WHAT DID JESUS MEAN WHEN HE SAID,
“I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE?”
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From earliest childhood we learned about death through the fly on the window sill, the bird on the driveway and the dead kitty on the road. As we grew we learned of the mortality of those around us, and of our own end.
Death never seems right. It is always monstrously tragic. It is the grand-daddy of all fears. We instinctively long that life and health continue both for our loved ones and ourselves. Solomon spoke of our common desire for life and health to continue in Ecclesiastes. “He has set eternity in their hearts.” Our deep longing is for nothing short of endless, happy, healthy life.
Job voiced our deep, primordial question; “If a man dies will he live again?”
Our Lord Jesus Christ gives the comforting, even beyond-imagination answer! His answer wipes away every tear shed beside a death bed. His answer calms the heaving sobs at the gravesite. His answer turns our sackcloth to joy and our mourning to dancing!
Our dearest heavenly Friend has got the answer. And it is solid, trustworthy and unshakable! He is the Universal Solvent for our universal wants.
Listen to what our Savior says to Martha in John 11:25-26. “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
What did Jesus mean when He said, “I am the resurrection and the life?”
The Bible teaching of the Resurrection of the dead has largely been forgotten and replaced by the teaching that when a person dies their spirit goes to live forever in heavenly bliss with God.
Although there is a kernel of wonderful truth in it, you would be hard-pressed to find many Scripture passages which tell us, when we die we will go to heaven and live forever with Jesus.
What does the Bible actually, consistently teach and promise believers about eternal life? It is the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead! It runs parallel to our 2000-year-old prayer, “May your kingdom come on earth as in heaven.”
When Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life” he is saying He is one who will raise the dead from their graves. He has been given authority to raise the dead and will do that when he returns for us!
“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (See John 6:40, 44, 54)
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28-29).
Jesus is in charge of the resurrection of all the dead. He is the One who will pull it off!
Let’s look at the hope of the resurrection which the Jewish people held to before Jesus even walked among them. The Old Testament is loaded with references to the staggeringly, glorious resurrection of all the dead – those in graveyards, those lost at sea, those secretly murdered, those who have returned to wind-blown dust.
Job is the first book in the Bible to share the hope in the resurrection. Job asks a question which is beyond curiosity. It is a question with an ache; “If a man dies will he live again?” (Job 14:14). When we meet death through accident, disease, violence or old age what becomes of us? Is dust the end of our story?
Materialists believe all that’s left is fertilizer.
Some imagine disembodied spirits haunting the earth.
Others believe our comic energy is absorbed into a greater whole.
Some believe we are recycled into other forms.
But the Bible teaches there is a day of resurrection for every man, woman and child, a great day, when our dust is reconstituted and we all stand before the great thrown of God for His evaluation.
“If a man dies will he live again?” Philosophers and religionists fumble for the answer. Jesus Christ’s authoritative reply: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25-26).
Now let’s enlarge the passage where Job askes our universal question –
“If only you would hide me in the grave and conceal me till your anger has passed! If only you would set me a time and then remember me! If a man dies, will he live again?
“All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come. You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature your hands have made. Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sin. My offenses will be sealed up in a bag; you will cover over my sin.”(Job 14:13-17).
I believe Job is the most challenging book in the Bible. No wonder we avoid it. Job finds himself utterly devastated with the loss of his children, his wealth, his health and his supposed friends. God’s wrath seems to be upon him. The only thing he can lose now is his life, and it looks like it’s coming quickly.
At this point Job would welcome death for he is overwhelmed with what seems to be the anger of God. “If only you would hide me in the grave and conceal me till your anger has passed!”
He may think, “When I’m dead, perhaps God’s anger will cool down. He might then remember me, and miss me, and call me forth from the grave.” He makes it a prayer, “If only you would set me a time and then remember me!”
He asks the question, “If a man dies, will he live again?” Then out of his heart comes an answer.
“All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come. You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature your hands have made. Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sin. My offenses will be sealed up in a bag; you will cover over my sin.”
Job is looking, hoping, that God’s anger would pass, that God would remember him in his hiding place in the grave, that God would actually long for his creature, Job, and bring about a supernatural renewal! He is counting on God’s compassion to take away his sin and bring a day of renewal.
Now this is not the last of Job’s hope for the resurrection. When we come to Chapter 19
We can’t miss Job’s prophetic weight as he speaks of his Redeemer.
“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth;
And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him with my own eyes – I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27)
Job has a hope in a living Redeemer! “I know that my Redeemer lives,”
This mysterious Redeemer will at The End stand upon the earth. Who is this mysterious Redeemer who will stand upon the earth at the end? He is called, “The Resurrection and the Life!”
Job anticipates that Redeemer arriving after his death. He sees that his skin and body tissues will turn to powder. But here is his resurrection hope.
“And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him with my own eyes – I, and not another.”
Job says that his very eyes, resurrected eyes, will see this standing Redeemer!
He will not have a proxy see this standing Redeemer. He will see the Redeemer who has remembered him in the grave. He will come forth and see Him with his own living eyes!
