After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

Roman soldiers were not easily frightened. They were trained and battle-hardened men. This guard would have likely numbered around four men, in four hour shifts. This means up to 24 men could have been involved. It's fairly clear that these were Roman guards, but Temple guards could have also been at the tomb.

The question arises, where are the other disciples, specifically the 12 men Jesus called into ministry as a Rabbi, who all professed him as the Messiah and their Lord?

Well, we know that Judas betrayed him. Peter denied him and wept bitterly. And the rest fled.

So it is the women who bravely came to check on his body. (It could be that it was the custom for the women to tend to the bodies and also that it was much safer for them to go to Jesus). They likely knew that he would soon be left by the Roman guard as the 3 days posting was almost up..

What takes place here is nothing short of amazing. One angel from heaven causes an earthquake. This earthquake was big enough to cause a stone that likely weighed around 600 pounds, that was in a slot to keep it upright and was likely at the bottom of a downward angle, to be rolled back.

Now the soldiers had seen an earthquake like this before. We must remember another large earthquake happened just after Jesus died. The curtain in the temple was torn and tombs were also opened and the righteous dead arose.

So these four soldiers were not shocked by just an earthquake. It was the presence of a mighty force, a force so mighty they were bewildered at what to do. This force was the Angel of God. If they let a prisoner go, or in this case, a dead body leave, they were held accountable, many times with their lives. So they had no reason not to fight. They were simply massively overpowered.

This tells me that God wanted to show his power to overcome any man-made army or force, in a swift way, to leave no doubt he was in charge. This is encouraging for true followers of God and Jesus! It is terrifying for selfish people who follow the devil (knowingly or unknowingly).

I serve a very powerful and highly mighty God!

It also strikes me as interesting the foreshadowing here from Friday’s earthquake when tombs were opened and the righteous saved arose, to Sunday's earthquake where Jesus’ tomb was opened and he arose.

This not only is a physical representation of the spiritual reality that Jesus conquered sin and its penalty - eternal death. It is also demonstrating that the souls of the righteous are now set free from the grave! This is a spiritual reality for all disciples of Jesus who truly follow him.

We are free from sin’s hold on our hearts. Free to truly live a life dedicated to God. Free to have a personal relationship with him. And we are free to love in a selfless, unconditional way. Praise God! Praise the Lord Jesus! I AM FREE!

And finally, it foreshadows what will happen when Jesus comes the second time to earth. He will come to judge the hearts of men. And the his faithful, righteous disciples will be set free from the confines of a deteriorating body and given a new body. We will be perfected and presented together as the Bride of Christ. Our eternal life will begin in the presence of God!

Lord, thank you for all of the implications and applications of this passage. The tomb was opened and it means so much to me! Freedom! Life! Joy! You are a powerful, awesome, and wonderful God!