Let's open our Bibles this evening
to Matthew, the Gospel of Matthew chapter 27. Matthew chapter 27 beginning
with verse 45 and reading through verse 53. Now from the sixth
hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth
hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus
cried with a loud voice saying, Eli, Eli, lama, sabathia. That is to say, my God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there
when they heard that said, this man calleth for Elias. And straightway
one of them ran and took a sponge and filled it with vinegar and
put it on a reed and gave him to drink. The rest said, let
be. Let us see whether Elias will
come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again
with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And behold, the veil
of the temple was rent entwined from the top to the bottom, and
the earth did quake, and the rocks rent. And the graves were
opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose and
came out of the graves after his resurrection. and went into
the holy city and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion
and they that were with him watching Jesus saw the earthquake and
those things that were done, they feared greatly saying, truly,
this was the Son of God. We notice in these verses when
the Lord Jesus Christ died, that he died full of strength full
of strength, full of life. And I say that because we're
told two times that he cried with a loud voice. The first
time he cried, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Now
usually, when you attend the death of a person, their voice
is not loud, it's very weak. And think of the suffering that
our Savior had endured to this point. From the time that he
left that upper room with his disciples and made his way to
the Garden of Gethsemane, and what awful agony he experienced
there in that garden, it was there that he said, my soul is
exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death. And then when he was arrested
and taken to the Palace of the High Priest, and he was buffeted
there, and then taken to Pilate's Hall, and then taken to Herod's
Palace, and he was mistreated there. And back to Pilate's Hall,
he was beaten, and then he had to bear the cross out to Mount
Calvary. And yet, we still see that he
was strong, he was full of life. And this just reminds us that
the Lord Jesus Christ, what he said, no man taketh my life from
me. I lay it down of myself. But
notice that then he cried again. He cried two times. The first
time he cried, he cried with a loud voice, My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me? And then we're told that he cried
again. And Matthew doesn't tell us what
he cried, but the other Gospels do. He cried, Father, into thy
hands I commend my spirit. His crying with a loud voice
testifies to his strength, to his power, to his life, and yes,
to his confidence in God. He knew that he was commending
himself, his soul, into the hands of his father. And this reminds
us once again that he was more than only a man. He was the God-man. For no one else could have had
the strength that he displayed and that he voluntarily. His death had to be voluntary,
a voluntary death. It would be wrong. It would be
wrong to take an innocent person and penalize him, afflict him,
and cause him to suffer if he did not do that willingly. He
volunteered for the work. You know, when you go into the
army or into the military, it doesn't take you long to realize,
don't volunteer. Don't volunteer for anything. Because if they want you, they're
going to take you anyway. But think of the Lord Jesus Christ,
knowing full well all of the suffering, all of the agony,
all of the pain that he would endure. He came voluntarily. He gave up his life voluntarily
to save his people. We think of that verse, and rightly
so, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten
son. We think of the Father. and His
great love in giving His Son. But we know that God the Son,
His great love, caused Him to come and give Himself a ransom
for many. But notice that Matthew here,
he lists four things that happened simultaneously when the Lord
Jesus Christ died. When he dismissed his spirit.
There are four things that Matthew tells us took place. And tonight
I want us to consider these four things and we will begin with
the last and work our way back to the first. There are four
things, but let's look at the last, first, and then the third. Second, let's work our way back
like that. But first, the last thing he
tells us, if you notice in verse 52, "...and the graves were opened."
The graves were opened. And the thing to see about this
is that it was only the graves of believers which were opened. And we know this is so because
He tells us, the graves were opened and many bodies of the
saints which slept arose. So it was the graves of saints
that slept. You know, the New Testament speaks
of death for the believer as sleeping. And I've mentioned
this many times over the years, but let me remind us again. None of us are afraid tonight
to go home and go to sleep. Not anybody here. And no child
of God should fear death, because the sting of death the Lord Jesus
Christ has taken away. And just like we go to our beds
and go to sleep, we should think of death. That's the word the
New Testament uses concerning believers. I'm not talking about
unbelievers. But concerning believers, you
remember when the message came from Mary and Martha that their
brother Lazarus was sick. Our Lord said this, He said,
Our friend Lazarus sleepeth. And then John inserts what he
meant by that. This spake he of his death. He didn't say Lazarus died. He
said, our friend Lazarus sleepeth. And when Stephen, you can read
this in Acts chapter seven, you know, when he was stoned, he's
many times mentioned as the first Christian martyr. When he was
stoned, the scripture says, he kneeled down and cried with a
loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when
he had said this, he fell asleep. He went to sleep. Now we're not
saying, and the scriptures do not say, that the soul of a believer
sleeps. It's strictly referring to the
body. The body sleeps awaiting the
day of the resurrection. The soul, as the Apostle Paul
told us, to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. Our Lord told that thief today,
not a thousand or two thousand or three thousand years away,
but today thou shalt be with me in paradise." And when a child
of God closes their eyes here in death, they open them in paradise. The body, the body sleeps. That's just a gentle way to speak
of the death of a believer. The body awaits the resurrection. But notice this. The graves were
opened. And we believe there were believers,
the saints. The graves were open when the
Lord Jesus Christ gave up the ghost. How many? Well, we're
not told. We're not told how many. But it is important that we see
that they did not come out of the graves. The graves were open. That's what Matthew tells us.
