Power Over Death
Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death (Heb 2:14-15).
We all grow old, die and leave this world. This is something to be expected. Once a person dies, he is gone forever. He is not coming back to live again. We are all subjected to this law. Nobody can escape death.
But in the case of Jesus, it is different. One, He claimed that He is God. Second, because He is God, He has control over life and death. He is not human like us, He said that He will rise from the dead. No law of nature has power over Him. Instead, He has power over everything in nature and in the universe.
There are some who claim to have the power of healing. There are some who possess great intellectual powers. They claim to know everything. There are others who are regarded as gods or fairies because of their good deeds. But one thing happened to all of them. They all died and never come back alive. They may claim to have power over this or that, but they are still subject to death. If they are subject to death, they can’t help you.
A group of men were talking. One of them said, “It is not difficult to start a new religion. Just gather a set of moral teachings, gather a group of followers, and propagate your philosophies. Write books, give speeches, go round the world to promote yourself. Name the religion after you.” “It is really not difficult,” said another, “But if you want it to be the true religion, just die and rise 3 days later.”
By rising from the dead bodily and becoming alive again, Jesus proved that He has power of death. He is not subjected to the law of death. He can lay down His life, take it up again. Which religious founder, miracle worker, fortune teller can do this?
We follow a living Savior. And like Him, we will rise one day with our bodies to eternal life!
Hallelujah! What a comforting hope that death cannot destroy us forever!