Matthew Chapter 27
The whole Jewish ‘gang’ who wanted Jesus’ death must be rejoicing that they could finally get rid of the thorn in their eyes, and they could have even felt victorious over the One who always hurt their evil pride.
In the spiritual realm, the devil himself must have felt the same, because the One who is called, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, has now been captured and was about to be crucified!
BUT, was that the end of Emmanuel? Chapter 28 will reveal to us how the adversaries of Jesus, both in the physical and spiritual realms, got beaten down by Jesus’ resurrection.
Indeed, we have a lot to learn from our Lord Jesus when we suffer unjustly. Reading through verses 11 to 44, we learn the following:
Jesus uttered not a word when He was falsely accused, He did not retaliate when brutally abused, but chose to suffer the mental and physical pain silently (Isaiah 53: 7). On the cross, He did not accept the cup of “pain-killer” when offered, but chose to endure the excruciating pain and allowing His blood and life to slowly drain away from His body. And while He was being shamefully challenged to save Himself, which He could easily do so, but He chose to bear the sins of the world till the end, because He obeyed the Father’s will to be the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world (John 1: 29).
When Jesus breathed His last, verses 51 to 53 recorded:
“the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”
The words being underlined remind us of Matthew 12: 29, in response to the accusation that He cast out demons by Beelzebub, Jesus said,
“Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.”
When Jesus’ works were finished, He tore open the dividing wall between God and man, and He also “plundered” souls that were under the clutches of Satan, called “death”. This is “victory upon victory” of God for His Kingdom, and the wise and perfect salvation plan for man (1 Corinthians 1: 23 – 24).
Indeed we are extremely blessed to be found and be saved by our Lord Jesus into the living hope of entering into His glorious abode.
So let us not lose heart when we face persecutions of any sorts or of any magnitude, because we have a Lord who is always by our sides, ever ready to comfort, to help, to deliver us; and even if we have to face imminent death, He will be there to embrace our souls into His bosom of eternal rest and bliss.
