“UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURE!”

 John 20:3-10

“3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.

4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there,

7 and the face cloth, which had been on JESUS' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 

8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he SAW AND BELIEVED;

9 for AS YET THEY DID NOT “UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURE”, that HE MUST RISE FROM THE DEAD.

10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.”

UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES isn’t something that one simply “wishes” to come about.  FATHER GOD, in HIS infinite wisdom, reveals things to people at precisely the correct time to accomplish HIS PURPOSE and Glorify HIS SON.  Peter and the other disciple, believed by many to be John, had just spent three years following JESUS, WHO John 1:1 identifies as THE WORD.  One might think that they were familiar enough with THE WORD to “UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURE”?  But they were seeing the empty tomb and grave clothes, but they couldn’t “UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURE”, that HE (JESUS) MUST RISE FROM THE DEAD! 

The other disciple (John) was the first that SAW AND BELIEVED, but Scripture doesn’t indicate the he immediately does anything with this knowledge that JESUS was risen.  On the other hand, when Mary saw JESUS a few minutes later, she went and told the disciples that she had seen THE LORD and what had HE said to her.  The disciples were locked  in a room FOR FEAR OF THE JEWS later that evening when JESUS “revealed” HIMSELF to them.  

There may be some who know why JESUS did NOT choose to reveal HIMSELF to Peter and John earlier that day, but not me?  Instead, it was Mary Magdalene who JESUS “revealed” HIMSELF to that Resurrection Sunday.  This woman, who “seven demons had been driven out of her” by JESUS, was now the first to SEE HIM after HIS resurrection.  Was she holier than others?  Did she follow the Ten Commandments more closely than others?  No, all I can say was SHE WAS CHOSEN by ALMIGHTY GOD to be the first.  

Charles H. Spurgeon is quoted as saying “GOD is too good to be unkind and HE is too wise to be mistaken.  And when we cannot trace HIS hand, we must trust HIS heart.”  Sometimes we cannot understand what GOD is doing, and why HE is doing it, but we must BELIEVE THAT HE IS ACCOMPLISHING HIS PLAN!  Exodus 14:13-14 says “And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, WHICH HE WILL WORK FOR YOU TODAY. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will fight for you, AND YOU HAVE ONLY TO BE SILENT."  We don’t have to UNDERSTAND what HE is doing, NOR HOW HE IS DOING IT, but we need to BELIEVE that HE IS WORKING HIS PLAN!!!