"In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. (2) And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. (3) His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: (4) And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. (5) And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. (6) He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. (7) And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. (8) And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word."
It is truly blessed to see, how everything tended in proof to bring forward to the Church the evidences of our Lord's resurrection. The Prophets with one voice had predicted the event, which, until then, had never been heard of: and now the Evangelists come forward to attest the wonderful accomplishment. Isaiah had spoken of it. Isaiah 26:19. Ezekiel had delivered by command a vision of it. Ezekiel 37:1. And Jonah, the Lord himself declared to be a type of it. Matthew 12:38-40
And behold how minute the circumstances are to the confirmation of it. The morning was ushered in with the most portentous signs of it. While the godly women came at the dawn of day to visit the sepulchre; with the intention, as was the then custom, to embalm the body of our Lord: behold there was a great earthquake. An Angel from heaven came and rolled away the great stone from the door of the sepulchre. Reader! it must be the work of God, not simply to roll away, but to take out the stony heart from sinners, and to give an heart of flesh. And this God hath promised, and God doth perform, in the whole of his redeemed family. Ezekiel 36:26. Let us pause over this account. Behold as an Angel from above came down to celebrate the triumph of the Lord Jesus in our nature over death and the grave; so the dead from beneath came up to hail the glorious event, and both met together! Oh! the triumphs of the resurrection! No wonder the Roman soldiers became as dead men. And no wonder the lovers of Jesus should rejoice who came to seek Christ. Reader! do not fail to observe, how very different the same things operate upon different minds. While the graceless tremble, the gracious will rejoice.