THERE’S NOTHING IN THERE
Story★★★★The highlight of touring the Holy Land is experienced at the Garden Tomb. Just a short distance north of the city wall of Old Jerusalem we come to ‘‘Skull Hill.’ This is Gordon’s Calvary, and may well be the ‘‘green hill far away”? on which our Lord was crucified. The enclosed garden nearby is a refuge of beauty and peace.
The gravel pathways wind under hovering tree and beside beautiful flowers and well-kept shrubbery. It is but a short distance from Calvary to the tomb.
The tomb is hewn out of soft white limestone. Before the tomb is a channel where the “‘great stone’? may well have been rolled in place.
And the tomb is empty. A society matron, who was touring the Holy Land as something of a status symbol, was invited to enter the tomb. Somewhat reluctantly she entered, looked about for a moment, and then said in disgust, ‘“‘Why, there’s nothing in there!”’ What a beautiful contrast as one of the fine young ladies of our tour group bowed her head and reverently entered the tomb.
She emerged with face aglow and, with arms lifted high above her head, she exulted, ‘‘He isn’t there! Praise God, He isn’t there!”? I serve a risen Saviour, He’s in the world today; I know that He is living, whatever men may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, And just the time I need Him He’s always near. The stone wasn’t moved to permit Jesus to arise; It was moved to permit disciples to enter and believe.
Easter
The point
At Jerusalem's Garden Tomb, one visitor dismisses the empty tomb ('there's nothing in there') while another rejoices in it, illustrating two very different responses to Christ's resurrection.