Why do we celebrate the Lord Jesus Christ’s crucifixion as “Good” Friday? There is nothing good about death! Except when the Son of God uses His authority to override it!
Christ accomplished many things by His crucification. He fulfills God’s promise of salvation, redemption, justification, and the beginning of sanctification. While this is a huge topic, here is one small, but very interesting part of Good Friday…
In Revelation 1:17-18 Jesus reveals Himself to John on the island of Patmos, where He tells John to write down all that He shows him…(and what a vision it is!)
(John speaking) “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”
Ummmmm, what?
What are the keys of death and Hades?
What good are they?
What does Jesus do with them?
The good news about Good Friday is He committed Himself as our sacrifice. He agreed to die in our place on that cross—a death He did not deserve—as the Lord Jesus Christ was sinless. Still, He died to ransom us so He could gather to Him all who believe in Him. We are gifts from His Father.
But there were those Old Testament believers who knew Him long before His first visit to earth. And they were stuck in time. John 10:16—(Jesus speaking) “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.”
One reason (among many) that Jesus died was to take back (His rightful possession of) the keys to the gates of hell, so He could release those believers who knew Him before He was born the Son of Man. John 10:14-15–“I am the good shepherd, and I know my own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”
Therefore, He went into Hell and removed the keys from Satan to release those believers who were stuck there on the side of the chasm called Abraham’s Bosom. You can read about it in Luke 16:22-31.
And He (rightfully) took another set of keys, too. Keys to the second (permanent) death, so believers could live eternally with Him in heaven.
And oh, on crucifixion day how Satan did celebrate! After all, he’d won! He ‘killed’ the Man-God once and for all.
HA!!! Or so he thought…
John 10:17-18–(Jesus speaking) “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”
Now check this out…
In Revelation 9:1-2, the angel which fell from heaven (Satan) has the key to the gates of hell returned to him temporarily. With it he releases a plague of demonic locusts—not just any locusts, though (a post for another day)…
Who hands the key to Satan? God does.
Then in Revelation 19:20 the gates of hell are unlocked again! This time the antichrist and his false prophet sidekick are seized and thrown alive into the lake of fire. There they reside forever.
But it gets better! In Revelation 20:1-3 an angel is given the key to hell along with a heavy chain. The angel takes hold of Satan and binds him with the chain—locking him in hell for the 1000 year reign of Christ (Millennial Kingdom). Oh, the keys! We are told Satan is released one last time at the end of the MK to deceive those who are born during the MK. It’s a very short return, however, before the keys are used one last time to bind Satan (where he will be tormented day and night) in the lake of fire, forever!
Thank you, Lord Jesus for Your great sacrifice! You, Who took back the keys of hell and death to free us from the bonds of sin, and the bonds of death. You, Who provides to us—once and for all—an eternal dwelling place, where we will see You face-to-face everyday in heaven. Oh, how sweet it will be to live with You—righteous and holy—forevermore.
Amen!