September 10 Preparation Day

Luke 23:54-56 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
 
THE Preparation Day was the day before a Sabbath that occurred at festival such as Passover. Cooking food and other chores were to be done on Preparation Day, so only the most basic work would be done on the Sabbath. Even Jesus’ women disciples, deeply grieved and afraid, remained obedient to the law. They knew their work on Jesus’ body must wait. So they diligently learned where Jesus’ tomb was. This, too, is an essential fact when proving Jesus’ resurrection. Although they didn’t know it, God was using their faith to prepare them to be the first witnesses of Jesus’ risen body!
    There is another way God used Preparation Day to prepare the Jews for Jesus’ resurrection. Each Preparation Day before the Passover, Ezekiel 37:1-14 was to be read. This passage is known as “The Valley of Dry Bones”. The prophet Ezekiel describes a vision of the Spirit blowing life into dry bones, resurrecting the bones into living bodies. Here is a portion: Ezekiel 37:4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”...10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet – a vast army…14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”   
    For centuries God had been preparing his people for resurrection. Preparation Day had extended through the centuries by the mouths of prophets and finally through Jesus to tell the Jews of God’s new breath of life to come. The Passover was a constant reminder of God’s new life for the Jews out of Egypt. Preparation Day was a reminder to be ready for God’s next great deliverance.
    This deliverance would not be freedom from an earthly tyrant but from Satan’s tyranny over the soul. Dry faith would receive the Spirit’s breath. Souls would come alive in his life-giving power to declare the favor of God upon his people and the world.
    Remember, Jesus began his ministry with Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord Is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” The Father has prepared the Son to fulfill his favor upon his people. In Jesus’ resurrection, the Jews will have evidence the Lord’s preparations are complete.
 
Prayer: Thank you for preparing me to be your servant, Lord God. I pray my life is to prepare others. Amen.