Christ’s victory over death was glorious. At the cross He paid the penalty for our sins, taking our place under the wrath of God. He died so that we can live. But His death wasn’t the end of the story, nor will it be the end of ours.
Christ in the Old Testament
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. (Psalm 16:10)
David wrote these words of hope about how God handles the death of His people. God never abandons us, but instead offers us hope in even the worst circumstances. God isn’t just interested in our lives on this Earth, but also where we’ll spend eternity. The grave wasn’t the end, but was instead the next step in our experience with God.
Fulfilled in the New Testament
And the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. (Matthew 28:5-6)
Therefore, He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.’ For David, after he had served God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, and was buried among his fathers and underwent decay; but He whom God raised did not undergo decay. (Acts 13:35-37)
Death can be a terrifying thing. Even the most devout follower of Christ doesn’t know exactly what waits for us at the end of this life, and that unknown can make us fear what’s to come. However, Christ’s resurrection shows us that He has power over everything, including death itself.
Before Christ, our debt of sin kept us out of the Father’s presence in Heaven. Those who died before Christ were waiting for the final sacrificial Lamb to appear and take their place under the wrath. They were in the grave and apart from their God, but were never meant to be there permanently. They knew God’s Holy One was coming to claim His final victory over death.
Through Christ, we can have that same hope after death. We can trust that God has no more wrath or judgment for those whose sins have been paid for. When this life is over, we can trust that we get to spend an eternity in the perfect, holy presence of God. Death may be mysterious, but it will never have the final victory over a child of the King.
