The Tree of Life In Joseph's Garden

Good Friday is the day of commemoration of the death of Jesus Christ; the great day of atonement. It was a solemn day for Israel when in the seventh month, on the tenth day, the High Priest went into the sanctuary to atone for the sins of the people. However, no mere mortal was able to give satisfaction to God’s holy justice, for He could only be satisfied by such an offering as was of an infinite value, and this only the Son of God could bring.

After His suffering Christ laid down His life for His sheep. The day of Jesus’ death was the great Day of atonement of the New Testament, wherein He removed the iniquity of the land in one day, and entered for all His chosen people into the sanctuary not made with hands. He could testify: “Father, I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.” Now the honor of His Father was avenged and His justice satisfied. Sinners now may come boldly to the throne of grace, and may obtain mercy.

Oh, what a blessed day; and blessed are we when we by faith may see that our old man is crucified, dead and buried with Him, so that the corrupt inclinations of the flesh shall no more reign in us! Blessed are we when by faith we may know that Christ has buried all our iniquities and corruption and has purchased life for us.

God’s justice and truth demanded that Christ should humble Himself unto death, and if He had not died, His suffering would have been in vain. The sentence of the Garden of Eden had to be carried out and accomplished, and the burden of sin was laid upon Him as the Mediator, for the wages of sin is death. Therefore He had to die in the place of guilty sinners, whom He had loved with an everlasting love.

“Now in the place where He was crucified [where He died on the cursed tree at Calvary] there was a garden….” It was the garden of Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews. Those hidden, unknown followers of Jesus showed their love and reverence for their Master. After having received the approval of Pilate, they took the body of the Savior, brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, and wound the body in linen clothes with spices. They then laid it in the new sepulchre, wherein was never man laid, in the garden of Joseph of Arimathea. He would be with the rich in His death according to the prophecy of Isaiah. There, close to the place of severe suffering He was laid in a new sepulchre, in a garden. What a message: The Prince of life laid in a grave, a place of shame! In this we see the execution of God’s warning in Paradise, when He spoke to Adam: “For in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.”

There the body of Jesus was laid, in a garden. There had been another garden, the Garden of Eden. There no graves were to be found, but only the joyful service of the Lord: there was gladness, rest and peace. This garden was planted by God Himself, “and there He put the man whom He had formed” (Gen. 2). God made everything to His honor and that was also a delight to the man. A garden — but there we left our Maker and brought the curse upon the earth. ‘Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee.” We lost that paradise. “So He drove out man and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubims, with a flaming sword.” Adam and Eve became exiles upon a cursed earth.

There is a people who by grace may learn to know this. When God opens their eyes, they see that they were created very good, but became corrupt, lost sinners who have been cast out of the garden of Eden, and now dwell in a desert —this world. Here there is no true joy, no satisfaction, but only unrest, emptiness, darkness and sorrows. But they also learn: “Cursed is the ground for thy sake.” They have ruined God’s good creation, have robbed His honor, and lost their glory. With all attempts to again purchase peace and rest, they experience that the flaming sword of God’s justice is extended against them, and that from their side there is no way back to Him from whom they have voluntarily departed. There is no hope, no expectation from our side.

However, in another garden lies a Man, who is exceedingly sorrowful and in severe strife. “He is a worm, and no man, a reproach of men.” He is burdened with sins and for Him it is a dark night, wherein all friends have forsaken Him. It is the garden of Gethsemane. There the prince of darkness attacked Him. This Man was the holy Son of God, but also Surety for lost sinners; He bowed under the righteous judgments of God, and He glorified God in His perfect obedience. The flaming sword of God’s righteousness came upon Him and the true Tree of life was hewn down and cast away. He descended into hell, was in great darkness, and forsaken of God so that enemies would be reconciled with God.

