The Great Reunion

"AND THEY SHALL BE MINE, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, IN THAT DAY WHEN I MAKE UP MY JEWELS;" (MALACHI 3:17 A.K.J.V.)

How Christ must love and value those who trust in Him and how effectively He demonstrates this when He compares them to precious stones.
Apart from being of great monetary worth, sometimes jewellery can be of high sentimental value. When in dire need people have been known to pawn such treasures, but at first opportunity have hurriedly returned to redeem them. Christ paid the highest price ever known in the whole span of human existence to redeem his jewels. Even to the shedding of his blood and dying on a cross!
Christ’s redemption of mankind does not pertain to man’s soul alone, but to the whole person, body, soul and spirit. After death of the body has taken place, the soul and spirit continue to exist, being conveyed either to heaven or to hell. The particular destination depends on whether or not the deceased had trusted in Christ when still alive. Those who have died in Christ are in a state of conscious and restful bliss. Nevertheless they are incomplete, for they still await God’s promise of the redemption of their bodies. Yes, there is going to be a day of resurrection !

The Bible regards the bodies of the dead as being asleep ( Acts 7 :60) but reveals that their spirits after death are in a condition of conscious awareness ( Luke 16: 19—31 ). The christian possesses hope which exceeds all other hope. He has God’s promise that whether he sees death or not, one day he shall be made completely whole. There will be no more proneness to sin, no aging, sickness or death. Christians shall have bodies like Christ’s glorious body. Some will not die, but when he comes, be changed in the twinkling of an eye! As for the dead they shall be raised imperishable. ( 1 Cor 15 :51—52) When the Lord Jesus returns, he will bring with him the spirits of those who died trusting in him. Then he shall raise their bodies to life and there will be a great re—union of bodies and spirits as they rise to meet him in the air. ( 1Thess 4: 13—18 )

But there will be a different kind of great re—union. All believers throughout the ages shall be united and loved ones re—united in Christ. Death the dreaded separator will be swallowed up in victory and tears of sorrow shall be replaced by tears of joy. Such is the hope of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ!

But how can we know for sure that such hope is no more than " Pie in the sky ?" Two very good reasons convince me that it is true. First the Bible says it will happen and it’s reliability is unshakeable. The Old Testament contains numerous prophecies about the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the things he would do and also his death and resurrection. All of those predictions were fulfilled to the smallest detail. This accomplishment of God’s promises gives us strong confidence concerning those prophecies which have yet to be satisfied. The chief of those being the second advent of Christ and the resurrection of the dead.

Secondly, anyone who genuinely knows the Almighty and has a relationship with him, is indwelt by the Holy Spirit ( Romans 8:9 ). Also named the Spirit of truth, he bears witness with the believer’s spirit that the believer is born of God ( Spiritually re—born ). The Holy Spirit also grants true understanding of the Bible plus assurance of its reliability (John 14:26 and 1 Cor 2: 10). It is impossible to have saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and not have
THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the key to all these things. Because they have faith in Him, believers are justified and have peace with God (Romans 5:1). It is only due to their having received the Holy Spirit that they are enabled to live their lives in a way acceptable to God. Such people have grounds for great rejoicing, for they live and die in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection and the great re—union.

Amen.

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