Father + Jesus

"the love of the Father for the Son"

THE TOMB lay empty. The graveclothes folded neatly where He’d lain. And the disciples marveled what this meant. They would soon know and see Him who is Moshiach, Savior of the world. But that day, after what had been a crazy series of events, they wavered between joy and sorrow.

The Father rejoiced.

Jesus was taken from the cross by Joseph of Arimathaea and buried in his own tomb, the Pharisee Nicodemus, of John 3 fame, carrying a 100-pound mixture of spices (John 19:38-39). A tremendous stone was rolled over the entrance and a guard posted outside. Those who’d crucified Him wanted no one to say Jesus’ words had come true.

It’s important to note Jesus was buried where people knew to find Him. It was not a lost location that, in the future, people would say never existed. It’s also important to see that Jesus’ words were remembered. Many times, He’d said He would rise from death, including to the Roman governor, Pilate, whose own wife begged him to not get involved (Matthew 27:19). So the word of it was widespread (Matthew 28:64).

There is, in this, the happenings in the temple to also consider. Jesus prophesied of its destruction, which would happen (we know from history) in 70A.D. (Matthew 24:2). We must think of this because in the moment when Jesus died and the temple veil tore from top to bottom, one picture is vivid in front of us. The Father would have no one … NO ONE say they were why it tore. This is true of other times in His plan. Only He formed Israel, Abraham being 100-years-old and Sarah, his wife, 90. Only He conceived Jesus in Mary’s womb, her being a virgin. And now, only He opened the way into the Holiest Place. God would no longer be held back by a curtain, by the words of the Law’s sacrifices.

Jesus was the final one. In giving up the rest of His human life, and dying willingly at age 33, He fulfilled God’s covenant to Israel (Matthew 5:17). Sin was forgiven forever to any who would believe. The curse was removed (Galatians 3:13), but the blessings are eternal. God made the first sacrifice, the first death on this earth (Genesis 3:21). God made the last needed one in His Son. And for this reason, because death no longer had any sting (1 Corinthians 15:55), the Father did something spectacular and unusual.

If you knew Him, you’d smile. He’s all over this story and filled with laughter. There’s this little note in Matthew 27:52.

“And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose.”

Verse 53 tells us they rose from the dead, went into Jerusalem, and appeared unto many. Do you get that? THE FATHER FILLED THE CITY WITH RESURRECTED JEWS. Not a few people, unnoticed, but MANY. Raised back to life, simply to prove Abba’s heart. That this was about life, this was the fulfillment of His covenant promise, God keeping His Word. Over just a couple days, everything would change. The accuser who’d built sin and death into something to be feared would, with Jesus’ next breath, be destroyed (Hebrews 2:14).

Let me make sure you know how dead Jesus was. His body was mutilated beyond human recognition (Isaiah 52:14). He’d been beaten until His organs were exposed, His side pierced. There was no physical way to fix Him. In spirit, though, Jesus is Christ, forever one with the Father and the Spirit, who cannot die. He was alive in spirit, after death, and victorious over sin and the grave. He spoiled principalities and powers, making a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in His Resurrection (Colossians 2:15). The raising of His body back to life was the crown on it, and this is where we must surrender our church ideas of that moment. Because one Truth is needed. And that is the love of the Father for the Son.

“And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

“And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11)

“And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22)

We have made Abba distant on the throne of heaven, and Jesus, after Resurrection, pensive to go see Him. That is not what happened. Jesus did need to stand before Him in heaven. He said this to Mary, who thought Him the gardener at first (John 20:15). But the empty tomb, in that moment of Resurrection, was filled with the Father. The Father raised His Son back to life.

What were Jesus’ words before His death? Three times, He said, “I am not alone because the Father is with me.” (John 8:16,29; John 16:32). Hanging on the cross, with His last breath, He laid His spirit in the Father’s hand (Luke 23:46). He told the thief, beside Him on the cross, “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43).” To day, that day, He’d be seen as King of Israel, King of Kings, amongst the righteous who’d died long ago, names listed in Hebrews 11.

In the tomb was not empty space, lacking air, redolent with death. Nor Jesus by Himself, waking up in the dark. Nor even Him alone surrounded simply by God’s visual Presence. No, there were Father and Son, glorious life, and Abba folding the graveclothes His way. There, were angels, who testified of it (Matthew 28:2;Mark 16:5;Luke 24:4), and when one rolled the stone away, the guard lying on their faces.

I want you to see the Father anew. Not as distant and removed. Not as exacting, “things must be done my way.” Nor as ever, in any of those events, giving one inch to the devil. No, He is kind, so very, very kind, and loving beyond our understanding. He loves us. Jesus is proof. But in that hour, there in that tomb, the love that took Jesus’ torn flesh and made it perfect was His arms embracing His Son.

I can see it in my mind’s eye. I can hear His Voice and feel His laughter, that all has been accomplished. This is what John 3:16 says of Him, after all. For God SO LOVED the world that He gave His Only-begotten Son.

Illustration by Anupam Raisim Kerketta on Unsplash


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com