Welcome to Episode #194 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fifth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [4]. On today’s episode, we will continue exploring the reason for a Christian’s anticipation of the second coming of Jesus. That reason is tied up in the prophetic fulfillment of Isaiah 25:8 as referenced by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:54 – Death has been swallowed up in victory. Isaiah 25:7-8 – On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. This is a profound topic, Death, so we’ve taken it in two parts. On our last episode, we addressed the origin of death and why it is so hideous and has eternal consequences. In today’s episode, we’ll explore how Jesus conquered death and offers eternal life to all who believe. We’ll also take a forward peek to the end of time, and see that Death itself will be cast into the eternal lake of fire, where it will remain forever and ever. What we learned on our last episode was that, since time immemorial, mankind has sensed we are not where we once were. We seem to claw and yearn for a land far away. James Hilton, in his 1933 novel “Lost Horizon,” pictured this place as Shangri-La, a mythical, earthly hidden paradise in an idyllic valley of eternal youth and peace. We ignore what we know to be true. God exists, as evidenced in creation, and only he can tell us the Way to return home. In our self-absorbed ignorance, we follow the deceitful lies of the devil who took us captive from birth to do his will because of our fear of death. Yet, with every step we take to fulfill the devil’s will, we constantly hear the ground seemingly crying cry out, awaiting our demise and return to dust. In our modern world, we’ve reduced our contact with the horror of it all by sticking our old and infirm into long-term care facilities, which leaves them locked up and away from view. We are like the wandering children of the streets in the story of Pinocchio. We are attracted by the trinkets (money and power), games (he with the most toys in the end wins), and candy (sex, drugs, and rock and roll) provided by the devil’s groomers who lead us onto the slavery ship from which there is no natural means of escape – destination death, the grave, condemnation by God and eternal punishment. This, by the way, is the end of everyone born after the age of innocence, as a result of the sin of Adam. We are all infected; no one is immune to the bloodline sin and condemnation of Adam. ABSOLUTELY NO ONE. But what about Jesus? AHAH!! You had to ask, didn’t you? Here is where the first deception is implanted. In the words of the devil in the garden, appearing to Eve as a serpent, “Did God really say” (Gen 3:1), and “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman (Gen 3:4). To hide his deception, the devil used a double entendre in his overall assessment of the situation. Listen to this sly devil. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Gen 3:5). On the one hand, Eve could think God was holding out on her, not wanting her to be like God. And why shouldn’t she be? She was of Adam, who was made in the image and likeness of God. She’s only one bite away from being like God. On the other hand, Eve could think God wants her to eat the fruit and be like him. Why else would God have created her? It may have been evident to Eve that Adam was holding out on her. It was Adam who told her not to eat or touch the fruit. God’s desire would naturally be that Eve would be like God, knowing good and evil. So, either way, Eve, looking at the situation, had one choice: eat the fruit. Which she did and nothing happened. Eve then gave the fruit to her husband, Adam, who was with her. God had commanded A
