"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many..." (Heb. 9:27-28) "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Gen. 3:19)

There is an old legend about a merchant in Bagdad who sent his servant to the market. While he was at the marketplace, he was jostled by someone in the crowd. When he turned around, he saw someone in a long black cloak and knew it was Death. The servant ran home to his master and in a trembling voice told him how Death had stared him in the face. The servant begged his master to loan him a horse so he could ride to Samaria and hide so Death would not find him. The master agreed and the servant galloped away. Later, the master went down to the marketplace and saw Death standing nearby. The master asked, "Why did you stare at my servant and frighten him?" Death replied, "It was just that I was startled to see him in Bagdad because I have an appointment with him tonight in Samaria!"

Indeed, all of us have an appointment with death from which we cannot hide or escape.