What the Bible says about life, death and eternity

Humans, animals, fish, plants, fungi, and bacteria all obtain the energy they need to survive through processes involving respiration.

The Bible goes further, presenting breath not simply as a biological function but as a gift from God.

Job declares: "The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life" (Job 33:4).

At the other end of life, we speak naturally of someone "breathing their last."

Psalm 104 says: "You take away their breath, they die and return to the dust."

Between our first breath and our last lies the span of human life.

Yet Scripture reminds us how brief that span can be.

Psalm 144 describes humanity as being "like a breath" and our days "like a passing shadow."

Despite that brevity, the Bible teaches that every human life matters deeply to God.

Pastor Dr Francis Oladimeji says that Scripture teaches how brief a life can be (Image: Liberty Christian Connections/John Okpala)

The prophet Ezekiel gives one of Scripture’s most dramatic pictures of the power of God’s breath.

In his vision of the valley of dry bones, lifeless bodies are restored, but only when God’s breath enters them do they stand on their feet as "an exceedingly great army".

God, the passage reminds us, is the source of life itself.

Yet it is easy to live as though He were not.

Modern idols may not be fashioned from silver or gold.

They can take the form of possessions, status, ambition, pleasure, or self-interest.

We can spend our limited years pursuing what we can acquire or achieve while giving little thought to the One who, as Daniel 5:23 says, holds our breath in His hand.

Jesus Christ also entered this world as a human being, taking His first breath like every new-born child.

He lived among ordinary people, teaching about the Kingdom of God and calling people to turn towards their Creator.

Eventually, Jesus also breathed His last.

On the cross, He prayed: "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" (Luke 23:46).

His words raise an uncomfortable but important question: where will we go when we've breathed our last?

Christianity teaches that death is not the end and that our response to God in this life has eternal significance.

None of us knows how many breaths remain.

Scripture therefore urges: "Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).

The opportunity to change the direction - and ultimately the destination - of your life is today.

• Pastor Dr Francis Oladimeji is from Liberty Christian Connections.