Based on 2 Samuel 23:1-7 (New King James Version)
“Now these are the last words of David. Thus says David the son of Jesse; thus says the man raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel: ‘The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, like the tender grass springing out of the earth, by clear shining after rain.’ ‘Although my house is not so with God, yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For this is all my salvation and all my desire; will He not make it increase? But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands. But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.”
In this passage, we read what is said to be King David’s last words. If we understand what we read, this passage first starts talking about who David was and what was his testimony. And we see also that this David spoke about what God had done in his life, and, he spoke of the promise of the Messiah and what this great being that would come from God would be like. And of course, there is no one else that can fulfill this description than the Lord Jesus, such prophecy that was fulfilled approximately 550 years after this book of Samuel was completed. And we also see what he said regarding the sons of rebellion, those that hate God. But, in all of this, I thought, “What would be my last words before leaving this world?”
When starting to meditate on this, God brought to my memory 4 people: my father, my first pastor, Paul, and the Lord. The first memory would be my father’s last words which bring great relief in the Lord and a pleasing temporary closing (because I will see him in eternity, because of his faith in God). Shortly before his departure, I remember that he asked for forgiveness, and in a very deep way, because I was able to see what he was saying with his eyes. I understood that not only was he doing it for whatever wrong he may have done, but he did it with the faith and conviction that God was present between us, which gave me the blessing that even until the last moment, my father wanted to make sure that he would be well with the Lord. And shortly before he lost his abilities, I had the blessing from God to ask my father if he knew that I loved him very much, and he said, “Yes, I know.” These two things have left me good memories despite his leaving us because I have the conviction that he did leave things well with the Lord and that he knew that I loved him. These are blessings that I owe the Almighty.
The second would be my first pastor. The memory that has remained after his departure was when I was about to graduate from college. He wanted to be at my graduation but was not able to because he was in his last moments. But he did leave me something much greater than if he would have been at my graduation, and that was when I saw him for the last time here (because he is someone else that I will see in eternity). I remember that when my mother, my father and I were at his bedside because he could no longer move, that he did something that has stayed with me since and that will always be with me. Despite his condition, I remember that he asked to pray for me. I have to say that by the grace of God, there have been people that have prayed for me, but I have never felt something as deep as what this man did for me, that he was more concerned of praying for me than his state. That is what he had most present. I will always remember his prayer because God used it to produce a great change in my life, an event that changed the course of my life at that moment. These are wonderful blessings that I owe the Almighty because I was able to see a great testimony of God in the life of this being, a man that despite his great personal challenges, served the Lord faithfully until his last breath.
The third memory would be the Apostle Paul, someone that God has used greatly in my life. Everything that is in the Bible is sacred, holy, and blessed, but God has used greatly Paul’s life and what he wrote in my own life. He is someone else that I will try to find immediately after seeing my Lord face-to-face. The Lord brought to my memory the last words the apostle wrote to his beloved Timothy when he said: “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:1-8. I don’t think much else can be said, and God has used him greatly in my life, even after centuries of his departure.
And of course, the last but most important of all, the last words of the Lord Himself. Before ascending to the heavens after His resurrection, this is what was written of the Lord: “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” Matthew 18:18-20. The Lord’s resurrection and ascension was the beginning of a great plan, a new covenant, of one that continues in effect until today, something the Lord has entrusted me with, something I have done for years, and my hope is to be able to continue doing it until the Lord comes for me, whether my carnal existence comes to an end by virtue that I’m an insignificant mortal, or because one day the Lord Himself will take me together with His universal church where we will see Him in great glory and power. What can I say about the Lord in my life? He is the all of my existence, my beginning and my end, and by His grace, my eternity, because God has great things for us, for those that love Him and follow Him faithfully until the end of their days, things that we cannot imagine, but they will be great like Him because they will be His.
Now then, this brings me to what I would say, when my time comes. The reality is that we never know when our end will be, so I will say them now, just in case: God has said: “…for those who honor Me I will honor…”, and “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.” Deuteronomy 6:4-6. Love and honor the Lord above all things because man was created for this purpose. So then, what will be your last words? Lord bless! John