The Crucifixion was an
earth-shattering event. God placed upon
Jesus all the guilt and shame, the pain and suffering, the sins from throughout
all history, the iniquities of all mankind.
So great was that event that
the sun went dark for three hours. The earth shook so violently that rocks
split open, tombs were opened and holy saints of old walked about in Jerusalem.
The veil of the temple tore in half, from the top down. All of nature seemed to
be engaged in this great tragedy. The overwhelming power and penalty of sin was
broken by the sacrifice of the Son of God, Jesus himself. The punishment that
brought us peace was upon him. That incredible day of darkness was the day of
redemption. The serpent had struck the heel of the Savior, but the Son of God
would soon crush the serpent’s head.
Three days later, early on
Sunday morning, another incredible display of power occurred. Jesus rose from
death. Resurrection day. This great display of God’s power was seen only in the
spiritual realm, though, not in the physical realm. Nature was not
involved. It was a display of power on
par with creation. It was the beginning of the new creation, the promise of the
fullness of our redemption, to live with Christ eternally in a new resurrected
body, enjoying a new heaven and a new earth, in fellowship with the Godhead
forever. From this point on God the Father prepared a bride for his son, Jesus.
Three groups were present at
the Resurrection. God’s host of holy
angels were arrayed, every one of them, with Michael, the greatest warrior of
all God’s creation, standing just above the tomb. And there was arrayed another
host of spiritual beings, also observing the tomb. Satan, and all his fallen
angels. Satan, the destroyer, the
serpent, Apollyon, Lucifer, the great dragon of Revelation. His host was outnumbered two to one, but they
thought they had won the great spiritual battle of all times. They had brought
to death the Son of God. They were
watching the tomb, ignorantly gloating in their victory, waiting to celebrate.
The third group was in the
tomb itself – God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and a dead Jesus. Very, very
dead, not just almost dead. The Godhead together, as they were so many times
through eternity, fulfilling the great redemptive plan that they had devised,
from before creation, before the fall of Adam and Eve. Paul tells us, In
Ephesians 1:20, that God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. God put his
hand under the head of his son while the Holy Spirit breathed new life into
him. His eyes opened, and quickly filled with great tears. “For the joy set
before him he endured the cross.” This
was the beginning of that great joy. The father lifted his son to his feet and
put upon him glowing white robes. His presentation to all the beings of
spiritual creation was at hand.
Then it happened. The stone
creaked. Ever so slightly. The corner of
Michael’s mouth curled up. The eyes of Satan and all his host looked at the
stone in horror and disbelief. Then
another creak, and visible movement. Michael set down his shield and took his
hand off his sword. There would be no
battle today. Grimacing horror, undeniable defeat was evident in the hosts of
Satan. Then Jesus walked out of the tomb, alive and resurrected. His holy host of angels broke out in cheers
of joy. Christ, the savior of mankind,
is risen from the dead, the first fruits of all the saints who shall also rise
from the dead. Satan and his host fled the scene, shrieking. They would not
give up, though. They left to go and regroup. If they could not destroy the Son
of God, then they would try to destroy his followers, one, by one, by one.
The great power of the
resurrection, heard only in the creaking of the stone, is the same power that
will raise us from the dead, and complete our redemption. It is the same subtle
power that transforms our lives as we live in trust relationship with Jesus.
God’s incomparably great power for all who believe is at work in us, quietly,
making us alive in Christ when once we were dead in our sins.
