DEAD, BUT NOT DORMANT

“Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior! Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!” So, tomorrow, we will sing and celebrate, “Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes!” 

Yet, what of that in-between time, when His body was sealed in the sepulcher?  Peter tells us that though His crucified body was in a tomb, His spirit was very much alive and active, (1 Pet. 3:18). Christ was dead, but not dormant.

The Bible does not teach, “soul sleep.”  Paul said, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord,” (2 Cor.‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬‬).  Neither was Jesus in a state of unconsciousness between His death and resurrection. 

The Old Testament term for the world of the dead is Sheol and the New Testament word is Hades. According to the story our Lord told of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31, there were two areas where the souls of the dead would dwell: “torment” for the wicked and “Abraham’s bosom” (figurative language for “paradise”). Recall that Jesus promised the dying thief, “today you will be with Me in Paradise,” (Lk. 23:43). Thus, when Jesus died physically, He was alive spiritually—closing His eyes on Calvary, He opened them in Paradise. He was dead, but not dormant.

What did He do during that time?  We know that in Sheol/Hades there is “a great gulf fixed,” so that none can cross over from perdition to paradise or vice versa, (Lk. 16:26), yet they can converse as we hear the rich man in torment crying out to “Father Abraham,” for a drop of water to be brought to him by Lazarus, (Lk. 16:24) and Abraham responds to him with the impossibility of that. They communicate with each other. Jesus was spiritually in paradise with the repentant thief that very day as He promised. He was there and “preached to the spirits in prison,” (1 Pet. 3:19). 

This was not an evangelistic sermon. The decision of where we will spend eternity is made in this lifetime—with no “second chance” after death. It was in this case a proclamation “to the spirits in prison, who were formerly disobedient…in the days of Noah.”  In torment, these fallen demons were locked away in a special prison. Peter would add this in his second epistle, “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;” (2:4). The Greek word for “hell” is Tartarus, the name of that special compartment in torment for these wicked demons to be imprisoned. 

Jude speaks of them also, “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;”(Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬‬).

It is my understanding that these demons in some fashion inhabited human form and were used by Satan—the Prince of Demons—to corrupt the human race by sexual relations with human women in Noah’s day, (cf. Gen. 6:1-8). The Serpent had been told after he seduced Adam and Eve in the Garden, “ ‘And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.’ ” (Gen.‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬‬). If the Devil could corrupt “the daughters of men,” (Gen. 6:1), then there would be no seed of woman to crush his head!  It would have worked, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD,” (Gen. 6:8).

Satan persisted in attempts to fully corrupt the nation of Israel and thus no Messiah would be born. Yet, God always had a remnant of believers. Even, when Messiah came, the Devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Yet, Christ remained sinless and on the cross, though the Seed of woman had His heel bruised—the Lord’s suffering and physical death—by that means, crushed the Serpent’s head!

So, Christ descended into the realm of the dead and proclaimed His victory over the Devil and his demonic hordes!

As bad as this sermon was for the imprisoned demons, it was glorious for the people of God in paradise. You see, the Old Testament saints were saved by faith in Christ just like we are—Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and all the redeemed (cf. Heb. 11).  They were saved by looking ahead to Christ’s atoning work on the cross, whereas we look back to it. Those saved in the Old Testament were saved by “the lay-away plan.”  You know how you find a Christmas gift for someone, so you don’t want it reserved. It is put in lay-away, until the price is paid, and then you possess it. So, the Old Testament saints went to paradise, or “Abraham’s bosom,” so to speak, until Christ would pay the price of their redemption. After His resurrection, and His ascension, He would empty that compartment in Hades and take the souls of those Old Testament believers to Heaven and into the presence of the Father. “Therefore He says: ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.’ (Now this, ‘He ascended’—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)” (Eph. ‭4‬:‭8‬-‭10‬‬). 

He was dead, but not dormant!

YAHWEH OF HOSTS

“Then Elijah said, ‘As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today.’” (1 Kings 18:15)

Yahweh Sabaoth, translated, “LORD of hosts,” is one of the most frequent names of God that we find in the Old Testament, being used about two hundred and fifty times.  It means that He is the Lord God of spiritual armies—Yahweh who rules over the angelic hosts.  These supernatural beings of incredible might and splendor are creations of the Lord.  Their allegiance is to Him and they move at His command.

