Remember the three devout women from Galilee, who followed Jesus all the way to
Golgotha? They saw the torture. They saw the crucifixion, and the moment the
Lord yielded His Spirit to the Father. It's not too far-fetched to say that
they would be in shock and totally grief stricken. They loved their Master but
now He had succumbed to death, and they had to accept the inevitable.
Because of the then fast approaching Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathae could only hastily wrap Him with spice and lay Him in his own new tomb. These women didn't get a chance to give Him a decent embalmment. So they went home to prepare the spices and perfumes waiting for Sabbath to be over to give Him one. This particular Sabbath rest for them must have been unusually long. They couldn't wait for it to be over soon. All this time, their minds must have gone into overdrive. They must be replaying over and over in their minds, the hastily prepared body without a proper last rite. Other thoughts must have also filled their minds. The gaping wounds, the disfigured features, the mangled body, and the lifeless Jesus. Sad as they might be, they were certain that they would love to give the Master a decent embalmment.
So very early at dawn, they hurried to the tomb where Jesus's body was laid. They came with their prepared spices, fully expecting to see His lifeless body there. But they were confronted by two amazements: first the heavy stone that covered the entrance was rolled aside. Who rolled the stone away? As they hurriedly entered the tomb, they were confronted by the second amazement: the body of the Lord Jesus was not there. These women were looking for a dead Christ instead of a living one. Their minds were fixed to the past and not the future. As much as we are thankful to our Savior who was crucified for us, we must rejoice that He is alive today. Neither the cross nor the grave could hold Him.
The stone rolled away and He rose from the dead, what sort of a King could He be? He arose! He arose! Alleluia, Christ arose! We serve a Risen Saviour!
Hear the words that Michael Bleeker wrote:
One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him
The grave could not keep Him
From rising again
Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He's coming
O, glorious day!
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