The God who will never abandon us (Acts 2:25-28)

In Acts 2:25-28 we find Peter quoting from Psalm 16 to demonstrate something of what was going on on the cross. We can learn a lot from this by also applying the lessons to our own approach to death. As was common in the New Testament, the quote comes from the Greek version of the Old Testament (LXX or Septuagint).

Peter attributes the psalm to David, and we see here an example of the common feature of Old Testament prophecies and psalms having both an immediate relevance and fulfilment, along with a much greater future fulfilment. Almost always, as here, the greater fulfilment is in the person of Jesus Christ. The events of the Old Testament happened partly in order to point ahead to what would see its fulfilment in Christ.

Christ was facing the most terrible event imaginable. As well as the normal horror of crucifixion there was the fact that He was going to receive the punishment that should have been ours, for all our sins. But even in this darkest hour Jesus knew that the “Lord was always before him”. So he was resolute in facing the cross. More than that, his heart was glad and his tongue rejoiced, and He knew that the final outcome would be that His body would rest in hope. He would be raised from the dead. We too, when the time to face death arrives, can rest in the sure hope of the resurrection. Jesus knew that His Father would not abandon Him to the grave, we can be equally sure that the Lord will not abandon us to the grave. Remember too that this was a most horrible death that Jesus was heading towards, yet He still had confidence in God. So even if we end up having to deal with a horrible disease, we can still have confidence in God. He will not abandon us.

Jesus had always been with the Father, so He knew the paths of life, and He had experienced the joy of being in the Father’s presence before He came to earth. Here on earth He knew the paths of life and the presence of His Father. And He knew He would be filled with joy forever in the Father’s presence.

We can apply this to our own lives as well. Jesus has shown us the paths of life, He has shown us how to live. This isn’t just the things we do and don’t do, though that of course is of great importance, but includes living in fellowship with the Lord. And we can be sure that He will not abandon us to decay, but we will live with joy in His presence forevermore. We can have confidence in all circumstances in the God who will not abandon us.