God of the Living

Mark 12:18-25 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” 24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.”
 
JESUS’ enemies keep asking questions, attempting to discredit him. The Sadducees, who do not believe in eternal life, not only want to disgrace Jesus, they attempt to convince the crowd around them heaven is a place of confused contention. Seven brothers eternally arguing over one woman would be very unpleasant!
    Jesus’ answer, as always, points us to the Scripture and to God’s power.
 
Mark 12:26-27 Now about the dead rising – have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”
 
As he always does, Jeus puts the offensive unbelievers on the defense. They came to him asserting Moses’ law as their authority. Yet, they refuse to believe God’s clear announcement that he is eternal. He told Moses that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are with him. He’s their God because they live. The LORD God is not a god of death and oblivion. The Sadducees need to grasp he truth about heaven before they can question heaven.
    Then Jesus answers the Sadducees’ challenge with a lesson on heaven. If we have a really good marriage, we may be disappointed to learn there is no marriage in heaven. We must understand that in all things the power of God will resurrect us from earthly life to a new life in heaven. When Jesus said we will be like the angels.  Jesus did not say we would become angels or be as the angels in every aspect. Remember we have a unique relationship with God. 1 John 3: 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. God’s power has determined a glorious life for his own in heaven.
          All questions that attempt to discredit Gold are spoken in ignorance. When someone challenges God and heaven, be sure you learn the truth before you respond.