Question: Where did Jesus’ body go?
After His death Jesus was resurrected on the third day. He was resurrected bodily and His body never remained in the grave. He was not a walking spirit, but had a body – His disciples could see Him, put their fingers into his hands, Jesus was having food with them. However after the resurrection His body was changed. When he ascended into heaven His body was transformed.
John 20:17
“Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”
The transformation of our bodies
As you have rightly noted, this body and flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven. Therefore the Bible says that after our physical body dies, we will get a new body in heaven. One day those who die believing in Jesus will be resurrected, and those believing who are alive when He returns will get a new body.
2 Corinthians 5:1-4
“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.”
Also, we know that Christ will return for His saints and one day He will rapture us into heaven to be with Him, before His second coming to judge the Earth. Those who are dead in Christ will rise and those of us who are born again believers at that moment will be raptured into heaven to meet with Him. At that instant, our bodies will be transformed from flesh into heavenly bodies.
1 Thes 4:16-17
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
1 Cor 15:50-57
“50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
We do not know how our glorified bodies will look. But we know that our current body will not enter the heaven – we will be transformed.
The transformation of Jesus’ body
As we have read before Jesus before His ascension was also transformed. After that He continued to appear to His disciples for another 40 days. Then He ascended into heaven in front of his disciples and was glorified – now He is in His all power and majesty and glory. If you are interested in how He looks like now, just read the book of Revelation. Here John in his vision of the end times saw Christ and bears this record:
Revelation 1:12-19
“12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;”
Revelation 19:11-16
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Jesus was not a prophet or a good man or a religious teacher. He was and is the Eternal God. My friend, if you have not trusted Him as your Saviour yet, please do so now. Our life is very short and soon it may be too late. Jesus says in Revelation 3:20
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
Now read what you need to do to be saved.
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