Isaiah 25:8

He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken ~ Isaiah 25:8

 

In 1 Corinthians 15:54, the Apostle Paul gives an overview of the first part of this verse when he says, “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’" Paul, here, is referring to the resurrection of Jesus, and in that event, death ceased to have its power and triumph. In Isaiah’s time of writing, the land of Israel was under the effects of war, with the promise of peace coming with the Messiah. Forever, or victoriously, death will be vanquished permanently as something they longed and looked for. What a day that will be, they declare! When not one will have to face the death of a loved one again, or their own death, and when all the disgrace from the earth has vanished! We have seen it in the victory of Jesus Christ and His resurrection! We now have the opportunity to stand before Him with great joy! Revelation 21:4 quotes these words of victory over death through the Apostle John on Patmos. This is the day when Jesus is victorious over Satan once and for all. Satan’s power is enough to disrupt our world, but not enough to cut the power of Jesus Christ! For those who believe in Jesus Christ, we have a promise that when we die, we will begin a new life with him in heaven. Our death is not something to be afraid of, but something to be received as a gift, for the doors of heaven will open to us and the bosom of Jesus Christ will receive us. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that sleep in Jesus shall God bring with Him.” “O grave!” says the apostle, “where is thy victory!”

Pastor Julia

image: arto martinnen


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