In a number of ways, the angels are different than humans, yet in one way they are the same—they were created with free will, and with the capacity to obey God came the possibility to disobey.  As hard as it is to imagine, one-third of these heavenly beings follow Satan in his rebellion against God. The twelfth chapter of Revelation gives an overview of this cosmic clash as it  describes war in heaven.

 The outcome of the war is never in doubt.  Satan has no hope of vanquishing God. Yahweh sends forth His holy hosts of angel warriors, and the Devil is cast out. Satan still makes trouble for the church today, and will stir up one final war against Christ on earth, but at last he and his demonic army will be cast into the Lake of Fire.

In the text today, we find Elijah, the man of God standing alone against the power of the malevolent monarchs, King Ahab and his consort, the wicked Jezebel. Yet, he is fearless, for he knows he is not alone. His trust is in the LORD of Hosts.

Today, we also have angels watching over us. All about, unseen, are these mighty ones, ready to minister to the saints. Yet, we do not worship them and trust in them, but in their Maker and Commander, Yahweh Sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts!

GOD’S RULE OVER THE CREATION

“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all.” (1 Chron.29:11-12).

God claims dominion over all that He made.  David declares the comprehensive nature of it in these verses.

God rules over creation because:

• HE CAUSED IT.  Because God brought all things into existence, He exerts the right to rule over them.  If I make something, it is mine to do with as I please.

• HE CLAIMS IT.  Isaiah and Jeremiah in the Old Testament (Isa.29:16, 45:9, 64:8; Jer.18:1-23) and Paul in the New Testament (Rom.9:1-33; 2 Cor.4:7; 2 Tim.2:20) use the analogy of God being the Potter—shaping the clay according to His design.

• HE CONTROLS IT. Because He has made all things, His control extends to every facet of nature.  Not a raindrop falls from the sky, not a bolt of lightning descends to earth, not a blade of grass grows, or a breeze blows except by God’s command.  He is Lord over the angels, as He is called the Lord of Hosts.  He is Master over the demons—even Satan has to report in (Job 1:6-12, 2:1-6).  But, He isn’t a tyrant, “a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom” (Ps.45:6; Heb.1:8).

It’s comforting to know this day what I learned from a song, long ago as a child, “He’s got the whole world in His hands.”

GLORIFICATION: THE PROMISE OF JESUS

Read Matthew 22:23-33. 

It was an old trick.  The Sadducees had used it on their theological opponents—the Pharisees—often.  The Sadducees were the liberals of their day, denying the supernatural, including the resurrection.  That is why a Sadducee was “sad, you see.”  They took Moses’ command that when a brother dies, his brother is expected to marry the widow and care for her, and in the hypothetical they present, this happens an absurd seven times.  So, they stumped the Pharisees with the question they think will buffalo Jesus, “Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be?”

Our Lord responds by pointing to the root of their problem, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.”  He then proceeds to tell them that marriage is an institution of earth, that will be superseded by a higher relationship in eternity.  A sexual union with a spouse is supplanted by a spiritual union to Christ—the church is His bride. Jesus says we will be, “like the angels.”

He does not say that we will be angels!  I have often heard people say that.  You don’t want to be an angel.  You will be glorified humanity. Jesus wasn’t saying you would become an angel.  He was saying that in their devotion to Christ alone, we will be like holy angels. They do not wed, but focus on serving God and worshipping Him.  They are consumed with His glory, and all this will be true of us.  You won’t earn wings, but you will get a new body, designed for Heaven. 

The Sadducees claimed to believe only the first five books of the Bible.  So, Jesus proved their ignorance of the Scriptures by quoting from one of those books, Exodus 3:6, 15. The faithfulness of God’s Word extends to the very tenses of verbs, as God decreed, “I am the God of Abraham...Isaac, and...Jacob.”  He is eternally their God, for they are eternally with Him—and so shall all God’s people be.

Note, that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob retained their identity.  In many ways, heaven is an extension of this life, but only on a higher plane.  I will know my wife and she will know me.  I will love my wife, but with perfect love, and so I will love everyone absolutely.

