Online Reporter
Trust Maanda
Looking at the Unseen
MATTHEW 28:1-7 KJV
In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. [2] And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. [3] His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: [4] And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. [5] And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. [6] He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. [7] And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
When I come to a crossroads where I do not know which way to turn, I remember that there is an empty tomb somewhere in Palestine.
The empty tomb reminds me of defiance of all odds by the greatest Man who ever lived. He defied the greatest enemy of humankind: death.
His was a death that was witnessed by all nature. The sun refused to shine. It went down in the middle of the day. The earth quaked and the rocks rent into smithereens. The King of Glory had died.
His tomb was sealed and guarded. A huge rock had been rolled to its mouth to stop the One who was buried behind it to never rise and walk again. So huge was it that the company of women who went to the grave on the first day of the week were worried who was going to roll the rock for them.
The soldiers were armed and were making sure that the One who had said would rise on the third day would not rise. A Roman seal had been put on the grave to make sure that no one would tamper with it.
Odds were against Him. He had been tortured and bruised. He had been scourged and made to carry a heavy cross and walk the distance to Mount Calvary. Everything testified that He was dead. His body was stiff. Joseph of Arimathea asked for His body. He was buried.
Before He died, He had said if they destroyed the temple of His body, he would rise on the third day. He had said He would raise up the temple of His body in three days if it was destroyed.
There were many Scriptures that had depicted that He would rise.
David in the Psalms had prophesied that He would not rot in the grave because He was the Holy One of God. He was holy.
If Jesus did not rise, what would happen to the prophecy of Job who had, in his hour of distress, screamed out and said: “I know my redeemer liveth”?
Job had seen the resurrection of Jesus, well before it happened. Job was resting on the resurrection of Jesus for his own resurrection.
Jesus Himself had foretold of His resurrection. There was no way He would not resurrect. He rose despite the odds. That was defiance of circumstances of the highest kind.
Jesus rose because Scripture had said so. You have Scripture for your situation. As Jesus depended on Scripture for His resurrection, why don’t you depend on Scripture for your coming out of your situation?
When you face a mountain, when you are deep down in a valley and you do not have a way out in sight, remember there is an empty tomb somewhere. The tomb is empty. It was not possible for Him to be held by it. It is not possible for you to be held by your condition.
When you face a difficult condition, remember there is an empty tomb somewhere. Jesus conquered hell, death and the grave.
There is hope with a tree. If it is cut down, it will sprout again when it receives water. You will rise again if you are watered by the promises of God.
There is an empty tomb, which stands as a symbol of defiance of all odds. As Jesus rose from the dead, so shall you, through Him, rise from your ashes.
TRUST MAANDA is a gospel preacher and transformational speaker. He writes in his personal capacity. He can be contacted on +263772432646
