Resurrection Sunday and the Coming Millennium*

     In Luke 24, we are given this account of the resurrection of Jesus: "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they (the women which came with Jesus from Galilee, see Lk. 23:55-56) came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid...they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee. saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words." (Lk. 24:1-8).

  

     The women left the sepulchre and told the eleven remaining disciples (Judas had hanged himself) and all the rest all the things that had occurred: "And their words seemed to them (the disciples) as idle tales, and they believed them not." (v. 9-11).

     Two other men were joined by Jesus as they travelled to a village called Emmaus, although they did not know Him because their eyes were restrained from recognizing Him. This "Stranger", Jesus, asked about all of the details of events that had left the two men so sad. They told the Stranger of the events of the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, "a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people." They also told the Stranger of what the women had reported to the disciples regarding the now empty tomb and angels that they had encountered. The Stranger who was Jesus responded: "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?" The Stranger then began to teach them in all of the Old Testament scriptures from Moses and all the prophets the things concerning Himself, the Christ. (v. 13-27). However, it wasn't until He blessed and broke bread with them that their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. He then vanished from their sight. (v. 28-31).

     These two men went back to Jerusalem and told the disciples that they had encountered the resurrected Christ, and as they did so, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them. (v. 33-36). Seeing Him, the disciples were terrified and thought that He was a spirit or ghost. Jesus said to them: "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see me have." He showed the disciples His pierced hands and feet and then ate something before them. Jesus said to them: "These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.' Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, 'Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead that third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things." (v. 33-48).

     As mentioned above, Jesus had told the disciples on several occasions that He would be taken, would suffer, be killed, and on the third day He would rise again from the dead. (see Mt. 17:22-23, Mk. 9:31-32, Mk. 10:32-34, Lk. 9:21-27, Lk. 18:31-34). However, when these events occurred exactly as Jesus had told them they would, the disciples did not believe the resurrection even when other witnesses told them of it. They did not believe the resurrection even when Jesus stood in their midst. They thought they were seeing a ghost.

     After His resurrection, it is mentioned in the verses above that Jesus opened up the (Old Testament) scriptures and showed the disciples how the prophets wrote of exactly what must happen to Christ when He appeared. Isaiah wrote of the scourging, humiliation and being spit upon that Christ would suffer. (see Isa. 50:5-6). Isaiah wrote of the terribly marred face and form that the Servant sent by God would suffer for our sins laid upon Him, who was sinless and righteous. (see Isa. 52:13-15, Isa. 53:1-12). Isaiah even asked the question: "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?" (Isa. 53:1).

     The prophet Daniel wrote that in the timetable of 70 weeks (of years) that the LORD had ordained in order to make an end of sins, to bring reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness, the Messiah the Prince would die in the 69th week. (see Dan. 9:24-27). This timeline is paused at this point, and at the appointed time, a final 70th week (of years) would then come in which the end time events including the antichrist, war, and the abomination of desolation that would occur of which Daniel wrote

     The prophet Zechariah wrote of the thirty pieces of silver that Judas accepted as the price of his betrayal of Jesus. The prophet also wrote that this money would be cast into a potter's field for the burial of the poor. (see Zech. 11:12-13).

     David wrote prophetically of not being left in death and hell, and God's Holy One not experiencing the decomposition of death. He was not speaking of Himself because his body is still entombed in Jerusalem. David wrote about being shown by God the path of life, and the eternal pleasures and joy at being at the right hand of God. (Ps. 16:10-11). Daivid also wrote prophetically of the exact details of the suffering and crucifixion, including the exact words that Jesus would speak on the cross, 750 years before crucifixion was invented as a form of execution by the Persians, and 1000 years before the birth of Christ. (Ps. 22:1-31). David wrote prophetically that when Christ thirsted on the cross, He would be given vinegar to drink. (Ps. 69:21).

     Psalm 72 gives this description: "He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence...His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed...And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen." (Ps. 72:13-19, excerpt). This psalm not only described the redemption and salvation of Christ, but the glory on earth of His millennial reign.

     The LORD always shows His prophets what He plans to do. There are prophecies throughout the Old Testament scriptures that describe Jesus. He taught His disciples and made clear to them what must happen to Him, and that He would rise from death on the third day, yet they did not understand nor believe it when it happened.

     We are, as I believe according to the signs, in the last days before the return of Christ. We are in the final portion of the timeline of God's plan. Those from various religions around the world who have claimed to be Christ died and are still buried in their graves. There is only One who fulfilled the prophecies exactly as Jesus did, and only One who showed Himself to men and women alive after His death. That One is Jesus Christ. Believe the Word of God rather than the words of men. Believe and be prepared for His return.

    *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 4/5/26 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on the Facebook page of Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr. Dr. Stevenson's video messages are also found on You Tube at the Kenneth Stevenson channel. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, which is evidence of Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook. Also the book NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling, written by Dr. Stevenson, is available on Amazon.