# “He is, after all, the God of the exodus” by L. Michael Morales

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2021/05/31/he-is-after-all-the-god-of-the-exodus-by-l-michael-morales/
- Published: 2021-05-31T12:00:54-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“Among the last words he would ever pen, the apostle Paul wrote: “Remember that 
Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel”(**
2 Timothy 2:8**).

The resurrection: this is the hope, the living hope, set forth in all the Scriptures
and embraced by all of God’s people throughout the history of the world. “Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Peter exclaims, “who by his abundant
mercy has given us new birth into a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead!” (**1 Peter 1:3**).

The sureness of this hope is grounded not only in the reality of the resurrection
of Jesus but ultimately in the very being and character of God, who is the endless
wellspring of life.

Jesus, rebuking severely the religious elite who were denying the resurrection from
the dead, confessed that God “is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living”(**
Mark 12:27**). His own glorious resurrection was itself, then, a profession of the
nature and goodness of God.

One blessed day God’s people will find themselves at last blinking in the dawn’s
light of a new creation, together on the other side of history, on the other side
of their own graves, experiencing the inexpressible joy of the redeemed, the nearly
incomprehensible reality that, yes, the fear and the battle and death are done forever,
and there will be no more tears or afflictions or tragedies or sadness—no more Satan,
wickedness, sin, or decay.

All evil, within and without, along with its bedfellows of gloom and sorrow, will
be forever banished. God’s people will be raised up in glory and brought into that
life of cheer and peace in the land, for our Shepherd, who laid down his life for
the sheep, says, “Behold, I make all things new!” (**Revelation 21:5**), and he 
is well able.

“I am the Living One,” he says, “I was dead, and, look! now I am alive for ever 
and ever and I hold the keys of Hades and Death!” (**Revelation 1:18**). He has 
in himself already brought our humanity to its destined beatific end before the 
face of God.

Every soul who turns to Jesus Christ in sincerity will partake of the same glory,
even the culmination of the Messiah’s exodus: “Behold, the Dwelling of God is with
humanity, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples—and God himself
will be with them and be their God!” (**Revelation 21:3**).

Until that day breaks, Paul’s question remains: Why should it be thought incredible
by you that God raises the dead? He is, after all, the God of the exodus.

> O God, who by the glorious resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ destroyed death
> and brought life and immortality to light: Grant that we, who have been raised
> with him, may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory; 
> through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with You and the Holy Spirit, be dominion
> and praise for ever and ever. Amen.”

–L. Michael Morales, [_Exodus Old and New: A Biblical Theology of Redemption_](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0830855394?tag=toletaupanre-20)(
Essential Studies in Biblical Theology; Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2020), 
195-196.

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