I REMEMBER…
A SAINT GONE HOME!
“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor 5:1 KJV).
“For we know that when this tent we live in now is taken down-when we die and leave these bodies-we will have wonderful new bodies in heaven, homes that will be ours forevermore, made for us by God himself and not by human hands” (2 Cor. 5:1 TLB).
When I remember Rev. Samuel Kayode Beckley, I remember a Saint gone home! Yes, you have gone home to rest. The death of the righteous is an entrance into the rest that awaits every victorious saint in Christ. Just as the Scripture says, “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” There is a home awaiting every faithful follower of Christ after their sojourn and labour on earth are ended. And like Jim Reeves rightly expressed it:
This world is not my home, am just a passing through;
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door,
And I can’t feel at home in this world any more.
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door,
And I can’t feel at home in this world any more.
The death of Rev S.K Beckley like every other saint of God in Christ Jesus is a relocation to where Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith had gone to prepare for everyone who loves His appearing. “Let not your heart be troubled. You are trusting God, now trust in me. There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, then I will come and get you, so that you can always be with me where I am. If this weren’t so, I would tell you plainly” (John 14:1-3 TLB).
The Christians in Thessalonica wondered why many of their fellow believers had die and what would happen to them when Christ returns. Paul, in his assuring words of comfort wanted these believers to understand that death is not the end of the story. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1Thes. 4:13-18).
Because Jesus Christ came back to life, so will all believers. All Christians, including those living when He returns will live with Jesus forever. Therefore, we need not despair when loved ones die or world events take a tragic turn. God will turn our tragedies to triumph, our poverty to riches, our pain to glory, and our defeat to victory. All believers throughout history will stand reunited in God’s presence, safe and secure.
As Paul comforted the Thessalonians with the hope of resurrection, so we should comfort and reassure one another with this great hope. “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Satan seemed to be ‘victorious’ in the Garden of Eden and at the cross of Jesus. But God turned Satan’s apparent victory into defeat when Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Thus death is no longer a source of dread or fear. Christ overcame it, and one day we will also. Death has been defeated, and we have hope beyond the grave! Halleluiah!
At the heart of the book of Job comes his ringing affirmation of confidence in this same hope of resurrection: “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!”
Our present body is perishable and prone to decay. We all face limitations. Some may have physical, mental, or emotional disability. But our resurrection bodies will be transformed and glorified. The glorified body will never get sick and will never die. We shall be as He is, glorified together with Him! There shall be no more sorrow, sighing and sin! Forever we shall be with Christ in a robe of white, with a crown of gold, and a victor’s palm and a joy untold in that beautiful and glorious home above! Safe from the presence of sin and Satan, into the ever-loving and comforting Arm of the Saviour; away from the tumult, disaster and insecurity of this present world. Assigned with a new name in glory, we shall continually praise our God and Saviour in a loud-swelling chorus with the hosts of heaven, walking with Him wherever He goes. There God will wipe away tears from every eye, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pains. All these will be gone forever! What a wonderful truth! This is the glorious hope of every believer in Christ. And as song writer succinctly expressed it, “The sky, not the grave, is our goal; the trump of the angel, the Voice of the Lord; blessed hope, blessed rest of our souls.”
No matter what you are going through now, it’s last word. God has written the final chapter and it’s about the hope of true fulfilment and eternal joy and glory for those who love Him. We do not know as much as we would like, but it is enough to know that eternity with God will be more wonderful than we could ever imagine! Have you got this glorious Hope?
“And everyone that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure.” There is a way we know and identify those who have this Hope in them. There is an identifying mark that distinguishes everyone who has this hope abiding within him or her. Because not all who profess this hope actually possess it within them, the scripture tells us very clearly the identifying mark of all those who truly have the Hope in them. There is something that all who possesses the Hope has in common: everyman- irrespective of age, sex, colour and status, which has this Hope in him purifies himself even as Christ is pure! Those who have the Hope don’t just live carelessly anyhow in this world. They purify themselves lest the hope turns to that which makes ashamed. Do you really have the hope of glory? Then you will purify yourself. Knowing that the glory of Christ is our ultimate destiny should motivate us to purify ourselves and keep pure.
So then we strongly believe that the Late Rev. Samuel Kayode Beckley a.k.a. Bulldozer has only gone Home to rest. For “There remaineth a rest unto the people of God.” Rev. S.K Beckley, after the life of sacrificial labour for the Kingdom of Christ has laid his sword by to enter into his reward which God has in store for all them who will be faithful unto death.
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
Thus would we pass from the earth and it’s toiling; only remembered by what we have done. “And they had a great voice from heaven saying unto them, come up thither.” Rev. 11:12 In due time there shall be heard “a great voice from heaven” to every believer, saying, “Come up hither.” This should be to the saints the subject of joyful anticipation. Instead of dreading the time when we shall leave this world to go unto the grave, we should be panting for the hour of our emancipation. We are not called down to the grave, but up to the skies. Our home-born spirits should long for their native home.
Our God knows best when to bid us “Come up thither.” We must not wish to antedate the period of our departure. I know that strong love will make us cry. God ordains with accurate wisdom the most fitting time for the redeemed to abide below. Surely, if there could be regrets in heaven, the saints might mourn that they did not live longer here to do more good. So then, while still here below, let us strive to live for Him who gave Himself for us and also maximize our day time in total commitment to the service of our Lord and Saviour; bearing in mind the words of Jesus “I must do the work of him that sent me while it is day; the night cometh when no man can work.”
The tributes continues, watch out for the next episode…
