Author: imikemedia

Did the disciples steal the body, or was it the enemies who stole it? Maybe the women went to the wrong tomb. Or did Jesus pass out on the cross and revive in the tomb, having merely “swooned” on the cross? Did he roll the stone away from the inside and sneak off?

The ramblings of skeptics have one thing in common. They all deny what the Bible texts really say. They all herald the New Testament documents to be unreliable. But they can read between the lines; they claim that they can reconstruct, from unreliable sources, a reliable account of “what really happened.”

Here is an amazing fact. The New Testament record is so powerful; it is so influential; it must be dealt with. And this interesting detail is unavoidable and unassailable. Wilbur Smith made the observation in the following words:

No man has ever written, pro or con, on the subject of Christ’s Resurrection, without finding himself compelled to face this problem of Joseph’s empty tomb (Therefore Stand, Boston: W.A. Wilde Co., 1945, p. 346-47).

So what happened to the body of Jesus? There is only one explanation that is based on the evidence — and the evidence is overwhelming. There are two lines of evidence that prove Christ’s resurrection. First, there is the empty tomb itself. But second, there is the testimony of witnesses to whom the risen Christ appeared.

No one stole the body of Jesus. The guards were posted at the grave to prevent anyone from stealing the body. This presents an unavoidable obstacle in any body-snatching theory. The enemies did not steal the body, for they had no motive. They surely would have produced it in order to discredit apostolic preaching.

The disciples did not, for they were in no mood to steal it, had no motive to take it, certainly had no opportunity with the presence of as many as fifteen or sixteen soldiers at Joseph’s tomb, and they would not have experienced a radical change from depressed men to dedicated martyrs on the basis of a known lie (Rex A. Turner, Sr., Systematic Theology, Montgomery: Alabama Christian School of Religion, 1989, p. 216).

Christ’s resurrection is attested by the empty tomb: the women found it empty; Peter and John found it empty; the angels said it was empty; the Roman guards terrifyingly declared it to be empty; the chief priests believed it was empty; the grave clothes were evidence that it was empty; and even modern skeptics reluctantly agree—it was found empty.

On resurrection Sunday, Jesus Christ was seen by: Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9-10); by the other women (Matthew 28:9-10); by two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32); by Peter (Luke 24:34); by the apostles (with Thomas absent) gathered in the upper room (Luke 24:36ff; John 20:19ff).

Over the next 40 days (Acts 1:3; cf. 10:41; 13:31), the Lord was seen by the apostles (with Thomas present, John 20:26-31); by seven apostles at the Sea of Galilee (John 21); by his disciples in Galilee (Matthew 28:16-20); by 500 brethren at once (1 Corinthians 15:6); by James (1 Corinthians 15:7); by those who saw him ascend to heaven (Acts 1:9-10); and “last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared unto me [Paul] also” (1 Corinthians 15:8; cf. Acts 9:3-7, 27).

Therefore, Peter preached Jesus Christ, “whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it…. This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all are witnesses” (Acts 2:24, 32).

Later he proclaimed that the Jews “killed the Prince of life; whom God raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses…. Unto you first God, having raised up his Servant, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities” (Acts 3:15, 26).

Again he testified: “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even in him doth this man stand here before you whole” (Acts 4:10).

Thus Luke reported, “And with great power gave the apostles their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33).

Upon this solid foundation, the apostles established the church of Christ. For Jesus did not just go missing; the guarded new tomb, wherein he was known to be buried, was found empty the third day.

But his tomb was not merely empty, he was seen over and over again. And 3,000, then 5,000, then multitudes believed; and enemies complained, “These that have turned the world upside down have come hither [Thessalonica] also” (Acts 17:6). Wayne Jackson, deceased https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1345-the-tomb-was-found-empty

“GOD LOVES YOU AND I LOVE YOU AND THAT’S THE WAY IT’S GONNA BE!” – MIKE

The Book of Daniel contains some of the most memorable messages of the Old Testament record. For this study, we are going to focus on chapter two, a section in which the basic thrust is that the king of the Babylonian Empire, Nebuchadnezzar, had a dream, and the prophet Daniel explained it. Daniel informed the powerful monarch that “there is a God in heaven” (2:28). In this chapter we see God’s power, His prediction, and His providence.

