The Power Over Death: Resurrections in the Bible
Title: The Power Over Death: Resurrections in the Bible
Speaker: Dr. Radito Dizon
Scripture Focus: 1 Kings 17, Mark 5
When we study the Scriptures, we find incredible accounts of resurrections in the Bible that display the sovereignty of God over life and death. In a previous message concerning the rich man and Lazarus, we learned that under ordinary circumstances, the dead cannot return. Abraham told the rich man that a great boundary is fixed, preventing souls from crossing over to warn the living. However, throughout history, there have been extraordinary exceptions. A resurrection is the rising of a dead person to life, whether ultimately through God’s power operating through a prophet or directly by the Lord Himself. As we explore the Old and New Testaments, we see that many people were raised from the dead, serving to authenticate God’s messengers and pointing to our future hope in Christ.
Resurrections in the Bible: The Widow’s Son at Zarephath
In the Old Testament, we find that multiple people were brought back to life. One of the first significant accounts of resurrections in the Bible involves the widow’s son in Zarephath during the time of Elijah. God commanded Elijah to go to a widow who would provide for him. When he arrived, she only had a handful of meals and a little oil left for herself and her son, anticipating that they would eat their final meal and die. Following Elijah’s instructions, they were miraculously sustained, and their supply did not run dry.
Unfortunately, in an unexpected turn of events, the widow’s son fell severely ill and died. According to the Scripture, his sickness was so sore that there was no breath left in him. The grieving mother questioned Elijah, asking if he had come to judge her sin and slay her son. Elijah took the child out of her bosom, carried him up into a loft where he stayed, and laid him upon his bed. Then, he cried out to the Lord with a fervent prayer.
“And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again.” (1 Kings 17:21)
God heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. Elijah brought him down out of the chamber and delivered him unto his mother, saying, “See, thy son liveth.” This miracle served a specific purpose. It confirmed Elijah’s divine calling. The woman declared, “Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.” Miracles, such as these, were often given to authenticate the prophet’s message and confirm that they were truly sent by God.
Elisha and the Shunammite’s Son
After Elijah was taken up to heaven, his student and successor, Elisha, continued the prophetic ministry. Elisha frequently stayed in the home of a barren woman and her elderly husband. Perceiving her barrenness, Elisha promised that by the next year, she would embrace a son. The woman initially thought he was joking, not wanting to be completely given false hope, but she indeed conceived and bore a son just as Elisha had promised.
Sadly, when the child grew older, he fell ill and passed away. The woman did not immediately tell her husband that the boy was dead. Instead, she laid him on the bed of the man of God and hurried to find Elisha. As she approached, Elisha saw her from afar and sent his servant to ask if everything was well. In faith and sorrow, she merely answered, “It is well.” But when she reached Elisha, she lamented that she had not asked for a son, only to have him taken away so tragically.
Elisha understood her deep sorrow and went to the house. Just like his predecessor Elijah, Elisha prayed to the Lord to restore the child’s life. He laid upon the child, and God heard his prayer, fully restoring the boy to his mother. This stands as another pivotal example of the Lord’s power, in which God restored life to confirm the authority of His prophet and to show deep mercy to a grieving family.
The Miracle at Elisha’s Grave
A third remarkable instance of Old Testament resurrections in the Bible involves the bones of Elisha himself. Sometime after Elisha died and was buried, bands of invading Moabites entered the land. As some Israelites were burying a man, they spied a band of these enemies. In their fear and haste, they cast the dead man into the sepulchre of Elisha.
“And when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.” (2 Kings 13:21)
We might wonder where the soul of the man went during that brief period of death. The Bible does not give us explicit details on exactly where the soul of the child or this man went. We should not burden our minds with endless speculation, as the primary lesson is that the power of God was so absolute and present that even touching the bones of His prophet returned life to the dead.
Resurrections in the Bible: Jesus Raises Jairus’s Daughter
While there are records of these extraordinary events in the Old Testament, there are even more profound accounts of resurrections in the Bible found in the New Testament. One of the most touching stories involves Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, whose young daughter was at the point of death. Jairus sought out Jesus, knowing His healing power. However, as they were making their way, individuals approached Jairus and said, “Thy daughter is dead; why troublest thou the Master any further?”
Upon hearing this devastating news, Jesus immediately encouraged Jairus, commanding him, “Be not afraid, only believe.” When Jesus arrived at the house, He found a crowd of professional mourners weeping and wailing loudly. Jesus rebuked them and stated that the girl was not dead, but only sleeping. The crowd laughed Him to scorn, for in their earthly perspective, seeing is believing, and they were confident she had passed away.
Jesus entered the room, took the child by the hand, and spoke the words, “Talitha cumi,” which translates to, “Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.” At once, the twelve-year-old girl stood up and walked, deeply astonishing everyone present. Jesus deliberately showed that what we view as the finality of death is simply like a restful sleep in the eyes of God. For believers, the end of our earthly physical life is not a hopeless conclusion; we are merely asleep in the Lord, awaiting our awakening.
The Widow’s Son at Nain
Another powerful demonstration of Christ’s authority over death is the raising of the widow’s son at Nain. Overwhelmed by sorrow, a widow was weeping as the funeral procession carried the only son she had out of the city gates.
When the Lord Jesus Christ saw her, He had great compassion on her and said, “Weep not.” Without any frantic ritual, He simply went up to the procession and ordered, “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.” Immediately, the young man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus compassionately delivered him to his mother.
Conclusion: Our Future Hope
Many people became firm believers because of these miraculous signs. All these resurrections in the Bible assure us that whatever God wills shall be accomplished. The Lord is incredibly merciful, granting us this understanding so we do not have to live in fear of death. As Christians, these Biblical accounts comfort us. We know with certainty that when our time comes to face physical death, we will rise again to share in the eternal presence of God.
If you were blessed by this message from Dr. Radito Dizon, we invite you to grow in your faith and understanding of God’s Word with us. Come and experience the love of Christ by planning a visit to our church.
For more encouraging studies, please explore our Sermon Page and stay connected with our community on the Antioch Baptist Church Facebook Page.