Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Dead Men Walking!

This is pretty amazing!:

Mat 27:50-53 And Jesus [on the cross] cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

Can you IMAGINE being the family members of those previously dead people seeing them come back to life?!? Why would God do that? Why bring a bunch of people back from the dead? V. 53 explains it: "they appeared to many". I imagine those families were INSTANT converts when they saw their dearly departed walking back through the front door of their house.

Regarding the torn veil, I found this amazing Bible footnote on Exo 26:31:
The inner veil separated the Holy Place (which contained the Altar of Incense, the lampstand, and the table for the bread) from the Most Holy Place, or Holy of Holies (which contained the ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat). The Jewish historian Josephus reported that the veil was four inches thick, was renewed every year, and that horses tied to each side could not pull it apart. It barred all but the high priest from the presence of God, but when it was torn in two at the death of Jesus, access to God was made available to all who come through Him.

Hebrews 10: 19-22:
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Amen!
Maranatha!