| Highlights of Dawn | April 1966 |
That Great Event
“Go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead.” —Matthew 28:7
SACRED history records outstanding events which occurred in ancient times. There was the great Flood of Noah’s day; the Exodus of the Hebrew children from the land of Egypt; the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai; the Israelites crossing the Red Sea under the leadership of Moses, and later their passing through Jordan, led by Joshua. There were also the many victories of the Israelites over their enemies; the deliverance of the three Hebrews from the fiery furnace, and of Daniel from the lions, to mention a few.
The most outstanding event of all, however, is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Media for the circulation of the news at that time were essentially nonexistent; and even if this had not been the case, the religious prejudice against Jesus would in all probability have led to the suppression of the news of his resurrection. Indeed, attempts were made to do just this when later his disciples began to preach the resurrected Christ. At the time of his resurrection the women who came early to the tomb were commissioned to go and tell Jesus’ disciples what had taken place.
What an unostentatious method this was of hearalding the news of the greatest event irr all human history! How it contrasts with what is practiced today! Now, when there are happenings of human interest of almost any sort, television cameras are set up, microphones are on hand, reporters swarm around; and within minutes, sometimes, the news is sent out to the world by television, radio, and newspapers. There is, of course, a slight lag in newspaper coverage, but within the day we know that a civil rights worker has been killed, the President has decided to raise taxes, and so on.
If a president dies, or a new one is inaugurated, the news coverage is, of course, more intense, so that the whole world is quickly made conscious of what has taken place. Imagine, if you can, what coverage there would have been in the case of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, had there been news-hungry men and women reporters back there who had television, radio, and newspapers at their disposal!
True, they could not have been at the tomb at the time of the actual resurrection. But they probably would have been delighted merely to have an interview with the women whom the angels commissioned to carry the information to the disciples, and later with various of the apostles, especially Peter and John. But of course there were no reporters, no television cameras, no radio, and no newspapers to proclaim to the world that this One, Jesus, who claimed to be a King, and was crucified by his people, was now raised from the dead. Under the circumstances, the announcing of this great event depended upon the zeal and ability of the women to whom the angel gave the commission, and these were told to announce it only to Jesus’ disciples.
Divine Power
One of the important factors involved in the resurrection of Jesus was the exercise of divine power. We hear much these days about power. There is the pent-up power of nuclear fission that can destroy the entire human race should it be selfishly misused. There is that mighty thrust that propels rockets into outer space and on to the moon. But consider the power involved in “launching” the planet Earth, and the countless other heavenly bodies into space, and keeping them there throughout eons of time, without the slightest variation either of speed or of their spheres of orbit.
Man can thrust his puny rockets into space and keep them there for a limited time, but he can neither create nor restore life. He can split the atom, but he cannot make one. Man has gained much knowledge in this “time of the end,” when knowledge is being increased; but he has not learned the secret of life and it is unlikely that he ever will, for this is something that belongs to God. As for restoring life, the best man can think of at present is the possibility of freezing the dead, and of keeping them frozen until medical science discovers a cure for the disease that killed them, and then to thaw them out and apply the new remedy.
But all this emphasizes the weakness of man as compared with the mighty power of God, that power which raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Not only was Jesus awakened from the sleep of death, but in his resurrection he was exalted to a higher plane, even the divine plane of life. Paul speaks of this: “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the workings of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.”—Eph. 1:18-21
After Jesus’ resurrection he announced to his disciples that “all power” had been given him in heaven and in earth. (Matt. 28:18) This means that he is now in a position to fulfill all the wonderful promises of God pertaining to him, promises which reveal that it was the Heavenly Father’s purpose that the resurrected and exalted Jesus should establish a government that would control the affairs of all mankind. Obedience to this government will result in peace, health, and everlasting life.
Jesus’ Death Necessary
The full importance of Jesus’ resurrection can be seen only in the light of his voluntary, sacrificial death. He died to redeem mankind from death. He took the sinner’s place in death. The fact that Jesus’ enemies apparently gained a victory over him, did not in any way interfere with the outworking of the divine plan of salvation as it is centered in Jesus; indeed, it contributed to the accomplishment of that purpose.
Among humans, when a ruler is killed by his enemies, whatever hope his friends may have placed in him is destroyed, because a dead ruler cannot rule. But not so with Jesus, for his divine Father restored him to life, and then “all power” was bestowed upon Jesus himself, that he might accomplish his Father’s design for the blessing of all the people. Thus, as Paul explained in his sermon on Mars’ hill, God has given assurance unto all men by raising Jesus from the dead.—Acts 17:31
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead gives assurance that nothing can defeat the divine purpose to establish a government of peace on this earth, not even the slaying of the one destined to be the King of that kingdom. And it is well that we have this assurance, for the promises of God are very far-reaching.
