The Taste of Death #2175

And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.” (Mark 9:1, NKJV)

Jesus promised His kingdom would come into existence with power before death took away all those who heard Him that day, and so it was (Lk. 24:49; Acts 1:6-8; 2:32-36). The taste of death is bitter to the faithless, but it has a vibrant, hopeful flavor for the faithful (2 Cor. 4:16-18). Its taste lingers on the senses of those who remain and mourn the separation caused by this final passage to unseen realms. It is a meal we all will taste except those alive when the Lord returns (1 Thess. 4:17). Jesus tasted death for every one of us (Heb. 2:9). His resurrection from the death assures our hope of being raised from the grave (1 Cor. 15:19-24). His death has the power to save us from our separation from God and the eternal death caused by our sins (Rom. 5:8-11; 6:23). Although we will taste physical death, we need not taste eternal death. Jesus explained, “Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death’” (Jno. 8:51-52). Jesus spoke of escaping eternal death, the most bitter death of all (Rev. 21:8). How? By keeping His word. For Christians, the tears of death fall on the soil of faith and nourish the fruit of hope with the expectant joy of eternal life (2 Cor. 5:1-4). “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psa. 30:5).