Easter: The Day Death Died
CAN YOU HEAR THE DEVIL LAUGHING?
In Don MacLean's 1971 classic anthem "American Pie" the devil is heard "laughing with delight" the day the music died. Even though these words are only song lyrics, their meaning runs deep. The devil is out for death; death of anything of God and beautiful.
EASTER EGGS & VICTORY OVER DEATH
As children, we love Easter. Hunting for eggs, sifting colorful arrays of jelly beans, enjoying chocolate bunnies, and wearing our Sunday finest each came to symbolize the holiday in much the same way Santa Claus embellished Christmas.
But with all symbolism and commercialism aside, the real meaning of Easter is the single most relevant event in the history of the world! -- Resurrection Day is the fulcrum on which authentic Christians balance their life. For without Easter there is no faith. Without Easter there is no hope. Without Easter there is no victory over death. And without Easter, we would all face an eternal separation from our Creator God.
satan's "VICTORY"
Before our Lord Jesus stepped out of his tomb; after dying the most excruciating and humiliating execution ever conceived, (crucifixion), satan basked in the glow of his apparent "victory." Physical and subsequent spiritual death was the devil's greatest ace in the hole. The battle had been won. And now, with death on his side, satan was confident he held the power to eternally separate us from God; or so he thought.
The pride of satan, (an original angel of the morning) was his downfall. Lucifer, one of his given names in the Bible, led a spiritual rebellion in Heaven before the foundation on the world as we know it. In doing so, he took many fallen angels with him and was cast out of Heaven to where? Earth. Yes, satan was given dominion over the earth and men, the crown of God's creation.1 The temptation and subsequent fall of man into sin ruthlessly blemished God's creation as it was meant to be. Death became a part of us with satan as its author.
NOT SO FAST MR. DEVIL
Due to his rebellion, satan exists in an ongoing war for the souls of all men. He will be forever separated from God. Thankfully, because of Jesus' triumph over death, we will not! The devil's ace in the hole has been eternally trumped.
Don MacLean may have chorused the death of Buddy Holly as the day the music died, but 20 centuries before, in a virgin tomb outside Jerusalem, the echoing refrains of Easter were first heard; The Day Death Died.
The devil no longer laughs.
I wish everyone a joyous and peaceful Resurrection Day!
John 5:24 "Truly, truly I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." (NASB)
Hebrews 2:9 "But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels. Namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone." (NASB)
1. Revelation 12:9
