Mensa Otabil - The Sealed Tomb (10/18/2025)
Today we are waiting; it’s Holy Saturday. Matthew chapter 27, verse 66: So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard for those who wanted Jesus dead. His brutal crucifixion was not enough; his burial was not enough. Although Jesus was dead, they were still very worried. They were worried about his prophecies; they were worried about what he said about himself, that he was going to rise from the dead.
So they knew that if that came to pass, the story would be very different. It shows that they believed his prophecies were true, that he would rise from the dead, and they would do everything possible to prevent him from resurrecting. What a feeble attempt by men to stop God from doing what God wants to do! So they did three things. First, they secured the tomb. That means they placed the stone at the front of the tomb and sent people to inspect it. The people came and approved, saying, «It’s done; it’s been secured. There are no passages, there are no holes; there’s no option. Nobody can get into the tomb.» So that’s the first thing they did: secure it and show that nobody could violate that tomb.
Secondly, they sealed the stone. That means they ensured that nobody would tamper with the stone. There was an official seal that showed this place is protected by the state. This is state property; the state has an interest here. If you went to Tampa with the seal, you would be in big trouble. So apart from the physical protection, there is also the governmental or political protection that was set at the tomb. Then thirdly, they set a guard. We’re not told how many people were sent there to guard the tomb of Jesus Christ, but it wasn’t just one person or two people. There was a military detachment, probably of 10, 20, or more. These were set there, and these were the temple guards who were in place to ensure that nobody would violate the grave.
The question is, why all these precautions? Why were they afraid? Well, first, I think it tells me that they somehow believed that Jesus was credible; that if he said he would rise again, there was a tendency that he would rise again. So there are people who fight God not because they don’t believe in him, but because they believe in him. They want to ensure he is not who he says he is. Somebody would say that even for those who claim to be atheists, somewhere in the recesses of their own minds, there is a consciousness of God. Nobody can wipe God out of the history of life and the history of the earth.
The extent to which they go shows you how much they believe he is because if you believe he is not, you would just say there is no God and get on with your life. But if you go to ensure that we eradicate him from books, from schools, from everywhere, it shows your fear of him and your sense that he probably will violate everything you’re doing.
So that’s what the people did, and it also shows sometimes the extent to which Satan will go against you to stop you from doing something. The extent he goes also should show you the extent of your power because it shows what God can use you to achieve. If you are nobody, nobody bothers about you, but if you are somebody, they will bother about you. Did they succeed? We’ll find out tomorrow morning.
Let us pray. Say with me: Heavenly Father, thank you that in the darkest night, your light will still shine. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.
Well, tomorrow is the big day, and it is Easter morning. Tomorrow, I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.