From Death to Life
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Key Verse: “He saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.” Selected Scriptures: |
PEOPLE WANT TO BELIEVE that they will live again after physical death occurs. What hope of a new life can we obtain through the resurrection of Jesus Christ? In this lesson, the Job and Mark texts point to God as the one who is powerful enough to overcome even death itself.
“The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? … Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth? Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?”—Job 38:1,2,16,17
“Job answered the Lord, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.”—Job 42:15
The lesson in Chapter 16 of Mark’s Gospel opens our eyes and ears to an understanding of the ‘gates of death’ Millions have heard about God, but when the lessons are learned from the experience with evil, they will ‘see’ him. After Jesus’ death, Joseph of Arimathea had the body taken down from the cross, put in a tomb, and a big stone rolled against the entrance to the tomb. Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Joseph, were watching and saw where the body was placed.
The Sabbath was past, as it was early Sunday morning on the eighth day. The women arrived to anoint Jesus with sweet spices, and surprisingly found the huge stone had already been rolled away. “Entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.”—Mark 16:5-8
Jesus had previously arranged to meet with his disciples in Galilee. “The eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matt. 28:16-18) Jesus had been dead, but now was alive to carry on further the wondrous works and plan of God concerning the reconciliation of the sin-sick and dying human family. This truly was the purpose for which Jesus had come to earth, to die as a corresponding price for Adam and, hence, his posterity, and then to be made alive as the “firstfruits” of the resurrection which would come eventually to all the families of the earth.—I Cor. 15:20,23