He doesn't tell us there was a resurrection. when the Lord
Jesus Christ died. He says that the graves were
opened and it was not until after the Lord Jesus Christ arose that
they came out of their graves. Notice that in verse 53. Well,
let's read verse 52 and 53. And the graves were opened and
many bodies of the saints which slept arose and came out of the
graves after His resurrection. They didn't come out of the grave
immediately. They were not raised immediately.
Just the graves were opened. And this, of course, shows Christ's
power. And the fact that they were not
raised reminds us that the Lord Jesus Christ, He is the first
fruits of them that slept. Other men in the Old Testament
were raised, and our Lord raised some. that we are told of. He raised the young girl of Jarius,
the daughter of Jarius. He raised the son of that widow
woman of name. He raised Lazarus. But all of
those that were raised, they were raised to die again. They were not raised to an immortal
body, but to a mortal body as they had. But now, These were
raised after the Lord Jesus Christ arose. He's the firstfruits,
the Apostle Paul tells us, the firstfruits of them that slept. He's the first one to be raised
in that resurrected body. Paul calls it his glorious body,
his glorious body. Who were these? Well, they were
saints, and we're not told how many, but it seems that they
were known. And I say it seems. It seems
that they were known by those in the city, because it says,
and came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into
the city and appeared unto many. They recognized them, in other
words. Now, how they recognized these
raised individuals, we're not told. How did Peter, James, and
John recognize Elijah and Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration?
I don't know, but they did. Many times people say, well,
will we know each other in heaven? I like what I heard Brother Mahan
say about that one time. He said, we're going to know
more then than we do now. Of course we're going to know
one another. And isn't that true? We're going
to know more then than we know now. We know each other now.
Yes, we're going to know each other in heaven. And then it
is believed that these who were raised after the Lord came out
of his grave on that third day that they attended here, remember
our Lord remained here, showed himself, Luke tells us, by many
infallible proofs over a 40-day period, and then with the angels
and Yes, with these who were raised, it is believed ascended
back or ascended into heaven and their resurrected bodies. You say, well, that means that
there are some there who have their resurrected body. That's
right. We know that Enoch and Elijah
do. They were taken to heaven. And
they had to have been changed because flesh and blood cannot
inherit the kingdom of heaven. Yes. Well, that's the first thing
that we're told. The graves were open. Now, number
two, the rocks were rent. Notice that in verse 51 at the
end. The rocks rent around or near
Mount Calvary. where the Lord was crucified.
Remember, they came to a place, a place of a skull. It appeared,
the appearance of Mount Calvary looked like a skull or either
there had been so many executions there and burials and burning
the bodies that many skulls were scattered about. But Golgotha,
Mount Calvary, place of a skull. There were rocks there, but when
the Lord Jesus Christ died, the rocks were rent. Now the rending
of the rocks, what does this signify? Well, it can be considered
as symbolical. And what does it symbolize? It
symbolizes this. John Gill, here is his comment. An emblem. The rending of the
rocks, an emblem of the future conversion of many through the
powerful ministry of the word and in consequence of Christ's
death, when hearts as hard as rocks, and that's true of all
lost men, have a hard heart. People say sometimes, well, they
have a soft heart. Man by nature does not have a
soft heart. Man by nature has a hard heart. And that's the reason God said,
is not my word like a hammer? God uses his word and this may
symbolize the rending of the rocks. As Gil said, when hearts
as hard as rocks were broken pieces, stony hearts were taken
away and hearts of flesh given. Of which, now listen, of which
3,000 Remember on the day of Pentecost, what does it say?
