«　WEEK 3　DAY 4　»

　　Acts 2:24 Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pangs of death, since it was not possible for Him to be held by it.

　　Rev. 1:18 And the living One; and I became dead, and behold, I am living forever and ever; and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

　　Christ was manifested to nullify death and to bring in eternal, indestructible life. He not only defeated death—He nullified it. Through His resurrection, death has become of none effect; death has lost its power, even its taste. Christ could nullify death because He destroyed the devil, the one who has the power of death. Of course, by overcoming Satan and nullifying death, the Lord Jesus also defeated Hades and the grave. Therefore, Christ's resurrection declares that He is victorious over death, Satan, Hades, and the grave. No longer are these a problem. Therefore, Christ's resurrection was not only God's vindication and the Lord's success, but also His victory over death, Satan, Hades, and the grave. Christ through His resurrection has made this troublesome group of none effect. (Life-study of Luke, p. 606)

　　Acts 2:24 says, "Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pangs of death, since it was not possible for Him to be held by it." Here and in verse 32 Peter says that God raised up Jesus. In 10:40 and 41 he says the same thing again but adds, "He rose from the dead." Regarding the Lord as a man, the New Testament tells us that God raised Him from the dead (Rom. 8:11). Considering Him as God, it tells us that He Himself rose from the dead (Rom. 14:9). In the same principle, regarding Him as a man, the New Testament tells us that He was killed by men (Mark 9:31). But considering Him as God, it tells us that He laid down His life of Himself (John 10:18). This also proves His dual status—human and divine.

　　Acts 2:24 says that it was not possible for the Lord to be held by death. The Lord is both God and resurrection (John 1:1; 11:25), possessing the indestructible life (Heb. 7:16). Because He is such an ever-living One, death is not able to hold Him. He delivered Himself to death, but death had no way to detain Him; rather, death was defeated by Him, and He rose up from it. (Life-study of Acts, pp. 77-78)

　　In Revelation 1:18 we see that the Lord is "the living One," the One who "became dead" and who is "living for ever and ever." The very Christ who walks in the midst of the churches, who is the Head of the churches and to whom the churches belong, is the living One full of life. Hence, the churches as His Body should also be living and full of life. Hallelujah, we have a living Christ who has overcome death! Our Christ, who is the resurrected Christ, is living in us and among us. He is living forever and ever. What a living Christ we have in the recovery! In the recovery, all the churches should be as living as Christ, full of life and overcoming death.

　　In verse 18 the Lord also said, "I have the keys of death and of Hades."...Death is a collector and Hades is a keeper. In the church life today are we still subject to death and Hades? No! Christ abolished death on the cross and overcame Hades in His resurrection. Although Hades tried its best to hold Him, it was powerless to do it (Acts 2:24). With Him, death has no sting and Hades has no power. But what about us? It must be the same. In the church life, the keys of death and Hades are in His hand. It is impossible for us to deal with death; we simply do not have the ability to handle it. Whenever death enters, it will deaden many. But as long as we give the Lord Jesus the ground, the opportunity, and the free way to move and act among us, both death and Hades will be under His control. However, whenever the Lord Jesus does not have the ground in the church, death immediately becomes prevailing and Hades becomes powerful to hold the dead ones. Praise the Lord that Christ has the keys of death and Hades. Death is subject to Him and Hades is under His control. Hallelujah! (Life-study of Revelation, pp. 110-111)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Luke, msgs. 70-71