The Resurrection: It is Finished!
By Josh Rieger
On Friday Andy wrote about the isolation and rejection that Christ endured for us. He showed us the hope in Christ’s rejection in the face of the horror of sin. Christ became sin for us and received the punishment we deserve in our place. He also showed us the love of God for us revealed in Christ on the cross. Christ loved his people so much that he became our sin, so that we might become his righteousness.
The great victory of Christ’s death and resurrection, though, is not completed on Good Friday. Jesus said on the cross, as he died, “tetelestai”, or “It is finished” and he gave up His spirit. And the payment for our sin, the pouring out of God’s wrath was completed in full at the cross. But the day after the Sabbath, on the first day of the week, when morning dawned, and Christ rose from the dead, a final victory over death was completed. Christ became the firstfruit of the resurrection from the dead and 40 days later He would ascend to heaven where He is seated at the right hand of the Father, reigning in power. Paul will say of this, in 1 Corinthians 15, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” Jesus Christ has defeated death. It has no power for anyone who places their confidence in Him.
As we celebrate Easter, Resurrection Sunday, it is worth considering the victory of Christ’s resurrection and ascension, celebrating the victory He gained on our behalf. There is a great place to do this in the Psalms. When Paul considers the victory of Christ’s resurrection and ascension in Ephesians 4, he points us to Psalm 68 as a song of Christ’s resurrection victory. And what joy we find described as we look to this psalm to consider that victory.
Psalm 68 gives us a picture of the victory accomplished and what it will mean for Christ’s people as they join him as the fruit of His resurrection. Those who place their confidence for salvation from sin and death in Christ are now His. They have received victory over sin and death. The grave holds no power for us. But this is just a downpayment on the full benefit we will receive in Christ. It is assured. We have been given His Spirit as an assurance of the future full payment, united to Him and His people; we are the recipients of the benefaction of His intercession for us. But what does Psalm 68 say is ours that we have not yet received full payment of?
Where this land in which we are strangers and aliens has held suffering and trial, Christ’s resurrection brings joy. Ps. 68 tells us “[Christ] shall arise” (v. 1) and “the righteous shall be glad”; we “shall exult”; we “shall be jubilant with joy” (v. 3). His name is Yahweh, we will exult before Him (v. 4). While we are here below, this truth allows us, like Christ before us, to endure, despising the shame, for the sake of the joy that is set before us
Everything lost for the sake of Christ and the gospel will be repaid a hundredfold (Mk. 10:29-30). For those who have lost fathers, God will be a Father unto them. Those who are widows, find in Him a husband. Those without home find in Him their habitation (v. 5). What cost is too great in His service when we consider His beneficence?
Psalm 90 reminds us that all the span of our lives is but toil and trouble. But Psalm 68 tells us that the privations of earth will give way to abundance! Prisoners are made prosperous (v. 6). We have dwelt in a dry land, but He brings rain (v. 7). We have lost His inheritance as a result of sin, but He has restored to us His inheritance (v. 9). The needy have found provision in Him (v. 10). The things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.
But the greatest of God’s blessings is that though we are here strangers and aliens, He will bring us home; He is our home; He is our God and we are His people. Yahweh will dwell forever on His holy mountain, in His sanctuary (v. 16-17). He ascended on high leading a host of captives on His train (v. 18). He is our salvation (v. 19-20), and He will bring us back from wherever we have dwelt, into His holy presence (v. 22-23). O Christian, taste and see that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8)!
As Andy reminded us on Friday, Christ was despised and rejected for us and the victorious result, revealed in his resurrection is that we are treasured and accepted in Him! Brothers and sisters, take heart!
