The Garden Tomb

The Garden Tomb

 

 

One of our favorite stops, right outside the walls of Jerusalem.

We learned, we worshipped, we prayed and we marveled.

This stop changed the resurrection story for us.

 It no longer looks the same in my head or heart.

I'll try to share some of the facts and some of the truths with you.

The first fact is about the stone that covered the tomb. I have always imagined a humongous boulder. I couldn't have been more wrong. 

The stone is a cut stone. It is about a foot wide and much shorter than one would expect. The stone, while much smaller than I ever imagined, is oddly enough incredibly heavy. Over 1000 pounds.

 

 

You can see from the picture with Rosalba just how small the stone would have been.

The next picture shows the track the stone rolled along in front of the tomb.

 

 

If you look at the bottom of the picture you can see the large groove that held the stone and allowed the stone to be moved.

Several of the guys on the trip tried to "roll the stone away."

They were not successful.

 

Next is a picture of the front of the tomb. It has a small opening. We had to duck down to enter the tomb.

 

The garden was once a vineyard. A vat was found not far from the tomb.

 

The Gospel accounts of the resurrection combined with the beauty and peace of this place left a mark on my soul that I sincerely hope never fades.

I could see Mary with the other women watching Joseph of Arimathea struggle to lay the dead body of Jesus in the tomb. How he would have had to stoop as he entered carrying precious dead weight.

How Peter and John ran through this garden, found an empty tomb, and left marveling and confused.

Can you imagine the angel declaring the good news to the Marys.

Their shock.

Their joy.

They had seen the very dead body of their Lord just days before this.

Romans 8:11 reminds us that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us! That same power is available to me!

I have seen a dead marriage brought back to life by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I have seen a dead relationship restored to fullness of life.

The list could go on and on.

Do you see something dead that needs new life!

He who rose from the dead is able and He is good.

Ask Him and trust Him for miraculous new life.