Death is swallowed

Good Friday is not a day of mourning, that is, to see the Saviour, still wriggling in the excruciating pang, on the gory cross of the Calvary event. Is He still on the punitive cross? Will Jesus reminisce on this hour of a seemingly Satanic hour of triumph and feel the pain again spiritually, mentally, psychologically or physically? He is no more on the sanguinary cross meant for a criminal.

The same rationale that prompted the angel to say, “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay [Mat 28:6], should be the reason why you should take your eyes off the cross of Jesus and onto the One of Revelation 1:17-18, “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: (18) I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death’. Even the tomb is too ineffectual in keeping Him detained in the bowels of the earth.

Acts 2:24 says, “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it”. The truth is that He is never a candidate of death. He has, from eternity, been too much for any hellish incarceration. He is the One who was, is, and is to come; of whom in Isaiah 63:1, the prophet enquired, “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength?” And the Great One answered, “I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save”. How can anyone be mourning over the crucifixion of Him who declared in the fifth verse, “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me”.

OUR GLADIATOR

Can any other person perform this work of salvation save Him, who alone is God over all (Romans 9:5). I do not see Him on the cross any more, where He put on display the weakness of the first Adam, whose sin ushered in death. Can someone who took the penalty of your sin, and dying in the process, came back to life by His own power, still cause you to continue to mourn his death? Would you not in honour, not of your saved neck, but, of the salvaging one throw the biggest party? Good Friday, definitely, calls for a huge celebration of life (saved from destruction). Most definitely, it must not call for a somber, but rather sober reflections leading towards a fruitful Christian walk with, as 1Corinthians 2:8 calls Him, the Lord of glory.

Adam Clarke, in his commentary explained: “The Lord of glory.] Or the glorious Lord, infinitely transcending all the rulers of the universe whose is eternal glory;” while that of Poole runs thus: “the Lord of glory; both with respect to his Divine nature, as to which he was God blessed for ever, and also as Mediator, being the Author of glory to those who believe. And from Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary, we have: “Lord of glory — implying the inseparable connection of Christ’s humanity and His divinity. The Lord of glory (which He had in His own right before the world was, John 17:4; John 17:24) was crucified”. He travelled to Bozrah to stain His divinity with the blood of the enemy, for me.

Bozrah, (which comes from batsar (baw-tsar’)BDB Definition: ‘to gather, restrain, fence, fortify, make inaccessible)’ means: ‘sheepfold, fortress or distress’. Eight times it appears in the Bible, in Genesis 36:33; 1Chronicles 1:44; Isaiah 34:6; Isaiah 63:1; Jeremiah 48:24; Jeremiah 49:13; Jeremiah 49:22 & Amos 1:12. Eight represents new beginning, in scripture. Bozrah in this context is of the fortress man is so powerless against. Adam’s original sin commenced a new beginning: death, a fortress man could not break through to his freedom. They were very comfortable in Abraham’s bosom, deep down the earth, but had no accessibility out of this land even as the righteous dead. Satan had the keys then.

                                            1Corinthians 15:55, “…where is thy sting?”

The LORD of glory took the war into their enclave, pulverized their fortified stronghold, giving easy access into life eternal. Amen. It is no longer a morose laden Good Friday! Roll out the drums of sweet victory! Give thanks to Jesus! Satan, on Easter Fridays, remembers when he thought he had got God conquered and wish had not entered Judas to do that unholy job. He is licking his wounds, delivered on his person at the interment of the Holy One of Israel. One day in hell his entire being will be nothing but bruises, leaving him no tongue to do no licking. Satan understands 1Corinthians 15:55, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” which fills him with great discomfort. Satan’s loss is our victory.

Only born again people can celebrate this victory. You can get the spiritual, new birth by praying this simple prayer which you must believe with all your heart before it will work. Say, “Father, I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus died for my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I believe that Jesus is LORD and I receive Him as my LORD and my Saviour. I give God all the glory. Amen.

  REJOICE!!!

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