“God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”  Case closed!

SEVEN BOWLS FOR SEVEN JUDGMENTS

 

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.”  (Revelation 16:1)

Numbers in Revelation are significant.  You find seven to be prominent—the number of completion.  Following the rapture of the church, a scroll is presented to the Lamb of God who opens seven seals.  Under each seal there is a judgment.  Beneath the seventh seal, there are seven trumpets, and as each trumpet is sounded another judgment falls on a Christ-rejecting world.  The seventh trumpet blast signals the time for seven bowls, filled with the wrath of God to be outpoured, which will be the final plagues upon the populace—seven bowls for seven judgments (Rev.16).

The scene in heaven is solemn, as seven angels are summoned to come and pour out the contents of their bowl.  While it may not be politically correct to speak of God’s wrath, it is theologically correct—and Scripture, rather than popular sensibilities must govern our vocabulary and concepts.  Our world scoffs at this, but one day God says, “Enough!”

• Those who have refused salvation in Christ and instead have pledged allegiance to the Antichrist will suffer from boils from the first of the bowls (v.2).  Imagine the world filled with people writhing in pain from these boils.  The smell of the puss-filled populace will be horrible.
• If we think an oil spill to be an ecological disaster, then what will it be when the oceans become blood (v.3).  The dead creatures of the deep will wash up on crimson-clotted sands, their rotting stench pervading the atmosphere. 
• The fourth angel empties his bowl and the fresh water becomes blood (v.4-7).  Imagine going to a spigot, running a glass of water, and gagging on the taste of blood!  Sinners have been bloodthirsty.  God will give them all they want.
• The sun will scorch the earth (v.8-9).  A previous judgment had obscured the sun, and now the opposite occurs.  People suffering from boils, now are seared by the sun, and they can find no relief to cool their brow or tongue for the water is blood.
• Suddenly, Babylon experiences a blackout (v.10-11).  When we reject the Light, only darkness remains.  These plagues are reminiscent of those found in Exodus.
• The sixth angel’s bowl dries up the Euphrates River allowing a millions of soldiers from the Orient to invade (v.12-16).  The campaign of Armageddon is commencing.  The horrors of war ravage the globe.
• The final bowl is poured out and Babylon—the capital of the Antichrist—the economic and ecclesiastical center of the world is judged (v.17-21).  This judgment is described in detail in the next two chapters of Revelation.

Surely then, people will admit their sin and beg for mercy.  No!  They will curse God (v.9,11,21)!  They refuse to repent—fully reprobate—a rebel heart and a reviling tongue.  If a man or woman in this day of grace can look at the cross and God’s offer of forgiveness and brush it aside, then there only remains judgment for such.

Here is the question we must consider, if we would avoid these plagues:

When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?  (Elisha A. Hoffman)

 

THE ANGEL AND THE AGONY

Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.  And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. (Luke 22:43-44a)

The Gospels reveal a close connection between the mission of Jesus and the ministry of angels.  Before His birth, the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would miraculously conceive the Son of God.  Joseph—betrothed to her—only believed it when  the angel explained it.  At His birth, a host of angels flooded Bethlehem’s skies proclaiming the event to shepherds.  Later, wicked King Herod got wind of it and moved to kill the Child and an angel warned Joseph and Mary to escape to Egypt.  Likewise, when Herod died, and the threat removed, the angel told the holy family it was time to return.  Jesus went into the wilderness at the outset of His ministry to do battle with the Devil, and we read how angels attended Him after the conflict.  At His resurrection, an angel rolled away the stone, sat on it, and declared to the good news to the disciples.  One other occasion of angelic ministry to the Son of God is that found in Luke 22, as Jesus prays in agony in Gethsemane.

