A REAL-LIFE SUPERNATURAL INCIDENT ~ Precious C Philip

Last week Monday, while reading the Bible in the morning, I came upon a verse in the book of Matthew Chapter 27 that astonished me greatly. It was as though I've never heard or read that verse of Scripture before. I paused and picked up my phone to read it in different translations of the Bible for clearer understanding. After reading it, I carefully meditated on it.

That verse of Scripture reads: "and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life." Matthew 27:52

The statement that really caught my attention was: "the bodies of many HOLY PEOPLE who had died were raised to life." I began thinking and asking: Why does it say the bodies of holy people? Why the precision? Why was it not the bodies of ALL the people who had died? Why was it not the bodies of SOME people who had died? Or the bodies of people who had died? Why was it precisely the dead bodies of HOLY people who were raised to life the moment Jesus died? Hmm! That is a huge food for thought.

As I pondered on this, the Holy Spirit dropped two scriptures in my heart: "With a loud command and with the shout of the chief angel and a blast of God's trumpet, the Lord will return from heaven. Then those who had faith in Christ before they died will be raised to life." 1 Thessalonians 4:16

"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at [the sound of] the last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [who believed in Christ] will be raised imperishable, and we will be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed]." 1 Corinthians 15:52 

These two scriptures reveals why only holy people were raised to life when Jesus gave up His spirit. Some translations called them "Saints". Some others "Godly people". The scriptures does not contradict each other. The dead saints/holy people/godly people which are the believers in Christ Jesus will be resurrected on an appointed day coming - as Jesus died and resurrected on the third day - to live and reign with Jesus in His kingdom forever.

What crucial lesson must we learn from this supernatural incident recorded in Matthew 25:52?

GOD DOES NOT BLUFF. He means and will do exactly what He has said in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:52. No wonder He commands all His worshipers to be holy as He is holy. He further tells all His children that without holiness no one will see Him - Hebrew 12:14.

Also, 1 John 3:3 says that those who have the hope of seeing Jesus and going into heaven with Him purify themselves as Jesus is pure.

Jesus goes further to warn all men in Revelation 21:27 that nothing and no one impure can enter into heaven.

Please don't trivialize this. I beseech you with the mercies of God to take this serious and genuinely believe in Jesus Christ and surrender your life to Him and start living holy if you really want to spend eternity in heaven.

Surprisingly, both the saints and sinners will be raised to life on the last day, but the saints will rise with glorified bodies to walk into the Holy City - whose streets are laid with gold - while sinners (all who rejected Jesus) and all who lived in sin till death will be cast into the lake of fire where they'll burn forever without being burnt up: "Don’t be amazed when I tell you these things, for there is a day coming when everyone who has ever died will hear my voice calling them back to life, and they will come out of their graves! Those who have done what is good will experience a resurrection to eternal life. And those who have practiced evil will taste the resurrection of judgment!" John 5:28-29 

GOD DOES NOT BLUFF! Whenever the devil tries to deceive you to think that God will show mercy on the last day and bring in both holy and unholy people, the righteous and sinners into heaven, remember this scripture above (John 5:28-29) and the phenomenal incident that happened in Matthew 27:52 assuring us that what Christ has said will happen in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:52 will eventually happen. I believe God did what He did in Matthew 27:52 to let us know that He does not bluff. He means what He says and says what He means. If He has said that only holy people/believers in Christ will be welcomed into heaven, He means it. Sinners and unholy people will be cast into hell fire which is the abode of everything unholy.

Now, what should you do with this crucial knowledge? Become intentional. Become deliberate. Become serious about being a believer in Christ Jesus and about living a holy life. Because without holiness no one will enter heaven; it is God's abode, and God is holy as well as all the inhabitants of heaven.

"To inhabit heaven, you must be holy; for heaven is a holy place."

Shalom. 

Another edifying article awaits you next week Monday on this blog. Come again.