Verse 26

"The last enemy to be destroyed is death."

A few months ago, I wrote a post as a part of this series on death as an enemy (see here), so I won't be discussing that aspect today, but instead the concept that death will be destroyed.

What does it mean that death will be destroyed? What are the implications of that strong of a statement? What basis is there to believe such a thing?

The power of this statement is explained and based in the resurrection of Christ.

The perfectly Law-fulfilling life of Christ when coupled with the perfect, substitutionarily-atoning death of Christ does not, on its own, make an end of death. This is demonstrated by the restored resurrection of Christ.

Christ's rising again shows not just his trustworthiness in keeping his promise, not just his provision of hope for his followers, but his total, complete, and unhindered mastery over the grave, over sin's power, and over death itself.

Complete. Total. Unhindered.

This isn't zombieism. This isn't defibrillator paddles. This isn't even the version of resurrection you see in other parts of the Bible.

Take the account of Lazarus' resurrection from John 11 for example. In John 11 (a chapter itself that should be gone through verse-by-verse), Jesus hears the news that his dear friend has fallen ill. Jesus travels to the place where Lazarus is, but the man has been dead for four days upon his arrival. Faith follows, doubt follows, crowds, intrigue, God's tears, God's glory, and Messianic prediction all follow. Great stuff. It's really, really worth reading the whole chapter, people. Go do it.

Then in the culmination, Jesus goes to the tomb where Lazarus was laid and commands him to come out. And sure enough, out comes a living Lazarus wrapped in linen grave clothes. Risen. Alive. Restored.

Amazing.

But Lazarus would and did die again. His resurrection wasn't final. That resurrected body decayed, broke down, and eventually succumbed to the forces of death. Lazarus was raised in grave clothes that would one day be re-applied. Lazarus emerged from a tomb that he would one day re-enter.

Christ is a different resurrection.

Christ has no need for grave clothes. Christ has no need for a tomb. His body was raised to never die again. Never to decay. Never to suffer the ill-effects of age.

A complete, total, unhindered resurrection.

A blazing sign pointing to a King who in His resurrection declares the power to destroy death.