The Crucifixion

After Easter, I spent some personal time with the LORD in contemplation of the crucifixion of Jesus on Passover and His resurrection on the third day. The LORD spoke to my heart with some awesome insights, as I knew He would, in His love for me as His child and partner in Covenant.

I first thought about the act of crucifying the Christ on the Passover. Just as the Israelites had been commanded to sacrifice a lamb to receive a "pass over" of the angel of death, Jesus was sacrificed to deliver us from eternal death. Ok, that one I've known for a long time (it probably deserves further explanation, but that will be for another post). But, as I let the LORD speak to me further about the resurrection, I wondered if there is any significance in Christ remaining in the grave the day after He died. Surely He could have been raised on the second day, but He was not, it was the third day. Was there any significance there?

God does nothing by chance or without specific reason, so I let myself think and pray about it more. The Holy Spirit revealed profound Truth, as is every revelation from God in His Word. I heard the Spirit say, "The Christ, as God, had to remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy." There was no way that God could break this or any of His commandments, as that would negate every other commandment and what would I have then? A God who changes His character and His Word... this is impossible and not a God I would want to worship!

Exodus 20:8-11
8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

10 but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.

11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

I let myself imagine the "rest" God was allowing Jesus to receive. After the horrific slaughter the Christ endured as my passover lamb, God the Father allowed Jesus to spend the next day in His Holy presence; basking in His Glory, communing again with His Spirit after total and complete separation from Them both when He took my sin upon His body on the cross.

This Is Awesome! Because our LORD never changes, I can bank on His Word to reveal Truth to me every time I seek Him in His Holy Scripture. Praise God, He DID raise from the dead, and through His resurrected life, I can enter the Kingdom to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."