They were pricked in their hearts. 3,000 being pricked to the heart
when they heard Peter's sermon. This is an instance. This symbolizes
how that the hard hearts, the rocks were rent through the powerful
ministry of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. God uses His
Word, doesn't He? He uses his word. You know, I
think about Moses. We have many pictures of this
in the Old Testament or through the Old Testament. When God told
him to take his rod and strike that rock, was there any power
in that rod? Of course not. That rod had no
power to cause that rock to gush out water. But was it necessary
that Moses take the rod and strike the rock? Of course it was, because
God told him. And the same thing is true about
preaching the gospel. Is it needful? Is it necessary? Of course it is. Why? Because God has commanded us
to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Whosoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Whosoever believeth
not shall be damned. Yes, the gospel, preaching the
gospel is needful. And there's many other examples
in the Old Testament. There's no power in the means. The power comes from God. Man can stand and preach to doomsday
and nobody hear, nobody listen. Nobody be converted if God doesn't
bless the Word and use the Word. What about Ezekiel when he was
commanded to prophesy to those dry bones? Was there anything
in Ezekiel's breath, in his voice that could give life to those
dried, bleached bones? Of course not. But was it necessary
for Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones? Yes, it was. Why? Because God commanded him. God chose to use that. The same
is true of preaching. Now, the third thing, which was
the second that Matthew records, the earth did quake. Verse 51,
and the earth did quake. We're not told how extensive
this earthquake was, whether it was very localized there or
larger, we do not know. But surely the earthquake was
great enough and strong enough to show God's power and God's
anger when men, by wicked hands, took his darling son and crucified
him. The earthquake also may remind
us that with the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the
mediator between God and man, this whole physical world, everything
in this world, the contents, and the world itself is all devoted
to destruction. You just write destruction over
everything you see, Everything you can handle in this world,
destruction, because that's what it's marked for. In that day,
when everything will be consumed with fervent heat, and there
shall be a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. We look forward to that day,
don't we? To live in a new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth
righteousness. There'll be no sin there. And
because there'll be no sin, there'll be no sickness, no sorrow, no
death, no pain. We will be with the Lord. Now here's the last thing. The
fourth thing, the veil in the temple was rent and twain from
top to bottom. Notice that in verse 51. And
behold, the veil of the temple was rent and twain from the top
to the bottom. Now let me remind us this evening
of a few things about this veil. If you look back with me please
to Exodus chapter 26. Exodus chapter 26 and the instructions
which God gave Moses concerning the tabernacle. And you know
that every part of the tabernacle, every part, somehow had reference
to the Lord Jesus Christ and His saving work. I mean from
the boards, from the anchors, from the curtains, from the brazen
altar, the golden altar, the table of showbread, the lampstand,
the mercy seat, the Ark of the Covenant, everything in some
way pictured the Lord Jesus Christ and His saving work. That's the
way God preached the gospel to that generation, to that dispensation,
wasn't it? But notice here in verse 31 of
chapter 26 concerning the veil. God didn't tell Moses, well,
just make a veil. Just make a veil. In Hebrews,
we're told that Moses was faithful in all his house. He did exactly
what God told him to do according to the dimensions, the directions
that God gave him. He oversaw the work. God gave
man that ability, that gift to do the work. But Moses was faithful
in all his house. And this is what God told him
concerning the veil, verse 31. And thou shalt make a veil of
blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twine linen of cunning
work, with cherubims shall it be made. Everything, as I've
already said, in the tabernacle somehow had reference to Christ. Now, think of this as we look
at this veil. Fine linen. This veil was made
of fine linen. Now, in the book of Revelation,
concerning believers, concerning the saints, we are told, for
the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. The fine linen, this
veil, it pictured the purity of the Lord Jesus Christ. When
we read in the Revelation, the fine linen is the righteousness
of saints. The only righteousness that you
and I have is the righteousness of Christ. Any other righteousness
would be self-righteousness, and it would not be accepted.
But the righteousness of Christ is imputed unto everyone who
believes, and it is that righteousness which is the fine linen of the
saints. But of God he is made unto us
wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. As it is written, he that glorieth,
let him glory in the Lord. We glory in Christ, don't we?
We boast in Christ. He's our wisdom, the wisdom of
God. He's our righteousness. He's
our sanctification. He's our redemption. And that,
of course, is speaking of the redemption of our bodies. We
know that when He comes with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, our bodies, if they're in the graves when He comes,
or if we're still alive, He is our redemption. Christ. So the first thing we see is
the fine linen. Then we see the colors. Blue,
purple, and scarlet. And some have said, and I think
rightly so, that these colors may represent His bloody wounds. his sacrifice that he gave, his
blood that was shed to redeem his people. And also it is pointed
out that the colors purple and scarlet are colors of kings. These are colors that kings,
queens use to tell of their dignity, their office, their position.
And the Lord Jesus Christ, he's the King of Kings. He's the Lord
of Lords. And then it says it's twined,
fine twined linen. This pictures his strength, his
purity. The colors picture his suffering,
his kingship. But this linen being twined,
pictures his strength. It tells of its thickness. Now
I read that it is believed that being twined there were six threads,
six threads that were woven together. Each thread was six times doubled. Now the other day I took one
of an old undershirt and I wanted to make me some ties for my tomato
plants. And so I could take that and
it just easily tear until I came to where it was doubled over,
and then I'd take some scissors and cut it. Let me tell you something. This veil, there may have been
some men who were strong enough to tear this veil, but very few
ever lived who could. I don't know if anyone could.
