Verse of the day

'He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death.' Isaiah 53:9

I'm never quite sure what aspect of the crucifixion and resurrection to concentrate on on Easter Saturday (any suggestions are welcomed!) We're beyond Christ's death on Good Friday now, but we haven't reached the joy of Easter Sunday morning.

So, I thought today would be a good day to remind ourselves of God's well-laid, pre-ordered plan which took his Son to the cross, to the tomb, and to new life. Here is God speaking through his prophet Isaiah 700 years or so before Jesus came to earth; and here is a detailed description of events on Good Friday which takes the breath away.

It looks like a contradiction; how can the one of whom Isaiah speaks be given a grave with the wicked, and yet be with the rich in his death? (Unless he found a rich wicked guy!) And yet as we read the gospels we see this sentence coming true before our eyes. Christ was crucified alongside criminals, destined like them for a criminal's grave; assigned a grave with the wicked. And yet, when Jesus has died, we find 'Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God' (Mark 15:43) going and taking Christ's body and putting it in a tomb he owned. A rich man giving up his unused tomb for the crucified Jesus.

It's a little detail; and one that was already part of God's plan 700 years before it happened. Why not pause for a moment and thank God that the death of his Son was no accident, no last-minute botch job, but the pinnacle of God's eternal plan to save sinful people and give them eternal life. If you trust in Christ, why not thank him that you are part of that plan. In the pause between the agony of Good Friday and the celebration of Easter Sunday, why not marvel at the wisdom of God, the God who planned down to the smallest detail the rescue operation that he mounted through his Son, and why not speak to him now in deep gratitude for the plan which has given you a place in heaven.