Warm hellos once again friends, brethren, fellow laborers, spiritual family, and scattered children of God from here on the Gulf Coast of lower Alabama. My wife and I pray and hope this finds you doing well, and that again your week has been blessed.
I mentioned last Friday in my pastor’s letter that over the years I’ve conducted funerals for some who’ve died unexpectedly. Again, there is sadness over the loss especially for the family he or she leaves behind. But there is also the positive component of celebrating the life of one who remained faithful to their calling.
There are several instances in the Scriptures of gatherings to remember a deceased individual.
When Abraham and Isaac died, only their sons are mentioned in handling the burial. When Jacob died in Egypt, there was a seventy day mourning for him after the forty day embalming period. (Genesis 50:2-3) There was an enormous entourage that accompanied the body of Jacob as it was carried to Canaan. “So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, as well as all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house.” (vv.7-8) The body of Jacob was brought to and buried in the cave of the field of Machpelah in Canaan (v.13) where Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah and Leah had been buried. (Genesis 49:31).
One of the most important celebrations of one who has died is our celebration of the death of the Son of God who called Himself the “Son of Man”. It’s interesting that Jesus used that expression a number of times. (Matthew 24:27; 30, 37) Obviously Jesus is referring to Himself in these passages. He’s emphasizing His humanity. He knew He came to this earth from the Divine Elohim realm to be subject to death. The apostle Paul states it so clearly: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8 RSV) His incredibly painful death was witnessed by a large crowd which contained various backgrounds. His burial was attended by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. A group of unnamed “women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.” (Luke 23:55)
So, where did Jesus get this expression “Son of Man?”
He uses it as a Remez (which means “hint” or “clue”). Those of you who know the Hebrew Scriptures will recall the place. “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)
This is implying that this one to receive the kingdom would first come as a man to suffer death, be resurrected to His previous glory (John 17:5), and then return as the King of kings to set up the kingdom of God.
Jesus in Mathew 24, in referencing back to Daniel 7, is claiming and stating that He is the one who is the Messiah. He is the one who will eventually return to the earth in the clouds of heaven and will return to the spot from which He ascended, the Mount of Olives.” (Acts 1:10-12; Zechariah 14:3-4) He is the one whom the Jews expected to come on the scene and set up the kingdom of God. But, they ignored or didn’t perceive the prophecies in Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 7, 9 & 53, Psalm 22, Isaiah 7 & 9, and Zechariah 11, 12, 13 that spoke of that one to come who would be “wounded for our transgressions.” He would come first as the suffering servant, and then the second time as the conquering King of kings.
Eventually mankind will realize why the Word came as a man and as Son of Man to die. “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.” (Revelation 1:7) All have sinned and all will need to repent of sin and accept Christ’s sacrifice to pay for each one’s sins. We all need to acknowledge and respect the death of “the Son of Man” and appreciate His shed blood for payment of our sins, not His.
The Passover service foreshadowed the death of the Jesus, the unblemished Lamb of God. The apostle Paul states: “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” (1 Corinthians 5:7) “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26) The apostle John stated as he looked upon Jesus the man: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
We celebrate the victory over sin that Jesus the son of Man achieved and we commemorate His death once a year at the time of the Passover. Of course we worship a living Savior who is now at the right hand of His Father functioning as our High Priest…and what a blessing that is!
Arms up friends! Our sincere prayers and thoughts are with you daily. Thanks in advance for your heartfelt prayers for us.
