the text will be the last part of verse 51 and the first part of verse 52 and the earth did quake and the rocks rent and the graves were opened and notice how verse 51 starts it calls our attention to this and behold the earth did quake and the rocks rent and the graves were open there were four great miracles that accompanied the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. They happened in this order. First, there was the three hours of darkness from noon till about three in the afternoon, the time of the evening sacrifice. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, it is finished. The darkness was lifted. Then there was immediately the rending of the veil in the temple. And we looked at that last week. And then following that, the earthquake, which we'll consider today. And along with that, the opening of graves. And then the fourth miracle, the resurrection of some of the saints around Jerusalem who had been buried in those graves that were opened. Each of these, each of these miracles, these wonders was a special revelation and commentary from God himself in heaven concerning the death of his son, Jesus Christ. In these miracles, God intervened and God called attention to something. Behold! The veil of the temple was rented vain. Behold, the earth did quake. God was saying something about the cross in the darkness. We saw that God was saying something about our sin that was laid on his son. Jesus was the sin bearer. And in the darkness, God expresses his wrath against the sin. Of of us that have been laid on Jesus Christ. in the rending of the veil, which we saw last week, God was saying that all the sacrifices and priesthood and worship of the temple was fulfilled and that now through the death of his son, the way was open for New Testament saints into the very presence of God himself. Now, this morning, we're going to look at the third miracle, the miracle of the great earthquake. And I'll admit that at first I wasn't planning on preaching on this, but as I worked through the other two wonders and saw this one, I realized that this miracle is of cosmic proportions. And this miracle shows to us the breadth of the redeeming work of the cross of Jesus Christ. And so we have to stop this morning and look also at this. I want to look this morning, not just at this earthquake, but as as it were, step back from this earthquake and look at the subject of earthquakes in the Bible and see how this one fits with all the other earthquakes and helps us to understand even the earthquakes that take place in our world today. And that makes our looking at this subject very practical. Perhaps no one here has experienced an earthquake. Maybe you have. I'm told there's nothing so fearful. And then the question is, how do we respond to an earthquake? And how does the earthquake at Calvary help us to overcome the fear that may be associated with such a calamity? So let's consider the earthquake at Calvary. We'll notice three things. First, the miracle. And then second, the significance of this miracle. And then finally, the application that comes out of this event. I want to begin briefly by saying some things about the history and the science of earthquakes. Earthquakes have been a part of human life for as long as man can remember. Some earthquakes happen on a very large scale and are devastating, and so we remember those ones, and they're recorded in history, they're measurable. But in fact, minor earthquakes and minor tremors are taking place every day, and one of the Most interesting facts about earthquakes that that comes out in the news today is that there is an increase in the intensity and the frequency of earthquakes as history goes on. Several years ago I heard on NPR a discussion about this and there were more earthquakes Of great magnitude and more deaths in the first 10 years of this century, this century than in the previous entire century. And scientists will say, well, sometimes this goes in circles. There's sometimes more and less. That may be true. But the increase is noticeable. Now it wasn't until about 200 years ago that scientists began to study and try to understand earthquakes, and they discovered that earthquakes usually occur among fault lines, that the earth has a relatively thin crust, And that it's made up of different pieces of stone, as it were, that fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. An earthquake appears when those different pieces slide past each other, either laterally or vertically. And then there's a great shaking of the earth that starts near where the movement is and tremors move out from there. What's interesting is that scientists don't actually know the cause of earthquakes. Is it internal heat in the globe? Is it heat from the sun? They don't really know. And earthquakes cannot be predicted. We can say where the more likely places for them to occur are. But whenever one comes, it comes with total surprise. And even more interesting is that than that is that many animals seem to have this sense for earthquakes that humans don't have. and that God has given to them. Now, I mention all that about the science and the history of earthquakes because even though science can observe, it cannot explain or predict earthquakes. And that should take the believer to the Bible. And in the Bible, we find both predictions concerning and explanations for earthquakes. If you look at the scripture, you see that earthquakes were a frequent occurrence. We read it previous to the law that God came on the mountain and the whole mountain quaked greatly. In the wilderness, there was an earthquake when Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebelled against the authority of Moses and Aaron, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up. In 1st Samuel chapter 14, we read about David's attack on the stronghold of the Philistines. And there was an earthquake. And it was so great. It was it was great that the Philistines trembled and fled. There was an earthquake when Elijah fled from Jezebel and God came and the earth shook and the rocks rent as God passed by. Perhaps the largest earthquake recorded in the Bible was an earthquake that took place during the time of Uzziah's reign. Now, you remember, boys and girls, that Uzziah was the king. Also, he also went by the name Amaziah, who went into the inner sanctuary of the temple and offered incense, did something that he shouldn't have done. He went behind the veil. And then the Bible tells us not in the record of that history, but in two other places of a great earthquake that took place during the reign of Uzziah. It's very likely that this took place at the moment when he went into the inner sanctuary and was smitten with leprosy. You read this in Amos chapter one about the prophecy of Amos that he gave in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel two years before the earthquake and then in Zechariah. Centuries later, we read this, ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal. Yea, ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah. And so this earthquake was so monumental that it became a marker for history. And the people remembered generations later its intensity and how the people fled from before it. So perhaps the biggest earthquake in Bible times. And then you have the earthquake here at the death of Jesus Christ. A couple days later, an earthquake at the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Matthew 28 verse 2. There was a great earthquake. The angel descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. And then In the book of Acts, again, there are earthquakes. Suddenly, Acts 16, verse 26, there was a great earthquake. The foundations of the prison were shaken and Paul and Silas were set free by that earthquake. Perhaps the first earthquake that ever took place was at the time of the flood, when we read in Genesis 7, verse 11, that the fountains of the great deep were broken up. And we know that the earth that then was before the flood is different than the earth that now is after the flood. That one consisted of water, owls of fire. And there was some breaking up of the earth at the time of the flood. Perhaps even greater. than the earthquake during the time of Isaiah. Now, what's interesting is you look at all these biblical accounts of earthquakes is that every one of them is miraculous. And we understand that miracles are divine interventions in the ordinary course of things. It's not that God isn't ordinarily involved. In the history, in the unfolding of history, God by his providence upholds and governs everything that takes place in this world. But God, in a miracle, changes the ordinary course of events to call attention to something. And that's true of the miracle at the cross of Jesus Christ. I'm not suggesting here that every earthquake is a miracle in the same sense. But every earthquake ought to remind us of the miraculous power of God. The earth is the Lord's. He's the creator of the ends of the earth. And by the same hand that created in the same hand that upholds, God can touch the hills today and they rend. You also see in scripture that earthquakes are included in prophecy and particularly included in prophecy that has in view the coming of Jesus Christ. We read one of those in Haggai chapter two. I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. All nations and the desirable nation shall come. Jesus Christ. In Zechariah, chapter 14, verse four, a similar prophecy, it talks of Jesus Christ coming and standing on the Mount of Olives and there being a great the Mount of Olives shall cleave, it says, in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, a great earthquake. And so also concerning the second coming of Jesus Christ, there are earthquakes predicted. Luke 21, verse 11, Jesus says, And then in the book of Revelation, in a couple of passages as well, revelation 16 verse 18 there was a great earthquake such as was not since men were upon the face of the earth so mighty an earthquake and so great now as we turn from that general overview to the text before us concerning the earthquake at Calvary, we see that the earthquake at Calvary at the cross of Jesus Christ was tremendous in its power. There are at least three things that indicate that in the text. The first is this, that the earth did quake. That is, there was a shaking that went out from the cross and people felt it. The whole earth shook. There was a trembling that could be felt. Then also this, the rocks rent. And the rending of the rocks implies that those stony cliffs around Jerusalem and the mountainous parts around there were broken, broken in two and came crashing, crumbling down in gravel. A great earthquake. The rocks were rent. That implies a vertical movement. I think the biggest movement in in altitude because of an earthquake is recorded in Alaska. It was a forty seven foot change in altitude from one piece of rock to the other part of it. Imagine being on that rock and plummeted up or plunge down in an earthquake. Well that's something that happened like what happened here at the cross the the rocks were rent And then also this, the graves were opened, verse 52. And that implies not only a vertical, but also a lateral movement of the