“Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (Matthew 16:28)
There is a lot in this verse, but I’d like to draw your attention to the phrase “taste death”. The Bible uses many different sayings to describe death, all of which have their own unique flavor (pun intended). Death is compared to sleep. There are several connections to be made between our nightly slumber and the “big sleep”. It is referred to as “going the way of all men” or “resting with our fathers”. Each of these analogies lend themselves to pointing out a particular aspect of death worth considering.
Here death is compared to a food that is to be tasted. Taste is an interesting aspect of being human. Two people may both taste the same thing and come to different conclusions. One person likes the taste of lemon; another finds it bitter and unappealing.
In the case of death, some will find the taste sweet as they will enter into the joy of their Master. Others will gnaw at their tongues because of the bitterness of regret and the finality of their separation from their Creator. We must all taste death, but the flavor will differ according to the life you have lived. It is as if death is an acquired taste, like coffee, that only becomes enjoyable through effort. Perhaps this is why Christians are called to “die daily” for the cause of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 15:31)… perhaps it is that our daily sacrifices for Him help prepare our tastebuds for the feast of eternity. I don’t know that such is the case, but it is a thought that helps propel me toward greater discipline and sacrifice.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites