Luke tells us why they went--to finish preparing Jesus' body for burial (Lk. 24:1). Friday afternoon, after Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus removed His body from the cross and carried it to Joseph's new tomb, the ladies had just enough time to see where Jesus was placed and perhaps spend a few minutes grieving and weeping together. Then "they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment" (Lk. 24:56).
The people who loved and followed Jesus kept the Bible Sabbath, the seventh day of the calendar week. Jesus had created the Sabbath (Gen. 2:1-2; Jn. 1:1-3) and wrote it into the Law which He and the Father gave on
When He came to this world, Jesus also kept the Sabbath (Lk. 4:16) and did His best to restore it to its original purpose by protesting the man-made restrictions that kept His people from enjoying God's plan for this special day (Mk. 2:21-3:6).
Luke tells us the women "rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment" (Lk. 24:56). Nothing in Jesus' teaching or practice led His followers to think He was changing or abolishing the Sabbath. They followed His perfect example and kept the Sabbath in the same spirit He did, avoiding legalism, but keeping it according to the commandment (the fourth of the Ten Commandments given on
What a sad, sad Sabbath that must have been for Jesus' followers. It was a day spent in grieving and asking "Why?" I'm sure none of them slept much Friday or Saturday nights. It was not just their hoped-for Messiah who had been crucified, but their dear Friend who had helped them each so much. For them it was a Sabbath of crushed hopes, grief-stricken loss, and wondering what the future held now.
But for heaven it was a Sabbath of tremendous rejoicing. They knew the end of the story. They had not forgotten Jesus' predictions that He would rise again. In fact, they were making preparations for it! When Jesus died, His followers grieve, but heaven exploded with cheering.
I'll bet the Resurrection angel was waiting like a champion runner at the start line to dash to earth at God's command. His accompanying angels who were going with him to push back Satan and His angels must have been so eager for their assignment to begin.
Heaven was also rejoicing because they knew Jesus' death had conquered Satan. Jesus' cry of victory and last breath were Satan's death knell. Christ had conquered God's foe (Col. 2:15), and now it was only a matter of time until Satan could be destroyed (Heb. 2:14; Rev. 20:10).
While heaven celebrated in joyful praise and worship, Jesus spent the Sabbath sleeping the sleep of death in Joseph's tomb. I believe it was in God's eternal plan that Jesus died on a Friday and rested in the tomb over Sabbath. By God's arrangement Redemption was repeating the cycle of Creation.
In Creation week, Jesus presided over bringing God's new masterpiece into existence (Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2). When He finished (Gen. 2:2), He ceased His work by resting on the seventh day and spending a day of blissful fellowship with His new children, Adam and Eve. Then He "Blessed" the Seventh Day and "made it holy," designating it a sacred day (Gen. 2:1-3).
In Redemption week, Jesus moved through the week very deliberately, calling attention to His forthcoming work on
The epic plan was now complete, to come to this world, reveal the Father's character, defeat the devil, and pay for humanity's sin. Now our Creator-Redeemer rested again on the same day He rested on in Creation. In saving us, He honored the Sabbath He created and set apart at Creation week, by again resting on it.
On the First Day, He would take up His work of ministry again. But for now, He slept the restful sleep of death, waiting for His Father and glorious angels to call Him to life.
Pastor Michael Brownfield
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