When Grief Meets Hope

We know that the ancient pagan civilizations had many gods. The pagans worshiped the gods of earth, wind, fire, rain, fertility, war, the sea, and so on. They never worshiped a god called the “god of hope.” Hope was a disappointing mirage in that ancient world, long before our Lord was born in Bethlehem. There is no hope for this sin-cursed world apart from the true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus. Paul identified Him as the “God of Hope” in Romans 15:13.

We know that Jesus came into the world to be the “lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,” according to John 1:29. His presence was far more than the cross. He came to give life and hope. Let’s look at an incident where He reveals His life-giving and hope-building abilities. Consider a time when grief met hope in Luke 7:11-17 (NKJV):

11 Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. 12 And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.

16 Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” 17 And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.

Every culture has its way of grieving. In the Hebrew culture, the nearest relative to the deceased would lead the procession to the cemetery. In this case, a widow leads her only son’s procession ahead of the bier. As people witnessed the procession, they stopped their activities and joined. The crowd of mourners grew.

Jesus also led a crowd. He and His group met the widow and her crowd of mourners. Rather than step aside and join the procession, Jesus interrupted. He changed lives that day because He raised the widow’s son from the dead. Why would He do that?

Typically we say things like: Jesus had compassion for the woman. She was a widow, and her son was her sole financial support. Jesus is compassionate, but there must have been other women in a similar condition, and He did not resurrect them, as far as we know. Could He be teaching us something deeper?

In this case, Jesus did not touch the son’s dead body. He only touched the pallet on which they the body. Jesus was likely practicing one of the purity laws. If He had touched a dead body, the act would have made Him unclean (see Numbers 19:11-20). Maybe there is more to learn from this action.

This incident reminds me of Jesus’ description of His return. We know after His resurrection, He appeared to His disciples and then ascended back to His Father. He promised to judge the living and the dead. Matthew 16:27 (NKJV):

27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

Jesus’ crowd reminds me of the angels that will accompany Him at His return. Jesus’ return will be the fulfillment of hope to a weary world. He will accomplish the promise of our resurrection Just as He raised the widow’s son. Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NKJV):

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

The crowds declared that Jesus was a “great prophet.” He resurrected this man as Elijah and Elisha had done in their ministries (see 1 Kings 17:23 and 2 Kings 4:36). Jesus was more than a great prophet. He establishes His identity as THE prophet of whom the Lord told Moses:

18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. (Deuteronomy 18:18, NKJV)