The Power of His Resurrection # 30

It is a challenge to us as to faith in Christ. It is bringing Christ into every situation. That is government, dominion. That is the Throne, because he is the exalted, reigning Christ.

We are glad that He is there in that position: "And he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things in the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that fillet all in all." Faith recognizes that: faith sees that; faith applies that. It is what Christ is in heaven.

The course of things is that at the beginning we have union in Christ with the Father; at the end we have union with Christ in the Father. That is what the Word teaches. Firstly, our union is in Christ with the Father; then the Word shows that the end of the process is eventually union with Christ in the Father.

Union is a progressive thing. Faith at present operates in the direction of our union in Christ with the Father. Faith works out eventually to bring us in union with Christ in the Father. This does not mean - is it necessary to say? - absorption in the Godhead, or participation in Deity.

The main point of our consideration is that resurrection life, the power of His resurrection, is essentially in its nature a Throne union with the Lord, and that that is to have a practical outworking in a spiritual way now. Ultimately it will have a literal outworking universally. Our business at present is to learn how to reign in life by the One Man, Jesus Christ. The Lord teach us what it means to reign in life.

Closing Scenes

2 Kings 13:14-25)

In these verses we read of the closing scenes in the life of Elisha. There are three thing which stand out.

1. The arrow of the Lord's deliverance.

2. The smiting of the ground with the arrows.

3. The body of the dead soldier reviving by contact with Elisha's body.

These three instances are a very fitting conclusion to the life of Elisha in the light of the spiritual meaning of his life, namely, that he represents throughout the power of resurrection life; that is, testimony in life all the way through, is one of testimony against death in various and numerous forms. Here we have Elisha at the end, but how wonderfully the life is maintained.

How suited to all that has gone before are these incidents. Life triumphant over death right through to the last! Although it says that he was sick of his sickness whereof he  died, that is only one aspect. That relates to the human vessel. There is another side where Elisha never did die. When the human vessel has gone, even then the testimony to life triumphant over death is maintained, so that the very dead are quickened by that testimony, which goes on when the vessel has departed. It is mighty life.

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 31)