This world experiences constant death in war. And constant death through sickness. There is also death that comes as a result of old age. We hear constant reports of wrongful deaths. Death which was the result of accidents. Death that comes due to terrorism. And death that occurs because of hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, droughts, famines, earthquakes, wind knocking down trees, and on and on.

Death is all around us. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23). Certainly this world is that valley of death's shadow. We hear of the death of strangers all the time. Sometimes we hear of the death of friends. And tragically at times death comes to those we know intimately in our own family.

Ah, death is so terrible. So awful. So painful. And yet so powerful who can stand before it?

In a world where there is death everywhere we turn, and mankind stands in fear of it everyday, you would think that the news of One that had died and yet risen from the dead---of One that had beaten death itself. Of One that had conquered the terrible foe and gloriously triumphed over it---would be the greatest news imaginable. News that declared there was a power greater and mightier that that awful plague. A power so much greater that it could even swallow up death itself and destroy it rather than it destroying Him.

Of course there was such a man. And there is such a man still. He still exists because death did not conquer Him. It did not finish Him. This man liveth and yet was dead, and behold He is alive forevermore—

Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Amazing that Jesus WAS dead but liveth. Death could not keep Him. He triumphed over it as He rose up from its clutches at the foundation of the world and demonstrated that glorious truth on the cross in 33 AD.

Hallelujah to the Lord of Lords that has won the victory over death. He is risen.

Matthew 28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

And because He has risen God's elect people will also rise from the dead and live forevermore.

1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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