Three long
days!
After an overnight "trial" that was most unfair the young
prisoner was led out to be crucified early the next morning. Late
that afternoon His death brought an end to His terrible
suffering.
By then the stunned relatives of the dead Jesus hadn't time to
arrange a family burial. You see, for the Jews 6:00 p.m. was the
beginning of their next day, which happened to be a special
holy-day. This "special Sabbath" was their Passover
1*. , and it must
have been on the Thursday that year. It was a day of
complete rest - just like their weekly Sabbaths every Saturday.
Hurriedly Jesus body was taken down. They "wrapped it in linen
cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock" that was nearby,
because "the Sabbath was about to begin." 2*.
But Jesus' enemies, the Jewish leaders, went and got permission
from Pilate to make the tomb "secure" for three days "by
putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard." 3*.
That meant Jesus friends were not going to be allowed back to bury
Jesus' body how and where they wanted until three full
days had passed!
Thursday, their "special" day of rest for the Passover, was
the first of those three days. Then Friday gave them the
time they needed to buy and prepare spices and perfumes for Jesus'
body. Saturday, the third day, was their weekly Sabbath. So,
having their spices prepared, "they rested on the Sabbath."
4*.
Those must have seemed to be three long
days! The guard on the tomb would now be ended, so they
could return to Jesus' body.
"Very early in the (Sunday) morning, the women took the spices they
had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away
from the tomb, but they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
Two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning said, 'Why do you
look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!'"
5*.
The women went and told the disciples, "but they did not believe
because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however,
got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of
linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself
what had happened." 6*.
Surely now Peter, and the others, would remember and
understand what Jesus had told them some time ago. He had said,
"The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be
crucified and on the third day be raised again." And He had clearly
said He would be "three days and three nights" in the grave!
7*.
Peter wouldn't be confused for long! Soon he would be telling
everyone that "God ..raised Jesus from the dead and exalted Him to
His own right hand as Prince and Saviour" and that "everyone who
believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name."
8*.
Are you trusting in that sacrifice Jesus made to make you right
with God?10*.
You can put your trust in Him right now!
Read this story of Jesus' death and resurrection in Luke chapter
23, verse 50 to chapter 24, verse 12. Jesus suffered all of that in
order to be able to save you! 9*.
Bye for now,
John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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Footnotes. Bible quotations from
N.I.V.
1 John 19:31.
2 Luke 23:50-54. John
19:38-42.
3 Matthew 27:62-66.
4 Luke 23:56.
5 Luke 24:1-6.
6 Luke 24:11-12.
7 Luke 24:7. Matthew
12:40. Mark 8:31.
8 Acts 5:29-31.
10:42-43.
9 Romans 3:21-26.
6:9-14.
101st John 2:1-2.
Hebrews 10:11-14.
