Death Swallowed Up

by R. A. Parker, Stoke-on-Trent, England | Category: Maran Atha | Oct 1999

One of the most thrilling contemplations of our Lord's coming again is its fulfilment of Old Testament scripture, and in this we are going to be involved. In 1 Corinthians 15:54 Paul states with apostolic authority,

...when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Only by divine revelation could the apostle have applied the words of Isaiah 25:8 to this context. The Isaiah passage deals with what the LORD of hosts will do 'in this mountain' which is mount Zion at the time of Messiah's return to earth. It is interesting to notice that the Greek work katapin translated 'swallow' can also mean 'drown' or 'devour'. The Egyptians were drowned or swallowed up in the Red sea as they pursued the children of Israel. At the very beginning of His parousia, His coming to the air, the almighty, conquering Son of God will cause death to be swallowed up in victory. The wages of sin will be for ever removed from those whom He has come to redeem. In this we shall be personally involved, in the fulfilment of this scripture by our glorious, triumphant Saviour. Surely with the apostle we must respond and say, '...thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Cor. 15:57).

Fundamental to resurrection is bodily change. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul reasons his teaching by comparing natural things with spiritual. Most people engage in sowing during their lifetime and all sowing is with a view to reaping. If there is to be reaping the seed that is sown must die first. These are facts well known to all. Then Paul reminds us of two further points; firstly that the seed sown bears no resemblance to what is reaped, and secondly that God gives it a 'body of its own' (verse 38) as it pleases Him.

Because of sin the human body that is sown is corrupt, so it is sown in dishonour and weakness. It is sown a natural body, bearing the earthy image of Adam, the first man. It is raised a spiritual body, bearing the image of the heavenly, the second Man, and as such it is raised in incorruption, glory and power. What a wonderful and precious contemplation! Again our praise must ascend to God our Father who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

In 2 Corinthians 5 the apostle Paul complements this teaching as he returns to the subject of the bodily change which will take place at the coming again of the Lord Jesus. He writes of 'the earthly house of our bodily frame' (R.V. margin) in which we groan; and it has been well said that 'the groan becomes longer and deeper the older and weaker we become'. We long to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven. Then what is mortal will be swallowed up of life. Notice this further use of the same word katapin , death swallowed up in victory, and the mortality of the body swallowed up in life.

'The body of our humiliation' will be clothed upon with the new body, fashioned anew, as Paul describes it in Philippians 3:21, conformed to the body of His glory. What a prospect! Not only to see Him and to be with Him, but to be like Him, for 'we know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is' (1 John 3:2). For believers who are still alive when Christ returns the mortal will put on immortality, and for those who will be raised from the dead it will be a question of the corruptible putting on incorruption. Then death shall be no more. The first things are passed away. Death will indeed be swallowed up in victory. Thanks be to God who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

R. A. Parker, Stoke-on-Trent, England | Oct 1999
Maran Atha