An Unusual Disappearance

Mat 27:51-53 And, behold! The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the earth quaked, and the rocks were sheared, (52) and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep arose, (53) and coming out of the tomb after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

This was quite an event that must have caused a huge stir in Jerusalem! Can you imagine? The earthquake cracked open all the tombs and all these dead people start walking out of them! After Jesus is resurrected, all these previously dead folks start walking through the city.

How is it that only one apostle wrote of this event? Only Matthew! Were the others so aghast?

Remember, Jesus was our First Fruits, and upon His appearing to Mary, He instructed her not to touch Him. But just a short few days later, He told Thomas to come forward and feel His hands. What changed?

He ascended - secretly - to heaven and presented Himself in the Temple of God as First Fruits, as all priests do on that day. But a First Fruits presentation is a 'bundle'. He took those who had resurrected with Him.

Funny, though, that there is no mention of them rising with Him. In fact, there is no mention of them again. Why? Because it's also a picture of another event that will happen secretly - the rapture of the church. The First Fruits is one thing - a guarantee that there will be more harvest coming.

After the rapture, the powers that be will do their very best to not mention the event if they can help it. After all, an informed public is very difficult to control.