The Lord is Alive Forever! (04/21/24)
Mary Magdalene was among the highest chosen of women. For she was the first to see the risen Lord. She was privileged to witness an event of the
greatest magnitude, one that will never be forgotten. Yet of the personal history of this woman we know almost nothing. It was only at the time of the crucifixion that she stepped into the light of the greatest event in the history of the world. Of her life before this, we are told one thing. Mark writes that "out of Mary Magdalene Jesus had cast seven devils." Spiritually speaking, these words are the key to Mary's character, for they explain why she was chosen. "Seven" represents all, or
completeness; and the "devils" represent the heinous qualities of hell. It is clear then that Mary Magdalene at one time was evil, and that she represented at that time a completely depraved state. Before her liberation by the Lord, she depicted how we are-unliberated-in our native evil.
It [might] seem unfair that a woman who had been so degraded was permitted to see the risen Lord first. Yet there was nothing degrading in it. For every one of us at one time in our life is in that state represented by Mary Magdalene. We are
unregenerate. And the promise of this story is that such a person is actually able-if they will it-to change, and to see the risen Lord. There is no one who cannot change. At some time in our life, the Lord gives to everyone the temporary ability to see ourselves as we are. And then He gives us the strength to change, to ascend that path that leads out of self-love. We can actually rise out of ourselves. "Behold I stand at the door and knock" (Rev. 3:20). The Lord stands outside
the door. He will not force admittance. Rather, He speaks from the Word, and waits patiently for us to hear His voice. To hear the voice of the Lord is to hear that first teaching of the Word: to shun evil is to find heaven.
The name "Mary" is derived from the Hebrew word "Miryam," which signifies charity. Magdalene is thought to be derived from Hebrew "migdol," meaning tower. These words disclose the inner representation of Mary after the seven devils were cast out-she represents a tower of charity. After our [self
importance] has been rejected, a tower of charity is raised up, taking the place of rejected evil. The experiences of Mary Magdalene on early Easter morning reveal what happens when charity first begins to rule. "The first day of the week comes Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, to the sepulcher." The first day of the week for the Jews was Sunday, our sabbath. And the sabbath day represents peace-the peace that follows the agonies of temptation.
However, when Mary came to the sepulcher, it was still dark.
Darkness is a state of obscurity in the understanding, when the light of heaven is absent. This [state of] faith is the love we have for the teachings of our church, even though for the most part we believe them without clear light. It is also the affection we have for the simple truths of the Word-truths we have resolved to follow regardless of the difficulty. Such faith is [from affection], but lacks the light of heaven. It is a faith that rules both with the simple and the intellectual,
as long as they are beginning to shun evil. The crucifixion of the Lord is the death of such [an obscure] faith. A faith that is so little-seeing. For the time comes when what is inadequate must die, and what is immortal and alive must take its place. This occurs when charity for the first time begins to rule, to be the dominant force.
As Mary wept, "she stooped down, and looked into the sepulcher, and saw two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.” The two angels said to Mary, "Woman, why are you weeping? She said unto
them, because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him." When we become aware of the new, mystifying light in revelation, we are filled with a sense of wonder and of bewilderment. This new light is unexplained. We are still not sure where Jesus is Who we formerly followed. And this light within revelation, though it is an awing thing, is not enough to satisfy the yearning of our heart. Mary still mourned and wept that the body of Jesus had been stolen away. We
still mourn the loss of our dead faith.
Mary turned back, away from the sepulcher; "and she saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus said unto her, Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you seeking? She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said unto Him, Sir, if you have borne Him hence, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away."
The vegetation in a garden represents doctrine from the Word in our understanding. Until we are [in the way of being regenerated by the Lord], the rational teachings of our faith are only intellectual ideas in
our mind-ideas which we believe, but don’t really see spiritually. Rational truths aren't really alive to us; they are simply ideas, enjoyable to contemplate. The Lord is the gardener of such intellectual concepts in us. He cares for them, and aids their growth. Therefore, it was symbolic that Mary thought Jesus to be a gardener. And she asked this supposed gardener, "Sir, if you have borne Jesus hence, tell me where you have laid Him."
For years [we have been] hearing the teachings of the Word, and have believed them intellectually.
But these same teachings had never affected our inner heart-they never really moved us with joy. But now suddenly these same abstract teachings become profoundly alive. We find them touching our inner heart, overwhelming us with delight. Our whole heart experiences a complete change, so that the truths that formerly only pleased us mentally now each singly move our heart to joy.
We suddenly fully realize that truth is immortal and alive. We see that the caretaker of these truths is not a mere gardener. It was then that the supposed gardener said: "Mary. And "she turned herself, and said unto Him,
'Rabboni.'" The affection and joy she expressed are Easter. Before charity, the Lord is alive-forever. (Rev. Geoffrey Childs, NCL 1986)
