Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is 2 Samuel 24, 1 Chronicles 21-22, Psalm 30
38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.39 And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. 40 Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. 41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.
We saw yesterday that Jesus controlled His own death. He died much earlier than crucified people normally did - He had to because the Passover Sabbath was coming and the soldiers were going to break the legs of the crucified men and God would not allow that to happen because if it did prophecy would be broken and God would be a liar. Jesus died because He purposefully allowed death to take Him. At the right time - so He would fulfill the requirements of the ultimate Passover Lamb (with no broken bones) and those prophecies, that they would pierce His side to check to see if He was dead.
Scorn has broken my heart. Psalm 69:20
There is evidence to support the fact that Jesus died from a ruptured heart muscle - the blood and water flowing separately from His body would support that theory.
And He died at 3 o'clock - the time the the Passover Lamb was to be slaughtered.
So, He controlled His own death.
But not only that, He controlled His own burial, while He was dead!
Isaiah 53:9 says He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death,
He was assigned a grave with the wicked - makes sense that they would want to bury Him with other criminals. But He was with the rich in his death, not the wicked. How did that happen? Jesus had no rich disciples.
Joseph of Arimathea was a rich, devout, godly man and a member of the Sanhedrin. He was a believer in Jesus Christ, but he was a secret believer, because he was afraid of the people and the Jewish leaders discovering he was a believer. But now, Jesus moves within him and he boldly goes to claim Jesus' body, right into Pilate's house (another taboo for the Jews). He had to get Jesus' body buried quickly, before sundown, before the beginning of the Sabbath, and in order for Jesus to be buried for 3 days (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) - and so, finally, he counted the cost and decided to stand up for Jesus.
And Nicodemus, at some point between his discussion with Jesus and now, had also become a secret believer. And he, along with Joseph, also decided to count the cost and stand up for Jesus and together they buried the body of their Lord.
It's also no coincidence that Joseph's tomb was close enough that they could get Jesus' body there in time to bury Him on the Friday. They didn't have to time to go far. But it was planned out in advance by God and the tomb and garden were there, they were Joseph's and Joseph finally stood up for God, just in time!
Tomorrow's scripture focus: John 20:1-9
1 comment:
So amazing to see everything coming together according to God's plan. Maybe someday we'll be able to see all of those things with regard to our own lives, and how all things came together for His plan. Sometimes we catch glimpses, but what a thing to be able to know and understand one day!
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