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Commencement
June 1, 2013

As high schools graduate seniors, commencement season begins with multiple graduation ceremonies in larger cities. In my hometown of El Paso, it's not uncommon for one venue to host multiple graduation ceremonies in a single day. At each, it is pointed out the graduation is not an end, but a commencement. At graduation we do not stop learning; we start living using the knowledge that has been given us. This gives me reason to consider, in a life of faith, where is the beginning and where is the end? We believe in an eternal God who has always existed and is without a beginning and end. The Book of Hebrews shows that Melchisedec was also without beginning of life and end of days and further study can prove that Melchisedec was Jesus.

Hebrews 7:1-3
For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

Thinking about eternity, throughout time there are beginnings and endings, yet God always existed. The Book of Genesis and John begin with the phrase "In the beginning..." yet God has not beginning. The beginning being referenced is the beginning of mankind and God's plan of salvation. The Book of Revelation is the final book in the Bible and ends with Amen, yet the return of Jesus will not be the end of God. It seems like every ending has a beginning, including death.

1 Corinthians 15:51-58
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

While death marks the end of physical life, it also serves as the commencement for immortal life as a spirit being at the time of the resurrection at the last trumpet when the dead will be raised and believers who are alive will be changed. It is through this beginning that God equips us to have victory over death. What will live be like at this time? It is hard to say for sure, but based on descriptions given in the Book of Revelation, and other prophecies in the Bible we know that it will be a time of peace. It will be lasting peace because evil will have no influence as it is locked away in a bottomless pit. One of favorite scriptures about this future time pictures a lion, a lamb, and a little child.

Isaiah 11:1-9
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

We do celebrate graduations and the new beginnings these bring to the graduates. Spiritually, we celebrate a life well-lived knowing that death is not and end but the commencement of our eternal life at a time when peace will be restored to this troubled world. As we celebrate the graduations in our life and the new beginnings these bring, and as we apply the spiritual aspect in our life, we celebrate what is good, embrace what is good, and do what is good.

All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.
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