An angel came to offer Christ HELP.  Jesus fell on His face under the old olive trees, pressed to the point of being crushed by the load of humanity’s sins that He is taking upon Himself.  Human help fails, as the disciples snore rather than support Him.  One of them is coming with a bloodthirsty mob to betray Him.  Heavenly help arrives even as human help abandons Him.  Soon, Jesus will be forsaken by all—even by His Father—as He hangs on the cross, but that time has not yet come and until then He has this celestial being to aid Him.  On Golgotha, He will experience Hell for us and be without comfort; preceding that, in Gethsemane, He receives a last comfort from Heaven, brought by the angel.  Doubtless, as He prayed, Christ offered praise for angels that had attended to Him throughout His earthly sojourn.  His heart must have raced with joy in the midst of this cosmic sorrow, that when His mission was accomplished, He would be welcomed into glory by angels.  He looked beyond the cross to the crown—returning to reign in power and glory, leading angel armies as reward for His obedience unto death (Phil.2:5-11).

Yet, this was also a reminder of Christ’s HUMILIATION.  We marvel that the Creator was helped by a creature, until we recall that the Son of God has become the Son of Man.  He was fully God and merited the service of angels, but also totally man and needed the support of them.  When He was born, there was a host of angels, but now only one.  They lit up the skies at His arrival in Bethlehem, but this one is present while the darkness only deepens.  The skies were filled with angels singing in joy at His birth, and if there were a song in the olive grove it would have been a dirge for His death.  The angel was not there to take His suffering from Him, but to strengthen Him to suffer even more.  The agony in Gethsemane was so great that He might have died then had not the angel attended Him.  Never forget that this great suffering would be for you and me—paying our sin debt—so angels can care for us as saints, rather than condemn us as sinners!  Hallelujah!  What a Savior!

THE DAWN OF HOPE

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.  (Luke 1:13-14)

They say the darkest hour is just before the dawn.  That was the condition of the nation of Israel 2,000 years ago.  Four centuries passed and they were still in spiritual darkness, without a word from God, since the last prophet, Malachi, had spoken.  Yet, he promised, “The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings” (4:2a).  That new day was about to dawn.  As the sun returns to the sky after the darkness of night, so hope would return with a fresh word. 

It came TO A SEPARATED PERSON (Luke 1:5-9)  Zacharias was a priest, set apart for service in the temple.  He and his wife Elizabeth were faithful people who let their light shine during those dark days.  They clung to hope when it seemed hope was lost.  This godly couple was not perfect, but they were pure.  God occupied the throne of their lives and directed their steps.  Their walk in public was without scandal and their walk in private was without shame.  All was done under the supervision of God who put His stamp of approval on their conduct.  You don’t have to be a gifted person for God to use, but you have to be a godly person.

The dawn of hope came AT A STRATEGIC POINT (Luke 1:9-10)   Nothing is by accident for the child of God—it is by appointment!  Paul said that it was in the fullness of time that God sent His Son into the world—in the most strategic moment, God would cause the Light to dawn.  We see His providential hand selecting Zacharias—by lot.  It wasn’t human chance, but heavenly choice.  God is directing the events of your life—even the painful ones.  God uses pressure to mold us and fire to make us fit vessels.  When the priest went in to offer incense a bell was sounded calling the people to pray.  Incense is symbolic of intercession—a sweet fragrance arising to God.  When God gets ready to move, he moves us to pray.

The word came THROUGH A SUPERNATURAL PRESENCE (Luke 1:11-12)  If God opened our spiritual eyes, we would see there are angels all around us.  We are never alone—God is near!  We are so casual and careless about holy things and sacred places.  Irreverence comes from failing to see God as He is!  If an angel could so terrify a good man, what reverence should be shown the Lord?

The dawn of hope came BY A SACRED PROCLAMATION (Luke 1:13-25)    John the Baptist would be the herald of the King!  Here is a description of spiritual awakening—in the nation, the church and the home.  We need that now!  God spoke and Zacharias couldn’t.  Unbelief can rob us of blessing, but it won’t stop God’s purposes.

Will you respond to Him?  Will you hear and heed His voice?  Today could be the dawn of a new day for you—hope could arise, even in this dark hour.

 

THE CONFESSION CELEBRATING HOPE

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”   (Luke 2:9-14) 

God’s messengers are sent to flood the Judean hillside with the light of hope—and it would be shepherds who heard this celestial confession of Christ.

It was a confession of THE GLORIOUS PERSON (v.9-12). 

