God’s Message in the Resurrection of Jesus
30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. 32 And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, 33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,
” ’You are my Son,
today I have begotten you.’
34 And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,
” ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’
35 Therefore he says also in another psalm,
” ‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’
36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, 37 but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.
One of the number one unclean and unholy things in the Law of Moses was dead things. If you touched a dead thing, you were unclean and couldn’t go worship or offer sacrifices or participate in the life of the religious activities (which was a big part of daily life) until you did some special offerings and activities to get unclean.
If you touched something that touched a dead body, you were unclean. If you touched a person that touched a dead body, you were unclean. If you touched a person that touched a piece of cloth that a person touched after they touched a dead body, you got it.
You were unclean.
Being unclean from dead things was more contagious than anything.
God is the source of all life and anything that lives gets its breath from Him. This is a teaching that starts in Genesis, comes out in Moses and the prophets, is spoken of by Jesus, and shows up in Revelation.
So once something is dead, the breath of God is no longer in it. Whatever life is in them goes on to somewhere else.
This is why the astounding resurrection of Jesus sends such a message to all of us. Every single thing in creation is falling apart. Look at the floor after you put away that plastic Christmas tree. Feel your elbow after a day of raking leaves. Dead leaves.
Every single thing in the created order is dying and meeting corruption. Except for Jesus. The fact that He could beat out the very thing that destroys everything is proof that He has the power of the god that created everything. He has the power to be exempt from all of the rules of nature and time.
This super-power means we can trust Him and ask Him anything. If He has the power and the love to accomplish such things as coming in the flesh and rising from the dead, He can do anything.
##
—
You can get the Daily Bible Readings to your inbox via email every day by subscribing on our home page. Join the discussion on Facebook or Twitter.