March 19, 2023
The Hour is Coming
“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.” John 5:25-27 (NASB)
I visit the memorial park where my daughter and father are buried each week. I always try to make sure both areas are well maintained. It’s important to me and in my mind shows respect to their lives. They both left indelible impacts on my life. As I walk though each section to visit both, I notice a cemetery which is quickly filling up with new burials. I also notice some of the dates on the headstones as I walk through the cemetery. Some old, some brand new. I wonder sometimes what each person was like in their lifetime. Did they accept Jesus or not? I wonder what it would be like to see all those rising again when Jesus calls them at the Rapture of the Church. I also think about those who now are condemned to eternity in Hell. They will never have a chance to change their decision. The one that determines where they spend their eternity. So many decisions are already made that can never be changed. I know there are so many people wishing they would have made the right decisions. So many are thankful because they are encountering the blessings of eternal righteousness and peace with God.
“…an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live” (verse 25). This is a mildly complicated verse, but in-context provides interesting insight about two decisions you make in life. Yes, an hour is coming for those who will or have rejected Jesus Christ as Savior. These are spiritually “the dead” Jesus was talking about. The hour for the Jews had come. Jesus had come. The religious Jews He was speaking to were spiritually dead. They looked great on the outside, but they were spiritually bankrupt on the inside. Jesus spoke to the need for those who were “dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.” “It is generally assumed that the dead in this verse refers to the spiritually dead, not to the physically dead. The latter are mentioned in verses 28 and 29. In the course of Jesus’ ministry those who were spiritually dead did hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who obeyed it did live.”[1] The two decisions here are, hear and live, or reject and face “Him who has the authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.” The Judge of mankind was staring at them when He spoke these words. How frightening...
I can only imagine what this one little cemetery would look like when all those who in-Christ rise one day to meet Him. When Jesus saves, we are brought from death to life. We can be assured we won’t face an eternity without Him. For those who don’t want to hear His voice, I can’t imagine facing Him as Divine Judge. I am just so glad I was able to hear the voice of the Son of God. I am going to be well maintained by God and not someone who visits a cemetery. He has everything I ever need. Never needing to place flowers to make me look presentable. No need for cleaning of a headstone. No need to fill in earth as it settles. Jesus has secured my every need. For me on this earth, until the day He calls me home, I will continue to do what I feel is right and proper, and then I will leave it all in His hands…
[1] Barclay Moon Newman and Eugene Albert Nida, A Handbook on the Gospel of John, UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 1993), 158.