[TheRealThing]

Prior to recent events, Christ had boldly predicted His own crucifixion and resurrection. Remembering this and fearing that His followers could steal the body of Christ and falsely claim He had risen. The Church leaders of Jerusalem pled with Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Jerusalem, to put "a guard" over the tomb until after the Sabbath. Consequently Pilate ordered upwards of 50 soldiers, "a guard" to stand guard over the tomb of Jesus until after the Sabbath Day passed. In the meantime a 'great stone' had been rolled in to seal the doorway of the tomb upon which in turn, was affixed the Seal of Caesar. It is noteworthy to mention the fact that should the guards fail to carry out their charge, it meant their lives. So we can be assured that 50 of the most formidable soldiers alive at the time, were deadly serious. Heaven help anybody who tried to get to that tomb. And there would be no help for anybody who might have, against all odds, been able to break the Seal of Caesar. And surely nobody could have gotten to that tomb had not God caused a sleep to come over those guards. And later when it became obvious that the stone was rolled away and the tomb empty, they undoubtedly thought it was their end.

But as the unthinkable (for the enemies of Christ) had happened, the women unawares of all this were approaching the tomb and wondering how they would get in to prepare the Lord's body with embalming spices, as was the custom of the day...

Mark 16:3-6 (KJV)
3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.


And we who believe that He is risen shall be with Him. This is the blessed hope.

1 Peter 1:3 (KJV)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,