135. See Jesus
John 16:16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
The promise turns on the word “see.” Literally, “not seeing” refers to Jesus being taken to the darkness of death and the tomb; “seeing again” refers to Jesus resurrected from the dead and from the tomb. Figuratively, “not seeing” refers to not understanding the death of Jesus and what happened to Him; “seeing again” refers to understanding everything in the Resurrection. Once we see Jesus resurrected everything He said and did makes sense, in fact, everything makes sense. The promise is fulfilled: we shall truly see.
“Jesus goes to the Father.” Jesus carries His blood into the presence of God and sets it before the Father as the propitiation for the sins of the world. God is well pleased with His Son and with us who believe in Him. The death of Christ has secured forgiveness of sin and eternal life; the resurrection of Christ has defeated death forever and we have won the victory over all enemies; all of this is now ours because Jesus has gone to the Father. Because of Jesus’ finishing the work and pleasing the Father God raised Him from the dead to live forever and grant life to all. We see Jesus dying on the cross and we see Jesus resurrected from the tomb. We see and we understand. Thanks be to God.
Now, in this lifetime, there are a few “little whiles.” There are some short times when we don’t see or understand quite so clearly: Where is Jesus? Why did He leave? Where has He gone? Why? Why? Why? But then again in another short time we will see and understand and believe, and upon seeing, all is well. These moments of revelation come by the Holy Spirit applying the Gospel to the eyes of the heart and to the understanding of the soul. Jesus is alive! These moments build on one another until we finally close our eyes in death and see Jesus face to face.