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Where Are They Now?
By Grant Phillips
The older I get, the
more I am aware that
many people I once
knew are no longer
living. I remember a
time when I once
thought that people
much younger than I
am now, had one foot
in the grave and the
other on a banana
peel. Yet in my
mind, I don’t seem
that old. Many of
you would see me as
old. Some of you
would see me as not
so old, or even
young. Those of you
my age and older
will understand
exactly what I am
talking about. The
rest of you will
eventually find out.
I remember well my
great grandfather
and great
grandmother on my
Dad’s side of the
family. I recall so
well the smell of
his pipe tobacco and
her flowers in the
front yard, but they
both passed away
many years ago.
I had the privilege
of knowing both sets
of my grandparents
very well. The
memories are
priceless. Now, they
too are gone, as
well as my parents.
I have now moved up
to take their place,
first the dad, then
the grandfather, and
who knows, maybe
even the
great-grandfather,
if the Lord delays
His coming and
allows me to live
long enough.
As we age, there
comes a time when we
start feeling our
vulnerability with
life and death,
totally unlike our
childhood when we
seldom, if ever,
thought of death.
Many on both sides
of my family are
gone. Most of those,
who are left, have
moved up to fill
that senior
position.
I can remember so
many good times when
growing up with my
brother and sisters.
It seems the little
things we
experienced back
then, mean so much
to me now.
Several of those who
were my fellow
classmates in school
are gone. I can hear
the laughter now as
we played together,
but only for a short
time in my mind. Now
there is quietness,
and the crowd keeps
getting smaller.
Those who knew Jesus
as their Savior, I
will see again.
There are a few
websites on the
Internet where you
can see the listing,
and often an
accompanying
photograph, of
famous people who
have died. Many of
the “movie stars”,
especially those who
played the cowboys,
were such a part of
my make-believe
life. You would be
surprised at the odd
feeling you get when
viewing those famous
names, who were once
a part of your life,
and are now gone.
Many made their mark
in this world in
areas such as
acting, music,
politics, religion,
poetry, authors,
comedy, business,
etc. Now I find, for
example with the
“movie stars”, that
I have no idea who
many of these young
movie actors are.
Where did all those
go who I watched so
many times, so many
years ago? They’re
gone. How many of
them knew Jesus as
their Savior? I’ll
just have to wait
and see.
In Hebrews 9:27 the
Scripture says, “And
as it is appointed
unto men once to
die, but after this
the judgment:”
If we have been
fortunate enough to
grow old physically,
this verse really
comes alive. Did you
know that when we
are born
(physically), we
also start dying
(physically), and
when this life
(physical) is over,
we all will face
God, either as our
Judge or our Savior?
“For
as in Adam all die,
even so in Christ
shall all be made
alive.” (1
Corinthians 15:22)
Something else that
I am discovering as
I grow older is that
I don’t fear death
as you would think I
should. Now don’t
get me wrong. I have
no fondness of
dying, anymore than
the next guy. It
would be nice to
skip that part, and
go to Heaven via the
Rapture, but that
may not happen for
me. However, with
David, I know that,
“… though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil: for thou art
with me; thy rod and
thy staff they
comfort me.”
(Psalm 23:4) I don’t
take that verse
lightly. It means
more to me every
day.
As I think back on
all the people I
have known, whether
family, friends, or
those I have only
known via the media,
one thing stands
out. None have ever
taken anything with
them. The awards are
up in the attic,
stashed away in some
old dusty boxes.
Someone else is
living in the house.
The cars have been
sold off, as well as
the furniture. The
money they earned
now belongs to
someone else that
did not earn it.
Someone else is
wearing the jewelry.
Even the clothes
have been trashed or
given away. The fame
and renown is fading
away in some old
newspaper and in the
memories of those
who also will soon
die.
They have left this
world with less than
what they had when
they entered it. Did
you realize that? We
enter this world as
a soul that has an
earthly body. We
leave this world as
a soul without an
earthly body. It,
the body, goes back
to the earth. By the
way, many think we
are a body with a
soul, but that is
not true. We are a
soul with a body.
Every soul will
stand before God
totally naked, not
even a body to cover
them, with the
exception of those
who have called upon
Jesus, by their
trust in Him, to
stand in their
place.
Far, far too many
lived for the
temporary, and went
out facing that
which is eternal.
Only those in Jesus
Christ are now in
eternity with Him
enjoying life
everlasting. The
others will live
forever, but in a
state of eternal
death in Hell, then
the Lake of Fire. Our earthly bodies will live but
only a few years,
but our souls will
live forever, either
with God, or apart
from Him.
Where are they now?
It all depends upon
their relationship
with Jesus Christ
prior to exiting
this world. Do you
know where you will
be when your body
dies? Now would be a
good time to know.
It really doesn’t
matter how much we
own or accomplish
while living upon
this earth. We will
not be taking
anything with us
anyway. It will all
go to someone else.
Even the fame we may
accomplish while
here, will
eventually fade
away. I have read of
so many “movie
stars”, for example,
who accomplished so
much while living,
but where are they
now? All those who
have died without
Christ would give it
all away, if they
could come back and
have just one more
chance to choose
wisely for Christ.
Even if their
accomplishments are
still being
displayed for the
world to enjoy, and
their name is now
revered in the
annals of history,
where is their soul?
The body has gone
back to the dust
from where it came,
never to rise again
in an earthly state,
but where is their
soul? Where are they
now?
More and more people
today are
proclaiming to be
atheists or
agnostics, but I can
assure you that
there are no
atheists or
agnostics in Hell.
They are all now
staunch believers,
but it is too late.
Over the past few
years, I have
wondered about the
eternal fate of many
people, especially
those I only knew
through the fame
they may have
achieved in this
world. How many of
the names on the
Hollywood Walk Of
Fame, are named in
Heaven? How many of
the names from the
millions of books
that have been
written, are written
in Heaven? How many
faces posthumously
seen on the movie
screens of this
world, will be seen
in Heaven? Where are
they now?
Where will you be,
when family,
friends, and others
who knew you or knew
of you, remember you
in the past tense?
Grant Phillips
grantphillips@windstream.net
Pre-Rapture
Commentary
http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
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