That such a lofty announcement would come to such a lowly assembly is incredible.  Shepherds were despised—they were dirty and smelled of sheep.  It was a job you didn’t want.  Yet such are the very ones who would be receptive.  A message of hope is most appreciated by the hopeless. 

The good news is about a glorious Person—a Savior, Christ the Lord.  As Savior, He is the Son of Man who came to give His life as a ransom.  As Christ, He is the Son of David who is rightful heir to David’s throne.  As Lord, He is the Son of God, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”  (John 1:14)

This confession was not only about the Glorious Person, but was in and of itself A GLORIOUS PROCLAMATION (v.13-14). 

It was all about giving God glory.  The glory of God is the chief end of all things.  It is preeminent.  The universe is moving to this ultimate goal of the glory of God.

When we give ourselves to His glory, we experience His peace. Sin is when we seek to give ourselves His glory—of being our own god.  God’s goodwill comes when we repent and submit to Him.  When we are elevating ourselves, we are assailing Him and are at war with God—and that is always a losing proposition.  But, when we bow to Him, and promote His glory, then we are a peace with God.

THE MEN WHO SAW HOPE

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.  (Luke 2:15-16)

You have never seen God.  You cannot see God.  He is invisible—and you cannot see the invisible. 

Or can you? 

The Apostle John said, “No one has seen God at any time.  The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” (1:18)  Later, another disciple, Philip, entreated Jesus, “show us the Father” and Jesus replied, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” (John 14:8-9) 

When Mary looked at the infant she cradled in her arms, she saw the Infinite who held the universe in His hands.  Shepherds came to the manger to see Him, and saw something else—they saw hope! 

Hope is not readily apparent in our world.  It is often obscured by the despair all around us.  It is invisible and we are tempted to hopelessness.  What we must do is look to Jesus who makes the invisible visible.  Heb.11:27 says that Moses “endured as seeing Him who is invisible.”  We will explore this further this week as we see the men who saw hope!

HOPE RETURNS BY A SUPERNATURAL PRESENCE

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.  (Luke 1:11-12)

There are those times that God breaks into the course of the natural realm with a dramatic supernatural event.  That happened as Zacharias prayed and ministered in the Temple.

First, we have REVELATION (v.11)  The language leads us to believe the angel was there, but invisible to human vision.  Then, God manifests Gabriel’s form for the old eyes of Zacharias to behold a wonder he has not observed during his many years. 

If God opened our spiritual eyes, we would see there are angels all around us. There are things happening in the spiritual dimension continually, of which we have been oblivious.  I think of Jacob lying down his head on a stone for a pillow, and as he dreams, seeing heaven open—a stairway reaching up to God’s throne—with angels ascending and descending.  He awakens to call it Bethel—the House of God—and exclaim that he did not even suspect he was in such a sacred location!

Then, look at this story from 2 Kings 6:14-18 where the King of Syria has dispatched his army to kill Elisha the prophet: 

Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.  And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”  So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.  So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

We are never alone—God is near! 

Some years ago, my son Corey broke his arm.  As a young child he was terrified and in pain when they took him into X-Ray and shut the massive door.  He couldn’t see me, but I could hear him crying, “Daddy!  Daddy, help me!”  I was there, overseeing and caring—feeling for him.  Don’t think that God ever abandons His child!

Then, we find REVERENCE (v.12)  Zacharias is awestruck.  In our age, we are often so casual and careless about holy things and sacred places.  Many church gatherings resemble a circus meant to entertain man rather than a worship service aimed at exalting Christ.  Irreverence comes from failing to see God as He is!  If an angel could so terrify a good man, like Zacharias, what reverence should be shown the Lord?  Our behavior in God’s sanctuary may indicate that the glory has departed—for when the glory of God is manifested, we cannot but tremble and be driven to our knees!

The exhibition of a supernatural presence is a most remarkable thing.  It can happen, but rarely happens—and that’s what makes it so dramatic.  We cannot demand it, but when a Sovereign God chooses to disclose Himself or His messenger—or to do a miraculous work—then it is a transformational event.  It surely was for Zacharias!

May God make us spiritually attune to His activity, whether seen or unseen.