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| Garden Tomb - Jerusalem Was the tomb where they laid Jesus' body? |
This
all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As
evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and
asked for Jesus' body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and
he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.) Pilate couldn't believe that
Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had
died yet. The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he
could have the body. Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took
Jesus' body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb
that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance.
Mark 15:42-46
You can have
Him. That’s what Pilate told Joseph of Arimathea—a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin
and a follower of Jesus. Take the body away. It usually took longer for a
person being crucified to die. It was only about six hours for Jesus…but He had
been brutally beaten before He was hung on the cross. Sacrificial lambs didn’t
take long to die…and that was what He had become. A sacrificial lamb—who died
for the sins of mankind. Treated like a criminal…hung on a cross between two
thieves.
He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave. But it was
the LORD's good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is
made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long
life, and the LORD's good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that
is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his
experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted
righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a
victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among
the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels. Isaiah 53:9-12
As predicted
by the prophet Isaiah Jesus was indeed martyred, bearing the sins of many and
interceding for rebels. What a plan God formulated to save mankind—to purify
them for His use in His kingdom! How amazing it is that Jesus was obedient to
His Father’s plan. He was human…but much braver than anyone I’ve ever heard of
before. Pain. Humiliation. Suffering for sins of which He never committed. Righteous.
Purely righteous. We can never be like that…or can we? Jesus paid for all our
sins so that we can be righteous and pure before His Heavenly Father one
day. He did that for you and for me. I am in awe of Him. Grateful. Humbly and reverently
astonished by His submission and devotion. Can you accept what Jesus Christ did
for you?
Prayer
~ Lord Jesus, we are so blessed to have been chosen—to know You as our Savior,
Redeemer and Friend. May Your joy fill our hearts and lives. Please reveal
Yourself to those who stubbornly refuse to believe in You and Your resurrection,
especially to the nation of Israel that they would know You as their Messiah. Thank
You, Jesus.
Daily
Bible Reading: 2 Kings 18; 2 Chronicles 29-31; Psalms 48
© 2018 Text and
photo by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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