How much money do you think you need to redeem yourself from the grave? If you think success and riches can save you from death — think again. Here’s what you need to know BEFORE you die! Seek the truth…
Psalm 49
For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.
1 Listen to this, all you people!
Pay attention, everyone in the world!
2 High and low,
rich and poor—listen!
3 For my words are wise,
and my thoughts are filled with insight.
4 I listen carefully to many proverbs
and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.5 Why should I fear when trouble comes,
when enemies surround me?
6 They trust in their wealth
and boast of great riches.
7 Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death
by paying a ransom to God.
8 Redemption does not come so easily,
for no one can ever pay enough
9 to live forever
and never see the grave.10 Those who are wise must finally die,
just like the foolish and senseless,
leaving all their wealth behind.
11 The grave is their eternal home,
where they will stay forever.
They may name their estates after themselves,
12 but their fame will not last.
They will die, just like animals.
13 This is the fate of fools,
though they are remembered as being wise. Interlude14 Like sheep, they are led to the grave,
where death will be their shepherd.
In the morning the godly will rule over them.
Their bodies will rot in the grave,
far from their grand estates.
15 But as for me, God will redeem my life.
He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude16 So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich
Psalm 49 NLT
and their homes become ever more splendid.
17 For when they die, they take nothing with them.
Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
18 In this life they consider themselves fortunate
and are applauded for their success.
19 But they will die like all before them
and never again see the light of day.
20 People who boast of their wealth don’t understand;
they will die, just like animals.
Can Success Buy You Out of the Grave?
Undoubtedly, that’s the riddle of this psalm which the psalmist cannot answer.
Clearly, the Early Roman Catholic Popes did not read this scripture. They were more interested in power, wealth and building majestic cathedrals that they overlooked the truth — no amount of money can redeem you from death. One pope came up with the concept of purgatory and another built on it with indulgences. Subsequently, they scammed poor parishioners into thinking they could pay their way into Heaven. Obviously, that’s the biggest, ungodly, depraved lie of the ages.
Incidentally, the Roman Catholic Church still swindles people with “Masses for the Dead”.
Once a priest was asked by a lady who just buried her father, “How many masses do we have to have to get my dad out of purgatory?” He couldn’t answer her. Upon doing his own research — because no one he knew in the church had an answer — he left the priesthood.
Success — You Can’t Take it With You!
A rich person can have a building or major corporation named after them, however, once they die, they can’t take it with them. Like it’s said, you’ve never seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul! You can have your name on a building, but it’s best to have your name written in the Book of Life.
Jesus is the Answer to the Riddle…
The folks at Spoken Gospel explain…
Jesus rephrases the riddle of Psalm 49 this way: “What can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). He tells a parable of a rich fool who trusts that his riches will give him long life (Luke 12:18-19). Sure enough, when death demands his soul, his wealth cannot save him. All that he hoarded for himself is given to others, and he goes to his death destitute (Luke 12:20).
Jesus points out that a man’s life does not come from the abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15). A man’s life comes from the abundance of God. Only God is able to provide the payment that satisfies the demands of death. In Jesus, we have an answer to the riddle, because he offers himself as the payment to redeem people out of the grave (Hebrews 9:14).
Through Jesus’ death God buys his people out of the grave, not with riches like gold or silver but with his own blood (1 Peter 1:18-19). Jesus is the only price proven to be death-proof! Jesus is also the Good Shepherd who doesn’t lead his sheep to the grave, but goes to the grave in their place (John 10:15,17). But Death was too weak a shepherd to keep Jesus penned (Acts 2:24).
Jesus rose from the grave, and those who trust Jesus, don’t need to worry that death will demand a price they cannot pay. Jesus has disarmed the crook of death’s shepherding staff. And all who bank on Jesus’ payment are guaranteed to walk out of the grave just as he did. And like a Good Shepherd, Jesus brings us to God’s eternal home that will never be handed down to others, but will be ours forever (2 Corinthians 5:1).
Spoken Gospel
Success is Winning a Home in Heaven Through Jesus
Ultimately, through my relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ, I am an Overcomer, I am Redeemed, I am a Citizen of Heaven, I am Chosen, I am a Child of God.
Can you honestly say this?
But as for me, God has redeemed my life. He snatched me from the power of the grave! Thank you Jesus!
Paraphrase by Giselle Aguiar
See, back then, when this psalm was written, they didn’t have ASSURANCE. We do because of what Jesus did for us…
If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…