stones, opening a cleavage of the earth. Great fissures were opened so that these tombs and these bodies were exposed. But now as we look at this miracle, we understand that what's most remarkable about it was not its size and its magnitude, but the fact that it was a miracle, a God-sent miracle. This was not an ordinary earthquake, not to be explained by natural phenomena. But it manifested itself differently. And that's clear in the passage. The first thing that points to its miraculous nature was the timing of it. When did it happen? Well, it happened at the moment that Jesus Christ cried with a loud voice from the cross, Father, into thy hand I commend my spirit and gave up the ghost. Then God touched the earth. And there was a great trembling and the rocks were rent. This was God's answer to the cross, God's answer to the cry of Jesus from the cross. We sang it in Psalm 18, verses 6 and 7. In my distress, I called unto the Lord. I cried unto my God. He heard my voice. And then notice here. Out of His temple, my cry came before Him, even into His ears. And then you think of what happened in the temple right at this moment and the rending of the veil. God hearing the Word and the voice of Jesus Christ and the work, acknowledging the work of Jesus Christ. And then God answering. The same hands that tore the veil touched the hills. And there was a great earthquake. The earth shook then and trembled, and the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken. Psalm 18, verse 7. That's God's answer. Or Psalm 144, verse 5. Bow by heavens, O Lord, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. So the timing of it points to the fact that it was miraculous. But then there's something else here, and that is that there is no recorded collateral damage from this earthquake. Some say that the rending of the veil was a result of the earthquake, but obviously it wasn't, because as recorded in verse 51, this happened first. The veil was rent and then the earth shook. And the veil hung loose in the tabernacle by rings. And so it would not have been something that was broken. And there's no record of any buildings crumbling in Jerusalem at this time. And when you come to Calvary and see the three crosses on the hill of Calvary, this becomes very evident. When the quaking had subsided, then there stood the three crosses. There hung the bodies of the three. And we know that because soon after the darkness, the soldiers came to break the legs in great earthquakes. Men are often sucked in and buried with the rubble. But this earthquake was selective. In where its force came. And that comes out, especially in this, that verse 52, the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints which slept arose. In other words, this earthquake came and it didn't open the graves indiscriminately, but it came and it opened only the graves of the saints, only the graves of believers who had died. And so this was a miraculous earthquake. So this is what happened. Jesus cried out. His spirit is received by God in heaven. the tabernacle made without hands and at the same moment the veil of the temple is torn and immediately after there's a great earthquake a trembling and the rending of rocks and bodies exposed but everything else remains standing Now what's the significance of this? I want to point to four things. The first is this, that the precise timing of this earthquake shows that it happened in fulfillment of prophecy. Haggai 2, I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land, all nations and the desire of all nations shall come and my glory shall fill the temple. When was that fulfilled? Well, first it was fulfilled right here. Hebrews 12 tells us about the fulfillment of this, and it explains the words of Haggai and quotes them, but quotes them a little differently. Hebrews chapter 12 and verses 26 and 27, whose voice then shook the earth. And probably that's in reference to what happened at the cross, but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word yet once more signifies the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. That passage tells us the purpose of an earthquake. God's purpose in an earthquake. God's purpose in an earthquake is to shake so that some things that are temporal can be removed and other things that are eternal and weighty will remain standing. And that's what happened at the cross. God shook and there stood the cross after the earthquake. But the veil of the temple was rent and the things that were temporal, the sacrifices, And the order of priests and the worship in the temple was removed. Jesus said, now is the judgment of this world. Now is the prince of this world. The devil cast out. And there was a kingdom that stood beyond the cross and beyond the earthquake of the cross. And that's the kingdom. And the rule of Jesus Christ. And so God sent this earthquake. And his glory filled the temple. That was the tearing of the veil, the glory of God coming out from the veil and filling God's temple and church in all the earth. And so the earthquake was fulfillment of the prophecy of Haggai and the shaking away of the temporary and the establishment of the eternal. Once, once more, twice, God will come again in a similar earthquake at the end of time. That's the point here. Once at the cross, once more. Hebrews 12 at the end of time. Then in the second place, this earthquake as to its importance and significance was this, that it was a visible token of God's presence and power, justice and wrath at the cross. Now that's true of every earthquake. When God came down on Mount Sinai to deliver the law, then the earth