An Easter Morning View: A Story

“Greetings, you who are blessed.” The female voice was lovely and soothing, but also insistent.
Zara shifted amidst her restless sleep. How does one sleep soundly the night before they are executed? And especially on a lumpy cot in a smelly prison cell?
The voice spoke again … again in Arabic. “Listen to me, Zara. I have something to share with you.” Zara’s mind engaged, and a lovely woman came into focus. She was wearing a golden fitted dress with a blue sash that matched her striking blue eyes. Her hair was long and brilliantly blonde. She radiated a subtle glow – like sunshine reflecting off a lake.
The lovely woman repeated her first words, “Greetings, you who are blessed.” She smiled warmly.
Zara realized she wasn’t awake. Her prison room wasn’t visible. Only the woman before her. “Is this a dream?” Zara asked.
“In a manner of speaking,” came the reply. “Except what you see in this dream is absolutely real.”
What was this? Who was this? Though understandably startled, remarkably Zara felt no fear. “Who are you?” she finally asked.
“I am Auria. I serve as a messenger for your God and mine.” Auria smiled again. “As I said, you are a blessed one.”
Tears welled up in Zara’s eyes. “I realize I am blessed that I know the Way, the Truth and the Life. I am so thankful for that … especially in this land where so many do not, and where those who do are hated.” She shook her head sadly. “I know I am blessed … even if it is costing me my life. My earthly life,” she clarified. More tears flowed. “But it is not easy.” Zara dropped her eyes. When she finally spoke again, it was in a whisper. “My own family has disowned me.”
Auria moved closer and placed her hand on Zara’s shoulder. “I know. Jesus knows too. All of which is why you are one of the blessed ones.” Auria kissed Zara’s head and gently stroked her hair. “Come with me. I have something to show you.”
Zara sensed a subtle movement – a shift of her presence – though there was no sight, sound or feeling of the action. It was brief, and then she felt herself “settling” again.
Slowly she became aware that she was looking into the darkness of night. She shifted her focus repeatedly, trying to identify where she was and what she was looking at. Auria was silent, so Zara was too. Minute by minute, the darkness was retreating as the first hints of morning were being revealed. Before her and below her she could just barely discern the features of a rocky hillside.
Then Zara caught sight of movement at the base of the hillside as the darkness receded. She gasped quietly. “What was that?” she whispered.
“The Roman guard,” was Auria’s reply, her voice at normal volume. Zara’s head jerked around to look at her. Auria smiled. “Don’t worry. They can’t hear us, though we can hear them.” Proof of the fact came as a soldier shifted his stance, and his spear snicked against his armor.
Auria’s initial words set Zara’s mind racing. Where would they be that they could observe Roman soldiers? And not modern ones, but clearly ancient ones? And then it hit Zara like a thunder bolt. “The Roman guard!” Zara exclaimed, her voice still subdued. “Are we where I think we are?
“Yes indeed. We are looking at the outside of Jesus’ tomb.”
Zara was dumbfounded. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open. “How can this be?” she finally asked, incredulously.
Auria put her arm around Zara and laughed warmly. “Did I not tell you that you were blessed? And you should know that with the Lord, nothing is impossible.”
The angel continued, but there was now awe in her voice. “In fact, there are countless others observing this morning with you. They come from all over the world and all points of history. But they have two things in common: they believe that Jesus their Savior rose from the dead … and they are experiencing tremendous personal hardship. Just like you.”
Once again, Zara was stunned. “How can this be?” she asked again. But she quickly caught herself, shook her head and said, “I know, I know.” – then, speaking along with Auria, “With the Lord, nothing is impossible.”
Auria nodded in agreement. “It’s incomprehensible to humans; it’s astounding even to angels. The Lord in his love provides this view to a few who already know the truth, but who could use some spiritual encouragement in times of great trial.” Auria wrapped an arm around Zara again. “Like you … and others like you who are also here, unseen.”
