Greetings sis Reis, et al;
I thought that mr. Hawker's comments were very thoughtful and free
of the fantastical ideas that some have posed wherein they imagine
CHRIST in flames of fire and torment. The hell here mentioned is hades
which is referring to the grave or place and state of the dead and not
as many imagine the Lake of Fire into which the wicked shall be cast
along with the devil and death itself at the final judgement. CHRIST
could not be held in death, because there was no corruption in HIM and
thus HE triumphed over death and the grave for those who were in HIM by
blessed union. We live because HE lives. /"And this is the record, that
God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that
hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not
life." (1John 5:11-12/)
Blessings, mike
On 4/12/2024 2:24 PM, Soraya Reis wrote:
*"His soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption." Acts 2:31*
*Two sweet, but distinct thoughts, arise out of this scripture: one, concerns the soul of Christ; the other, respects his body; and both are most blessed to the believer in the review. My soul! Thou hast attended to the parched state of thy Redeemer, as represented on the cross, and made it the subject of thy morning meditation; do thou now behold what this scripture states, under all his humiliating circumstances, that neither hell nor the grave can have dominion over him. His soul shall not be long in a way of separation from the body, in the invisible state; for very shortly it shall arise from hades, the hell here mentioned. And his body is too holy, harmless, and undefiled, to admit of putrefaction; yea, it must he presented before the Lord for a sweet-smelling savour. *
*Precious thought to the believer! Jesus needed not to lie long under the dominion of death: he had fully paid the debt of sin by death; and therefore there needed no detention to make farther restitution for the sins of his people, when thus fully cancelled. And as the infinite holiness and purity of his nature could not become subject to the power of corruption, he needed not to lie longer in the grave than might clearly and fully ascertain to his people in all ages, the reality of his death, for the better confirmation of the resurrection that followed. *
*Hence Jesus could not be left, as the great representative of his people, in a situation so comfortless, when the work was completed which the Father gave him to do. And as his holy nature could not admit the possibility of corruption; so the covenant of redemption exempted him from it. Add to these, it was needful that, both in soul and body, He who had died for our sins, should rise again for our justification, and not only triumph in our nature over death, hell, and the grave, but return to the right hand of power, "there to appear in the presence of God for us." *
*Hail! Thou holy and triumphant Lord! I bow the knee before thee! In thy holiness thy people are considered holy: and as thy spotless soul could not be detained in hell, neither thy flesh see corruption, so all thy redeemed shall be accounted holy before thee, and through thy righteousness, be considered righteous before God and thy Father for ever. Amen.*
*Robert Hawker (1753-1827) ***
