SATURDAY WAS A BUSY DAY

 

Saturday, April 8, 2023

 

SATURDAY WAS A BUSY DAY

 

Luke 23:42-43

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. KJV

 

Eph 4:8-10

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) KJV

 

Rev 1:18

18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. KJV

 

          First, a caveat. There is no direct explanation as to where Jesus’ spirit was while His body lay in the tomb on Saturday. We are, however, able to piece together his likely activities by studying the Scriptures. A margin of error is always to be considered.

 

          There was a promise made to the penitent thief that he would accompany Jesus to Paradise. We assume, therefore, that Jesus kept that promise. We know from the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16; Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27 & 31) that Jesus went to the portion of Hell that was Paradise. It is where Lazarus rested in the bosom of Abraham (Luke 16:22). We also know that this “lower part” was sectioned in two and separated by “a great gulf” uncrossable by man. We also know that “hell hath enlarged itself” (Isaiah 5:14).

 

          Jesus led captivity captive, this refers to Old Testament saints such as Lazarus and all those in “Abraham’s bosom”. Many of these rose from the grave and walked about (Matthew 27:52-53). Nothing else is mentioned of these wandering, formerly dead and we assume they ascended when Jesus did forty days later. I know that some heads are exploding with the strangeness of all this but give it due consideration.

 

          At some point prior to Jesus’ resurrection, as our Great High Priest, He applied the atoning blood to the horns of the altar in heaven (Lev. 9:9; Heb. 13:20). In John 20:17, He told Mary not to touch him but later He told Thomas to touch his nail scars.

 

Rev 5:10

12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

 

Lord, we see through a glass, darkly. We may be wrong on points as we delve deeply into the word. We are fresh and we often fail in our understanding, but our hearts are fixed on those things we assuredly know. You are Lord and God. You have the keys of hell and death, and you are worthy of our praise. AMEN