No one imagined it. It came as a surprise to all. Everything thought they knew what God was planning. They believed that they knew what God would do to redeem the world. His plan was beyond their wildest dreams.
No one fathomed that it would be Genesis 1 and 2 all over again. He created once, and he would do it again.
The resurrection of Jesus is not about dying and going to heaven, it’s about God launching the new creation right in the middle of history. It’s not by accident that this all happens in a garden. Do you see the parallel to Eden? We have a new creation on our hands (Read more on this theme in this post about Jesus as the True Gardener).
Jesus is the firstborn of the new creation. “On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early while it was still dark…” This is the first day of the new creation. This is Genesis 1, all over again. But this time, there would be no Genesis 3. In this new creation, death, sin, decay, and corruption would not reign. In this creation, Christ reigns. Jesus of Nazareth is King.
This “first day” is like day one in Genesis 1. This is the day that God brough life giving light in the midst of darkness and chaos once again. However, this time, this light is Jesus himself.
All throughout the Old Testament, especially in the David narratives of 1 and 2 Samuel, light represents the God’s anointed leader. A good leader brings light.
Through the image of light dawning in this passage from John, John is telling us not only that God has successfully launching his new creation project through Jesus, he is also telling us that Jesus is King of the new order of the new creation.
“He is risen!” We can be more nuanced than this. He has not only risen from the death, he has risen to the position of power as King. The Father has vindicated him for his perfect obedience as has crowned him king of the new creation.
“He is risen as the King of the New Creation! He is risen as the Lord over death, decay, and sin.”
Raise him up as king in your life. Raise him up as the sovereign king in your circumstances. He will bring new life and hope for future resurrection.
He is Risen
