Psalms 23:4, "Yea, 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."

We all get one death. We do not know when, or how. We just know we are going to die someday.

We should not be fearful of death. I John 4:18 – "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

Tell of the woman in Hornbeck who did not like Psalms 23 because it was read at every funeral. I prayed that God would give her understanding, as the family had asked me to read Psalms 23. As I went out of the building, she told me she never understood why people liked Psalms 23 so much, but now she does.

1. Genesis 35:18 – "And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin."

2. Luke 16:22 – "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;" Note: all our memories go with us into eternity.

Psalms 90:10-12 – Life is short, so may God teach us to number our days.

James 4:13-17 – We should learn how to live because life is a vapor that appears for a little time, then vanishes away.

II Timothy 4:6 – Paul was ready to be offered.

Matthew 16:26 – What will we give in exchange for our soul?

Revelation 20:6 – This is the first resurrection – the second death has no power on those that are saved. Lazarus had to die again.

Revelation 21:4 – Tears are wiped away in eternity, not in heaven.

Walk – not run, stumble, trip, fall, but a leisurely stroll.

Through – not to, but through.

Valley – a low place with a rise on both sides.

a. The lost do not go into a valley, but into a pit called hell. For the saved, even though there is a low place, there is also a rise on the other side called heaven.

b. See Hebrews 12:1-2, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Jesus went through a very low place when he took our place on the Cross, but there was a higher place on the other side of the valley. Jesus Christ is now sitting on the right hand of his father interceding for us.

c. This valley is the shadow of death, not death.

1) Psalms 73:3,4 states, "For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm."

2) Job 21:13 continues, "They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave."

3) The lost may laugh at death, but then sudden calamity comes upon them, but it is too late.

d. Death is different for the saved and the lost. I know some people believe that the saved do not die. I believe the saved and lost both die, but the death of the saved is vastly different from the death of the lost.

1) The shadow of death is on the ground of the valley, but the saved do not go through death as the lost go through death.

2) The lost go through the "rock of death" and smash into it.

3) The saved go through the shadow of the "rock of death", which shadow is nothing but a cool place from the heat of the sun.

Christ has conquered death.

John 10:17,18 – Death cannot hold him.

I Corinthians 15:4 – Christ submitted to death for us.

Romans 1:4 – Christ demonstrated victory over death by the resurrection.

Revelation 1:18 – Jesus carries the keys of the grave.

John 5:28-29 - Jesus calls all men from death.

I Corinthians 15:25-26 – Jesus will destroy death.