When I was a little girl, I was afraid of the dark. I was the youngest of four children, I was the first to go to bed and in winter when it went dark early, I would plead with my mum to leave the light on, but she always put the light out.

Today some people whether young or old are afraid of being isolated, cut off from other people, a solitary place, it’s like being left in the dark and waiting for the dawn, an end to the lockdown. Many find themselves worrying over work, by not being there they’re afraid of loosing their job. The feeling of being useless, helpless and forsaken can fill our minds and constantly being told that your vulnerable doesn’t help. But we will get through this!

The incurable diseases in Jesus’ day were not a threat to him, for example he healed people with leprosy, they were people kept in isolation. But the threat to Jesus’ life was real; we read that King Herod wanted him dead.

 “At that very hour some Pharisees came, and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” And he said to the. “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, (take notice) I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’’” Luke 13: 31-35. RSV Bible.

King Herod maybe felt threatened by the people identifying Jesus as their king.

On the occasion when Jesus fed the five thousand with bread and fishes, we read the people recognized that Jesus was Christ the King and wanted to make him their king. He left quietly the scene, slipping away to the mountain to be by himself. John 6: 15. Psalm 132: 15-17.

The Herod dynasty maybe felt threatened when the people on the road to Jerusalem waved their palm branches and shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” and “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the king of Israel.”  Matthew 21: 9. John 12: 12-15.

After Jesus was arrested, Pilate heard that Jesus was a Galilean and therefore belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem. Herod questioned Jesus, but he said nothing. The chief priests and scribes who were present vehemently accused him. Herod with his soldiers mocked Jesus and put on him a gorgeous apparel and sent him back to Pilate

We are not informed as to what the accusations were in this situation, but it quite likely that they accused him of making himself the king of Israel.

Matthew records Pilate’s soldiers put on Jesus a scarlet robe, a crown of thorns and in his hand a reed imitating a scepter.

After his meeting with Herod, Pilate and Herod were reconciled, “And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.” Luke 23: 12.

Through this pandemic we have been brought together to help one another through this crisis. Many people are helping vulnerable people with shopping etc.

‘Why is God allowing this pandemic?

While we live in the world in this life, God allows us to suffer and one day die, The Bible tells me, that while I was a sinner Jesus’ love was reaching out to me, not to condemn me, but to save me from eternal death and darkness.

Every Christian who knows Jesus, will know and understand that we have passed over death into eternal life now, in this life, death is not the end of a persons’ existence.

“Charles Wesley’s hymn  ‘And Can it Be that I should Gain’. “‘Tis mystery all! The immortal dies: who can explore his strange design?.’”

Bob Gordon in his book “The Cross” writes, “When God created man, did he create mankind to be mortal-that is, subject to death? The answer is clearly, no Jesus himself was not subject to man’s death until he took mankind’s sin into himself, because death is the outcome of sin. Jesus himself was not sinful, therefore, he did not live his life under the threat of death.”

Waiting for the Dawn

The disciples and followers of Jesus thought that Jesus’ death was the end of their hopes and dreams for the future kingdom. Most of them hadn’t time to say goodbye. This is the situation for the bereaved in this pandemic, even in this current situation the Lord understands and will comfort the broken hearted..

The gospel writers inform us that the women set off early to the tomb, hoping to anoint his body or be just near to where he lay. But when they arrived the soldiers were gone and the tomb was empty. This was the last thing they needed anxiety upon anxiety. But the risen Jesus comforted them as he appeared to them during that day and on occasions during the following forty days.

Jesus taught in the synagogue at Capernaum that the resurrection would take place on the last day, even though he had told them he would be like Jonah after three days rise from the dead. The disciples couldn’t grasp what he meant when he told his disciples that he would be raised from the dead on the third day. Luke 18: 33, 34. 24: 21

Jesus had been raised by God from the dead, therefore, death had no dominion over him, Jesus had a continuous eternal life.

Before his death Jesus had prayed, “”And this is eternal life; that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent.” John 17: 3.

Who may know eternal life? First his disciples and since that time, those who believe like you and me.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, in the depth of Jesus’ suffering on the cross, he offered the criminals who hung on their crosses beside him, the choice to believe in him or not, even though they didn’t understand why God allowed him to die. For many going through suffering towards the end of their life, in their final hour I pray that they will come to Jesus in repentance and faith, and be welcomed into God’s kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.