shook at His presence. When Elijah stood on Mount Horeb and God passed by, God shook the mountain and rendered the rocks. Psalm 114, verse 7 puts it this way, "...tremble thou, earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob." And the shaking at Calvary was God's way of saying, I am here. I am present. at the moment of Christ's death. It was His way of showing that He brought Jesus Christ to the cross as the substitutionary death for sinners. This happened according to His predetermined counsel. And He revealed Himself in His wrath on His Son at Calvary. Jesus didn't die merely at the hands of men. He didn't die a victim. God didn't stand by helpless as his son was crucified. But God was there. This was a part of God's plan, God's revelation. As Peter puts it to the Jews who had killed Jesus, ye by the predetermined counsel and foreknowledge of God by your wicked hands have taken and slain. It happened by God's appointment. And so we don't view Jesus as a victim, but a victor. This was his voluntary death at the cross. It was his voice when he cried with a loud voice, his voice that shook the earth. Then third, this wonderful miracle of the earthquake was a revelation of the wrath and the justice of God. Not like the three hours of darkness, which were a revelation of the wrath and justice of God on His Son, and a revelation of God's wrath that man couldn't see and couldn't comprehend, incomprehensible, eternal, infinite wrath. The revelation of God's wrath in the earthquake is a revelation of God's wrath against those who put his son to death against the world, a revelation of God's wrath in the curse that he has brought on mankind. Psalm 18, verse 7, the earth trembled and shook because he was wrath. And don't we see this in the way that man responds to an earthquake? In Numbers 16 verse 3, when God came and devoured Korah, Dathan, and Abiram and their company by this great earthquake, we read that all Israel fled. In Zechariah 14 verse 5, Israel is described as fleeing from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah. In Revelation chapter 11 verse 13, a prophecy of the great earthquakes that will come at the end of time, we read that Those who were not killed by the earthquake were a frighted terrified Man is terrified Because the judgment of God is revealed against man in an earthquake and Not just against man But the earthquake tells us that this entire creation this earth indeed the entire universe is under the curse of God on account of man's sin. God said to Adam, Cursed is the ground for thy sake. He meant that this creation, this world, would come under the curse as it were as a victim of Adam's sin in the beginning. There would be results in this entire material creation. The former things would change. The characteristics of this physical universe were altered by the fall. Sometimes we wonder, why are there natural calamities? Why does God allow this? Why are there earthquakes and storms and floods and droughts and other disasters that bring immense human suffering? The answer is because man sinned. Because man's a sinner. The calamities are an expression of God's wrath and curse on this entire universe because of the sin of Adam. Adam, who is the king and the head of the creation. Romans 8. explains that the curse came not just on man because of his sin, but indeed on the whole creation. Romans 8 verse 20, the creature or the creation, the created world, the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who has subjected the same in hope. Verse 21, because the creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. This creation is under the curse. Why calamities? Because God expresses His wrath against the sin of man. And so Romans 8 continues in verse 22. We know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain until now. It's waiting for something. And the groanings of this earth, the calamities that come of the earth, pining under the wrath of God, waiting for the day when he will come. And that's the significance, not just of the earthquake here at Calvary, but of all earthquakes. They remind us of the justice and the judgment of God. And so the Bible speaks of them increasing in intensity and frequency as the day of Jesus Christ comes closer. That doesn't mean we can, by earthquakes, predict the day and the hour, but they are a constant reminder that Jesus is coming, that His footsteps can be heard in history as he comes closer to the day of his return. So that, as 1 Thessalonians says, we won't be overtaken, surprised at his return. But as Matthew 24 puts it, we will be looking up and expecting his coming. And so the earthquake is an expression of the judgment of God. Now, does that mean that each earthquake is a judgment on a specific group of people for a specific sin? If one city is hit by a tsunami, which is the result of an earthquake, and a neighboring city doesn't receive that calamity, is that because this one was more wicked than the other? The Bible's answer is no. Luke 13 verse 4, Jesus talks about a tower that fell in Jerusalem and killed 18 people, and he asks the question, does that mean that these 18 who were killed were more wicked than the rest? No. But it's a warning that all should repent. Falling of a tower or a natural disaster isn't something that God sends to help us to identify where the worst sinners are in the earth. But it's a reminder to us of our guilt, the curse because of sin, and that we should live in repentance lest we likewise perish. But then as to the significance of the earthquake, there's one more thing. And it's this, a promise, not of destruction, but of