Q . Butte, Mont. — “Did Jesus ascend into heaven right after He arose from the dead and then return that same evening to His disciples?” A. There are some who hold to this idea, believing that the Lord took a part of His blood up to the mercy seat in heaven right after the resurrection. This, however, would not be an es sential act. It was the shedding of blood whereby remission was ob tained. The Lord could have ascended to heaven right after His resurrec tion if He so chose. He was no longer subject to the laws of time or space. Where there is no indication given we should not make suppositions. Q. Fowler, Colo. — “Can you please ex plain what became of those who came out of the graves when Christ was crucified?” A. This is mentioned in Matthew 27: 51. This was when the veil of the temple was rent which indicated that the way into God’s very presence was open through Christ. The earth began to quake, the rocks were rent and the tombs were opened. It tells us that many bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep were raised. The inter esting thing is that in the next verse it explains that they came forth, “out of the tombs after His resurrection.” Some people think they came out be fore Christ’s re su rre c tio n . This couldn’t be or I Corinthians 15:20 wouldn’t be true. While we know these people entered into the holy city yet this is all we know about it. Anything further would merely be supposition. In the case of Lazarus coming forth from the dead this was actually a res toration of life and not a resurrection in the sense that his body was glori fied as was the Lord’s. Q . Redlands, Calif. — “Will you please explain Romans 9:15 to 23. God says that He has mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth. Yet the Lord has given us a free will to choose. He tells us that our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life before the foun
dation of the world. Is that because He knew who would believe on Him and who would not? Are we then to pray for everyone to be saved? How can we be happy in heaven if we know that some of our loved ones aren’t saved?” A. The portion in Romans about which you have asked is one of the grandest passages in all of the Word of God. We need to re-read this im portant section until we get the glo rious view of the absolute sovereignty of God. The Creator of the universe can act in any way He chooses. We can be assured that it will always be in the right manner. He does not have to answer to any question of mortal man. At the same time the Bible clearly refers to the free will of man. With our finite minds we cannot reconcile these two viewpoints in this life. While there are some theological explanations yet, in the final analysis, these magnificent truths are beyond comprehension. Do not throw over either one of them. They are like the twin rails of a train track. Both are absolutely essential. NO ONE BUT GOD One helped Him bear His cross on Calvary, And there were those who placed Him in the tomb, But when He burst deaths bonds and came forth free No human hands were in that narrow room. No one but God could reach beyond the rim Of death's confines and touch the dark unknown: Though there were those who longed to do for Him, When Jesus rose He did it all alone. No one but God? Then truly He was God! And is and will be evermore. And those who trust His grace sleep not beneath the sod: They are not dead. Because the Sav iour rose, These too shall rise. The tomb is opened wide— The stone was rolled away by one inside.
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