All right, we'll read the whole
chapter as I said, Genesis 23. And Sarah was 107 and 20 years
old. These were the years of the life
of Sarah. And Sarah died in Kirtjar, Arba. The same is Hebron in the land
of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn for
Sarah and to weep for her. And Abraham stood up from before
the dead, spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger
and a sojourner with you. Give me a possession of a burying
place with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight. And the children of Heth answered
Abraham, saying unto him, Hear us, my lord, thou art a mighty
prince among us. In the choice of our sepulchres,
bury thy dead. None of us shall withhold from
thee this sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead. And
Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, even
to the children of Heth. And he communed with them saying,
if it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight,
hear me and entreat me to Ephron, the son of Zohar. that he may give me the cave
of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field,
for as much money as it is worth, he shall give it to me for possession
of a burying place amongst you. And Ephraim dwelt among the children
of Heth. And Ephraim, the Hittite, answered
Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all
that went in at the gate of his city, say, Nay, my Lord, hear
me. The field gave I thee, and the
cave that is therein, I gave it thee, in the presence of the
sons of my people, gave it I thee, bury thy dead. And Abraham bowed
down himself before the people of the land, and he spoke unto
Ephron, in the audience of the people of the land, saying, but
if thou will give it, I pray thee, hear me, I will give thee
money for the field. Take it of me, and I will bury
my dead there.' And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, My
lord, hearken unto me. The land is worth four hundred
shekels of silver. What is that betwixt me and thee? Bury therefore thy dead. And
Abraham hearkened unto Ephron, and Abraham weighed to Ephron
the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of
Hath four hundred shekels of silver, current money with a
merchant. And the field of Ephron, which
was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave
which was therein, all the trees that were in the field that were
in all the borders round about were made sure unto Abraham for
possession in the presence of the children of Heth before all
that went in at the gate of his city. And after this Abraham
buried Sarah, his wife, in the cave of the field of Machpelah
before Mamre, the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. And the
field and the cave that is therein was made sure unto Abraham by
possession of a burying place by the sons of He. A couple of reasons why I would
like to preach on this subject and keep it before us this evening.
One is the fact that cremation is becoming more and more popular,
practiced and accepted in our society and even about the world. Another is that there are a lot
of young people today who don't really have an impression from
the scripture, so they follow societal mores more than they
would be interested in the scripture. We don't hardly ever hear them
ask, what's the teaching of the scripture? What does the Bible
say? What does the word of God say?
Or to consider how it was with some of the leading characters
that we meet with in the scripture who were the children of God.
Men and people like Moses and Abraham and David, Job and Joseph,
Sarah here, and others along the way. So the question is,
how were they disposed of, these men and women of faith in the
scripture who lived and walked after God? Were they cremated?
Were they thrown away? Or were they buried in a ceremony
and buried in a formal way? Now, one thing is certain, as
described in the scripture, confirmed by history and experience. and that is that sooner or later
all will die. Death has invaded the earth,
it has invaded the human family, and the body will not live forever. Even those men who lived hundreds
of years in the early ages did not live forever, and death at
last overtook them. Because human nature became corrupt
and death entered in among them, All flesh will sooner or later
fall, and this is undeniable. As proof of that, I would take
you to Genesis chapter 5. I'm not turning there, but it
is a virtual obituary column of the scripture, if you would. There we read that Adam died. He lived a certain amount of
years. and he died. We read that Seth lived a certain
amount of years, but he, too, died. Enos lived a certain amount
of years. He also died. Cainan died. Mahalil died. Methuselah, the
oldest living man on record, and yet we read at the age of
nine hundred and 69 years that he died. Lamech died, Noah died,
and Moses died. And down through history, death
has marched like a tyrant through the human family. Nothing we
can do can stave it off. It is swallowing up the human
family one by one. Death hath never met one that
it could not conquer and overcome and hold with the exception of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now all will die. None will live
forever. Not a single one. That brings
us to the question then and to our subject. What is the proper
biblical way to dispose of the body once it is dead, and particularly
with regard to the children of God and unto believers? What is the biblical way? Or
does it even matter? Should we not even be concerned
about it? But the question is, does scripture
give us any light, give us any guidance on the matter? Should
it be done, for example, in the most economical and the most
convenient manner that is possible at the time? in the most emotional
way that it is possible to do. In short, what is the right or
the biblical method for handling the body, particularly of the
child of God, when it is dead? Now, at this point, let me say,
it will be my position from the very beginning in this study
that burial is the proper biblical, God-honoring, and Christian way
to dispose of the body when it is gone. First, a few remarks,
if I might, about cremation in our society and in the society
of the world. There is no question that it
is gaining acceptance as a method in our day and time. No doubt
it will be favored more and more as time goes on by. And its adherence,
I think, will recommend it upon several grounds. And it will
be the choice. There will be the economic ground.
