Word and about a relationship with you.  I do want a loving relationship with you and, at this point in my life, I need Your help to achieve that relationship.  I now repent of and ask You to forgive me of the sins I have committed against You and my fellow human beings.  I ask You to come into my life and take control of my thoughts and actions; I trust You to lead me to a righteous way of thinking and acting.  In Your Beloved Name, I pray.  Amen

May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob bless you richly.