Mark 16
“Now when the Sabbath was past…” the Sabbath was a holy day of rest and worship. After that special day (our Saturday), THEN three women go to the tomb. They were there at the very break of the new day. This shows me they honored the Sabbath. On Sunday morning then, they were at the tomb, finding it empty at the break of the new day. Jesus had recently risen on the first day of the week, Sunday (verse 9).
The Jews consider a day from sunset to sunrise. In Mark 15:42, we see that Jesus was buried the day before the Sabbath. Some consider that Jesus was crucified on a Thursday. Here’s why: the Passover was considered a Sabbath, and the Passover was Friday. Jesus died Thursday and was rushed to be buried before 6 pm so He could be buried before the Passover Sabbath. Jesus was dead three days and three nights, which are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
When Jesus is risen from the dead, the women go to the tomb but Jesus is not there. An angel greets the women and tells them to go tell the disciples. The angel was well aware who those 11 men were and that they needed to be informed. Then Jesus appears in another form, a resurrected body, to two of the disciples so that they do not recognize Him. They did not believe it was their Master.
Then Jesus appears to all eleven, correcting them for their unbelief and hardness of heart. They did not believe those that saw Him after He had risen. Then He commissions them to go spread the Gospel message of salvation. The hearers will have the opportunity to believe or not.
Jesus then tells of the signs that will follow those who believe, to confirm their preaching. We can expects signs and wonders when we preach the word to those who will believe.
Deuteronomy 29-30
In chapter 29, we see the covenant is renewed in Moab, just east of the Jordan. God reminds them of the great works He has done, yet (verse 4), “the Lord has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day.” God has revelation knowledge, but it is given to the humble, dependent heart. It is not to the proud, controlling heart.
Now, looking to verse 29, it says, “The secret things belong to the Lord, our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” Spiritual truth has to be revealed by the Holy Spirit. We don’t understand everything.
In chapters 29 and 30 the Lord makes it clear that lining up with the law is required to enter into the old covenant. While the surrender and obedience of a true reliant faith is always important, the law was in place for the purpose of showing us our need for a redeemer. This is said to the Israelites right before they are to enter the land that is possessed by wicked people that worship other gods.
In verse 20 it says that they were to “cling to God” because “He is their life.” This describes the dependency of faith God has always required of any of us. He is our life, and the way to know Him is to be in surrendered obedience to Him. Today, Jesus has removed the power of sin, and He has given us the Holy Spirit to help us overcome through teaching truth and giving us a power that is greater than sin. Tempted to sin? Begin to worship God in surrender and invite the Holy Spirit into the situation. The enemy will not stay when you are yielded to God in worship. Your spirit will strengthen and overcome the desire to do the wrong thing, say the wrong thing, or think the wrong thing.
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