Zara’s eyes welled with tears. “I’m incredibly grateful to be so blessed,” she whispered emotionally.
By this time, enough light filtered onto the scene before them that Zara could see four Roman soldiers standing attentively, spaced out evenly before a rounded piece of rock – the covering over the tomb where Jesus body lay.
Auria filled the silence. “Never in the history of the world has so much effort been taken to keep a dead body in place. A Roman seal banning the movement of an already incredibly heavy rock, and a trained and diligent Roman guard barring anyone from even considering it. At least, anyone human.” Her voice took on a humorous lilt. “But none of it will work.”
“Watch carefully now,” she instructed. “Things are about to get very interesting!”
Just a moment later, a low rumbling sound began. The Roman soldiers looked at one another in alarm and began to exclaim excitedly. Zara didn’t recognize their words but intuitively understood what they were saying. It was something to the effect of, “Oh no! Earthquake! Another earthquake!”
The rumbling intensified, and then actual waves could be seen rolling across the surface of the ground. Loud booms and cracks could be heard as rocks split in the wrenching action. The four soldiers were toppled like they had been struck down in battle.
Then came the explosion of glory!
In an instant, two brilliantly beaming beings dressed in pure white stood over the men. They appeared as suddenly and unexpectedly as a lightening bolt. But unlike a bolt, their painfully bright flash didn’t disappear; it remained present, obvious, overwhelming, and incapacitating. The entire area around the tomb entrance was lit with their glory, and everything was brighter than sunshine at midday.
The petrified guards on the ground covered their heads with their shields and curled into fetal positions … their visible shaking obvious even to Zara; their cries of terror filling the air.
One of the angels strode purposely to the tomb entrance, placed his hand alongside the large stone door, and flicked his wrist. The massive obstruction careened violently out of its base, along the carved track (uphill!), bounced over the notch for storing the stone before use, and toppled onto the hillside with a loud crash – crushing the worthless Roman seal strapped over it.
The soldiers cringed as one at the ear-splitting “detonation” of the door-of-rock collapsing onto more rock, and their writhing on the ground ceased. It was panic overload; they had fainted from fear.
The angels moved into positions on each side of the tomb entrance, and dropped to their knees, their heads bowed; their brilliance now more subdued. They began singing. It was a gorgeous, heavenly song … a song of praise, the likes of which had never been heard on earth before.
And then Jesus stepped into view in the opening!
Zara gasped with unbridled joy. Her hands covered her mouth, and tears rolled down her cheeks. He’s alive again!
Jesus paused for a moment there, just on the inside of the tomb. Then he stooped a bit, crossed through the doorway, and rose to full height again – resplendent in a pure white gown. At that instant, a beam of sunshine broke free from the clouds and illuminated his face. He was smiling; his immense joy easily evident. He had accomplished all he had come to accomplish. His task was completed; his body alive again.
He raised his view, and his hands, heavenward – the nail marks in his wrists clear to see. “Father, everything is now fully fulfilled!” His fingers closed slowly and fiercely into two victorious fists. (Though he spoke in ancient Aramaic, Zara miraculously understood every single word.)
She was overwhelmed with emotion. She had never witnessed anything that had moved her so profoundly. Everything she believed was revealed before her very own eyes! And everything she was about to sacrifice … was for everything she had properly believed!
Jesus lowered his gaze and his hands a bit. His fingers opened again as in supplication. It seemed as if he was looking directly at Zara, (though she knew others were also watching). Then he spoke again. “You have a living Savior, therefore you have a living hope … no matter what you are enduring.”
Zara was overcome. She began sobbing uncontrollably. How astounding that Jesus would endure so very much to save her! How astounding he would do all that for her … and also share all this with her!
Just that quickly Jesus was gone.
The last thing the tearful woman saw was one angel moving over to sit on the collapsed door, while the other leaned against the hillside. “They will move inside the tomb soon. Visitors are on the way,” Auria informed her.
