The Gospels: Open Graves and the Veil Torn
Matthew 27:45-54
(v.45) This was in the morning hours, when there was normally daylight. Even if it was a cloudy and rainy day, there was light. This darkness was supernatural. As we saw in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was sweating blood because He knew He would be separated from the Father for the ONLY TIME in eternity! This was that time...three hours of hell for Jesus only because He and the Father love us so much!(v.46) Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?...My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
If we read Psalm 22:1 David says the same thing here...why? First of all, we can at least suggest that the Son was grieved to be without the Father for three hours. But there was more to this...what?
In Psalm 22, David writes as if he is on a cross being crucified...David was led by the Holy Spirit to write this for this very moment!
In those days, at the end of a teaching by the Rabbi, he would read aloud the upcoming lesson's first verse, and it was the people's jobs to read that for background for the next lesson.
So here is Jesus pointing us to Psalm 22...a book written hundreds of years prior, that perfectly describes what Jesus is going through on the cross! Coincidence? I think not!
(v.50) Man can't kill God...only God can give up His Spirit. Jesus gave it up for all of us! In the other gospels, Jesus says, It is finished! Jesus accomplished the task of taking our place and our sins for us...thank you Jesus!
(v.51) Once Jesus died on the cross, a great earthquake shook the land. If you saw the Passion of the Christ, it does a good job of depicting this. However, what it didn't do, was the most important thing...the veil was torn in two...from top to bottom! Why is that important?
When God instructed Moses to build the Tabernacle, there was a veil of linen and cloth that became the partition of the Holy of Holies...only the High Priest could go in there on behalf of the people. In this case, that was Moses.
The same thing happened with the Temple built by Solomon. Once a year, the High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle lamb's blood on the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat. The High Priest did this on behalf of all the people for forgiveness of sins. Heb 9:25
This veil of linen and cloth was 18 inches thick! For it to be torn would be impossible for anyone except for God! Also take notice that it was ripped from top to bottom...this is symbolic in that God was giving access to us. Before, man had to have an intercessor, a priest, go to God for us. But now, since Jesus died for our sins, those of us who are washed in His blood by our faith, we can directly pray to the Father!
(v.52) This must have been quite a show! People that were known to be dead for years are all of a sudden walking around! This is a prelude to the last days 1 Cor 15:22 when all will be raised from the dead for judgment...the faithful to the Bema Seat of Christ, and the unfaithful to the Great White Throne of Judgement. Rev 20:11
(v.53) Notice that they came out AFTER Christ's resurrection...Jesus was resurrected first, and then because of that, we are as well.
(v.54) Sometimes it takes an earthquake in our lives to bring us to believe in Jesus! That is one of the reasons there are evil and terrible things in this life...to draw us to Good...Jesus!
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