EARTHQUAKE
We’re moving on now to “Believe It Or Not – Unusual Stories Of The Bible” point number four.
And it’s found beginning in Matthew 27:51…
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake (and so there was an earthquake, too!) – and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent (it continues); And the graves were opened (I’ve always been intrigued by this passage!); and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his (that’s Jesus!) resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. (Matthew 27:51-53; KJV)
And let’s just stop right there.
“Believe It Or Not” point #4 is: After an earthquake, a whole group of people arose out of their graves and strolled around town.
TEMPLE VEIL TORN IN TWO
And there are a number of miracles, we find, that took place at the death of Christ.
And this is one of them – “Believe It Or Not” point #4 – along with the rending of the temple veil in two from top to bottom. (Matthew 27:51a)
You’ll remember the temple had within it the Holy Place.
And then the Most Holy Place / the Holy of Holies where God dwelled above the ark in between the Cheribum was separated from the Holy Place by a large and thick curtain so that no one would enter the Holy of Holies expecially by mistake.
This was one of the miracles that took place upon the death of Christ.
The curtain / temple veil was torn in two from top to bottom showing the entrance to God was no longer closed to man, but opened.
“Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
And then there was the earthquake that took place (Matthew 27:51b) along with the rending of the temple veil.
It was a miraculous earthquake because it attended our Lord’s passing away and was further proof given of His Messiahship, at least one commentator suggests.
It was felt not only in Jerusalem, but in the surrounding region, also.
A THIRD MIRACLE
Which brings us to the third miracle and “Believe It Or Not” point #4.
“[T]he graves were opened,” it says in Matthew 27:52, I want you to notice again.
Look at it.
And then “many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection,” it says. (Matthew 27:52b-53a)
Do you see that there?
And it’s really quite interesting.
It says there’s an earthquake and then the graves open and saints (believers in Christ – I read that these were maybe even friends of the Lord during His life) – but these that “slept” – which is a term for death – “going to sleep” is – they arose from their “sleep” of death.
And then the first part of Matthew 27:53 says they did so “after his (Christ’s) resurrection” which happened three days in the future after He died.
And they “went into the holy city (Jerusalem), and appeared unto many.”
The question is whether or not they arose immediately following the earthquake and appeared in the city.
But it says it didn’t happen until after the resurrection in Matthew 27:53.
And so how do we reconcile it?
This is how we reconcile it – by saying, “Yes, the graves were opened. There was an earthquake right after Christ died. The graves opened. But then they sat open until the day of His resurrection. And then that’s when “the bodies of the saints which slept arose.”
It’s clear as mud to me!
But ultimately there was a third miracle – “Believe It Or Not” point #4: After an earthquake (because it did happen after the earthquake! – right?), a whole group of people arose out of their graves and strolled around town.
And so people saw them!
And it was just another testimony to the significance of our Lord’s dying on the cross.
And I was wondering, “There were 120 people in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit would arrive with power. Could it be that some in that number were there and it was because they had an encounter with one of the saints who, after an earthquake, arose out of the grave and went for a walk with them?”
Watch for “Believe It Or Not – Giant Human Beings Once Roamed The Earth” to come soon.
(Easter via pixabay)
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