Firstborn From the Dead

Some time ago I went to a funeral where we celebrated the life of a dear woman who went to be with the Lord. Why were we able to celebrate her life even though we were sad she was no longer with us? We could celebrate her life because we knew she was with Christ, who Colossians 1:18 describes as “the beginning, the Firstborn from the Dead.”

Firstborn from the Dead. How can Jesus be called that? Didn’t He resurrect people to life? Weren’t the graves opened and people rose when Jesus died on the cross and the veil in the temple was torn?

Yes, Jesus raised people from the dead and yes, the tombs were opened and people raised when He died. However, those who had been resurrected died again. Jesus is called the firstborn from the dead because He was the first to rise in a resurrection body, never to die again.

In Revelation 1:4-5, John also referred to Jesus as the firstborn of the dead. “Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.”

Later, in Revelation 1:12-20, John saw the resurrected Lord. He heard Jesus speak. As a result, John “fell at His feet like a dead man” so shocking it was to see Jesus in glory.

The Firstborn from the Dead is alive and well as you will be when you join Him in glory.

Lord Jesus, we praise You, the FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD and thank You that we, too, will be alive forever.

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