“His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.” (Matthew 28:3, ESV)
Have you ever been near a lightning strike? There is incredible power. The electricity is shocking. The light is shocking. The noise is shocking. It will disorient you at a minimum and might even kill you.
Yesterday was the earthquake. Today we have the lightning. It reminds me of Moses on top of Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:16), Elijah in the cave (1 Kings 19:12), and the throne in Revelation (Revelation 4:5). All three scenes have lightning, thunder, earthquakes, fire, and more. These natural wonders that accompany the presence of God are called “theophany.” It is like God’s symphony; only it is the loudest, most terrifying symphony you have ever heard.
The President of the United States enters a room to “Hail to the Chief.” God enters creation to hail, wind, fire, earthquakes, and lightning. God’s tune is much more magnificent than that of any president or king. God operates on a different level. He is a higher authority.
And this is not even God in the resurrection story. It was the angel of the Lord that rolled the stone back. It is a servant of the Most High. The angel serves as a reminder that God is awesome in his power and majesty. There is no one like him. Separated from his grace, the presence of God will strike fear and terror. When Isaiah entered the holy presence cried out, ‘woe is me, I am ruined’ (Isaiah 6:5)
Did you notice how the angel just sat on the stone? He stayed there for this moment in time. I believe that it was because God does not want us to forget he is a Holy God. He is righteous. He will judge the earth. Nothing will stand before him. There is no stone or mountain this is too great. The bigger your God, the smaller your problem.
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