THE FORTY DAYS THAT RALLIED ELEVEN WEARY FEARING MEN

 

By: David S. Harkins

 

Many have written about the three years of his ministry on earth. There are the four Gospels and the works of Josephus and the obscure works like the Coptic Gospel and other lesser-known writings of that era and beyond. There even are some references to the time period in these works and the amount of days, forty, is even mentioned in some accounts. This is my account of what did and may have happened in those forty days according to the most reliable sources, juxtaposed with pure conjecture on my part and the thoughts, guesses and ideas of others.

 

As Jesus hung there on the cross dying for the sins of the world, it seems that only one of His disciples, the one referred to many times as the disciple He loved, other wise known as John the son of Zebedee, was brave enough to have even been seen at Golgotha the place of the Lord’s execution. The rest had scattered throughout Judea and Samaria and even as far as Galilee. Yes, Galilee where many of them had lived just before He had called them to be His followers. They had been employed in the fishing industry, some of them may have owned their own businesses and others like Matthew were mere tax collectors and so many of them had jobs that were not held in high esteem with the average person of the day.

 

Jesus had changed all that and had made them into a band of loyal and dedicated followers. Now, just as his death had come about just as He had told them it would, they seemingly had lost their faith and direction. Yes, they were confused and some of them were doubting themselves and what they had been doing and had been all about the last three years. The next forty days would seal their fates and change the course of history forever.

 

Just three days after Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross of Calvary, the ladies went to his tomb to do further preparations of his body for the after life and his final burial. To their surprise and immediate dismay, He was not found there at the tomb at first. But one woman stayed behind and He appeared to her and she was amazed. She ran back to tell the others and what do you know but the others did not believe her at first. Later that very morning, the young brave disciple who had chanced being stoned or executed himself, and the older but very impetuous seemingly second in command to Jesus, if there even was such a position, came to the tomb and soon found it to be empty, too. These two men were greeted by angels and told to stop looking for the living among the dead.

 

These three days had been filled with much fear and trepidation and very strange things had been happening in and around Jerusalem. The disciples had been scattered and many were hiding and afraid for their lives. Now Jesus knew this was going to happen and of course He was in control of the situation, as He knew what He was going to do to rally his disciples and restore their faith and confidence. This He was doing so that the whole world could hear about the Saving Grace that was imparted at the Cross.

 

Over the course of the next forty days many things happened that I suppose if they had not happened and had not happened just the way the Lord intended them to happen, I would not be writing this story nor would, anyone be a bit interested in it, that is if any one is at that. You see, Jesus went about appearing to some of those that had been following Him and that believed on Him who were now in a state of near panic and disbelief and fear. Only He could restore their faith in Him and in God, His Father, and that is what He did in the next forty days.

 

My next task is to set out a series of events that took place, not necessarily in chronological order, but as I remember them and as the Spirit has given me remembrance. After His miraculous appearance at the tomb, when by the way, He had not even been to see His Father yet, and was not completely ready to show Himself to others as some think is inferred from the Holy Scriptures, it seems He waited two days and then joined Himself to two travelers on the road to Emmaus. He was not readily identifiable to the travelers and as He spoke to them they were amazed that He wasn’t aware of the things that had taken place in the last few weeks. I’ll not recount the whole episode, but in the end after explaining Himself and encouraging the men, Jesus allowed them to realize who He actually was. They were so amazed and happy that they went to the city and told others.

 

As I have said earlier, many of the disciples had fled and scattered. It seems that the fishing crew, had gone back to the Sea of Galilee to return to their past business and occupation. When Jesus encountered them there, He spoke to them and ate with them and reminded them that He had a mission for them. While in Galilee, He also spoke to them on a mountain where He had told them to wait for Him. At this time He gave them their true orders to go into the entire world and preach the good news gospel to every creature and He also told them that He that believes and is baptized shall be saved. It seems that after He told them this, He commanded them to go to Jerusalem and wait for Him and to wait for Power from on High.

 Now back in Jerusalem, many of the people were confused and disheartened and others just went back about their business. The feast days were upon the city and it seems that Jesus again appeared to the inner group on at least two and probably more occasions. One time that He appeared, one of the disciples happened not to be with the rest of them and he missed the appearing. Jesus, used this opportunity to help remove all doubt that may be lingering in some of the followers, by first chiding the Apostle and then showing the Apostle directly the holes and scars from His crucifixion. This appearance surely convinced everyone in the room that Jesus was back from the dead and great comfort and confidence was surely obtained from that appearance.

 

Finally, I have ascertained from reading the works written to Theopholis, that from Bethany, probably from the very Mount of Olives, where many Jews were buried and awaited their final fate, Jesus appeared to the eleven and in a cloud was taken back up into heaven to sit at the right hand of God.

 

Now the forty days was over and just ten short days later, while up in an upper room, over one hundred and twenty of Jesus’ closest disciples and the Apostles while waiting for Power from on High, the Comforter, that would bring them into all remembrance, the Holy Spirit came upon the now enthusiastic and brave men and women and after a noise like a Mighty Rushing Wind and cloven tongues as of fire descended on them they went forth to carry out the Master’s intentions from before the beginning of time. So forty days of appearing and a ten-day “Grace” Period of waiting and contemplating and prayers and fasting consummated in the greatest outpouring of love and Spiritual Power upon mankind to this day.

 

The End 

 

“TheStoryTeller” – David S. Harkins

 

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