Jun 29 – HE WHO SWALLOWS TRIUMPHANTLY !

“He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 25:8)

Death is not an end. Jesus Christ called it ‘rest’. Jesus Christ referred to the dead as ‘sleeping’. Lord Jesus raised up Lazarus; He raised up the son of the widow of Nain; He raised up the daughter of Jairus, to life, just like waking up a person from sleep.

The people of this world go through tremendous sorrow and anguish when they lose their loved ones. And they are inconsolable. But the children of God, find comfort in Christ Jesus and console themselves in the hope of seeing their loved ones again. In Christianity, we have the hope of resurrection.

One of the purposes of Jesus Christ’s coming to this earth was to conquer death and free those who are living in fear of death. Our Lord Jesus said: , “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).

The Scripture says that Lord Jesus tasted death for each one of us. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9).

At the second coming of the Lord, the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16). “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54).

Our Lord Jesus conquered death, hades and Satan. He holds the keys to death and hades, as He died and rose again from death. , He holds the keys to death and hades (Revelation 1:18). Therefore, we do not fear death. We can boldly knock on the spine of death and ask, “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

Jesus walked through the valley of shadow of death. He committed His spirit into the hands of the Father. On the third day He rose alive, conquering death, and became the first fruit of the resurrection. He joyfully declares, “I live forever” (Deuteronomy 32:40).

Death is bitter and very painful for the people of this world. But for us it acts as a pleasant bridge to be with the Lord. It is a wonderful ladder that takes earthly humans to heaven.

Verse for further meditation: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6)