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Wednesday, July 1, 2009

The Resurrection and Re-creation

A.M.D.G.

With the coming of the resurrection of Jesus comes a new creation. Here are some of the signs of the new creation:
The first thing to notice is that Jesus is raised on the first day of the week, the Gospel of John is introduced with the words "in the beginning" which is to call to our minds the creation story in Genesis. The Gospel of John is ending with a new creation with these words.
John 20:1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark,
This is going right along with Genesis 1
Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep;

And who comes out of the darkness but Jesus himself who said
John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

We also see a garden in both Genesis and in the resurrection. John tells us:
John 19:41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid.
So Jesus’ tomb is in a place where there is a garden, which is why in John 20:12-15 Mary is inconsolable and after seeing a vision of two angels sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing him to be the gardener.

Now Mary Magdalene thinks that Jesus is the gardener and she is not mistaken. God is the original gardener. It is through Christ the WORD of God that all things were made. And in the beginning of creation in Genesis chapter 2 Adam is created in a garden.
Here the New Adam who is the creator begins his new creation in a garden.
There is another scene here that most definitely points us to a new creation and this happened on the evening of the first day when Jesus appears to the apostles and says
John 20:21-23 "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
Now look at:
Genesis 2:7 then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his face the breath of life; and man became a living being. ( in Hebrew - breath and spirit are the same word)

Both in Genesis 2 and in John 20 are the only times that God breathes on anyone. Christ is restoring what Adam lost through sin, and the apostles are the first fruits of the new creation receiving once again what Adam lost.
This also points to the divinity of Christ with him breathing on the apostles just as God did in Genesis.







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