The death of Jesus by crucifixion would have been a great defeat instead of a great victory if Jesus had not risen from the dead. That Jesus was the Christ was proved by His rising from the dead, and appearing to Mary at the empty tomb, to Peter, personally, to James, personally, to the two disciples at evening on the road to Emmaus, the disciples in a closed room at Jerusalem, to the disciples eight days later when Thomas was present with them, to the disciples in Galilee, and to "five hundred brethren at once," as well as to Paul "as one born out of due time." See the last chapter of each of the four Gospels and see 1 Corinthians 15:1-8.

After the Battle of Waterloo where the Duke of Wellington defeated Napoleon long before the days of modem communications, we are told that an attempt was made to send the news to England across the English Channel. It was foggy, much hindering the sending of the message. The message was read at first by Britain, "Wellington defeated!" when the fog or moving cloud hindered communication. It seemed like a dismal message. Finally when the atmosphere was cleared, the full message came through clearly, "Wellington defeated the enemy!" What a difference!

At first it seemed that the enemy defeated Christ, but on the first day of the week, the message was clear, "Christ defeated the enemy." Jesus, triumphantly, declared after His resurrection, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:18-20). And Again, "Behold, I am alive forevermore, and have the keys of death and of hell" (Revelation 1:18).

After the great flood in Noah's time was over, Noah offered a sacrifice to God. God was pleased and sent the rainbow as a sign of God's covenant to never destroy the world again by a flood. Just as there was the rainbow and the promise of God after the sacrifice, so after the sacrifice of the Saviour, the resurrection became the pledge by God of our salvation.

Not only his substitutionary death was foretold and fore-shadowed all through the Old Testament but his resurrection was foretold as well. Jesus, himself, told the disciples, before His crucifixion, that he would die and rise again. "When thou shalt make his soul and offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand" (Isaiah 53:10).

Speaking of the Old Testament priests, we read in Hebrews 7:23, "And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, (Jesus) because he continueth ever, hath an unchanging priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."

The Resurrection Story:

The events are told in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20 and 21. Some parts are told by one writer that are not told by another. Therefore one should read all four accounts. Even then, it is somewhat difficult to piece together the exact order of each thing that happened. Although we might not fully understand the exact order of events, we can certainly see the undeniable proof of His resurrection. He was seen of them for forty days, led them out to the Mount of Olives and was taken up into heaven while they were looking and after he had given them His final instruction. Read this in Acts chapter one.

There are differences of opinion as to which day of the week Jesus was crucified, but there is no doubt as to which day of the week He arose from the dead; it was the first day of the week.