There will be the environmental ground. The environmentalists
will say that we're polluting the earth. Then there's the argument
of space. We don't have space for a grave
for everyone in the world. Surely we can agree upon this
point that not societal practices, but Holy Scripture sets the standard
and is the example for the Christian. That we are guided by the authority
of the Scripture, by the example of the Scripture, not the changing
coming and going mores of the society in which we live. For our society, for all practical
purposes, is godless and leaves God out of the picture. I read
an article in preparation for this sermon which took the position
that burial and not cremation is the proper action according
to the sacred and holy scripture. And in that article, I found
something interesting I'd never heard before. And that is in
the United States, between the years of 1876 and 1884, There could be found only 28
recorded examples. of cremation in the country.
But then later, after the rise of secularism and progressivism,
and now again in the 60s in our lifetime, by 1977, 7% of all
corpses were disposed of by cremation. And by 1993, the number had climbed
to 20% of the population of those that
pass away. And no doubt is higher now and
will no doubt continue to be higher as people hold the views
that they have of life and of eternity and of God. Now the
question then to be raised is where, when, and how did cremation
come to be a practice of disposing of the body? from the command
of the scripture? Do we read it there, that it
is the prescribed way of the scripture? Or did it take its
rise yonder in paganism? Is it a Christian practice? Is
it a pagan practice, a heathen practice, or no practice at all? There can be no doubt. that cremation
had its origin in paganism, and that by unbeliever. The aforementioned
paper that I mentioned stated it is an ancient pagan practice,
that both the Greeks and the Romans practiced it. Furthermore,
when we study Buddhism, and Hinduism, we find that it is an acceptable
thing among them and that it is an acceptable thing among
atheists in all society. And it's growing in favor with
secular humanism. Now the author of that tract
wrote, cremation will continue to increase as more Americans
reject biblical Christianity and adopt the so-called new age
thinking, which is nothing more than age ancient and pagan Hinduism
and Buddhism know in new garb," unquote. There will be the scripture
not used to show that this is the way, but we will use the
scripture today to show two things. Number one, that burial of the
body at death is an ancient method practiced over the centuries
and the ages by God-fearing, God-loving, God-serving people,
and that from the very earliest time. Then number two, that scripture
forbids cremation And those bodies that were burned in the scripture
were so as a sign of the curse of God upon them in some manner
or way. So let's start with the second
proposition. And that is that scripture forbids
such a practice. First, as a means of appeasing
false gods. They were not to submit their
children into the fire to Molech or to Moab. God that was false. Human sacrifices were not to
be offered of their children nor of virgins under their supposed
and imagined gods. Deuteronomy chapter 12, 31 calls
it an abomination to the Lord for their sons and daughters
to be burned in the fire, that is, as a sacrifice to some heathen
deity or God. In Leviticus chapter 18 and 21,
Thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire unto
Molech. Here are some scriptures, but
I won't read them. Deuteronomy 18 and 10, 2 Kings 16 and verse
3, Psalm 106 and verse 37. Now we confess that these texts
speak of the practice of of living, burning sacrifices made of their
children under their pagan gods. But again, such places as Amos
chapter 2 and verse 1 express God's anger and God's judgment
against Moab for the cremation of the king of Edom. And I'm quoting, because he burned
the bones of the king of Edom unto lime, unquote. We might
notice in that place that it is not just the killing of the
king of Edom that is in view, that is the source of God's judgment
upon them, but the burning of his dead corpse. So completely
was it burned that it was actually reduced to powder as if it had
been no more than lime. Nothing of the real substance
of it remaining anymore. But let's consider some text,
if we might, where there was the burning of bodies. And that
was the sanction of Moses and the curse of the law. By the
command of God, it was done. I guess the most notable one
that we might bring out of the scripture would be that of the
man Achan in Joshua chapter 7 and verse 25. Then again of King
Saul. 1st Samuel 31 verse 11 to 13
then there are others, but we won't mention them for example
in Leviticus chapter 21 and verse 9 and the daughter of any priest
is If she profane herself by playing the whore, she profanes
her father, she shall be burnt with fire. Compare Genesis chapter
38 verse 24, Leviticus chapter 20 and verse 14, which we won't
read, Joshua 7 and verse 15. He that is taken with the accursed
thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because
he has transgressed the covenant of his God, and because he has
wrought folly in Israel." Again, Joshua 11 and verse 11. Joshua
burnt Hazar with fire for his transgression against God. Consider
