Who's Who Death List For 2007

The year 2007, with all of its ups and downs, is in the record books. Whatever was done is done. Nothing can now be improved upon or, fortunately, made any worse.

But with the passing of each year comes numerous year end reviews, all attempting to recall the past year’s most significant happenings while placing them into some historical perspective. Typically, every list comes with the inevitable log of famous people who died during that period. And some well-known figures died at year’s end just when the annual tally would seem complete. This year it was the shocking assassination of Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan.

While a select few will be fortunate or, depending on one’s perspective, unfortunate, to make the year’s ‘dead list’, millions more will have slipped into eternity world-wide with little or no fanfare – at least humanly speaking. But the Bible speaks of a unique list compiled by God in heaven that reveals all those who have died - providing they have met one strict requirement. Those not making the list face an unimaginable eternal consequence!

The Apostle John speaks of a future event in Revelation chapter 20 known as the Great White Throne. In verse 12 he writes, “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

This same list is referred to in the New Testament book of Philippians where Paul speaks of it in chapter 4 and verse 3. “And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.”

Someday, the last calendar year will conclude with the coming of Jesus Christ for His bride – the Church. His appearance will finalize the list of all lists. Those whose have trusted Him as their savior will find themselves written there and destined for a glorious future and heavenly home. Those alive at His appearing, but not in the Book, will realize the immensity of their error and respond as seen in Revelation 6:15-16. “And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!' "

The overall ‘death list’ for 2007 is history and the one for 2008 already begun. If you are reading this, you are not on it – yet. This means that you still have the precious opportunity to make the other list, the one making you ready to face the Lamb of God at a moment’s notice.

That above mentioned requirement is fully efficacious when approached with the attitude of simple, but sincere, faith as described in Acts 2:21. “That whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

Bill Breckenridge