The angel wrapped her arm affectionately around Zara once again, and spoke softly, “Blessed are you who have seen.” She paused. “And, in Jesus’ words, ‘blessed also are those who have not seen yet still believe.’” (Jn. 20:29)
Auria tightened her embrace and smiled at the future martyr. ‘“He is risen!’” is a rallying cry for all of God’s people of all time. For all have their own struggles, and all need to know their Savior is alive. His resurrection makes all of life’s difficulties easier. Even the most horrific.”
The angel released Zara and pointed toward the tomb. “One more thing while we are here,” Auria said. “Look on the hillside. What do you see in the morning light?”
“The hillside is carpeted with beautiful red flowers!”
“Yes. The local people call the flowers Kalanits – also known as red poppies. It’s springtime here, and they bloom everywhere in this region at this time of year. The Kalanit is dearly loved here; it signifies life and peace. Which seems appropriate, does it not?”
“Yes! It does!” Zara replied exuberantly. She wiped away the tears from her eyes with her palms, then soaked in the view. An open and empty tomb … in a hillside covered with Kalanits. “It’s all so beautiful and wonderful.” The awe was evident in her voice.
Auria touched Zara’s shoulder softly. “We must return,” she stated quietly. Again, all went briefly dark as they repositioned. Just that quickly, Zara was back on her prison cot – asleep yet aware.
Auria was still near. “I must say goodbye now. But this is a temporary goodbye. You will see me again tomorrow. Much more importantly, you will see your resurrected Savior again tomorrow.”
The angel was somber, but also cheerful. She continued, “Your name is Zara, which means “Shining” or “Radiance.” It is a fitting name for you already now. It will be an even more fitting name for you tomorrow, for you will literally be “Shining” and “Radiant” by Jesus’ side.”
Tears of joy rolled down Zara’s cheeks. “Thank you for all you have showed me and shared with me,” she said to the angel. “It helps so much.”
“Thank the Lord. And it was my pleasure.” The angel faded from view, but her voice was heard one more time. “You’ll find a special gift from me when you wake up.”
When the execution escort arrived to get Zara the next morning, they were astounded to see that she was smiling … and that she was holding a lovely Kalanit in her hand.
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A few additional comments:
- In this story, the events at the tomb on Easter morning are pictured a bit differently from an earlier Easter story I wrote and shared on this blog … “I Killed Him. But Not for Long.” The reality is we simply don’t know how it happened. For example, how did the angels make their appearance to the soldiers? And did the angels appear first, followed by the earthquake, or vice-versa? Or were they actually simultaneous? And how long before the soldiers fainted from fear? Instantly? Or did they linger a bit before being overcome?
- A fascinating question is … did one angel materialize and terrify the guards or two? Similarly, did one angel or two appear to the women in the tomb? Matthew and Mark speak of one appearing to the guards, and Mark of one speaking to the women in the tomb; Luke states that two were present with the women and spoke to them. The simple explanation would seem to be that one angel is mentioned by some of the gospel writers because one angel rolled away the stone, and one angel spoke to the women. Luke’s reference to the plural – “the men said to them” (Lk. 24:5) – simply implies that this was the message that both the angels were sent to share … even if only one spoke it. Another possibility is that the women arrived in two groups at slightly different times – with one group seeing one angel, and another group two. Again, we can’t know exactly how things transpired. I chose to picture two angels arriving and present at the tomb throughout.
- Many suggest that Jesus in his resurrected and spiritual body simply exited the tomb through the rock and was already gone when the angels arrived. They surmise that the angel/s rolled away the stone … NOT to let Jesus out, BUT to let others see in. This is certainly possible, and may even have been the case. (Scripture doesn’t tell us.) However, I have always loved the picture of Jesus walking out of the tomb opening on Easter morning alive … after being carried into it dead. So that is how I portrayed it.
- Kalanit poppies are a real thing, and they really do bloom in spring around Jerusalem. It is very possible … perhaps even likely … that there were some blooming near Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning.
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1 Peter 1:3-9
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
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