He is not the God of the dead, but of the living

Mark 12:18-37 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying, ¹⁹ “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife and leaves no child, his brother should marry the wife and raise up children to his brother. ²⁰ There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. ²¹ The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; ²² and so all seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also. ²³ In the resurrection, when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.” ²⁴ Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God? ²⁵ For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ²⁶ But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? ²⁷ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”

²⁸ One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” ²⁹ Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; ³⁰ and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ³² The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; ³³ and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.

³⁵ And Jesus began to say, as He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? ³⁶ David himself said in the Holy Spirit,

‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet.”’

³⁷ David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?” And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.

Today’s text ends saying:  Jesus began to say, as He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself said in the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet.”’ David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?” And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.   This is just one of many examples of why it is impossible to explain and understand the eternal and infinite by the finite. In Revelation 1:8, the Lord identifies and describes Himself saying:  "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."  What is understood about Jesus at any point in time, is not all of who He is in eternity. In John 8:58 Jesus says:   “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

Today’s text began saying:  Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife and leaves no child, his brother should marry the wife and raise up children to his brother. There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; and so all seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also. In the resurrection, when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.” Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”  Eternal life in the heavenly realm is not like this natural life on earth. It is not possible for us, with our finite minds, to fully comprehend the infinite and eternal.  When we rise from the dead and begin our eternity in heaven, it is not that we become angels, but rather we become like them. We are transformed from these natural, physical bodies, into eternal spiritual ones. We cannot fully comprehend what that will mean until we actually experience it. But that we are like the angels, is that our whole focus and purpose will be to praise, worship and serve God.

One of my favorite lyrics is from the song Amazing Grace: When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun.  Jesus taught us to pray saying:  Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  We fall short when we try to explain the things of heaven according to the things of earth. We are mistaken if we limit the infinite and eternal to our finite understanding. We may not be able to fully comprehend what heaven will be like. We can though begin to be the answer to the prayer that Jesus taught us. We can begin here on earth, to praise, worship and serve God, as we will in heaven.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit, forgive me when I limit Your infinite and eternal character by my finite understanding. May I know You as I Am, but also as, the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."  May Your kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.