When we lived in Belgium, I visited on several occasions the well-known site of Waterloo. June 18, 1815, was a momentous day for the people of Europe, and the Battle of Waterloo would decide their fate.
Sir Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, was commander of the English Army along with the allied forces of Prussia, Russia, and Austria. As a united front, they marched out to put an end to Napoleon Bonaparte’s ambitious plan to conquer all of Europe. The fate of history lay in the balance.
The historic battle ended at nine o’clock that night. In excited anticipation of news of the outcome, the English townspeople waited with bated breath. News from the battlefront was flashed homeward across the English Channel by signal lamps at a cathedral’s bell tower— much like Morse code in more recent times. However, as if on cue, a dense fog settled in, obscuring the view of the cathedral. The only discernible words were “Wellington . . . defeated.” All of England was thrown into a panic as the disturbing news of defeat began to spread. Then, as quickly as it had arrived, the fog began to lift revealing the rest of the message:
“Wellington . . . defeated . . . the enemy.”
Despair became delight as the message spread like wildfire!
Similarly, darkness descended as Christ hung on Skull Hill. Even his disciples believed his final words “It is finished” meant nothing more than “Jesus . . . defeated.” Nailed to a cross, declared dead by experienced soldiers, buried in a rock tomb—what else were they to believe? But three days later everything changed. Their despondency and perplexity were transformed into a shout of victory:
“Jesus . . . defeated . . . death!”
Yes, only a suffering God can bring you and me hope in our mourning. But not a God who only suffers. Apart from the resurrection of the Son of David, his suffering of death would be of little help. If the cross of Christ defeated evil, the resurrection of Christ defeated death, for death is the hidden objective of all evil.
Death is separation, and separations need bridges. If God’s Son never suffered and died, his provision for us earthlings would be like a bridge broken on the near end. He could not identify with us in our suffering. But if God’s Son only suffered and died, his provision would be like a bridge broken on the far end. He could not deliver us from our suffering. Thankfully, the resurrection of Jesus Christ—the one mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5)—is the guarantee that the bridge to authentic life is not broken on either end.
Yes, a better day is coming! We don’t see it now and we don’t feel it now, but someday everything that opposes the righteous, just rule of Christ will be brought into submission to him. That includes death, disease, pain, grief, suffering, loss, and all relational disharmony. It includes everything that at times makes our present life so painful and distasteful. For in that day, “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14)!
Adapted from author's Life with a Limp: Discovering God's Purpose in Your Pain (Vide Press: 2023).
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