Matthew 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 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; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
This passage of scripture teaches us that something very dramatic took place at the cross, when Jesus laid down His life to save us from our sins. The passage states that the graves of the righteous were opened, and they arose after the resurrection, appearing to many in the city of Jerusalem, thus confirming the sacred truth that all who presently sleep in Jesus, will one day live again. But there are other issues that we must look at, as it pertains to Christ's death on the cross, for it is very obvious that the instantaneous judgments that occurred in times past do not generally occur anymore, and therefore we should understand the reasons for these great changes.
For instance, when the men of Sodom had filled to the brim their cup of iniquity, fire and brimstone was sent from heaven and utterly burned up their cities. Then when soldiers were sent to take the prophet Elijah by force, the Lord sent fire from heaven and consumed two battalions of fifty soldiers each, until the last batch that was dispatched was forced to humble themselves on their knees, and ask reverently for him to come up to the king. Let's read:
2nd Kings 1:9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. ..."And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down. 10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly. 12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. 13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.
Question: How is it that these remarkable instances of judgments being meted immediately do not generally occur in our day? And how is it that since Christ died on the cross, there seems to have been a general cessation of such manifestations? The reason lies in the penalties that were paid by Christ on Calvary, for He bore in His Person, the sins of the entire world, with the punishments that were due, and thus, the sudden judgments of ages past have been put on hold to a large extent until the future day of reckoning.
This temporary reprieve in judgments has caused the human family to actually go further in sin, instead of being grateful for what Christ has done, and because God has to a large extent restrained the forces of evil that are bent on our destruction, many of us are now taking His grace for granted, as if the judgments written would be put on hold forever. Let's read:
Ecclesiastes 1:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: 13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
It is therefore of the utmost importance for us to understand that the results of wrong-doing will at some point be meted out, when human probation is closed, and thus it behooves us to view the mercies of God in withholding due judgments, not as a license to continue sinning, but rather as a golden opportunity to repent and be saved by His grace.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to avail ourselves of the day of grace, for the time will come when all of the retributions that were previously withheld, will be poured out upon the heads of the finally impenitent, and this time it will not be mingled with mercy as in former years. Let's read:
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what The Spirit saith unto the churches. God bless!