Micah 4:3 states one of these promises. It reads: “He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” This promise does not indicate what sort of “rebuke” will be administered to the “strong nations afar off,” but we are certain that only One who did exercise “all power” could, by administering this rebuke, cause the nations to destroy their instruments of war by converting them into utensils of peace, and influence these nations no longer to fight each other—not even to “learn war any more.”
Human wisdom, motivated by self-interest, leads the nations to make war on each other in order to secure that which they allege to be their rights. Human wisdom directs the increasing of armament, even to the sacrifice of peacetime necessities. But the new King and Judge Over the nations will change all that. His “all power” will not be used to build more and larger hydrogen bombs, but to educate the people in the advantages of love over hate and selfishness. What a transformation that will make in human relationships!
A Feast
Another promise which the all-powerful Jesus will fulfil is set forth in Isaiah 25:6-9. In this scripture several promises are recorded. Here the messianic kingdom is symbolized by a “mountain,” and “in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, … well refined.” (vs. 6) The “feast of fat things,” and the “wines on the lees well refined,” are also symbolic, even as is the “mountain”—symbolic, that is, of the abundant provision that will be made for the people’s happiness when the resurrected Christ is King. Nothing that is good for the people will be in short supply and no circumstances will be permitted to mar the complete joy of those who are obedient to kingdom laws.
Verse 7 reads, “And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations.” This “veil” or “covering” now over the nations and the people seems to symbolize the darkness which shrouds mankind and keeps the people from seeing and knowing God. And how appalling is that darkness! In their endeavors to find their way in this darkness the people worship various conceptions of God, millions of them believing that he is a torment deity.
And think of the entrenched forces of darkness which are employed to perpetuate this “veil,” with Satan, the prince of darkness, in league with the forces of evil. The light shining out from Jesus’ ministry did not to any great degree penetrate this covering. Instead, the darkness hated the light, and killed the Lightgiver. But it will not be thus when Christ’s kingdom is established in power and great glory, for Jesus will use the “all power” given to him to remove, through methods best suited to the purpose, the “veil” and the “covering” which now hinder the people from knowing the only true God, whom to know in reality is life eternal.
Of that time we read that “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:9) The promises assure us that all physical defects will be removed by the all-powerful Christ, including blindness. And when Isaiah wrote that “blind eyes” will be opened the reference is probably also to those who are blind to the things of God, for the covering now over their mental vision will be removed. (Isa. 35:5) Isaiah also wrote that the knowledge of God’s glory will be revealed “and all flesh shall see it together.”—Isa. 40:5
Death Destroyed
The Lord also promised that “he will swallow up death in victory.” As a result of this all tears will be wiped away. This thought is amplified somewhat in Revelation 21:4, where we read that “there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” No earthly ruler has even attempted a program of this kind, but this is the Heavenly Father’s design, and we know that it will be accomplished, because he has put it into the hands of the One to whom he has given “all power in heaven and in earth,” even the resurrected Jesus.
God has promised to bring about both the destruction of death and the resurrection of those who are asleep in death. Paul testified to Felix that the Law and the Prophets held out a hope of the resurrection of the dead, “both of the just and the unjust.” (Acts 24:14,15) “The just” during the ages preceding Jesus’ first advent are those faithful ones mentioned by Paul in the 11th chapter of Hebrews, who suffered and died that they might obtain “a better resurrection.” (Heb. 11:35) During the present age “the just” are the followers of Jesus. Those who lay down their lives faithfully even unto death during this present Gospel Age are brought forth in “the first resurrection” to live and reign with Christ.—Rev. 20:6
But in all ages those designated by Paul as “the unjust” are composed of the vast majority of the people. Many of these have not been morally wicked people. Indeed, large numbers of them have been the ideal citizens of the world, but they have not been servants of the true God. However, they will be raised from the dead, and given an opportunity to accept God’s provision of life through Christ, and obey the laws of his kingdom. Those who do will live forever. These will include the people of all nations, Gentiles and Jews. How gracious, indeed, is our Heavenly Father in making such a loving provision for his fallen human creatures!
Our Faith Not Vain
Paul wrote to the brethren at Corinth, and said, “If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are [or become] Christ’s at [during] his coming [Greek, “presence”]. Then cometh the end [of Christ’s reign], when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all [other] rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”—I Cor. 15:17-25
Yes, Christ is risen! Our faith is not vain, nor is our preaching vain. Followers of Jesus, justified by faith, are not in their sins, but are dying sacrificially with him. Those who have fallen asleep in Christ have not perished, but will come forth in “the first resurrection” to live and reign with Christ. And not only Christians, but all who die in Adam will in due time be made alive in Christ—awakened from the sleep of death and given an opportunity to believe and obey and live forever.
Finally, death itself will be destroyed. What a glorious sequence of events stems from the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!