Then comes this longing cry from Job’s inmost being; “How my heart yearns within me!”
What a bottomless pining, aching yearning! Job believes that God ultimately loves him, that the Creator will long once again for His creature, as that creature lays in the grave, that there will come a renewal and a face to face with his great and wonderful Redeemer. This is longing inexpressible!
Job died 2000 years before his Redeemer stood on the earth the first time, and to this point 4000 years before the Redeemer would come again to stand upon the earth, and raise the dead. Job died with a heart-aching longing. “How my heart years within me!” To know the Redeemer is to yearn for Him, for He comes to bring something so much better!
So, Job asks our nagging question about mortality, but he also shares a vision of a caring, compassionate Redeemer who raises the dead! The deepest of all twin desires is satisfied – God’s longing for his creature hidden in the grave, and the creature’s longing for their Redeemer – met in resurrection!
David says in Psalm 16:9-10 “Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.”
Secure body! Not abandoned to the grave! God’s plans for David are eternal pleasures!
David continues, “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Now this passage is referred to as a prophecy of Christ’s resurrection, but it also speaks of the general resurrection.
Let’s look at other expressions of resurrection hope in the Old Testament.
Isaiah 25:6-8 speaks of grand Kingdom banquet. So huge it is a spread for all mankind!
“On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine – the best of meats and the finest of wines.”
Those enjoying this colossal feast are those who presently lay in the grave.
“On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever.”
The shroud and sheet to be destroyed is death. Death receives a mortal blow! He will swallow up death forever! What a feast we will have at the resurrection table!
Consider Isaiah 26:19. “But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.”
I was walking through a cemetery quoting this verse and clearly felt an evil spirit say to me, “Stop saying that!” Death and the grave are intimidated with what is about to come!
Jesus said there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed. Isaiah 26 goes on to say that the earth will reveal her bloodshed, and no longer cover her slain. Every grave, every secret murder of individuals or groups will be manifest. Can you imagine a dead woman rising and pointing, “This is the man who killed me?”
Daniel’s testimony of the resurrection is very pointed with no ambivalence.
“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt”(Daniel 12:2).
How many will rise? Multitudes!
Where do they come from? The dust of the earth!
Where do they go? To everlasting life, or everlasting contempt!
Daniel is assured of his own path, and death, and eventual resurrection!
“As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance” (Daniel 12:13).
What a wonderful promise for Daniel! And for us!
Hosea let’s us know that death does not get the last word!
“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death
Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?” (Hos 13:14).
The grave is powerful but our Redeemer is more powerful. He ransoms us from the power of the grave! There is outright mocking of death. Death, where is your stuff? What happened to you plagues and destruction? You have become impotent and lost your grip because of our mighty, compassionate Savior!
The religious Jews of Jesus day believed in the resurrection of the dead. Yes, there were a few holdouts. The Sadducees did not believe (Acts 23:8). But look how the people of Jesus’ day were putting their hope in the God who raises the dead.
When Martha’s brother Lazarus was dead Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
She responded with a faith in the general resurrection to come. Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day” (John 11:23-4).
Jesus affirmed the teaching about the great general resurrection of the dead on several occasions.
“The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.
The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here” (Luke 11:31-32).
In Jesus exchange with Martha He goes on to declare, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Then Jesus asks Martha, “Do you believe this?”
It’s a great question for us to answer.
Do you believe Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life?
Do you believe He will, and He does, raise the dead?
Martha replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world” (John 11:26).
Do you believe it when Jesus says,
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28-29).
Do you believe Jesus when He says,
“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (See John 6:40).
Yes, we can trust Him when He says,
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day” (John 6:44).
We can confidently rely on Jesus Christ to keep His promise!
“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day” (John 6:54).
Paul said, “Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?” (Acts 26:8). After all, If God created us from the dust He can bring us back from the dust and give us glorified bodies!
The early message of the Church was that Jesus is alive, He is the first fruits of all the rest of us who will rise from the dead, and our promise of resurrection life is found in Jesus! What an amazing, yet certain, hope we have in our standing Redeemer! We stand heads up in anticipation and confess with Job, “I know that my Redeemer lives and will stand on the earth in the latter days!”
Take heart my friend! Your yearning for Him, and His for you, is about to be met in explosive re-creation!
I end with a powerful quote from Joseph Addison (May 1 1672 – June 17 1719), an English politician and writer.
“When I look upon the tombs of the great, every emotion of envy dies in me;
when I read the epitaphs of the beautiful, every inordinate desire goes out;
when I meet with the grief of parents upon a tombstone, my heart melts with compassion;
when I see the tombs of the parents themselves, I consider the vanity of grieving for those whom we must quickly follow;
when I see kings lying by those who deposed them,
when I consider rival wits placed side by side,
or the men that divided the world with their contests and disputes,
I reflect with sorrow and astonishment on the little competitions, factions, and debates of mankind.
When I read the several dates of the tombs, of some that died yesterday, and some six hundred years ago,
I consider that great Day when we shall all of us be contemporaries, and make our appearance together.”
Steven C Johnson
LandingStripEnterprises.Com
