It has been a long three days, we are now about to enter the fourth day, Luke 24:21, since our Lord was put to death upon a cross. No one has been able to visit His grave yet due to the Passover Sabbath on the day after His death, John 19:42, and yesterday’s seventh-day Sabbath.  Although some of the women who followed Jesus had prepared spices for His body on Friday, before they were able to tend to His body, the seventh day sabbath came.

Now that the Sabbaths are over, early in the morning, before the dawn, they came to His grave bringing the spices they had prepared. As they approached the tomb they could see that the stone was no longer covering it so they went inside, but they did not find His body.

Mary Magdalene, seeing the body missing, ran to Peter to tell him that they have taken the body of the Lord, John 20:1, 2. Hearing this, Peter, and the other disciples, run to the tomb to investigate for themselves what was going on. How cruel could the leaders of Israel really be? Why would they take away His body after so callously having an innocent man put to death? As Peter approached the grave, he entered, stooping down and examined it, John 20:5. The scene does not look like one would expect because the grave clothes were still there, and the cloth used to cover His face was folded neatly and separately placed. What had happened here?

Shortly after Peter examined the tomb, John entered, for Peter had outran all the other disciples. Examining the tomb, he understood what had happened and believed what Jesus had been telling them just before His death, the Father did raise Him, John 20:8. However, many of the other disciples did not yet understand that He had to be raised from the dead.

The events of that morning to the many who came to His grave where both shocking and confusing. What happened, did He really raise from the dead? Or did they take His body? Where is He?

The disciples returned home not really understanding what had happened for they did not yet intuitively know the Scripture that it was necessary for Him to be raised out from the dead; however, Mary stayed and as she stood weeping within the tomb, two men appeared and asked her why she was weeping. Answering she turns and sees that it is her Lord who speaks, John 20:16.

Three days Jesus spent in the grave! But the grave cannot hold a righteous man. Just as the Father has promised, Jesus was raised out from the dead. The work that Satan and the leaders of Israel had done, did not have the outcome they had hoped for when they put Jesus to death. Satan was crushed. He lost! He did not kill the Lord of glory; rather, through his actions God has shown all created beings that He is righteous for passing over previously committed sins for He raised Jesus out from the dead proving without any shadow of a doubt that all who believe are righteous before Him, Romans 4:25.

That is right. Jesus was raised out from the dead on the third day, just as the Father promised.

During His time in the grave, Jesus was not just waiting to be raised. Not only did He proclaim to the spirits in prison that He was victorious over them, 1 Peter 3:19, He also entered the true Holy of Holies, the one in the heavens, and obtained full redemption for us through His blood, Hebrews 9:12.

On this day we remember the greatest day in the history of mankind. The day when eternal redemption became available to all mankind through Jesus’ work on the cross and sacrifice in the Holy of Holies. So often this day is taken lightly by the world. Things are added into it to take away the focus of its true meaning by mixing it with pagan celebrations. You see, the world system does not want to remember the Resurrection, for it is condemnation to all who refuse to believe.

What about you?

Christ died for your sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:3,4.

Will you take God at His Word, or reject what Christ has done like all those who will perish in their sins?

For those of us who are already saved this is the day of remembrance and celebration! May this day remind you of what God has done for you so that you keep your mind set on the things above and use your salvation to its fullest!

This is the day the Lord has made!