December 20 – Is Death Final?

After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body. Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. John 19:38-42 

No red letter words today. In this passage of scripture, Jesus was dead. Two of His secret followers provided a tomb and burial spices and saw to it that He was buried in the traditional Jewish way before the sun set. Death is final—it was over. Usually that is how it works. But this time was different. Jesus had spoken of the temple being rebuilt in three day..."Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." John 2:19 Was He the Temple? From this side of the cross and with our hindsight we know that Jesus was and is the Temple. He told this to His disciples and the Jews in the Temple at the time of the Passover. They didn’t see or understand what He was saying. 

How often do we not see or hear what is really being said?  

Lord, help us to see, hear and understand spiritually what is true, right and just that as righteous children of God we would give Him honor and glory.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).