Holy Week: A torn veil, an earthquake, a bunch of opened graves, & a sealed tomb

Holy Week: A torn veil, an earthquake, a bunch of opened graves, & a sealed tomb             


Let’s look at where we are in this incredible week.


In my previous Holy Week blog posts Jesus was joyously welcomed into Jerusalem; He shook things up at the Temple; He blessed children and healed afflicted; He taught about love; we saw the last supper, anguish in Gethsemane, and arrest; we witnessed His crucifixion and burial.    


There are more Friday happenings I want to mention before moving to Saturday. 


Before Jesus spoke His last words, “It is finished,” he said something else. He said, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Those are troubling words coming from the Son of God. That’s because He was troubled—even anguished beyond, what we can comprehend. In those three hours Jesus bore the guilt of all the sins of all mankind.


Notice Jesus cried out to God and not to Father. In all other instances, Jesus refers to God as Father. 


But in this instance the Sovereign Holy God passed judgment on sin—all sin—all manner of sin. God was not judging His Son because His Son was guiltless. God was judging your sin and my sin, and the verdict was guilty. Instead of you and me paying our sin debt, Jesus took it all on Himself. Jesus took the punishment that we deserved, and He did it willingly. 


We can never thank Him enough. He paid a debt which none of us could ever pay for ourselves. Thank You, Father God and thank You, Jesus!


Let’s look briefly at a few things that happened at the moment of Jesus’ death.

-      The veil in the Temple was torn from top to bottom. (Matthew 27:51) No human or equipment of that day could have done this. The veil partitioned off the Holy of Holies where only the high priest could go. Jesus is our High Priest and has opened the way for us to go directly to God. He is our Mediator. (1 Timothy 2:5)

-      The earth quaked and the rocks were split. (Matthew 27:51)

-      “and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many” (Matthew 27:52-53).

Isn’t that just totally wild?! This is one of those wonderful Bible tidbits that very few people even know. I have mentioned it in groups, and people respond, “Say what?”! Where does it say that?” Go see for yourself.

  And I so love this: “when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, ‘Truly this was the Son of God’” (Matthew 27:54).



Then when Saturday came the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, “After three days I will rise.”   

They asked Pilate to seal the tomb and set a Roman guard for fear that Jesus’ followers would try to steal His body and pretend He had risen. Pilate did as they requested, and Jesus’ grave was secured.  (Matthew 27:63-66)


  

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At the beginning of this week I encouraged you to read, in your Bible, about the last days of Jesus’ life. A lot happened in those few days. Begin your reading at these points: Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19:28, and John 12:12. Go ahead and read through to the end of each of the Gospels between now and Easter Sunday. Be blessed with me as we learn Jesus. 


Each day this week, I’m posting a few highlights from those amazing days in history. Also, I’m using some of the pictures and quotes from my book titled, The Lord has Need of YOU.* The illustrations are watercolor paintings by artist, Lesley James. 


Thank you for traveling with me through these extraordinary days. God bless you. 


Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. 


*The Lord Has Need of YOU, by Connie Wohlford. Copyright Connie Wohlford, 2019, Hoot Books Publishing.

*The Lord Has Need of YOU can be purchased directly from me via email author@conniewohlford.com or through Amazon,  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1687536104/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

©Copyright 2020 Connie Wohlford

After Easter Musings - Part 2

After Easter Musings - Part 2

For the past few weeks I’ve been revisiting some of the details surrounding the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. For the past few days my focus has been Matthew 27:45-54.

My blog post last week looked at some of Jesus’ last words. Today, I want to look at two amazing events relating to Jesus’ death and rising back to life. One of which is one of the least talked about miracles of the New Testament.

We’ll begin with Matthew 27:51: “Then behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split.”

At the moment of Jesus’ death the veil of the Temple tore in two from top to bottom. This event was of monumental significance!

The veil was a massive curtain—a barrier between sinful man and holy God. It was four inches thick and sixty feet high. Behind the veil was the Holy of Holies where the presence of God dwelled. 

Once a year the high priest would go behind the veil to offer a sacrifice of the blood of a spotless lamb to atone for the sins of himself and the people (Hebrew 9:7).

Now on this day, which we call Good Friday, Jesus was the Lamb. His blood atoned for our sins once and for all. God received the blood of His Son and offered forgiveness for all our sins. It’s up to each of us to accept His offer. We have free will.

Jesus paid our debt in full once and for all.

At that moment God Himself tore the temple veil from top to bottom. No human could have done that. The Holy of Holies was now exposed and our Heavenly Father was accessible to all who will receive His Son. Jesus made the way.

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is his body ... let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:19-22).

God tore the Temple Veil (Internet image)

The next verse tells of an event which is a phenomenon, rarely mentioned by preachers and teachers. In fact this past Sunday, a few days after I wrote this post, my pastor actually included it in his sermon. I was thrilled. I’ve sat in many a church pew and have done many a Bible study and this was the first time I’ve ever heard someone talk about this verse from a pulpit or lectern. 

Verses 52-53 says, “and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”

Who were these people? We’re told they are saints. Some translations say they were righteous people. For this, I’m going to yield the floor to my pastor, Hal Adams, and provide a link to his sermon from last Sunday. He covers this much better than I had planned to do.

But first, I want to add one last verse because I love it so much and it is very telling. Verse 54 says, “So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, ‘Truly this was this Son of God!’”

AMEN!

Below is the link to Pastor Hal’s sermon last Sunday. The video is pretty lengthy so if you don’t have time for the entire thing (which I hope you do) the part about verses 52-53 is at about the 50 minute mark. Please be bless as you watch and listen.

https://www.facebook.com/RadfordWorshipCenter/videos/vb.111364652230041/1511566532209839/?type=2&theater

Your comments are welcome.

©Copyright 2017 Connie Wohlford