DEATH TOLLED

Isaiah prophesied that the Lord would "destroy death forever" (Is 25:8). Jesus fulfilled this prophecy. By His death on the cross, He took away death's victory, robbed "the devil, the prince of death, of his power" and freed "those who through fear of death had been slaves their whole life long" (Heb 2:14-15). "Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor 15:54). Thus, Jesus holds "the keys of death and the nether world" (Rv 1:18). He proclaims and promises: "I am the Resurrection and the Life: whoever believes in Me, though he should die, will come to life; and whoever is alive and believes in Me will never die" (Jn 11:25-26).

"Christ must reign until God has put all enemies under His feet, and the last enemy to be destroyed is death" (1 Cor 15:25-26). At Judgment Day, "death and the nether world" will be "hurled into the pool of fire, which is the second death" (Rv 20:14). Jesus "has robbed death of its power and has brought life and immortality into clear light through the gospel" (2 Tm 1:10). Praise Jesus! Alleluia!