God’s Power – Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, but he could not recall what it was. He wanted to know (1) what he had dreamed and (2) the dream’s meaning. Through Daniel, Jehovah revealed the dream’s significance. From Daniel’s inspired message, we are able to see God’s great power.

God has the power of knowledge, knowing what is in the darkness as well as deep and secret things (2:22). God has the power of light, as “light dwells with Him” (2:22). God has the power of revelation, as “He reveals deep and secret things” (2:22). He also has power in the kingdoms of men: “He removes kings and raises up kings . . . the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever he will . . .” (2:21; 4:17). Nebuchadnezzar ruled because the Lord willed it to be so, giving him “a kingdom, power, strength, and glory” (2:37). Brothers and sisters, our Lord is Almighty! Let us take courage and comfort from the truth that He lives, and the whole world is in His hands.

God’s Prediction – God alone knows with 100% accuracy what will transpire in the future. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that Jehovah made known “what will be in the latter days”(2:28), foretelling via the prophet “what will be” (2:29). What were the specifics of God’s prediction for Nebuchadnezzar and others?

First, Daniel told the emperor what he had seen in his dream (2:31-35):

You, O king, were watching; and behold a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you, and its form was awesome. This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Next, the prophet revealed God’s prediction – the true meaning of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Yes, the king’s dream and Daniel’s inspired explanation involved symbols, but there is sufficient information provided to understand them clearly. Through Daniel’s message to Nebuchadnezzar, God spoke of five kingdoms. Which five? The fifth is identified in God’s word, and the first four are clearly revealed in world history as well as in the Scriptures.

(1) Babylonian Empire (head of God) – Daniel plainly told Nebuchadnezzar, “You are this head of gold” (2:38).

(2) Medo-Persian Empire (chest and arms of silver) – a kingdom that was inferior to Babylon (2:39). The Book of Daniel identifies “the Medes and Persians” as successors to the Babylonians (5:28-31; 8:20).

(3) Greek Empire (belly and thighs of bronze), which is specifically named in Daniel 8:21 – World history shows that the Greeks, under Alexander the Great, did, indeed, conquer the Medo-Persian Empire and rule in its stead.

(4) Roman Empire (legs of iron with feet partly of iron and partly of clay) – Called “the fourth kingdom” (2:40), the Romans overthrew the Greeks and were a mighty force in world affairs during the life of Jesus and the early church.

(5) God’s kingdom – “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (2:44). This kingdom would be God’s, it would be set up in the days of the Roman kings, it would conquer all others, and it would never be destroyed. How exciting is that?!

Look at the New Testament record. Jesus was born during the days of Roman rule (Luke 2:1). It also was during the days of the Roman Empire that John the Baptizer and Jesus foretold the nearness of God’s kingdom (Luke 3:1; Matthew 3:2; 4:17), Jesus died at the hands of the Romans (John 19:12-18), and the Lord’s church began under Roman rule (Acts 2).

What was the fifth kingdom, the one that God Himself established? The church – the Lord’s church, which He purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28) and over which He now rules as King (Colossians 1:13,14). Do not look to the future for the start of Jesus’ kingdom; look to the past, look to the first century, when it began in Jerusalem (Acts 2).

God’s Providence – It is true that God granted Daniel the miraculous ability to interpret dreams, but it was by His providence that Daniel was “in the right place at the right time.” By God’s providence, Daniel later was made “ruler over the whole province of Babylon” (2:48) and a high official in the Medo-Persian regime (6:1-3). How did Joseph get into such a high position in Egypt? What about Esther in the Medo-Persian ranks? The same answer: Daniel, Joseph, and Esther were elevated to such high places through God’s providence. The Lord God rules in the kingdoms of men! Believe it. And, that majestic, ruling Lord causes His kingdom to overcome and endure forever. His providence is wonderful! Believe it. Roger D. Campbell

“GOD LOVES YOU AND I LOVE YOU AND THAT’S THE WAY IT’S GONNA BE!” – MIKE