Jesus raised the dead (John 11:38-44; Luke 7:11-17; Mark 5:35-43). God used both Peter (Acts 9:36-43) and Paul (Acts 20:7-12) to raise the dead. And in the Old Testament, God worked through Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:18-37) to defeat death.
More important to me, I was dead in my “trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), but by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus alone, I was miraculously and marvelously given new life! I was “born again” (John 3:7) by the wonder-working power of Jesus!
“He saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:5–7). Eternal life, full and free!
But in Zarephath …
The smell of death wafted through the air, the horrifying results of the drought. Cattle and sheep lay dead, their carcasses left to rot in the sun. People were starving because there had been no harvest for three years and death was at the forefront of everyone’s mind.
But in the home of the widow, the barrel of flour and the jar of oil never failed. After Elijah had resided in Zarephath for months, the widow’s son “became ill. His illness got worse until he stopped breathing” (1 Kings 17:17).
Elijah, God’s prophet, “cried out to the Lord and said, ‘Lord my God, have you also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?’ Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times. He cried out to the Lord and said, ‘Lord my God, please let this boy’s life come into him again!’ So the Lord listened to Elijah, and the boy’s life came into him again, and he lived” (1 Kings 17:20-21).
When the heart-broken momma took the once-dead boy in her arms, she exclaimed, “Now I know you are a man of God and the Lord’s word from your mouth is true” (1 Kings 17:24). Once the Gentile widow truly realized that the Lord had life-giving power, her life was forever changed.
And that’s exactly what happened in Jerusalem two-thousand years ago. The angel appeared, saying, “Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said!” (Matthew 28:5-6). Jesus defeated death… forever!
“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).
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