Not God of the Dead, But of the Living

There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. And the second and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.” And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.” Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” For they no longer dared to ask him any question. (Luke 20:27-40)

On this particular occasion, the Sadducees came to question Jesus but similarly as the chief priests before with a deceptive motive trying to trap Jesus, not truly to ask Him their question. Luke included in his writing of this interaction that the Sadducees deny that there is a resurrection, which is largely an important note because it proves they were wrongly motivated in their question about the resurrection.

Jesus’ answer gave the literal and plain answer to their question, that while we marry in this age, we won’t be married after we’re resurrected, living in eternity. They couldn’t fully understand this, not having the understanding yet revealed that in heaven there would be but one marriage, the marriage between the Lamb of God (Jesus) and His Bride, which will make up all who are redeemed and accepted His gift of salvation. And even then, it’s not what we typically think of as an earthly marriage – God’s thoughts and ways are much higher than our own and this is just one of those things we can’t fully understand until we’re there.

BUT Jesus’ answer also gave more than they asked for and He addressed the issue they weren’t mentioning – their denial of there being a resurrection at all. The question of whose wife a woman would be in the resurrection who had been married to 7 different men on earth is rather trivial and moot if resurrection isn’t real. Jesus ensured to address the reality of the resurrection in His very clear and robust answer.

And what it came down to was that even their beloved role model of Moses, showed the truth in the passage of the burning bush where God is addressed as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – pointing out that He is not a God of the dead, but of the living. We may not fully understand what eternity will look like on the other side or all the details about what we’ll do, but this thing is for certain – those alive in Christ will be resurrected and live to Him because the mighty God we serve is a God of the living.

As we finish out our days on this earth, however long or short that may be, may we keep looking forward with a heavenly mindset. Paul wrote it well when he said, Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

And John wrote of the Revelation of Jesus as he wrote, And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely… He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:17,20)

Our Savior is coming quickly, so let’s not get hung up on what if scenarios or unbelief, but instead let us press on and keep our eyes on Jesus awaiting the day when we see Him face to face and stand before Him as His perfect, spotless Bride that He has made us to be.