Ignoring the disagreement many folks have about the day of the week that Jesus was crucified and the day of the week when He arose from the dead, I think it is appropriate to mention today, that on this second day, Jesus' body is in the tomb. This second day, between the crucifixion and the resurrection cannot be without significance.
The cruel death on the cross that Jesus suffered, the burial in a borrowed tomb, and the glorious resurrection is sufficient to provide the only way that we can escape the punishment for our sins. Christians and others ponder the crucifixion and the resurrection which took place at the end of what is sometimes referred to as "Holy Week", and rightly so, but do we ponder the day he was in the tomb? Do we consider that there must be a reason the God-Man deemed it so?
Clearly Jesus could have come alive again in their presence after he was pronounced dead on the cross. Certainly he could have come down off the cross alive and with power. But he didn't do that. He allowed his dead body to be prepared for burial in the manner of the custom of that day. He allowed his body to be placed in that dark, cold, borrowed hole in the side of a mountain of rock, and he allowed the stone to be rolled into place, blocking the entrance.
Today, as we go about our routine, as we prepare for The Resurrection Morning, let's think about the second day of Jesus' sacrifice. That hole in the mountain of rock stayed closed for the entire day. One thing is for certain. It stayed closed and dark because Jesus wanted it to be so. Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us so much.
