Thaddeus Bruno
Jun 25, 2013
About one thousand years BC, David, the sweet singing seer of Israel picked up his prophetic harp and played a melody of human redemption. He sang a melancholy line about a stone, so despised by the religious architects, that it was denied a place in the super structure. In the second line however, the melody sweetens and the theme brightens. The rejected stone by the marvelous working of God eventually becomes the most important stone in the building. Finally, the royal lyricists delineates a memorial day in which this pivotal event would occur, and summons the great number of the redeemed to join in grateful praise in the words, “Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
That Jesus Christ is the stone of which David sang is a truth that hardly needs establishing. Isaiah had predicted “He is despised and rejected of men” and the Apostle John confirmed its fulfillment when he wrote “he came unto his own and his own received him not.” Israel, the nation of his citizenship rejected the truthfulness of his claims, the validity of his teaching and the divine origin of his miraculous power. Their rejection finally culminated when they, at Pilate’s bar preferred the release of Barabas to that of Jesus. He was rejected in his crucifixion on the day before the Sabbath, (John 19:31) but became the head of the corner in his triumphant resurrection on the first day of the week, the day we call Sunday. (Mk 16:9) This is the day of which David sang , the day that the Lord has made, The Lord’s day.
The use of days and dates to mark and commemorate significant national and international events, is a practice of ancient antiquity. The day without the event was meaningless, and the celebration was confined to those to whom the event was significant. For example, God memorialized his deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage by giving them the Sabbath day to observe (Deut 5:15). Since God did not bring Britain out of Egyptian slavery, to command them to observe the Sabbath day, which commemorated that event, to them would be meaningless. Therefore, it was a sign between two parties, God and Israel. (Ex 31:13) Further, Americans celebrate the fourth of July as the declaration of independence from Great Briton. Attempting to celebrate the fourth of July in old Mexico, which formerly held the state of Texas as a colony, might very well create a revolution rather than a celebration. The independence of the United States is of no interest at all to Mexico as a nation.
The resurrection of Christ however, is an event of international significance. No event in the history of this world is so pregnant with positive implications and pivotal ramifications for the entire human race. The resurrection of Christ, the second Adam, from the dead, validates our faith, anchors our hope, makes good the promises of Christ and guarantees our own resurrection from our caskets in the cemetery to life everlasting. (I Cor 15:12-22) It is not surprising therefore, that so stupendous an event would be remembered and celebrated on the first day of the week, the day in which it occurred. (Lk 24:1,13,21,46). All those who understand its significance join with David in the singing of the great swelling chorus, “This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.”