the case of Achan again a little more in Joshua chapter 7. It is not a Christian argument
for cremation. It is not a proof text for such,
for Achan had sinned. His sin had caused Israel a great
defeat. And when he was found out, Joshua
7 and 25, all Israel stoned him with stone and burned him with
fire after they had stoned him with stone. It was not to honor
Achan. but it was a judgment. Not an
honorable disposal of his body, but the evidence of a judgment. It was not to honorably dispose
of his remain, Joshua 7, 26, so the Lord turned away the fierceness
of his anger as the congregation stoned and burned Achan. Let it be noted that Achan's
children his flocks, his herds, and all that he possessed, even
the wedges of gold that he had stolen to bring the curse upon
Israel, even his tent was burned down in order that it might avenge
the fierceness and the wrath and the anger of God. It was
a curse, a sign of a curse from God upon them. And such were
ordered burned as were accursed. And such that were accursed were
burned had committed abomination and therefore cannot come in
cremation as a good way to dispose of the deceased who have walked
in the way of God. A preacher friend, Roy Smith,
tells of his experience. When he went to a new pastorate,
he was asked about cremation. Is it biblical? Is it something
that a Christian might accept? He thought and he hadn't admit,
but you know, I've never studied that out. I've never thought
about it. So give me a chance to study it and historically,
define it, and I'll come back with an answer. What he found
caused him to refer to cremation as, quote, a hideous process
and as grotesque. As the crematory is heated to
some 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the body is in, It begins to
jerk and to twitch and requires up to four hours in order that
it might be complete and then reduced under ashes, that the
bones are then sometimes pulverized, as it were, with a hammer, and
that sometimes bodies are mingled together, two or three more done,
and then he just passes it out and said, here's the ashes of
your loved one. Now let's turn our focus upon
the matter of burial as seen in the scripture both in the
Old Testament and the New Testament. We read here in Genesis chapter
23 so let us consider what is recorded here in this most touching
aspect and chapter and the behavior of the patriarch Abraham when
his beloved queen and princess died in the flesh. It ought to
impress us, I think, that an entire chapter is devoted here
to the matter of the burying of his wife, Sarah. Just like
an entire chapter is devoted in 1 Corinthians 15 to the death
and the burial and the resurrection of the body. So here he gives
an extended account of Abraham purchasing a burying place, not
only of Sarah then, but for himself later, and the land that God
had promised him for an inheritance was the choice where he wanted
his burial place to be that I may bury my dead out of my sight
for death came claimed his beloved and she must be disposed of she
cannot be kept in that state so she died in the second verse
as we read and Abraham came to mourn and and to weep before
his blessed one, to look upon her, to view her, to pay his
respects, and then verse three and following, he went to secure
a grave, and in verse 19, when it was secure, he buried her
there in that place. The father of all of them that
believed did not cast his beloved wife away like a beast of the
field, nor did he have her cremated, but he buried and sealed her
up in a sepulcher, putting her body, no doubt, after preparing
it. And Genesis 25 and 10 later was buried there in that place
himself. Nor is that all. When Jacob lay
a dying upon his bed, in Genesis chapter 49, verse 28 through
33, he called his sons about him and he charged them to bury
him in a place that Abraham had purchased, and in Genesis 49,
31 tells us that besides Sarah and Abraham, also Isaac and Rebekah,
Leah, were buried there as well. Genesis 50 and verse 2. Joseph
had his father Jacob embalmed by the Egyptian physicians, carried
him to Canaan, and buried him in a burying place. He did not
cremate his father Joseph. What's more, Joseph himself,
Genesis 50 verse 22 through verse 26, gave command. when he died his body was to
be carried under Canaan when he was dead and the scripture
said he gave commandment concerning his bones. If you read in Hebrews
11 verse 22 Joseph was embalmed and He was put in a coffin or
in a casket in Egypt. And when God delivered them from
Egypt, Moses took the carcass of Joseph with them and buried
him in Canaan. Joshua chapter 24 and verse 32. Guess it kind of reminds us of
the scene in Lonesome Dove. I guess a lot of us have seen
that when they brought him back to Texas. But again, consider
the case of Moses, who put off his tabernacle yonder in the
land of Moab. Deuteronomy 34, verse 5 and verse
6. And the only such case of its
kind to be found in all of the scripture, God himself personally
buried Moses in the valley. And no man knows his supplicant
under this day. I think probably so that the
Jews would not make an idol or a temple or a shrine out of the
body of Moses. So the Lord buried his body. Now as we search through the
book of Genesis, we see that burial was the standard custom. that Joab buried both his wife's
handmaid, Genesis chapter 35 verse 8, his wife Rachel, Genesis
35 19, that Joab and Jacob, get it right in a minute, Jacob and
