Waking Up the Dead-Continuing with Mark 9:1-9

THURSDAY

Continued from Tuesday...
I got delayed with preparations for Cowboy Sunday coming this Sunday. So there was not a post for Wednesday. When we last left off I was telling the story of Saul and Witch of Endor.

Saul and the Witch of Endor

I want to look at some of the other examples of people seeing people who have long been dead. First Samuel 28:3-25 tells us an interesting story about Saul asking the Witch of Endor if he and the army of Israel were going to win an upcoming battle. While the goes about doing her 'witchy' stuff God uses the moment in the life of Saul to remind Saul who he should have been asking! Now is Saul's defense Saul had been asking God for guidance. However, because of Saul's sins God had long cutoff communication. Saul was not left without an answer. SAUL COULD HAVE REPENTED. However, instead of repentance Saull seeks out a medium (witch) to find out the future. Ironically, Saul had driven out the witches and mediums from the country. This is why Saul had to disguise himself and find one in secret. In any event, God turns the tables on Saul and brings up the prophet Samuel from the dead. Do not be NAIVE! The medium could not do ANYTHING! Only God has power over life and death! However, the text assumes Saul is believing her to bring up Samuel from the dead. It was Samuel who first anointed Saul to be King. Even the witch appears surprised that anything actually happened! Samuel shows up and asks Saul, "Why are you disturbing me?" Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor? He reiterates that God has cut him off! However, Saul could always REPENT, but he CHOOSES not to! REPENTANCE seems to be foreign to Saul. Samuel tells Saul that he will not win this war against the Philistines and reminds him what had already been prophesied, "You will lose your Kingdom!"

Conclusions
We have Elijah and Moses coming back from the dead for the Transfiguration of Jesus. We have Samuel being summoned from the dead for the purposes of talking to Saul. Remember, we don't know much about tomorrow, but we know who holds tomorrow. In like manner, we don't know much about the afterlife. And, there is a reason for this... we are called to trust God. To trust God that belief in His Son Jesus will take us into the afterlife. To trust God that he has all the physics worked out about how that afterlife world will work. And, trust God for a body that I assure you we will like.  Just one more point! And, this is a teaser! Heaven is not the endpoint of our existence. Christ is coming to restore this old world. To create new heavens and a new earth. Have you ever wonder why we sing the doxology?

Glory be to the Father

And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning (Eden)

Is NOW and ever shall be (NOW AND THEN)

WORLD WITHOUT END, A-men.

Tomorrow, we will talk about where Samuel, Elijah, Moses, and even Jesus for three days were hanging out after death!

See you tomorrow!