having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, –Eph. 1:18 (ESV)
Easter weekend is one of the greatest ironies in mankind’s history. It was both beautiful and ugly. Tender and cruel. Filled with absolute joy and abject despair. It represents the greatest sin of man but the greatest glory of God; the deep hatred of man contrasted with the infinite love of the Savior of the world.
Even in real time of history past, neither the apostles nor Christ’s family understood all that was being done to fulfill the sovereign will of God. The apostles lamented the extravagance of the alabaster oil that was poured upon Christ for His burial but failed to realize the eternal value of the blood that was about to be poured out upon all mankind’s sins: past, present, and future. The Jews saw Christ simply as the means to escape the temporary dominion of Rome’s grasp, but God had ordained it to be their everlasting freedom from the devil’s terrors. The religious leaders saw Him as a threat to their established system, but e was, in fact, the very fulfillment of that system. They called him a devil, while the Father had ordained Him to be the great High Priest, sacrificing for His people. Sadly, there was Judas. He was looking to get rich from betraying the Lord Jesus Christ but lost everything instead.
Then there was hell itself. Calvary was Satan’s grand plan to demonstrate his wisdom and power over God’s purposes, but instead he was a mere puppet, willingly, ignorantly, and actively engaged in the very action that would lead to his own undoing, fulfilling the prophecy of old:
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Gen. 3:15) Even though this angel of light had been enlightened to the glory of God in heaven, he sat in absolute darkness, unable to comprehend the greatness of God’s plan on the earth. In this ultimate act, Christ proved His absolute and uncontested rule: He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Col. 2:15) The devil’s attempt at mastery ended in his incompetence.
While Christ entered the crucifixion weekend as a quiet and innocent lamb that was divinely led to slaughter, three days later He ascended with a mighty roar as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, making captivity captive. Upon Him was cast the guilt of every man, woman, and child, so that He could impute to them an opportunity to participate in His perfect righteousness. While everyone thought this was the end, it was only the beginning. What seemed to be death was revealed to be true life. There is a future appointment at the Great White Throne Judgement when everyone who was in authority during the crucifixion will each bend their knee and confess with their tongue that Jesus Christ is Lord of all! Hallelujah!
As Christians whose eyes have been enlightened to the ironic grandeur of the death of Christ and of His subsequent resurrection, we do not have to wait for that day to recognize the glory of our Savior because the Holy Spirit has already revealed to us the hope of the inheritance in Christ. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, may this Easter weekend find us overwhelmed with the portrait of grace that Christ has painted in our lives two-thousand years ago.
Happy Resurrection Weekend from ICHE
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