“Very early that Sunday morning, the women made their way to the tomb, carrying the spices they had prepared. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Jesus’ mother Mary. Arriving at the tomb they discovered that the huge stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside, so they went in to look.
But the tomb was empty. The body of Jesus was gone!”
Luke 24:1-3 TPT

The Tomb was empty

Dictionary.com defines “EMPTY” as:

• containing nothing
• having none of the usual or appropriate content
• vacant
• unoccupied
• deprived of contents, to discharge
• without knowledge or sense; frivolous; foolish
• without force, effect, or significance; hollow; meaningless
• without knowledge or sense; frivolous; foolish

Synonyms for empty: dry, vacant, uninhabited, unfilled, unoccupied, hollow, deserted, devoid, desolate, bare, blank, barren, flat, worthless, meaningless, idle

So how can empty be a good thing?

A search of the Dictionary of Bible Themes regarding “Empty” or “Emptiness” returned the following:

“Scripture stresses the emptiness of human life without God, and notes that Jesus Christ chose to empty Himself in order to redeem humanity.

Human life can be empty Ruth 1:21; Ecclesiastes 1:2; 3:19; Ecclesiastes 12:8

Human attempts at fulfillment are empty

• Work does not satisfy Isaiah 55:2 Psalms 127:1-2; Ecclesiastes 2:17; Ecclesiastes 6:7; Haggai 1:5-6
• Pleasure does not last Job 20:5; Proverbs 21:17; Ecclesiastes 2:1-3, 25
• Wealth does not satisfy Ecclesiastes 5:10; Ecclesiastes 4:7-8; Luke 12:15; 1Timothy 6:9-10
• Material possessions are unreliable Luke 12:18-20; Job 8:13-15; Job 15:31; Psalms 49:10,12,16-17; Proverbs 11:4; Ecclesiastes 5:15; 1 Timothy 6:7
• False religion cannot save Isaiah 57:13; Judges 10:14; Isaiah 44:17-18; Isaiah 45:20; Isaiah 46:7; Jermiah 11:12; Acts 14:15”

“Scripture stresses the emptiness of human life without God”. Over and over throughout the Scriptures we see a continuing pattern of emptiness and unfulfilled longing when many sought to find fulfillment in their own human efforts. We see today where the men and women of 2000 years ago are not so different from the men and women of today.

How many of us seek solace, comfort and fulfillment at the bottom of a bottle, the little round pill, the signature on a mortgage we cannot afford all for a the square footage we don’t need, or the keys to the overpriced unnecessary vehicle, or in the arms of somebody other than our spouse, the membership ranks of God-less associations, the cashing in of the slot chips, the empty plate at the exclusive restaurant, the shiny baubles adorning our fingers and necks, the overflowing shopping bags filled with yet more stuff to fill too many shelves in our already overcrowded home? How much of ourselves do we spend in seeking fulfillment and contentment in stuff? Stuff that will sit oh so pretty on the shelf, never to be used, but only admired. Given that, does it make sense? What is it you are searching for? What need does that “stuff” fill?

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21 NIV (emphasis mine)

Now before I get called out for saying that “things” are bad. In and of themselves they are not bad. But simply ask yourself this question… is that where I find my fulfillment? Do I place my happiness, delight, harmony, health, gladness, and joy in these “things”? Have I placed my self-worth in “things”? I cannot answer that for you.

Let’s ponder this, suppose tomorrow it is all taken away? Perhaps a thief, a fire, a natural event… all of it is gone. Where and what is your worth then? Are you worthless if you have lost it all? Would you be empty? I can honestly say this, I’ve seen more than once, those who places “things” above relationships and real joy will actually mourn the loss of their bibbits, and baubles and doodads.

If it were all gone tomorrow… where would be your joy? Where would be your happiness? Where would be your comfort? Where would be your fulfillment? Where would be your peace?

So, I’ll ask again, how can “empty” or “emptiness” be a good thing?

Empty is the greatest thing because the TOMB WAS EMPTY! (Read the Resurrection account here at John 20:1-18)

But there is more to the story than merely an empty tomb. The reason the tomb was found empty was that the Man who was buried there was resurrected from the dead.

Jesus not only left His grave, He appeared to numerous people individually as we read in Luke 24:34, “saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon! and to groups “And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.” Matthew 28:9 (emphasis mine)

“Eight days later, His disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you”, then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand and place it in My side. Do not disbelieve but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:26–30 (See also John 21:1–14; Acts 1:3–6; 1 Corinthians 15:3–7)

His resurrection from the dead would be the sure proof that He was who He claimed to be – the risen Son of God, our only hope of salvation.

“Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from You.” But He answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matthew 12:38–40

Christianity is centered on the fact that God raised His Son Jesus Christ from the dead, thereby leaving the tomb empty. In that act, followers of Jesus Christ, who place their life in Him, received complete victory over sin and eternal death and obtained the blessings of eternal life.

But perhaps to you Easter is just another commercial secular holiday that brings to mind sweet images of little girls in pink ruffled dresses and white shoes, and little boys in their precious first suits, remembering the childhood adventure of the Easter egg hunt, brightly colored baskets filled with plastic grass and much too much chocolate, and singing songs and hearing stories of “Peter Cottontail”.

Oh, dear ones, the importance of Easter is so much more than what we wear to church, candies, treasures and baskets, or children’s stories and fairy tales. It is the truth of the Risen Savior, and that truth has eternal implications for every person that ever was, is now and ever will be. It is the TRUTH of THE CROSS. It is His victory over eternal death and eternal separation; it is the fulfillment of the Promise of God our Father.

So, you see in my opinion, EMPTY is amazing! Without the empty Tomb of Jesus Christ, I have no love, no hope, no joy, no peace, no patience, no kindness, no goodness, no faithfulness, no gentleness, and no self-control. Without the empty Tomb of Jesus Christ, I would not have my God in Heaven that loves me beyond all measure, beyond all that my simple human mind can comprehend.

“And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him.” Mark 16:6

But the Tomb was empty, and I do have eternity. I have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But most of all, I have hope. I have the assurance of eternity in the presence of my King!

So, during this Easter Season are you thinking about your eternity? Know and understand this well; there are two certainties in our lives.

First, at the Rapture of His Church, Jesus Christ calls His believer’s home.

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NIV

Second, to those left behind… yes, there will be still time after the rapture to repent and set your faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ before the end of the seven-year tribulation when Jesus physically returns to the earth to setup His millennial kingdom.

Understand this well, every person who has ever lived and denied Jesus Christ will stand before The Great White Throne of Judgement. There they will receive their just sentence – eternal separation from God.

Know this well, everyone is going to spend eternity somewhere. You are either going to spend it forgiven and redeemed and in relationship with God your Father in Heaven, or you will spend it condemned and tormented and separated from God for all eternity in the pits of Hell. It is your choice. I urge you to consider your choice wisely. Consider the Empty Tomb. And then open your heart to Him. Let Him come in and love you and offer you complete forgiveness and an eternity with Him.

“But as for me, I will look to the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me.” Micah 7:7

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