QT 1/8/2024 Mark 12:22-27, Heaven is better

Mark 12:22–27 (ESV) —

22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”

24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor 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 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the 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 God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”

 

NOTE: Jesus is in Jerusalem before the Passover. And like the Passover lamb, there is a series of questions / inspection to make sure the Passover lamb is pure. Apparently, the Sadducees did not believe in a life after death. The Sadducees may have only accepted the Pentateuch as inspired and the party was mostly political. Jesus quotes from the Pentateuch arguing, based on the tense of the verb, that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob still lived at the time of Moses, although in heaven (and are living today). And that relationships change in heaven (marriage does not exist, or at least relationships are different). Technically, they have not been "resurrected" yet into their new bodies, that occurs after the tribulation. But their spirits are alive in heaven with God. I really don't understand the difference between the spirit form and the resurrected body, but I believe what Jesus says will happen. I also believe that whatever happens, it will be glorious. There is nothing about life on earth that we will feel that we missed out. And there will be things in heaven that could never be experienced on earth.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I worry about missing out on experiences of earth when I am resurrected or die?
2. Do I believe that God has an even greater plan?

 

PRAYER: Father, when you created earth, and relationships, and work -- we were intended to live forever with access to the tree of life. That was heaven. But we rebelled against your plan, and life changed a lot. We died with no healing. Relationships became difficult. Work became frustrating. And we suffered from a body now contaminated with sin. Thanks be to you, that you have rescued us from our rebellion, redeemed us with the blood or your son, and resurrected your son as first fruits of all those who would believe in him. Thank you!