My Body Will Rest in Hope

 

Keith was diagnosed with malignant brain tumors. He fought back with all his strength, enduring radiation, chemotherapy and surgery. However he was only 45 years old when he died. After the church service, they went to the graveside where Keith’s pastor made some brief remarks. It is customary to throw soil into the grave; “from dust you came and to dust you return” at the end of the service. But, this pastor did something unusual.

He took some petals from a red carnation and scattered them on the coffin while reciting, “for God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. This was symbolic; flowers represent life. Flowers bloom from the earth, life comes forth from death. Looking at the coffin, he said, “Rest well, Keith. Death will not have the last word. We will see you again.”

Peter’s sermon in Acts 2 was centered on Christ. His objective was to show his audience that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah they had long expected. The greatest proof of this was not his great teachings or his miracles or even his death; it was his resurrection. In Acts 2:25-28, Peter quoted Psalm 16: 8-11 where David prophetically wrote about Jesus. In the Psalm the Messiah spoke through David about things he would experience in the future.

Jesus of Nazareth was put to death but “God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him”. Jesus had in Himself the inherent power to die and to live again. Peter called him “the author of life”(Acts 3:15). He said "I lay down my life only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again” (John 10:17-18).

His redeeming work was done. Jesus took the sinner's place, he suffered the sinner's penalty which was death (Rom. 6:23). Paul wrote “just as sin and death entered the world through one man, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people (Rom. 5:12,18).  After Jesus had died and remained in the tomb for the appointed period (Matt 12:40), the mission was accomplished.

Jesus could not be held by death because he had his father's promise that he would not. Through David, Jesus had prophetically said this about it, "you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you suffer your holy one to see corruption." That promise had to be kept, so it was not possible that Christ should remain in the grave beyond the appointed period.

Hebrews 7 tells us that Christ is a Priest. Levitical priesthood could not be perfect (v.11) or extend beyond each priest’s lifespan (v.23). There was need for a priest who was holy, blameless and pure (v.26); one who would become a priest on the basis of the power of an indestructible life (v.16). Because Jesus lives forever, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them (vv. 23-25). Death could not curtail his priesthood duties.

Jesus is also a King; Revelation 11:15 says “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord...and he shall reign forever and ever.” Jesus came to destroy all the enemies of his kingdom. The end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:24-26).

His soul did not go into Hades, and his body did not rot in the tomb. His last words before death were "father, into your hands I commend my spirit “ (Luke  23:46). Death could not touch his soul. Paul wrote, "for we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. " Rom. 6:9

The grave is a temporary residence. The Bible states that all people will be raised but not all at the same time or in the same manner (Rev. 20:5-6, Dan 12:2). When he died the tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life  (Matt. 27:52). That is God's guarantee that even though we die , we wont stay dead forever. When Jesus rose from the dead , he left the door to the tomb wide open. That means we won't have to fight our way out of the grave.

Paul told the Corinthians “but if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ...And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith...  And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile…Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied (1 Cor. 15:12-20).

My body also will rest in hope, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. These words go beyond anything that David experienced. David did died, was buried and his flesh did see corruption. David’s tomb was well-known in Jerusalem in peters days. But Jesus borrowed Joseph’s tomb for about 36 hours. Then he left it behind forever.

David foresaw that Jesus would not be abandoned in the grave and his flesh would not see corruption. Jesus had told Martha “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). In Revelation 1:18, Jesus spoke from heaven and said “I am the Living One; I was dead and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

God’s judgment on Adam in the Garden of Eden was “for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19). We all rise from the dust, live for a number of years and then go back to the dust. But, Jesus did not go back to the dust. Though he died, his body did not decay (Acts 2: 31). He died as the sin-bearer. But because he had no sin in himself, his body did not decay in the grave.

The messiah continued “I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices” This was Jesus' attitude - keeping His Father always in His sight. In the ancient world, a bodyguard stood on the right side of the one he was protecting. Jesus always saw God protecting, strengthening and upholding him.

Because of the confidence that His Father was at His right hand, Jesus would not be shaken. Therefore his heart leaped for joy and his tongue broke forth with praises. He once said that the “mouth speaks from the abundance of his heart” (Luke 6:45). Jesus knew He was going to be crucified but he also knew He would not see corruption in the grave and that He would rise again the third day.

Therefore he said “my body also will rest in hope”.  The word hope speaks of a future beyond the grave. As man, Jesus confidence was in the promise of God the father which he implicitly believed. However, by extension, the truth was David's, too, and yours.  If we believe in Jesus, we can be absolutely certainty that God there is a future beyond death.

The heart with such blessed hope can chant its triumphant song even when the grave is imminent. You should see the Lord always before you.  Because he is at your right hand, you will not be shaken. Therefore your heart should be glad and your tongue should exude songs of joy. When your time to die comes your body will rest in hope. Christ's resurrection is the guarantee of yours.

Jesus speaking through David looked beyond the grave. He said to his father “you have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’ Jesus had prayed "Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made" (John 17:5). He had laid down his glory in order to redeem mankind. Now he is eager to take it up again.

Jesus did not just find himself in this gladness beyond the grave; he pursued it with determination. Hebrew 12:2 says "For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of God." Jesus was able to endure the cross because he knew it was leading to the Father's presence where there is "fullness of joy"; he lived for the joy that was set before him.

What a reunion there must have been when Jesus arrived home. The father could have said to him "Well done Son. Mission accomplished. Welcome home." He was then crowned with glory and honor, and handed the scepter of the universe! His prayer was "Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to behold my glory which you have given me " (John 17:24).  He wants his joy in the father to be ours joy too forever and ever."