Good Friday?

Somewhere in antiquity, someone begin numbering the years wrong. Scholars still argue as to the precise year that early events took place. But likely, 1,978 years ago today Jesus was in the tomb. As in DEAD.

For many years, people have referred to today as "Good Friday." Did you know that an excellent argument can be made for Thursday actually being the day of the crucifixion? In fact, I could easily be swayed to go with that. But regardless of which day Jesus was crucified, it's interesting that we would call it "Good."

What's so good about it? A perfect, innocent man was violently executed. I haven't refreshed myself as to the historical reasons why the day is called "Good." But I'm guessing that it goes something like this: Back in Genesis, everything God created He called "good." But it didn't take long until that was all turned upside down. We call it The Fall. And for the next thousands of years, God looked at human fallenness -- wanting so much to reconcile His creation to Himself. So humans butchered animals and the blood flowed. It helped, but it was somewhat of a stop-gap measure.

On that day that the perfect Lamb of God said, "It is finished" -- God could again say, "It is good." Our sin debt was paid for. The road to God was opened. The barriers were knocked down.

So it is "Good Friday." Unless it was actually "Good Thursday." But either way, it was ultimately only good because of what we look forward to on Sunday -- Resurrection Day. When Jesus went through the veil of death -- and came through ALIVE! Praise the Lord! Jesus lives!