Luke 23:44 It was now about noon, and darkness covered the whole Land until three o’clock in the afternoon; 45 the sun did not shine. Also the parokhet in the Temple was split down the middle. 46 Crying out with a loud voice, Yeshua said, “Father! Into your hands I commit my spirit.” With these words he gave up his spirit.
Matthew 27:51 At that moment the parokhet in the Temple was ripped in two from top to bottom; and there was an earthquake, with rocks splitting apart. 52 Also the graves were opened, and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life; 53 and after Yeshua rose, they came out of the graves and went into the holy city, where many people saw them. 54 When the Roman officer and those with him who were keeping watch over Yeshua saw the earthquake and what was happening, they were awestruck and said, “He really was a son of God.”
Mark 15:35 On hearing this, some of the bystanders said, “Look! He’s calling for Eliyahu!” 36 One ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar, put it on a stick and gave it to him to drink. “Wait!” he said, “Let’s see if Eliyahu will come and take him down.” 37 But Yeshua let out a loud cry and gave up his spirit. 38 And the parokhet in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw the way he gave up his spirit, he said, “This man really was a son of God!”
There are some notable (and maybe somewhat fictitious) last words that have been recorded over the years:
‘Money can’t buy life’ – Bob Marley
The Jamaican musician and pioneer of reggae spoke these words to his son, Ziggy, before he died of cancer in 1981, aged 36.
‘Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough’ – Karl Marx
These were the last words shouted by the German philosopher to his housekeeper in 1883, after she asked if he had anything he wanted to say.
‘I hope the exit is joyful and hope never to return’ – Frida Kahlo
The iconic Mexican artist, renowned for her ground-breaking self portrait series, recorded this final sentiment in her personal diary a few days before her death in 1954.
‘Dammit, don’t you dare ask God to help me’ – Joan Crawford
The parting shot of formidable Hollywood legend Joan Crawford was aimed at her housekeeper, who had begun praying aloud at the actor’s bedside.
‘I’m bored with it all’ – Winston Churchill
Never one to mince his words, the Prime Minister who led Britain through World War Two kept things to the point.
‘I’m going, but I’m going in the name of the Lord’ – Bessie Smith
Lauded as “The Empress of the Blues”, Smith was one of the most celebrated and beloved singers of the 1920s and 30s before her death in 1937.
‘All my possessions for a moment of time!’ – Queen Elizabeth I
A humbling reminder that even a queen must bow to the passage of time. The 16th century monarch died at 70 years of age before being interred at Westminster Abbey in London.
‘Goodnight my darlings, I’ll see you tomorrow’ – Noel Coward
The playwright died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Jamaica in 1974, after an evening with friends. A memorial stone was unveiled in Poet’s Corner at Westminster Abbey by the Queen Mother who said: “I came because he was my friend.”
‘Oh, I am not going to die, am I? He will not separate us, we have been so happy’ – Charlotte Brontë
This haunting lament from one of the most celebrated novelists of the nineteenth century was shared with the writer’s husband, Arthur Bell Nichols. The couple were married less than a year when Brontë died in 1855.
‘A life is like a garden, perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP’ – Leonard Nimoy
The beloved Star Trek actor delivered this final thought to the Twittersphere a few days before his death in 2015. ‘LLAP’ is shorthand for ‘Live long and prosper’, the classic catchphrase of Nimoy’s TV alter-ego, Spock.
‘My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go’ – Oscar Wilde
Witty to the end, the Irish playwright and novelist is reported to have spoken these words to friends in the weeks leading up to his death in 1900.
“Draw your sword, and finish me off, so that people won’t say a woman killed me.” – Abimelech
King of Shechem (12th century BCE). Mortally wounded in battle by a stone thrown by a woman, he asked his armor-bearer to kill him.
"Let me die with the Philistines." – Samson
Judge of the Israelites (c. 1078 BCE), prior to bringing down pillars of the Philistine temple and killing 3000 people along with himself.
“Draw your sword and run me through with it. Otherwise these uncircumcised men will come, run me through and make sport of me.” – Saul
King of Israel (c. 1012 BCE), to his servant during the Battle of Mount Gilboa
Entertaining for sure, but can you see their life’s experience in the words they uttered? It’s almost as if their entire life’s philosophy gets summed up in just a few words.
How is that even possible? We’ve done so many things throughout our lives. We’ve believed so many lies and told so many lies, been hurt by hundreds of people and hurt hundreds of people, been gossiped about and gossipped ourselves, been slandered and slandered, been lied to and lied, been robbed and have also stolen. This teetering seems to go on forever into every decision put before us even now. And in our final moments, we nutshell the summation of it all.
