The Glory of the Empty Tomb

04.08.12

Psalm 77.15 15 You have by Your power redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. NASB

The troubles of Israel were many and persist to this day. Israel has played an important role in the history of the world and there are many enemies of the cherished people of God.

Asaph wrote his psalms during the latter part of the reign of king David. If there was ever a time when Israel was at its peak it was when David was on the throne. It was under David that Israel’s military was at its mightiest and the borders of Israel were protected. The glory of God was once again upon the nation. David’s glorious kingdom was succeeded by Solomon’s increasingly secular kingdom and after that the nation was torn into two kingdoms with a series of progressively weaker and weaker rulers punctuated by a few who stood up in strength and called on God to save them. Israel’s troubles have always been many.

When Asaph wrote he asked this series of questions: Will the Lord reject forever? And will He never be favorable again? Has His lovingkindness ceased forever? Has His promise come to an end forever? Has God forgotten to be gracious, or has He in anger withdrawn His compassion? (Ps. 77.7-9 NASB) Asaph wondered if God had forgotten them. In our reading in 1 Samuel today the wife of Phinehas the priest said: “The glory has departed from Israel,” “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God was taken.” She thought the same thing: It’s over; the Lord has forgotten us.

But God didn’t forget them and He didn’t leave them to perish; Asaph said: “You have by Your power redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph.” The Lord saved them from their troubles because He sent His Son to buy them back from the clutches of evil and the ravages of sin. The troubles of Israel, like the troubles in our own lives, are always there to get us to remember the One who hasn’t, and never will, forget us. And that is why on this Easter morning in 2012, we remember the empty tomb.

We don’t go to the grave site of a former king, we celebrate an empty tomb where One rose from the dead, and Israel and all of mankind was not forgotten: they were forgiven. Asaph wrote: You have by Your power redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Asaph looked forward to the redemption of Israel by the King of the Empty Tomb. Asaph knew the troubles of Israel were not in vain.

The troubles we face this day are not few and far between but the tomb is empty and the King is coming again to take His people to be with Him forever. Our troubles are divinely designed to help us remember that we wait for an everlasting Kingdom where death and hell and sin are no more; and our troubles will finally be over. If our troubles help us to remember our Redeemer and that He has already redeemed, then they have done their work and our lives are changed.

We celebrate with joy the glory of the empty tomb that our lives may not fall short but be lived forever in the presence of the One who by His power redeemed His people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph and all who believe.