I know, I’m supposed to be a sceptical doctor, trained in the sciences to doubt things supernatual. But a few days ago I blogged I believe in the resurrection and I meant it! I stated a day or two before that in Why Good Friday? that I believed Jesus death had made a difference to me today. So why should I like so many other people have serious doubts when I hear of an account of a resurrection in Nigeria?
In fact on Sunday in church we watched a detailed video account of Daniel Ekechukwu’s story. This is available on sale from CfAN but they had given a number of churches a free copy which we wrote.
The simple facts are that despite the cynicism of this Hummanist sceptic he has to admit that when he investigated the claims he found that there were indeed people in Nigeria claiming the same story of a resurrection.
The story is well documented in The Resurrection of Daniel Ekechukwu
Why do I believe this story may well be true? Firstly there is the following quote.
The escorting angel told pastor Daniel, “If your record is to be called here, you will in no doubt be thrown into hell.” Pastor Daniel immediately defended himself saying, “I am a man of God! I serve Him with all my heart!” But a Bible immediately appeared in the angel’s hand, and it was opened to Matthew 5 where Jesus warned that if one calls his brother a fool he is guilty enough to go into the hell of fire (see Matt. 5:21-22). Pastor Daniel knew he was guilty for theangry words spoken to his wife. The angel also reminded him that Jesus promised that God will not forgive our sins if we do not forgive others (see Matt. 6:14-15) because we will reap what we have sown. Only those who are merciful will obtain mercy (Matt 5:7). The angel told Daniel that the prayers he prayed as he was dying in the hospital were of no effect, because he refused to forgive his wife even when she attempted to reconcile on the morning of his fatal accident.
Pastor Daniel wept at this revelation, but the angel told him not to cry, because God was going to send him back to the earth to grant the rich man’s request (see Luke 16:27-30). A man would come back from the dead and warn people of hell. The angel said that Daniel’s resurrection would serve as a sign
This sounds genuine and not at all like the permissive Christianity that often accompanies Christian preaching today. There is a display of the subjects weakness in not forgiving his wife. Bonke is clearly admitted to have nothing really to do with the miracle as it happened in a basement possibly when he had left the building.
A comparison chart of the different accounts of the stories intended to show that they are false, in fact shows just the sort of minor variation one might expect if the story was genuine rather than the false organised attempt at deception this must be if it is not.
At the end of the day I cannot force you to believe this, but having seen video footage of the reviving corpse and video interviews with the man, his wife, his doctor and his father, there is no doubt in my mind that this is either an elaborate deception (which oddly does not seem to benefit Bonke particularly except for any profits he gets from the video) or a genuine modern day miracle.
I expressed my disgust for the kind of religion that makes God as good as dead a few days ago I want nothing to do with an inactive God. Just maybe this video is to give us just one more demonstration that he is not that at all!!
But as in the biblical story I have little doubt that many people will not believe even if confronted with clear proof that someone was raised from the dead right in front of their eyes!
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