Earthquake on Resurrection Sunday

Prayer – Lord Jesus—Hallelujah! You are risen from the dead! I rejoice—with exceeding great joy! The joy we felt at Christmas—and with the appearing of the wise men is nothing compared to the joy that we feel knowing that You were resurrected…and one day we will experience that same resurrection! Praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

The Stone was rolled away.
The Tomb was empty.
Jesus was Risen...just as He said.

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. ... Then the angel spoke to the women. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you." The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel's message. And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Don't be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there." Matthew 28:1-2, 5-10

 

Meditate. Consider God’s plan and its fulfillment.

Oh my! An earthquake! Ground shaking and rocks falling! The huge stone covering the entrance to the tomb rolled away! Powerful tremor. Earlier there had been an earthquake as Jesus hung on the cross. Was this one at the tomb three days later an aftershock? There is an 8.2 magnitude earthquake report associated with the Palestine area in 33 AD according to articles on Skeptic.com. No wonder the ladies going to the tomb were afraid! Earthquakes are a powerful— frightening even valiant Roman soldiers.

The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, "This man truly was the Son of God!" Matthew 27:54

Jesus was raised from the dead—just as He had said. The very earth that He created quaked at His death and again at His resurrection.

There have been several well publicized earthquakes lately…and people were pretty traumatized. Scary stuff. I experienced a minor quake a couple of times over thirty years ago when I lived in Okinawa. They were like waves through the ground—just like ocean waves. I could actually see the ground swelling and receding as it came near us…and the dishes rattling in the cupboards as it moved through our house. Not too scary in the daylight. Nothing like the 7.8 magnitude felt in Turkey or all the minor ones, 4.1 to 5.6, recorded in Turkey during the last few weeks. Have you ever experienced an earthquake? Was your first spiritual encounter with the Lord like an earthquake?

 

Verse of Salvation ~ After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, "Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!" Revelation 7:9-10

 

© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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