DEAD BUT ALIVE FOREVER MORE
I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Revelation 1:18
I. WAS DEAD
LIFE AND DEATH ARE GOD-GIVEN
God made and blesses man to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue it and rule over every other creature on earth (Genesis 1:28). Death was never the original plan of God for man. But in case man disobeys God, man was warned of death.
Genesis 2:17 – but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Satan in his craftiness deceived man, made him disobey God and automatically choose death as a result.
The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up (1 Samuel 2:6)
GOD HATES DEATH
– God gave man life; sin brought in death; sin was brought by Satan. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). So now Satan is said to have authority over death just by making man sin. Whenever mankind sins, Satan has the legal authority to claim death over him.
– Just as God hates sin, He hates death too. The last enemy that will be destroyed is Death (1 Corinthians 15:26).
– The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (John 10:10).
DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST PROPHESIED
– Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8; Isaiah 53:10-12)
– Jesus Himself prophesied of His death and resurrection – From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day (Matthew 16:21).
II. HAVE THE KEYS OF DEATH AND HADES
VICTORY OVER DEATH PROPHESIED
Isaiah 25:8 – He will swallow up death in victory
1 Corinthians 15:55 – O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
Death is still there but its sting is removed for now. As a scorpion without its sting, so is death now to God’s children.
As His children who believe that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins are free from sin, so are they free from the fear of death (1 John 1:7; Hebrews 2:14-15).
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22).
DEATH IS DIFFERENT FOR THOSE IN CHRIST (1 Corinthians 15:45-49; 22)
| First Adam – Man (Men without Christ) | Last Adam – Christ (Men with Christ) |
| Whole earth begotten from first man | Those who believe in Christ and are reborn |
| Living-soul | Life-giving Spirit |
| Natural man | Spiritual man |
| Made of the dust of the earth | Came from heaven |
| Earthly | Heavenly |
| Image of earthly man (Adam was given a glorious covering which he lost) | Image of heavenly man (God gave man a leather coat again) |
| All will die | Die but will be made alive |
– No second death for those who believe in Jesus Christ – Revelation 2:11
–John 11:25 – Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies (The dead in Christ will rise up first during rapture). And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (Alive in Christ will be caught up to meet Christ in the sky. They are the ones who will never die)
– No more death for Christ – Romans 6:9 – For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has dominion over Him.
KEYS OF DEATH & HADES & THEIR FINAL DESTRUCTION
– Through His death, Christ got back the keys (AUTHORITY) of death and hades from Satan (Revelation 1:18) He snatched the authority.
– By dying for our sins, Jesus got the key of death and by going into Hades He got back the key of Hades. He faced ‘DEATH’, the consequence of our sins and went into ‘HADES’ where ours sins should have taken us to.
– Angel of God had the key of the Abyss – Revelation 9:1 – Then the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth, and it was given the key to the pit of the Abyss.
– Revelation 20:1 – Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the Abyss, holding in his hand a great chain.
– Jesus has the keys to open or shut anything in heaven or earth – he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; (Revelation 3:7)
– Death and hades are present but not prevalent over the children of God – And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
– Jesus Christ gives us the key to bind and loose – Matthew 16:19 – I will give to you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.”
– Final Destruction
– When Jesus sits on the Great White Throne to judge the world, death and hades give back their dead – Revelation 20:13 – The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.
– Death and hades will be thrown into the lake of fire – Revelation 20:14 – Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death–the lake of fire
– We live and die for Christ because He is alive forever more. He is alive with us here while we are alive on earth and He also alive is with us in the afterlife Romans 14:8,9 – For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s…
JESUS CHRIST OVERCAME DEATH & HADES BY FACING DEATH & HADES
– FACED DEATH
– Jesus was born in flesh in the lineage of David. He faced death and His soul went to hades where all the dead from Adam till Jesus were present. He was resurrected from among the dead by the Holy Spirit.
Romans 1:3-4 – concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
– FACED HADES
– His soul went to hades but was not left there. – Therefore, my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover, my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption (Acts 2:26-27).
– He brought the old testament saints along with Him to rest in His everlasting presence – Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended” —what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) (Ephesians 4:8-10)
– and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many (Matthew 27:52-53).
– Hades was below the earth – “For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.” (Genesis 37:35) (Both the good and bad part of it)
– After the death of Jesus Christ, it is up in heaven – “…… caught up to the third heaven …………… he was caught up into Paradise.” (2 Corinthians 11:1-4)
– So immediately after death, the soul of a man with Christ will be in the presence of God – We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
This is how now Jesus has the keys of death and hades now with Him.
III. ALIVE FOREVER MORE – WE TOO WITH HIM
– Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! (Luke 24:5-6
– He who lives forever (Daniel 12:7)
– But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:24-25)
– Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:7)
– Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’ (Daniel 7:27)
JESUS- THE ONLY WAY
Because He went through everything that a sinful man should have gone through and legally overcame the consequences of sin, it is JESUS CHRIST alone who is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE to the Father God. None can go to the Father except through JESUS CHRIST (John 14:6).
He is the GATE and anyone who enters through Jesus Christ will be saved (John 10:9). He is the HIGHWAY, the way of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass through it. But whoever walks in that Way (the ONLY WAY – JESUS CHRIST), although he is a fool, he will not go astray (Isai