renewal. A promise of renewal. God's ultimate purposes are not tied up in this world in which we live. And after the rubble of destruction that will bring The final cataclysmic end to this universe, as we know it, out of that rubble will come the new heavens and the new earth. God will shake the nations once more, the heavens, the earth, the sea, the dry land, all nations once more. And out of it will come the glorious new heavens. and the new earth in which righteousness will dwell and in which God will dwell with his people. And it's important as we look at the cross and see this earthquake. To understand that. This is part of a pair of earthquakes. This was not the only earthquake that occurred in connection with the death of Jesus Christ. Just a few days later, there's another one. And it's an earthquake with promise. It's an earthquake that came at the resurrection of Jesus Christ to show us that earthquakes also demonstrate renewal, triumph over death, resurrection. And because of Jesus' resurrection and the earthquake that accompanied it, Jesus Christ, as our forerunner, entered into the presence of God. Rules over all and will come again. to redeem and renew all things. He'll come with another great earthquake. And out of that will arise the new heavens and the new earth. And you see, this is always the way that God works. As the prophet Isaiah puts it, Zion is redeemed through judgment. Through the judgment of God's wrath that was expressed and poured out on His Son is the redemption of His church and people. Through the judgment that will come on this present world and the destruction that will come out of that will come the eternal place in which God will dwell with His people. And that's what you see in the miracles of earthquakes in the Bible too. How did God bring deliverance to David? from the hand of the Philistines. He did it by an earthquake. That wasn't only an expression of God's wrath against the Philistines, but it was an expression of God's love for David. How was Paul and where Paul and Silas delivered from prison by an earthquake? There's a redeeming purpose right here. The graves were opened. And then we go on to read, and we'll look at this next week, that many bodies of the saints which slept the rose, this judgment also brought resurrection. And so the shaking at the cross is God's way of saying the death of Jesus Christ has guaranteed the future glorious new heavens and new earth. There's renewal to come. And so this wonderful miracle. And there is in it, first of all, for us, a warning, a warning, a warning, which is really a call to repentance and to faith in Jesus Christ. As Jesus put it in Luke 13, verse 4, when he spoke of the falling of the tower and the death of the 18, he says, except ye repent, ye shall likewise perish. And so there's a calling to unbelievers who won't repent of their sin and who stand opposed to the death and the cross of Jesus Christ to repent or perish. Here is the judgment and the justice of God expressed against the sin of man. Here is what man's sin deserves. Here in the cross is, and the earthquake at the cross is a little picture of the great destruction that will come to man at the end. In every earthquake, there's a reminder again and again of that. Repent or perish. But the warning isn't just to unbelievers. It's a warning that comes to us too. Peter says, Peter puts it this way in his epistle. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holiness and godliness? The warning is that we not set our heart on the things of this earth that will be shaken, shaken loose and perish. but that we set our heart, as Colossians 3 says, on the things above, with Jesus Christ risen, the things above that are eternal. And so the earthquake is a constant reminder to us of that. Indeed, every natural disaster, every calamity, every burden, every trial, we're in a life A life which is perishing. But there is a life that's eternal. And that's the life. The life of Jesus Christ that we have by the power of his Holy Spirit. That makes us. Eternal creatures. And. We look forward to and we hope. For the day. When all things will be made new. And so there is here. also a wonderful comfort and promise for us. And the comfort and the promise has to do also with the fears that may come into our lives in the present when calamities strike. We don't need to be afraid. Oh yes, there'll be pain and agony and suffering. But we look to Christ. We trust the Sovereign. We believe that Even in the things that come in our life, he's working by sovereign love and power. And he's coming. We hear his footsteps. And he's going to shake all things once more. And out of that will come the glorious, eternal kingdom of righteousness in which, as Revelation 20 puts it, 21 puts it, God will dwell with us and they'll be there. No more sorrow, crying, tears, pain, suffering. Everything will be made new. And so God will shake and shake once more. And then bring that glorious, eternal heaven and earth. In which we will dwell with him, the cross. and the earthquake at the cross is God saying that's the guarantee that's what Jesus has sealed by his death you see the the cosmic proportions of this miracle the great extent and breadth of the redeeming work of Jesus Christ amen father we thank thee for this wonderful revelation of the power and the extent of the death of Jesus Christ for us. We thank thee for this this voice from heaven that shook. And that will shake again. And we pray, Lord, that we may with uplifted eyes look for and hope. For the day of Jesus Christ and. And set our heart on things eternal. We ask it for Jesus' sake. Amen.