"He is not God of the dead, but of the living,
for to Him all are alive.”
LUKE 20:38
God’s relationship to His people does not end at their death, but continues in heaven, where they live on to worship Him. Jesus used the example of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whom God called His friends, to show that they are still alive in God’s sight, even though they died long ago. Jesus’ words were a powerful testimony to the reality and hope of the resurrection, which He himself would demonstrate by rising from the dead. (Microsoft Bing)
Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. Then the second 31 and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” And they no longer dared to ask him anything. (Luke 20:27-40)
In this profound context, it reminds us that our connection with the Divine transcends physical existence. Life, in its truest sense, depends upon our relationship with God. We live to Him, and in Him. Thus, when He reveals Himself as the God of those who have passed from this earthly life, He testifies that this relationship continues beyond the veil of mortality. They are not truly dead; they remain alive unto Him. This timeless truth invites us to consider life beyond the boundaries of our earthly existence, affirming that in God’s eyes, all souls are eternally alive. (Microsoft Bing)
In the Book of Revelation, there’s a remarkable scene where two witnesses ascend to heaven. As their enemies watched, a loud voice from heaven called out to them: “Come up here!” And in that moment, they rose toward the celestial realm, carried by a cloud, leaving their adversaries in awe.
I, John, heard a voice from heaven speak to me: Here are my two witnesses: These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths and devours their enemies. In this way, anyone wanting to harm them is sure to be slain. They have the power to close up the sky so that no rain can fall during the time of their prophesying. They also have power to turn water into blood and to afflict the earth with any plague as often as they wish. When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will wage war against them and conquer them and kill them. Their corpses will lie in the main street of the great city, which has the symbolic names “Sodom” and “Egypt,” where indeed their Lord was crucified. Those from every people, tribe, tongue, and nation will gaze on their corpses for three and a half days, and they will not allow their corpses to be buried. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and be glad and exchange gifts because these two prophets tormented the inhabitants of the earth. But after the three and a half days, a breath of life from God entered them. When they stood on their feet, great fear fell on those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven say to them, “Come up here.” So they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies looked on. (Revelation 11:4-12)
This mystical event, filled with symbolism, captures the tension between earthly struggles and divine intervention. Imagine those witnesses, suspended in the sky, their enemies gazing upward, witnessing a miraculous departure. It’s a scene that resonates with wonder and mystery, inviting us to contemplate the intersection of the mundane and the transcendent.
So, like those witnesses, may we also find moments when we rise above our challenges, carried by unseen forces, and leave our adversaries bewildered. Perhaps, in our own lives, we too can hear that celestial voice saying, “Come up here,” beckoning us toward greater heights. And as the clouds envelop us, may we ascend, leaving behind the strife and limitations of this world, even if just for a fleeting moment, as our enemies look on in astonishment.
Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. When people are saying, “Peace and security,” then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief. For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-6)
Indeed, these words resonate with a sense of urgency and vigilance. They echo through time, urging us to remain awake and clear-headed. Life’s currents can lull us into complacency, but this call reminds us to be attentive, to keep our senses sharp.
Stay alert, like a sentinel on watch, scanning the horizon for signs of change. The night may envelop us, but we are not passive dreamers; we are awake, ready to face whatever comes. So, let us not drift into slumber, but rather, let us be sober—not just in the literal sense, but in our awareness of life’s ebb and flow. For in wakefulness, we find purpose, clarity, and the strength to navigate the unknown.
Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war. My refuge and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, my shield, in whom I trust, who subdues peoples under me. O God, I will sing a new song to you; with a ten-stringed lyre I will chant your praise, you who give victory to kings, and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword. (Psalm 144:1, 2, 9-10)
Indeed, blessed is the Lord, the unyielding rock, who hones our hands for the fray, and our fingers for the clash of arms. In the forge of adversity, our sinews are tempered, our resolve steeled. Picture it: the anvil of trials, the hammer of challenge, and the sparks that fly as we learn to wield our weapons—both literal and metaphorical. Our hands, once untested, now bear the scars of training, etched with purpose. And when the battle drums resound, we step forward, fingers gripping the hilt, hearts aflame. For we are not mere spectators; we are warriors, shaped by the divine craftsman, ready to face the tumult of life. Blessed be the Lord, our silent instructor.
Source:
Microsoft Bing
