Ephesians 4:8-9 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?)
A series of events happened in the spiritual realm behind the empty cross. As Myles Munroe would say, the body of Jesus was in the tomb for 3 days but Christ descended into the low region of the earth and released the saints who were in captivity. “Eternal Life’ was foretold in the Old Testament but was fulfilled behind the cross. The realm of the dead in the Old Testament was Sheol/Hades (Job 14:13; Psalm 9:17). There were two compartments in Shoel, one for the righteous and another for the wicked. While narrating the story of the rich man and Lazarus, the beggar, in Luke 16:19–31 Jesus mentioned that that was a huge chasm separating the two compartments in Sheol. The Old Testament saints waited in expectation of the promise of ‘eternal life’ in the Sheol. The heroes mentioned in Hebrews 11 eagerly awaited the promise of eternal life. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised (Hebrews 11:39). While the body of Jesus was in the tomb, Christ walked into Sheol and opened the door of the compartment that held the saints in captivity and gave them the promised gift of eternal life.
Christ was in action as soon as Jesus gave up His spirit. The tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life (Matthew 27:52). Biblical evidence tells us the Sheol was beneath the earth as Jesus descended to the lower regions of the earth before He ascended. The spirits of the saints came out of the tombs after the resurrection of Jesus and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. Christ Jesus descended to release the saints in captivity and took them with Him while He ascended after the resurrection on the third day. On His way, He stopped by to comfort Mary who was sobbing at the entrance of the empty tomb (John 20:17). While Jesus was conversing with Mary, the spirits of the saints went on a tour around the holy city! They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people (Matthew 27:53).
Behind the empty cross:
1. Release: The cross has released us from the fear of death through the death of Jesus Christ. We will be in the arms of Jesus the moment we close our eyes here on earth.
2. Resurrection: Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life and anyone who believes in Him will have eternal life. Our body will wither and die but we will live with the Lord forever and ever.
3. Reassurance: 2 Corinthians 5:8 But we are confident, and have a good will to be absent rather from the body, and to be present with the Lord. There is no fear in death as death is the beginning of eternal life.
The cross is the assurance of eternal life.
Ephesians 4:10 (He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
Prayer: Jesus My Resurrected Saviour thank you for the assurance of eternal life that we have in you. Amen
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