Deeper Bible Studies Eagle-Wheels.com ... Beyond The Sunset...

Within the hour of my Dad’s death, on a cold night in October, my siblings gathered in Mother’s home and reached back into our fond memories of our childhood and shared again some of the stories that our Dad had related to us. Being a deeply religious man, the stories were mostly Biblical, laced with his personal experience with God.

We recalled he had always enjoyed the Book of Revelation. Although sometimes as a child the stories in the Book frightened me, I could remember the beautiful description of heaven. Dad would read it to me and say no man could put in writing just exactly what one would find in heaven.

I used to ask him to come back after he died and tell me exactly what heaven looked like so I would not have to wait so long to see it. When you are a child you think you will live forever and death and heaven seem far out of reach. But standing by the death bed of my Dad years later, death seemed so strong and heaven so near and I could see a going home look on his face.

He had always prepared me for his death but assured me he would always be near, but again I questioned where he would stay after he died that he would be close to me.

He took the opportunity to explain that your choice of living would decide whether you would reap the benefits of heaven after physical death. Heaven or hell is chosen by faith in Christ and not by an older member of the family or church and had to be done by each individual person. He was gently reminding me of my childhood decision to follow Jesus and that Jesus and not Dad would carry me into heavenly rest upon my death.

Now that death surrounded our home and I was all alone with my thoughts, I wondered how long I would live; would I be allowed to see my own children grown; would I see a glimpse of heaven before the Lord took me home; would I have that last minute to tell my loved ones good-bye as Dad had with me? The questions turned like pinwheels in my mind but no answers came. I grasp at the message of God’s strength that I had been taught and my thoughts turned once again to the last few hours spent in the hospital.

At the age of sixty seven, Dad was taken to the hospital for the first time in my lifetime. The doctors determined that he suffered from an acute heart disease and would live only a few hours. As the family and friends took turns sitting by his bed, the remaining siblings were contacted and on their way home we prayed and comforted one another. As the medical condition grew worse there was still one remaining sibling yet to make the long trip to see Dad alive for the last time.

Our beloved Dad labored for breath, the doctor has assured us that all that was medically possible had been done and that Dad would be in a coma-like state until his fast approaching death. Therefore, I was startled when he spoke to me! He rose, ever so slightly from his pillow and asked what the lights were over there. I looked through the window of his room only to see the blinking neon sign of a small café across the street. I explained the lights to Dad only to hear his comment that the lights were further out. Then I noticed through tear dimmed eyes the beautiful red and gold sunset and excitedly word-pictured the colors for him. With his next statement I realized that he was seeing something I could not visualize. No! Beyond the sunset! I can finally see beyond the sunset and the sight is more beautiful than I could ever describe to you but some day you will share it also”! I knew he was seeing that eternal city lit by God’s glory
(Rev. 21:1-7).

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

: For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

After this he seemed peaceful and dozed quietly for a moment and started to talk seemingly to the two old domino partners that were in the room. Saying that there were only six here and he should have seven, the friends chuckled knowing that he was remembering the domino game in which he had only six rocks and needed seven to play the game.

I knew without that he was asking still for more time for the seventh child to be there as there were only six of us present. I made the final call to find out the delay only to be told that the missing sibling was on the road and would be home shortly, to pray that time would allow them to beat death and say goodbye.

The doctor was continually amazed that Dad was still alive and assured me sadly that he had little faith that he would last until the final child got home.

But our Physician was our Lord and He graciously gave this dying man the strength to hear the goodbye and feel the kiss on his cheek of the seventh “rock” making for a pat hand.

He opened his eyes, smiled ever so slightly and then as we all watched with tear filled eyes, he took his final breath.

We could almost hear the angel wings as they came to carry him away beyond the sunset.

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