DAY #139: Luke 24:1-12

In the Jewish reckoning of time, a “day” included any part of a day; thus, Friday was the first day, Saturday was the second day, and Sunday was the third day. When the women arrived at daybreak, Jesus had already risen. Jesus had died on Friday; Joseph had taken his body and had prepared it for burial just before the Sabbath began at sundown on Friday. The Sabbath had ended at sunset on Saturday; so the women ventured out very early on Sunday morning.

They brought spices to the tomb, just as people today would bring flowers—as a sign of love and respect. When they arrived, they found that the stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside. The stone was not rolled away so that Jesus could get out, for he was already gone. It was rolled aside so others could get in and see for themselves that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, just as he had said he would.

The stone had been rolled back, and the women went in expecting to accomplish their task with the spices. Many tombs were large enough to walk into, so these women went into the tomb, but they couldn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. Of course, the body was not there because Jesus had been raised, just as he said. But Jesus’ followers did not expect this. They had been told at least three times, but they had not come to truly believe.

Matthew and John reveal that these two men in dazzling robes were angels. When angels appeared to people, they looked like humans. These men at the tomb surprised the women, and their dazzling appearance frightened them. The women reacted in humility, bowing before these men. The angel asked the obvious question, “Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive?” Then one angel spoke the words that have thrilled every believer since that first resurrection morning, “He isn’t here! He has risen from the dead!” The angels then reminded the women that Jesus had accurately predicted all that had happened to him.

These women must have been among Jesus’ faithful followers and had heard Jesus’ predictions of his death, for Luke says they remembered that Jesus had said those things, and suddenly everything came together. Everything had occurred just as Jesus had said. So these women left the tomb and rushed back to tell his eleven disciples (disciples, minus Judas Iscariot) and everyone else among Jesus’ followers who may have been in hiding since the Crucifixion.

Matthew and Mark say that the angel told them to go and tell the disciples what had happened. The women obeyed, running with the great news to the sorrowing and bewildered disciples.
The women are named here, probably because some of the later believers may have known them or about them. Mary Magdalene had been a loyal follower—Jesus had cast seven demons out of her. All the Gospels place her at the cross and at the tomb. Jesus’ first appearance to any human after his resurrection was to this woman.

Joanna was previously mentioned among the women who followed Jesus. The several others includes Salome and other unnamed persons—all women. They brought their story back to the apostles—giving them the message that the angel had told them. The fact that the message was carried by women gives credibility and persuasive force to Luke’s account. No ancient person making up such a story would have women as the official witnesses. By Jewish law, women could not do so.

Amazingly, the disciples did not believe it—the story sounded like nonsense. Apparently Jesus’ words about dying and rising again had gone past all of them. Many skeptics have tried to write off the Resurrection as a story made up by a group of overzealous disciples. But here the opposite occurred. The disciples were not anxiously looking for any reason to believe that Jesus had risen; in fact, they were not anticipating it. When told of the Resurrection, they refused to believe without concrete evidence. Even a missing body was not enough to convince them.

John 20:3-4 reveals that another disciple ran to the tomb with Peter. That other disciple was almost certainly John, the author of the fourth Gospel. When Peter arrived at the tomb, he bent over and peered in. He saw the empty linen wrappings. Peter went away, wondering what had happened.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)



Jesus beat death. His victory is our victory. His death on the cross proved His love for us. His Resurrection proved He was God. Oh Lord, give me victory today. Give me victory over those who would seek to do me harm. Give me victory over sin. Give me victory over doubt.


"O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? Now sin is the sting of death, and sin exercises its power [upon the soul] through [the abuse of] the Law. But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 (AMP)


And Lord, walk with the people of COV today. Give them victory in their battles. Heal marriages, heal broken relationships. Draw children back into a loving relationship with their parents. Protect the children of COV. Protect their innocence. Protect their purity. For those struggling financially, provide for them Lord. For those searching for work, provide for them Lord. For those in need of physical healing, be gracious to them and give them the necessary grace to make it through day by day.


"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 (NIV)