Oh, what a wonder when that perfect Lamb of Cod and His sacrifice may be revealed to hell-worthy sinners, and when they are brought to the dust and learn to bow under God’s righteousness! They deserved to be forsaken of God, for all hope was cut off. For them there is that righteous sentence of God, and they have no lamb to offer, no penny with which to pay. All their best works become filthy rags before this holy Judge. They must be cast away as dry, barren trees, after all the dealings of a merciful God with them. Oh, God has always been good, but they have offended Him, resisted Him, rejected His callings, and sinned even after receiving so many benefits! But when this suffering Surety is revealed and they may see the workings of this Servant of the Father, He becomes most precious and valuable. In Him is everything they need in order to be reconciled with God. In Him is life, righteousness, holiness, and peace. Such a Surety is necessary, suitable and precious.

Yet there is the necessity of another garden. That is the garden with the new sepulchre. It is the place where the hope of God’s people is laid, where the Beloved of the disciples and of the mourning women is buried. There they sit at the ruins of all their expectations, as the weeping women, unwilling to leave the buried body of their Master. They had beheld His glory, experienced His love, heard His promises and received His instruction. There had been a time, during which they believed His precious word, as once spoken unto Ruth: “Fear not, my daughter, I will do to thee all that thou requirest.” There had been a time that they found rest in those promises, although they did not know in what way He would fulfill them. Oh, mourning church, it is a difficult lesson which Naomi gave her daughter: “Sit still my daughter, for the man will not be in rest until he has finished the thing this day” (Ruth 3:18)!

Here we find the mourning church, sitting beside the sepulchre, their Hope and their Beloved taken away. However, “love is strong as death, many waters cannot quench love.” This is the way of God, leading His people unto the peace which is to be found in Him. It is a peace which is founded on a risen Savior, who gives His purchased people life and peace: He is the victor over death and the power of darkness.

The sepulchre had to be opened again and the risen King had to reveal Himself to apply His benefits to them. Buried in this sepulchre are all His people’s transgressions. The fearful combat was fought and He took away the prey from the mighty. The Lion out of the tribe of Judah hath destroyed him that had the power of death, that is Satan, who is the great enemy of salvation.

Zion’s King entered into the sepulchre to conquer the last enemy, death, in its last stronghold, and to sanctify the graves of His people. In His burial He proved that He gave His life for His sheep; for them death will not be a punishment but a passage into eternal life in perfect heavenly glory. For these poor, often fearing people the sepulchre is not a place of God’s wrath. It now can be proclaimed: “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord…they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them.”

Oh, heavy-laden people, here is rest and peace, for those who are tossed with tempest and not comforted! This is the foundation and the cornerstone of His church. Only one word will be sufficient when the risen King will appear unto His hopeless, mourning people. He shall say “Mary” and they will say “Master.”

Jesus was laid in a new sepulchre. He had performed all His mediatorial labors as the greater Boaz. John saw a new paradise wherein was a new heaven and a new earth, and therein was the Tree of life. “There shall be no more curse,” for that curse is taken away and buried in a new sepulchre. God’s servants, all those volunteers in His army, His church, will serve Him (Rev. 22). Oh, what gladness and peace that will be! But how terrible it will be to meet God without Christ, without His garments of righteousness! In Him is life, and sinners are called and invited to come to Him. Bow before Him; seek Him in time — now, not tomorrow— also you, my young friends.

Forsake your evil ways, relinquish your resistance and acknowledge Him as the only Tree of life and the only Way of salvation.

“Whosoever findeth Him, findeth life and shall obtain favor of the Lord.” God’s favor and nearness are everything, for outside of Him there is nothing that can satisfy a poor creature. Forsake your evil ways, relinquish your resistance and acknowledge Him as the only Tree of life and the only Way of salvation.

Blessed are they who by grace know the frame of heart of these mourning disciples and women. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying (Rev. 21). And their precious King will be worshipped and glorified.

Rev. C Vogelaar is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of St. Catharines, Ontario.

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