An Empty Tomb

Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’” (Luke 24:1-7) 

It was the third day since Jesus had been crucified and laid to rest in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. It amazes me how it was the women, and none of the disciples, who had prepared the spices to lay on the body of Jesus. These women had no concern about the Romans coming after them as did the disciples: the disciples all had gone into hiding for fear of their lives thinking they would be next to be rounded up and killed. 

They were bringing spices to complete the burial ritual of preparing the body since there had been no time immediately after the crucifixion. When you cross check all the passages of this event of the women coming to the tomb you find that there was a handful of them. Luke is referring to the women who witnessed Jesus being placed into the tomb (Luke 23:55-56). Luke also agrees with Mark 15:47 and Matthew 27:61 that they included Mary Magdalen and Mary, the mother of James (Luke 24:10). The certain other women with them as mentioned in our focus passage, included Joanna, (Luke 24:10). 

The fact that it was these women who found the empty tomb first and received the message from the angels that Jesus had risen, was by divine providence! This fact was used to speak against the impudent lie that the priests made up about the disciples having stolen the body immediately after Jesus’ death. 

Nowhere in the scriptures do we find the actual account of Jesus’ resurrection, however, the discovery of the resurrection (the empty tomb) is recorded in some detail. In Matthew’s account we are reminded that there had been the stone rolled into place and a guard placed at the tomb to prevent the very theft the priests had accused the disciples of.   

The stone had been rolled away not to let Jesus out, but to reveal to the His followers and the world that His word was true, that He would rise on the third day. And indeed, He has risen! Let us celebrate the fact that the stone had been rolled away and the tomb was found empty, and that Jesus has risen and is ALIVE! 

Dale LaFrance (please look up Job 19:25-27 & Hosea 6:1-2) 

Why Jesus Rode a Colt into Jerusalem

So those who were sent their way and found it just as He had said to them. But as they were  loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of him. Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” (Luke 19:32-38) 

Jesus had entered Jerusalem a number of different times, yet, on this day His entry into the holy city would be different and is commonly known as the triumphal entry. Jesus was not entering Jerusalem riding a horse as a conquering king or general would. Instead, He was entering in as the Prince of Peace, riding the colt, which was customary for royalty.  

This colt had never been ridden before and seemingly the owners were aware that it’s use for the first time was to be for Jesus. This was apparent when the disciples Jesus sent to retrieve the colt told the owners that the Lord had need for it for a time; they released the colt to them without hesitation. The act of Jesus riding a colt into Jerusalem was a fulfillment of prophecy stated in Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.”  

As I reflect on this simple act of taken something so ordinary as a colt to do something so very extra-ordinary, I am reminded how God revels in doing the same with the people He chooses to use to do His work. He takes something or someone so lowly and does the most amazing things to accomplish His work for His glory. If only we would choose to allow Jesus to unloose us from the ties of this world, we too can be used to humbly do His work to bring glory to His name. 

I also find it very interesting that nowhere else in the scriptures do we find Jesus having ridden any other animals while He lived here on earth. However, there was a time right before He was born while in the womb of Mary, He was carried on a donkey shortly before He entered this world as a man. And now, shortly before He was to leave this world, He is riding a colt (donkey) to enter Jerusalem. 

There are some scholars who believe donkeys have a spiritual meaning in the scriptures: they are portrayed in Biblical works as symbols of service, suffering, peace and humility. They are also associated with the theme of wisdom in the Hebrew Bible’s story of Balaam’s ass, and of course as seen in our focus passage of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a colt. 

This time recorded in the scriptures has Jesus entering in as the Prince of Peace. The next time He enters in He will come on a white horse as the King of Kings! Maranatha! 

Dale LaFrance (please look up Mark 11:1-11 & Revelation 19:11-16) 

Assurance of Forgiveness

“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.” So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.”’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also went and fell before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?  But as for you, you meant an evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:15-20) 

Back in chapter 45 when Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, he told them that he was not angry with them for what they had done to him when they sold him as a slave. In our focus passage we get a glimpse of the guilt and shame the brothers are still carrying for the evil they did against Joseph and still feeling unsure that they have actually been forgiven. Joseph assures his brothers that he holds no animosity toward them for the evil that they had intended against him. 

Joseph reveals his maturity in his walk with the Lord here and the wisdom that relationship has gained him; he does this by telling his brothers that it’s not his place to exact revenge upon them or hold their actions against them; it’s God’s place. Joseph did not have the text of Romans 8:28; however, he had the truth of it: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Sadly, many of us who have the text do not have or hold to this truth. None of us are God! Just as Joseph so stated to his brothers and so we should not judge. Also, our lives are not in the hands of men, but in the hands of God, who overrules all things for His glory. 

