Another Difference the Empty Tomb Makes
"Is the Lord among us or not?" (Exodus 17:7) Nothing makes us question God's goodness and even his presence with us like a need that we cannot meet. That's where this question comes from in Exodus 17. God had delivered his people out of slavery in Egypt but along their journey through the wilderness, they ran out of water. Presumably the answer was negative. God could not possibly be with them because they were facing difficulty.
Bleak times and challenging days raise this same question in our minds. We may not grumble out loud like the Israelites but who has not asked this question: "Is the Lord among us or not?" As it turns out the Lord was indeed with them and he met this need and every other need they had. Thankfully, we have an even clearer answer to this question than the Israelites ever witnessed.
That's where the resurrection comes in. When Judas betrayed Jesus to his executioners and the disciples fled in fear and despair; they were convinced the Lord had left them and that all of their hopes were misplaced (see Luke 24:21). But when the disciples returned to the garden and discovered the empty tomb on Sunday morning, a rollercoaster of thoughts and emotions perplexed them. Then they heard the testimony of the angels: "He is not here, but has risen." (Luke 24:6) Finally Jesus himself appeared to them, walking with them for the next forty days, teaching them and even eating meals with them. His commission to us ends with this words: "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
If you're asking yourself, "Is the Lord among us or not?" the empty tomb shouts the affirmative answer to us. In the death and resurrection of Christ, God has met our greatest need. He has solved the problem of our sin and our need for righteousness. In Christ we have new life. Trials abound. Difficulties swirl all around us. The resurrection is a gift of hope to the world that the Lord is among us! "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:57)