No 28

(The Miracles of Calvary – The Earthquake)

This third of the six miracles of Calvary was a supernatural exclamation mark by which God not only communicated the importance of Christ’s death but also the true meaning behind it. The text is in Matthew 27:50, 51 “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;” The Roman centurion having witnessed all the crucifixion events said “ Truly this was the Son of God.” (V54b)

If the Romans recognized Jesus for who He really was, why didn’t the Jewish priesthood recognize it as well? I suppose the answer is obvious; they were out of a job as we last saw in study # 230. The earthquake occurred probably only in the immediate region of Calvary because historians have not recorded any events outside the area of Golgotha.

Now, how are we to interpret this earthquake? We say that is was miraculous and supernatural. But aren’t earthquakes a very natural occurrence? Well, I believe that it occurred miraculously and supernaturally for 4 very specific reasons:

1) It happened at the same time that the darkness came over the area,

2) It was at the same time that Jesus yelled out “it is finished” (John 19:30),

3) It occurred at precisely the same time that the curtain of the temple was torn in half,

4) The earthquake coincided with splitting of the rocks and the opening of the graves.

This was no isolated occurrence; it was divinely purposed by God to reinforce the meaning of Christ’s death on the cross.

Back in Exodus, Moses was witness to an earthquake on Mount Sinai after which God gave the Ten Commandments and instituted the Dispensation of the Law to His people, Israel. The earthquake on Calvary could be interpreted as being the commencement of the Dispensation of Grace. In other words, Calvary replaced Sinai. Sinai was the prophecy of Calvary and Calvary was the fulfillment of Sinai. In both cases, God’s purpose was to provide the sinner with an opportunity to see the heinousness of sin and use the means God provided to be delivered of it. Sinai was God’s firm voice of condemnation and Calvary was God’s gentle and fatherly voice of pardon and grace. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.