Saturday, November 19, 2016
John 5:28-29 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth--
RISING TO ETERNAL LIFE
This event, this rising, will take place at the Last Judgment. In that hour, all who are in the graves, all the dead-- whether they died believers or unbelievers-- will hear His voice and come out. Once again, only the Son of God can speak to the physically dead and cause them both to hear and to rise. We know that He has the power because He raised both Lazarus and Jairus' daughter during His earthly ministry, and Himself arose the third day.
There will be one resurrection of the dead, not many. There will be one return of Christ, not many. Christ is the only one who can offer life to the spiritually dead and life to the physically dead. He offers both by means of His powerful word, which is why He can say (John 8:51, NIV): "If anyone keeps my word, He will never see death."
We entered this world in the dark, spiritually dead, but have been given life through faith, faith created by His powerful word.
We will enter into physical death, but will rise at His voice to eternal life.
Come, Lord Jesus!
