Sabbath Sanctuary: Holy Saturday

Yesterday, we remembered Christ and His crucifixion; His holy sacrifice for our filthiness and sin. Every sin I have committed, every idle word I have spoken, was nailed to the cross yesterday. I need only repent and apply His sacrifice to my life.  

As Good Friday passes, we look forward to Easter Sunday to celebrate the most significant event of all time—the Resurrection. Christ defeated death, hell, and the grave. He tasted death for us and overcame it. He holds the keys to hell; it is a celebration indeed!

Saturday seems to get lost in the holiday preparations. We return to the mundane life routine,  preparing food, doing the laundry, and preparing for worship on Sunday. But what about Saturday? Scripture, too, quickly passes over Saturday. There seems to be a void after the horrific crucifixion scene the previous day, and the celebration of an empty grave on Sunday. Matthew grants a glimpse into some of the events on Saturday; the Pharisees before Pilate, ensuring the grave is guarded, there will be no grave robbing this night!

Holy Saturday is a time of waiting, when nothing significant occurs. “The crucifixion, deliberately timed to precede the Sabbath day (which in John’s chronology was the Passover itself), was naturally followed by a pause when nothing would happen, and certainly no visit to the tomb by Mary and the others to anoint the body” (Alan Lewis, p.3).  Saturday is just an ordinary day, with Jesus' body seemingly lying in the cold, hard tomb, leaving all creation to groan for Him.

Though Jesus’ body may be entombed and lying on that cold, hard rock slab, there is much happening behind the scenes, taking place in the unseen heavens before His pierced, precious body is resurrected.

Jesus was not idle on Saturday; He was busy freeing the captives, declaring His victory over the devil and his minions. The prophet Hosea foretold this in Hosea 13:14: "Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from death? O Death, where are your thorns? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion will be hidden from My sight" {NASB}. And so too, the prophet Zechariah 9:11: "As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you, I have set your prisoners free from the waterless pit" {NASB}.  Peter penned in 1 Peter 3:19-20a, "In which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient" {NASB}.

Paul also tells us in Ephesians 4:9, "What does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?"{NASB}. Jesus defeated death, hell, and the devil, and mocked them openly; "When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him" {Colossians 2:15 NASB}.  

Sabbath Saturday seemed quiet; the dust was settling from the events and commotion of the traumatic events of Good Friday, and a quiet hush seemed to hold the city captive. It looked like everything was dead. Everything the disciples hoped for is gone—their dreams died and were buried with Jesus. They could not see all that Jesus was doing. He was overcoming death so that He could ascend to take His place at the Father's right hand. Christ presented Himself, the perfect sacrifice, and sprinkled His blood on the Heavenly Mercy Seat.

So rest this Sabbath, and know what Christ did for you in His death. Rest this Sabbath, Saturday—tomorrow is Resurrection!

Alan E. Lewis, Between Cross & Resurrection: A Theology Of Holy Saturday (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001), 3.  

The Holy Place Part II: The Lampstand

Psalms To See Me Through: Psalm 17—Prayer For Protection Against Oppressors

A Prayer of David.

Hear a just cause, O Lord, give heed to my cry; Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips. Let my judgment come forth from Your presence; Let Your eyes look with equity. You have tried my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested me and You find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress {vv. 1-3}.

You will have trials in this world; these encouraging Words of Jesus flood my thoughts when I read his prayer; I feel the desperation in David’s voice. I have felt this desperation recently; circumstances tend to leave us parched and feeling alone. God uses our parched, desperate, crying to draw us deeper in Him.

God will visit us in the night and try our hearts; are we listening?

I was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: Open to me... {Song of Songs 5:2}. 

The only way to contend our innocence is if we are truly repentant for what He found there; He will find something. Once we confess it our sin, and allow the Blood to wash us, we are redeemed. Only then are we guiltless; Christ’s sacrifice makes it possible.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness {1 Jn. 1:9}.

People are fallen. How easy it is to fall from grace; none of us are immune. Because we live in a fallen world, we will have trials, people will betray us, let us down, and disappoint us—and we them. In the Tabernacle of Moses, the priest was required to wash—a picture of the washing of water with the Word (see Eph. 5:26). The priest looked into the Bronze Laver—the polished mirror of bronze, and washed. He saw only his reflection, not another’s. The bronze mirror was to judge one self and wash before performing any service before the Lord.  

As for the deeds of men, by the word of Your lips I have kept from the paths of the violent.
My steps have held fast to Your paths. My feet have not slipped. I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech {vv. 4-6}.

Stay on your path, no matter what others do or say. God will guide you and you will not slip—but wholeheartedly keep to the path God set you on.

Wondrously show Your lovingkindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand
From those who rise up against them.  Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings from the wicked who despoil me, My deadly enemies who surround me. They have closed their unfeeling heart, with their mouth they speak proudly. They have now surrounded us in our steps; They set their eyes to cast us down to the ground. He is like a lion that is eager to tear, And as a young lion lurking in hiding places {vv. 7-12}.

Often, we expect God to deliver us from the situation instead of seeking wisdom in the situation. God may be using the hard place to teach things to us and to reveal things about ourselves. David learned this each time he faced an enemy. Our expectations in a situation are usually different than what the Lord has planned. How many times have we heard, sometimes God calms the storm, sometimes He calms us in the midst of the storm? God is our Refuge and Strong Tower, and we can run to Him and be safe (see Prov. 18:10).

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us {Rom. 5:3-4}.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing {James 1: 2-4}.

This scribe battles this often—some circumstances prove too challenging, and it takes all the strength I can muster to look beyond them to the Lord. Peter, after taking his step of faith to walk the lake’s surface, sank only when he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the wave. It only took him under because his focus was turned; the enemy distracted him.

The Lord gives us the assurance that He will help us through the trial, all we have to do is ask. He hides us in the shadow of His wings. He will keep us. James continues his admonition on tribulations with the key to making it through the hard times;

 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways {James 1:5-8}.

Peter learned this in his leap onto the lake. God will give us wisdom for every situation if we ask. If however, we allow the circumstances to toss us to and fro, and keep us from seeking God, we can’t receive that wisdom, and we go around the mountain again; the trial overwhelms us, and we receive nothing.

 Arise, O Lord, confront him, bring him low; Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword, from men with Your hand, O Lord, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave their abundance to their babes {vv. 13-14}.

God will fight our enemies; He assures us time and again in Scripture. He will keep us; the wicked are concerned only with the things this world has to offer, and are subject to the world’s systems and processes. But we are to have a Kingdom perspective. Everything you are going through is to enhance the Kingdom of God, and to know God deeper. He wants to know us and have an intimate relationship with His people. And after the tribulation is over, and we have wrestled with God, we may leave with a limp (see Genesis 32:22-32), but we will have a new name and a deeper relationship with God. When you awake you will say to the Lord—

As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake {v.15}.

To read all the Psalms in this series click here: Psalms To See Me Through

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The Holy Place Part I: The Table of Shewbread