Why would God care about Moses’ body?
(1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:18-37; Mark 5:35-43; Luke 7:11-17; John 11:38-45) Blog Oct. 23-29, 2022
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: Lucifer introduced pride into the universe: first in heaven, then on earth. When Adan chose to believe his lie, all humanity became subject to corruption of nature and condemnation to death. That death takes on two forms: temporal death and eternal death. The first is like an unconscious sleep. The second ends in total destruction. But even in the Old Testament, God gave the hope of resurrection from temporal death together with the hope of eternal salvation to those who believe his Word.
The Resurrection of Moses
1. What Old Testament believer was taken to heaven before the flood? God took Enoch to heaven (Gen. 5:24).
2. Did Enoch die before he was taken to heaven? No, for by faith Enoch walked with God & was taken to heaven without seeing death (Heb. 11:5).
3. What other Old Testament believer was taken to heaven without seeing death? Elijah was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire without seeing death (2 Kings 2:1, 11).
4. What Old Testament believer died and was later resurrected and taken to heaven? Moses died & God buried him in the land of Moab but later resurrected him & took him to heaven (Deut. 34:5-6).
5. How do we know that God resurrected and took Moses to heaven? Jude tells us that Michael disputed with the devil over the body of Moses & Moses appeared with Elijah on the mount of transfiguration thus showing that God resurrected & took him to heaven (Luke 9:30; Jude 9).
6. Who is Michael, the Archangel, that contended over the body of Moses? Michael is Jesus, himself, commander of heaven’s angels who Daniel calls “one of the chief Princes” (godhead), Daniel’s Prince that delivers God’s people (Dan. 10:13, 21; 12:1; Rev. 12:7)
7. Why would God care about Moses’ body? God cared about Moses’ body for the spirit has no function without the body & Moses (together with Elijah) was to serve a living function for God in heaven (Jam. 2:26).
8. How is the resurrection of Moses different from other resurrections before the cross? Moses’ resurrection was to life eternal while all other resurrections before the cross were only the restoration of temporal life (Luke 9:30)
Resurrection during the Prophets
9. Where did God send Elijah when the brook Cherith dried up? God send Elijah to Zarephath in Zidon where a widow & her son took him in (1 Kings 17:8-16)
10. When the widow’s son got sick and died what did Elijah do? Elijah took the boy to his room & prayed that he would come back to life (1 Kings 17:17-21)
11. When God answered Elijah’s prayer and restored the widow’s son to life, how did the widow react? When giver her resurrected son, the widow of Zarephath said to Elijah: “Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.” (1 Kings 17:22-24).
12. What caused such a commotion in the synagogue in Nazareth when Jesus mentioned the resurrection of the widow’s son? Those in Jesus’ hometown synagogue became angry when he pointed out that a true prophet is not accepted in his own country but rather must do his miracles in a foreign land (Luke 4:22-30)
13. What woman received a son from God in the days of Elisha? A great woman who lived in Shunem & constructed a special room for Elisha was given an unexpected son in response to Elisha’s prediction (2 Kings 4:11-17).
14. When the son of the Shunamite died what did Elisha do at her request? Elisha followed her home, revived the child & gave him to his mother alive (2 Kings 4:18-37).
15. In what other resurrection miracle did Elisha have a part? After Elisha died & was buried the Moabites attacked the land causing the pallbearers of a dead man to hurriedly thrust his body into Elisha’s sepulcher. When the body touched Elisha’s bones it came back to life & stood up (2 Kings 13:20-21).
16. Considering the resurrections recorded in the Old Testament, for whom must God have special compassion? God must have special compassion for women, for the resurrections recorded were for grieving mothers (Heb. 11:35).
Resurrections by Jesus
17. How did Jesus resurrect the son of the widow of Nain? Without being asked, Jesus just spoke & the dead man arose (Luke 7:11-17).
18. What did Jesus mean when he told the grieving friends of Jairus dead daughter: “The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.”? Jesus meant that temporal death was not near as serious as eternal death & that they should hope in the resurrection of the temporally dead (Matt. 10:28; Mark 5:38-39).
19. What was unique about Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the dead? Lazarus’ body was already decaying after four days in the tomb yet at Jesus’ word it arose & came out of the tomb restored to life (John 11:39-44).20. What should all these pre-cross resurrections teach us? We should see in these pre-cross resurrections that the power of God works through his anointed agents & that God claimed the right to the human race for Jesus had already pledged his life for the life of every human being (Acts 10:38; Rev. 13:8).