Divine Normalcy

11.27.11

Matthew 27.51-53 51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. NIV

Okay, so here’s the deal: Jesus’ death was a huge deal! First, but not necessarily in chronological order: the veil in the temple that separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy place was torn in two from top to bottom. That’s a statement! Second there was an earthquake, for not even the earth was in favor of what those men did to its Creator. And then, the tombs were broken open and Matthew records, “The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.” Nature in that moment was turned on its ear.

Now, imagine you’re in Jerusalem that day and you’ve heard all about the goings on and you’re shocked and saddened by the turn of events. And there’s a knock at your door and when you open the door, it’s your departed mother (or father, or aunt, or brother) standing there alive. Now what!?

You see, when God is involved our normalcy goes out the window. When God is involved really strange (abnormal) stuff happens. That’s because our normal can’t handle God. (I’m still at the door wondering how so and so we buried two years ago is standing in front of me alive.) Shock and awe is what I’m thinking.

Mankind had no idea what happened the day Jesus was crucified but nature responded. Mankind to this day (in general) has no idea what happened the day Jesus was crucified but Paul the apostle said: For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8.19-21 NIV)

Creation had no say in Adam’s fall; it was only subjected to it. Creation was frustrated by man’s disobedience and when man killed the Lord of glory, creation responded. Death cannot hold life when God is involved. And creation itself is eagerly awaiting for the last day to come in order to open the door to the first day of eternal freedom that will be ushered in by the freedom of the children of God. Creation will finally be seen and cared for as it was originally intended to be.

Where we live today is abnormal. How we live today is not how God originally intended for us to live. Tombs breaking open and the dead being raised to life is merely the response of nature to how things were supposed to be (and an indicator of how things will one day be). And Jesus’ death was the inauguration of the return to divine normalcy. There won’t be cemeteries on the new earth…