The level of righteousness we demand from others pales in comparison to the righteousness we walk out ourselves. The thing we do is the thing that always happens to us -- and we hate it. There is so much about our lives we ultimately despise -- but we have infinite trouble changing those things. And instead of changing, we project this guilt out onto others that do precisely what we do.
How dare they be like us! The nerve of some people.
But it isn’t them at all, is it? It’s us.
We want so terribly to walk out the full expression of the life Abba had wedged out for us the moment He wove us together in our mother’s womb. “Great plans,” says Jeremiah. But look at your life right now. How great are things? Not from a checklist perspective, but from a Kingdom perspective.
Take a close look at the plot of land you’ve been tasked with stewarding in the Kingdom. Remove the goggles of your personal ambition, desires, and goals. Stop overlaying a justified existence so you feel better about yourself and face the truth. Look at it. Look again.
Is it overgrown with the weeds of your unforgiveness? Are the worms of your judgments destroying what little fruit you have? Is the hard, dry ground of your wounds desperately crying out for just a drop of rain? Has the neglect due to your pursuit of the world’s offerings created an inhospitable land in the Garden?
Are these the “great plans” Abba spoke of through the prophet Jeremiah?
“Hey God, I know I was supposed to do something else, but I had a better plan. I thought I’d abandon my family while I pursue things for them. You never know when you may need a new water heater, so it was critical I set aside the call you had for me so we aren’t left without nice, comfortable warm water. They also introduced fiber internet in our area and we need access to unlimited shopping, gaming, general time wasting, and porn. But hey, I’ll keep Your plan in mind. Once I get all of this stuff collected and sorted, I’ll dedicate myself fully to You. You can count on me ;-)”
Now, this is clearly a sensationalized commentary but I think you get my point: It’s highly unlikely we were created for the life we’re living. And we know it. But we are totally convinced that someday soon we’ll turn and press mightily into the calling He has placed upon us. We just have to ____ first.
What happens if “someday soon” gets pulled from under us?
Think of that person that has caused you pain in your life. If they were on their deathbed, what would you like for them to say to you?
“I’m sorry for focusing on my work over our family. I should have prioritized you over my career, hobbies, and personal interests. You matter so much more than all of those things combined.”
“Don’t take the bait. There are so many things I knew I was supposed to do for the Kingdom and I simply didn’t. The lure of this world is a trap. Be careful.”
“Son/daughter, please forgive me. I was a weak human and I’m so sorry I hurt you. Can you please forgive me?”
In their death, tremendous life would pour forth from their final words.
If you were in an accident today that put you on your deathbed tomorrow, what will be your final words? What exactly would you like to say in that moment?
Would you address your regret?
“I’m sorry for focusing on my work over our family. I should have prioritized you over my career, hobbies, and personal interests. You matter so much more than all of those things combined.”
Would you offer insight to those coming after you to take a path different from yours?
“Don’t take the bait. There are so many things I knew I was supposed to do for the Kingdom and I simply didn’t. The lure of this world is a trap. Be careful.”
Would you seek forgiveness from those you’ve abandoned or hurt?
“Son/daughter, please forgive me. I was a weak human and I’m so sorry I hurt you. Can you please forgive me?”
The good news is that you don’t have to wait. You can say your final words now. Climb into the ears of those that need to hear what you so desperately wanted to hear from those that hurt you.
But don’t stop there. Begin today the journey to change the words you speak as you breathe your last breath.
There is still time to confidently speak the words of Yeshua yelled out with the remaining air He had in His lungs.
Crying out with a loud voice, Yeshua said, “Father! Into your hands I commit my spirit.” With these words he gave up his spirit.
Final words that echo for all eternity. Spoken from a Man with no regret and no unforgiveness. A Man that lived the life He was created to live.
Jeremiah 29:10 “For here is what Adonai says: ‘After Bavel’s seventy years are over, I will remember you and fulfill my good promise to you by bringing you back to this place. 11 For I know what plans I have in mind for you,’ says Adonai,‘plans for well-being, not for bad things; so that you can have hope and a future. 12 When you call to me and pray to me, I will listen to you. 13 When you seek me, you will find me, provided you seek for me wholeheartedly; 14 and I will let you find me,’ says Adonai. ‘Then I will reverse your exile. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have driven you,’ says Adonai, ‘and bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.’
Oh, the plans His father had for Him! And He believed it!
He walked it out in full. Ignoring the ways of the world, loving losers, correcting the stewards of the Word -- all without a hot water heater and fiber internet.