Mark 12...

The next three chapters in Mark I read in Yosemite. They are filled with a lot of food for thought; I underlined a lot and read a lot of commentary.

Let's start with v.19 where the Sadducees approach Jesus with a question. To preserve tribal names, families and inheritance in case of a death (the head of the household), the widow was to marry his brother. So this particular question was: what if the woman loses 7 husbands (7 brothers), which one would be her husband in heaven?

Jesus' answer, "For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven." John MacArthur's interpretation, "Marriage was designed by God for companionship and the perpetuation of the human race on the earth. Jesus was emphasizing the fact that in heaven there will be no exclusive or sexual relationships. Believers will experience an entirely new existence in which they will have perfect spiritual relationships with everyone else."

This is huge for me, since I have had more than one husband. Note, however, Jesus says nothing about us losing our identities, personalities, or knowledge. For example, will I know my children as my children? I believe so. Jesus says in v. 26-28 "But regarding the fact that the dead rise again,...I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead but of the living;..." I love what my commentary says, "Even though all 3 were dead, God was still their God just as much as when they were alive on earth - and more so in that they were experiencing eternal fellowship with Him in heaven." Wow!!

Rereading these verses today since Yosemite was good timing. On Saturday, after having a complete night's rest (that I never seem to have), a sleep where I never woke up in the night, I was thinking, "what if death is like that sleep, where you have no thought, no memory, no existence, you just never wake up?" First off, I don't like the idea of that and second, I don't need to worry about it because these verses just answered that for me!! Yea!