It was thick. It was made so that it could
not be torn easily. When this veil was torn there
in the temple, and it was at three o'clock, we've read that,
at this time of day, that means there was a priest, there was
a priest in that temple offering the evening incense. Now I don't
know what he saw, and what he said, and what he experienced.
But surely, surely he was impressed when that veil, and it's important,
it started at the top and it was rent all the way to the bottom. Now I don't know what that priest,
if there was only one in there or if there had been others inside
that holy place or not, burning incense that afternoon. But we
do know this, I don't know what that priest thought or what he
might have said, But we see what this Roman centurion said. Now
he didn't see the veil being read. But he did see the earthquake. And not only that, but he had
watched. He had watched the Lord Jesus
Christ suffer while he was there on the cross. And this was his
conclusion. Surely, look there in verse 54. Truly, this was the Son of God. That's what a Roman soldier said. I don't know about the priest
in the temple. What was the veil? Well, it was
a curtain, wasn't it? It was a curtain, and as I've
said, it was very thick. But it was used to separate the
holy place from the most holy place. Now remember in the holy
place, there was a table of showbread, and there was a lampstand, and
there was a golden altar. There was light. There was light
in that holy place. But in that most holy place,
remember, I mentioned this in the message last Wednesday evening
about God dwelling in thick darkness. That most holy place was dark. There was no light. There were
no windows in that tabernacle. And that's the reason when When
Solomon built the temple and dedicated it, he mentioned the
fact that God dwelt in thick darkness, that most holy place. The priest, that veil, it separated
men from God. And what is it that separates
us from God? It's our sin. It's our sin. There are two things that are
signified or symbolized by the veil being rent here. Let me
give them to us hurriedly. First of all, the Levitical system
given by God with all its shadows and types of the saving work
of the Lord Jesus Christ was ended. It was ended. It had served its purpose and
now it was all fulfilled. One writer likened it to the
blossoms. These fruit trees, they put out
blossoms, but when the fruit comes on, what happens to the
blossom? It's pushed away. It falls to
the ground. This old dispensation, with all
of its shadows and types, it had come to its end. It had reached
its goal. That's what we read in Romans
chapter 10. Romans chapter 10 and the first
few verses, the apostle Paul mentions the
fact that, Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for
Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear them record
that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about
to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves
unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. The word which
is translated end is the word goal. G-O-A-L, goal. The goal of the law. It's brought
to an end. It's been fulfilled. He said
he came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill the law. And the
Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the law, and with the rending of
that veil, it signifies, it symbolizes that old dispensation is ended. For a person today, Suppose a
person thought, well, I'm just going to worship God according
to that old dispensation. I'm going to build myself a tabernacle
and a brazen altar, and I'm going to offer sacrifices. Would God
accept that? Absolutely not. That dispensation
served its purpose. It's over. It's ended. Christ
has come, and he has fulfilled the law. And then the second
thing, by the rending of the veil, The way into the presence
of God Almighty has been opened unto us through the suffering
of Jesus Christ. I want you to turn with me, if
you will, to Hebrews chapter 10. We'll close with this. Hebrews chapter 10. The question ask in the Psalms
is, who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and shall stand
in his holy place? Who? Think about it, who? Who shall ascend into the hill
of the Lord and shall stand in his holy place? And then that
question is answered with these words, he that hath clean hands
and a pure heart and who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity. Well, that leaves all of us out,
all of us. We've all sinned and come short
of the glory of God. But suddenly, the veil, the veil
in that temple was rent, announcing that through the suffering, and
through the death, and through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ,
you and I have access into the holiest, into the presence of
God Almighty. We don't come in our own name,
we come in His name. We don't come in our righteousness,
we come in His righteousness. And here in Hebrews chapter 10
and verse 19, the apostle said, having therefore, brethren, boldness
to enter into the holiest. There it is, the holiest, the
holy of holies. Having boldness to enter into
the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which
he hath consecrated for us through the veil, That is to say, his
flesh. Through his death, the flesh
that his body offered as sacrifice, we have access and we come unto
God by a new and a living way. When we think of boldness, having
therefore boldness, notice in your margin, it is liberty. We
have liberty. When you bow your head and pray to God, our Father, my Father,
Father, we have liberty. Liberty. Those old priests, they
didn't have liberty to go into that Holy of Holies, but once
a year, and not without blood. But we have liberty, and we come
with boldness. with liberty and call and speak
to our Father in heaven. What a privilege prayer is, worship
is, to come into the very presence of God. And we come through that
new and living way, which is Jesus Christ, the only way, the
truth and the life. I pray the Lord would bless these
thoughts and words to all of us here tonight.