We often move too quickly from the agony of Good Friday to the ecstasy of Easter Sunday. We want to skip the "in-between." We must stop and ask: What happened on Saturday?
On Friday, the King was crucified. On Sunday, the King was raised. But on Saturday, the King was silent.
For the disciples, Saturday was a day of absolute "dead" situations—much like the tomb of Lazarus we discussed in a sermon recently (Life and Resurrection: Trusting God's Timing).
John 11:39 NIV [39] “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” (emphasis mine)
It was a day of hiddenness, grief, and the ultimate test of faith. The religious and political leaders of the day thought they had finally "bound" the Truth.
Matthew 27:62-64 NIV [62] The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. [63] “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ [64] So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
They sealed the stone and posted a guard.
Matthew 27:65-66 NIV [65] “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” [66] So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
Physically, everything looked final. But as we have learned, God’s silence is not God’s absence.
The Work in the Hidden Places
Theologically, Holy Saturday represents what is known as the "Harrowing of Hell." While His body lay in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, the Spirit of Christ was not idle. He was demonstrating that He is indeed the One King whose authority extends even into the depths of death.
While the world saw a corpse, the spiritual realm saw a Conqueror.
Colossians 2:13-15 NIV [13] When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, [14] having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. [15] And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (emphasis mine).
The Descent into the Deep
This wasn't a defeat; it was an invasion.
Ephesians 4:7-10 NIV [7] But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. [8] This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” [9] (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? [10] He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) (emphasis mine)
Saturday is the day Jesus held the keys. He descended into the darkest "stinking" chapters of human history to announce that the power of the grave was broken forever.
Reflection and Discernment
Writing, reading, and truly contemplating the "Saturday" of our lives requires deep self-reflection, discernment, and prayer. It is easy to have faith when the miracles are flowing; it is much harder when the tomb is sealed.
Saturday is the blueprint for how God works in our own silent chapters. Lazarus was alive but bound in grave clothes,
John 11:43-44 NIV [43] When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” [44] The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (emphasis mine)
The victory of Easter was already "alive" on Saturday, even if it wasn't yet visible to the weeping disciples.
Lamentations 3:25-26 NIV [25] The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; [26] it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
If you are in a "Saturday" season—where your prayers seem to bounce off a ceiling or your situation feels cold and dark—remember that the unbinding often begins in the dark. Trusting God’s power means believing that He is moving even when He is silent.
On Friday, the King was crucified. On Sunday, the King was raised. But on Saturday, the King was silent.
For the disciples, Saturday was a day of absolute "dead" situations—much like the tomb of Lazarus we discussed in a sermon recently (Life and Resurrection: Trusting God's Timing).
John 11:39 NIV [39] “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” (emphasis mine)
It was a day of hiddenness, grief, and the ultimate test of faith. The religious and political leaders of the day thought they had finally "bound" the Truth.
Matthew 27:62-64 NIV [62] The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. [63] “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ [64] So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
They sealed the stone and posted a guard.
Matthew 27:65-66 NIV [65] “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” [66] So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
Physically, everything looked final. But as we have learned, God’s silence is not God’s absence.
The Work in the Hidden Places
Theologically, Holy Saturday represents what is known as the "Harrowing of Hell." While His body lay in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, the Spirit of Christ was not idle. He was demonstrating that He is indeed the One King whose authority extends even into the depths of death.
While the world saw a corpse, the spiritual realm saw a Conqueror.
Colossians 2:13-15 NIV [13] When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, [14] having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. [15] And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (emphasis mine).
The Descent into the Deep
This wasn't a defeat; it was an invasion.
Ephesians 4:7-10 NIV [7] But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. [8] This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” [9] (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? [10] He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) (emphasis mine)
Saturday is the day Jesus held the keys. He descended into the darkest "stinking" chapters of human history to announce that the power of the grave was broken forever.
Reflection and Discernment
Writing, reading, and truly contemplating the "Saturday" of our lives requires deep self-reflection, discernment, and prayer. It is easy to have faith when the miracles are flowing; it is much harder when the tomb is sealed.
Saturday is the blueprint for how God works in our own silent chapters. Lazarus was alive but bound in grave clothes,
John 11:43-44 NIV [43] When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” [44] The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (emphasis mine)
The victory of Easter was already "alive" on Saturday, even if it wasn't yet visible to the weeping disciples.
Lamentations 3:25-26 NIV [25] The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; [26] it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
If you are in a "Saturday" season—where your prayers seem to bounce off a ceiling or your situation feels cold and dark—remember that the unbinding often begins in the dark. Trusting God’s power means believing that He is moving even when He is silent.
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