My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake.
Psalm 31:15-16
On Friday, Jesus is on the cross and the tomb is waiting. On Sunday, the cross is empty — and so is the tomb. But on Saturday, what? The cross is empty, but what of the tomb?
On Friday, they crucified the Son of God. He was forsaken. On Sunday, the Son is resurrected, restored. But on Saturday, what?
The forces of evil seem to have won. The disciples are scattered and despondent. The city is uneasy, queasy even. Hungover, perhaps. It’s the moment when all of eternity seems suspended. Has God truly turned on Himself — Should that be “Theirselves”? The mystery of the Trinity seems deeper here. How can one part of the triune Godhead forsake another?
Every year, I think so many of us treat this day too lightly. It’s easy to think of it as a “nothing” day. Not Friday, not Sunday, no special church services. But that’s not it. For me, it’s a day to think about how we got here, and what happens next. On that first Saturday, did God even know? Was He blindsided, or did He know that the deck was stacked, and Satan couldn’t win?
Now if, about now, you’re thinking, “Hang on, Ian’s out of his depth here”, You’re right. I don’t understand how the Trinity, time, and destiny work. And I certainly don’t fully understand a plan that required the fall, crucifixion, resurrection and restoration. In Isaiah 55, The Lord says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, … For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” That, I understand! So if you stop reading now, I won’t blame you!
On Friday, the Father looked away. The Son was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended, mysteriously, into hell. According to Peter He even preached to “imprisoned spirits”! Then what? On the third day, He rose again.
How did Jesus rise? Of His own volition? It’s even been argued that the Holy Spirit intervened. I don’t believe either magical answer. Jesus Himself said to one of the thieves crucified with him that they would be together in paradise, “this day”. His sufferings on the cross ended — “finished” — His spirit went, immediately, to be reunited with the Father. On Saturday, His body was all that was in the tomb. On Sunday, body and Spirit were reunited, the axis of history tilted, and while they might put a bold face on it, stretch out the story, the forces of evil knew their eternal defeat.
On that Holy Saturday, the Trinity was reunited. Don’t ignore it. It was the start of the greatest comeback ever!