Esau buried their father. What's more, concerning David
we read in Acts 2 and 29. the words of the Apostle Peter
that he is both dead and buried and his supplicator is with us
under this day. Over near the pool of Siloam
there was the supplicator of David where he was laid when
he died which could still then be seen in the time of Christ
and of the Jew, no doubt marked by some kind of monument or memorial. Now the most famous burial of
them all, I believe, is that of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
we read in John chapter 19 and verse 40 how careful they were to bury
properly the body of our blessed Lord. Then took they the body
of Jesus, wound it with linen clothes, with spices, as was
the manner of the Jews to bury it, and saw Paul in 1 Corinthians
15 verse 4 said, and that he was buried. Our Lord Jesus Christ
was buried in the ground in a sepulcher. William Robinson of Columbia
Theological Seminary wrote this, Following the Jewish custom,
the Christians washed the body of the dead, wrapped them in
linen clothes, unquote, and then some sort of a Christian servant
committed their bodies unto the grave and went away. For example,
in Acts chapter 8, verse 2, devout men carried Stephen to his burial
and made great lamentation over him. Acts chapter 5, Ananias
and Sapphira were buried, not taken out and burned, even though
of their sin, even though God had killed them, yet they were
buried. Matthew 14 and 12, John the Baptist
was buried. great forerunner and servant
of the Lord. Let the dead bury the dead. We
read in Matthew 8 22 and Luke chapter 9 and verse 16. Thus
we conclude, burial is the proper biblical manner, an example of
treating with a Christian dead when they are gone. And Christians
have practiced burial of the body for century after century. But it is not only confirmed
by example, but burial best suits the typology and the saints in
relationship to Christ. Christ was buried, this is symbolized
in our baptism into him, we are buried with Christ, raised with
him, and the graves are to be opened, and the dead are to be
raised at the coming of him. And I have to agree with those
who think that the more cremation replaces burial, the more the
doctrine of the resurrection will be lost sight of, and eternality,
and judgment, and a coming life, and world, and emphasis will
no longer be put upon these things. So that the means of treating
the corpse, I think, says a lot about the person and about their
spiritual state. Once Dorothy and I were discussing
this, why do so many choose cremation in our day? And we thought, well,
maybe do they think or cherish the hope that if they're cremated
and destroyed, they will not stand before God in the day of
judgment. A couple of years ago, maybe
three now, I had an experience. Friends called me to Round Rock
to perform the service of their son who had passed away of cancer. And I didn't know until we got
there that they had him cremated. That was his order. They showed
me the letter he left to cremate me. You must do it. He used some
profanity and put me in a clear jar, he said, so I can see out. And so there he was at the service
in his clear jar. Now, we remember that Christianity
teaches that not only the soul but the body shall be redeemed,
shall be raised and glorified and in some way beyond our comprehension
glorified and united with the spirit. Why be baptized by immersion
and have the dead body of the Christian to be cremated? In
closing, let's consider some of the favorite arguments that
you will hear or that will be put forth for cremation. I mentioned one, the environmental
argument. I don't think it will be long
until this will be coming on strong in our society that burial
will pollute the environment and the earth. Where is the evidence
of such? Millions have been buried in
the earth, and yet it is not destroyed, not corrupted, not
overcome by that. Then there would be the second
argument. We're running out of room argument, not room enough
to bury everybody in a grave, for everyone to have their own
little private space. And this is a ridiculous argument. If you look and see how many
or how little space is now taken up by graveyards and by a grave. Then thirdly, the I can't think
of being closed up in a coffin argument. Lady told me that last
year. I can't stand the idea of being
closed up in a coffin. I said, well, how about the idea
of being thrown in a furnace and burned up until you're nothing
left of you, reduced to ash? And then fourth, maybe the most
common argument of all will become, I choose cremation because of
its price. It is more economical, it is
cheaper, the economical factor. And people you know today curse
the price of funerals and certainly they're not cheap. But I ask,
have you checked on the price of an overnight stay in an emergency
room or a hospital room? How about the price of houses? How about the price of cars now
to what they used to be? Many drive in $40,000 cars today
that didn't used to cost a fourth of that, but balk at the cost
of a funeral for a dear and departed loved one and which can be prepared
for in advance. So I close by saying the Christian
should be guided by the scripture. We should get our ideas, we should
take our doctrine, our belief from the example of the scripture,
not by societal moors and twists and turns. Let not society decide
what is to be done by the Christian, but the scripture, the word of
God, and such like.