Let us go back to how the brothers were feeling regarding the guilt they carried for the sin that they had committed against Joseph who did not hold this against them as revealed back in chapter 45. How often have you felt unforgiven? The Lie Whisper wants to continually dredge up our past sins and failures by casting doubts upon us of the forgiveness given through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for not some but all our sins. It was not Joseph who reminded his brothers what they did; it was their guilt and shame! Joseph could and did forgive them, but he could not wipe their shame and guilt away. The good news is that Jesus can and will not only forgive us when we confess our sins to Him, He will cleanse us from all that guilt and shame. This is His promise as seen in 1John 1:9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  

My brothers and sisters do not allow the Lie Whisper to drag you down with guilt and shame from the past sins you have been forgiven of! Your slate is clean. Move forward and chose to not live a life of sin as the old man, but as a new creation in Christ in His power and strength. The victory is Christ’s. So, do not relinquish it to Satan! Live your life as a forgiven servant of God’s!  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22) 

Dale LaFrance (please look up Psalm 51:2 & Titus 3:5) 

Jacob’s Blessing Given to Judah

“Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; and as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah. Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people, binding his donkey to the vine, and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of the grapes. His eyes are darker than wine and his teeth whiter than milk.”  (Genesis 49:8-12) 

Jacob is nearing death and so calls his 12 sons to gather so that he may inform them what shall be fall them in the last days (Genesis 49:1). Culturally the firstborn would receive the blessing; however, Reuben had defiled his father’s bed (Genesis 35:22). Simeon and Levi had acted out in anger dishonoring their father (Genesis 34:25-31).  

Judah, the fourth born, was not exactly an upright character either: having a hand in Joseph being sold for a profit and not dealing faithfully with Tamar and slept with her as a possible prostitute. Judah was granted the blessing of the firstborn; he would be a ruler over Israel and the nations. We see God’s hand here as an example of His richness of grace to the undeserving. 

The mention of “until Shilo comes” seemingly refers to the Lord Jesus Christ and not the city of Shiloh where the tabernacle was set up as mentioned in Joshua 18:1. In a powerful way, this prophecy over Judah is a description of Judah’s greatest descendant: Jesus Christ.  This is what Charles Spurgeon had to say regarding Judah’s blessing. “The dying patriarch was speaking of his own son Judah; but while speaking of Judah he had a special eye to our Lord, who sprang from the tribe of Judah. Everything therefore which he says of Judah, the type, he means with regard to our greater Judah, the antitype, our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Sadly, during the time the Romans ruled over the Jews, the rabbis believed it was a disaster because of unfilled prophecy because the last vestige of the scepter had passed from Judah. They were blind to who Jesus was, and because of this their teachings lead the nation of Israel away from Jesus. However, we know that God’s word had not been broken. 

Jacob’s blessing on Judah was a prophecy of a coming Messiah, a paradise on the earth, and of an age to come that there will be an abundance of food, vitality, and health, and overall bounty. God’s people will have their fill of wine and milk. This time is coming soon! Jesus is returning to set up this kingdom as promised in the scriptures, one of the last prophecies that yet has not been fulfilled. Maranatha! 

Dale LaFrance (please look up Ezikiel 21:27 & Revelation 5:5) 

Changed Hearts Brings Repentance

“Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life, it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.’ Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?” (Genesis 44:30 34) 

It had been over 20 years that Joseph’s brothers had sold him into slavery without a care or concern what it would do to their father Jacob (Israel). In Genesis 37:33-35 we see how Jacob was affected by this news; what we don’t see is how over the next 20 years, how it affected the entire family. The brothers lived with this lie, they saw how their father was affected, and I’m sure they struggled with the guilt of what they did over those 20 years. 

Judah reveals how greatly concerned he was for the feelings and welfare of their father. Here we have evidence of a changed heart; to care when you didn’t care before. The older brothers suffered with hurt seeing the favoritism given to Joseph and Benjamin. This was a deep wound; yet the change in the heart of Judah and his brothers was apparent as they revealed the care and concern for their father who had wounded them so deeply. 

20 years prior the hearts of the older brothers were hard and calloused, and now, in the present in front of Joseph, their hearts have been drastically changed; so much so that Judah offers his own life in place of Benjamin’s. This kind of love was a heroic self-sacrifice; his life for those of his brothers. Other examples of that are seen in Exodus 32:31-32 as Moses was willing to offer himself for the salvation of Israel, and in Romans 9:1-4 we see how Paul is willing to be accursed because of his love for fellow Israelites. 

Throughout Genesis 44 there is remarkable evidence regarding the changed hearts of Joseph’s brothers. They did not resent Benjamin receiving extra favored portions at the dinner table of Joseph (Genesis 43:34). They revealed trust and did not accuse each other when accused of stealing the cup (44:9). When the silver cup was found in Benjamin’s sack, they did not abandon him, and they stuck together (v.13). They completely humbled themselves for the sake of Benjamin, the favored son (v.14). They realized that their predicament stemmed from their sin against Joseph (v.16). They choose not to abandon Benjamin and instead offered themselves up to be slaves in Egypt (v.16). They showed real concern for how it would affect their father (v.29-31). Finally, Judah was willing to be that substitutionary sacrifice for his brother out of love for his brothers and his father (v.33) 

Our focus passage reveals that before true repentance can take place one’s heart must be changed. God is in the heart changing business. We either listen and submit to Him because if we don’t our hearts become so callous and hard that we cannot hear Him; this will lead to one’s own eternal destruction. 

A changed heart recognizes that he or she is a sinner. When someone’s heart is changed by the power of God they are drawn to repentance and forgiveness is granted by Him as seen in 1 John 1:8-9. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Dale LaFrance (please look up Proverbs 28:13)