The history of Resurrection takes all that has been and modifies all that is and utilizes that which is beneficial and thrusts it into all that which shall be. You might say the present has been defined by the past and will be contained in our future. The story of Abraham taking his son to Mount Moriah and offering him there was certainly a resurrection in the mind of the writer of Hebrews. Let me quote, “by faith, Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.” (Hebrews 11:17) Abraham took his son, the wood for the offering, went where God told him to go, He said to his servants, “I and the lad will go and worship and come again.” (Genesis 22:5) The emergence of Israel as a nation would certainly be, if not a resurrection, a rising again, out of the ashes of the past. If we could do away with the history and culture of the Hebrew people we would, by that very act destroy the church of Jesus Christ.
The earth we live on and the civilization of which we are a part has fashioned our conduct, it is the result of the immeasurable power of God that has been in force and active since time began. There may be crises in nature as well as the world of men. There are periods of time that are intense and considered even violent and there are periods of rest where you can sort of get your head screwed on straight. Yet life goes on and the continuity of life is unbroken. When the old is overthrown, the new is built, not only upon it, but out of it.
When I see the “sea worn” cliffs of Dover in Europe, I am reminded that they were the evidence of His creation long ago, yet every day the face of those cliffs change through erosion due to the mighty forces of nature that are ever present. Like Israel, Abraham and Moses, were not complete without us, the history of Israel, the present day church of Jesus Christ and what John saw in the Revelation begin to create a mosaic or panoramic view of what has gone before and sets the stage for what is becoming a reality in each of us today. It is a blueprint for the magnificent wonder filled days that are to come. So the resurrection of Jesus Christ has sealed for us as Christians, the dawning of a new and glorious day, Luke said in Acts, "but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Notice the reference to the church in John’s Revelation where he is asked a question about those who were clothed in white robes and where they came from, by the way that’s us! John’s answer is classic, Sir you know, the answer came back, “They are those which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:13) Before the throne of God, they serve Him day and night in His temple, and He shall dwell among them, there is no more hunger, no more thirst, neither shall the sunlight be on them, for the Lamb shall feed them and lead them to fountains of waters. We see the future of the church in chapter 17:14 where we are called the chosen and the faithful. In chapter 19:11 heaven opens and a white horse rides forth. He that sat upon him is called faithful and true, His eyes, as a flame of fire, (v.12) He is clothed with vesture dipped in blood, He is called the Word of God, He is the resurrected Christ, He came to set things straight. (v.15)
What am I trying to say, I have noticed that at every place you find a rebirth or a restoration in the Word of God or in the life of family, friends and neighbors, it may be a kind of resurrection. Romans the 6th chapter verse five say's, "if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection." Whether it is Isaac, Israel or Abraham coming out of Ur of the Chaldees, Christ coming from the grave and raised to the right hand of the Father, whenever you see a resurrection, things begin to change and change they will as we open to His will and the Word of God. A completely new realm opens up for us to walk in. This Easter resurrection of which we are speaking was a resurrection of Christ and through faith in Him and believing on His Word we enter into His resurrection, for He is in us and we are in Him. Life can change, it may be like the cliffs of Dover, ever so slowly, yet we may endure patiently and learn to wait on God for He is at work in you and every circumstance that surrounds you in life.
Pastor Danny
