Matt 28, the last chapter of Matthew’s Gospel has some interesting characters.
V1 After the Sabbath(no work on the Sabbath) the two Marys went to the tomb.
V2 There was an earthquake(we don’t connect angels with earthquakes but that’s what it says here) and the angel rolled back the stone and sat on it.
Throughout the crucifixion, heaven had stayed it’s hand, no spiritual intervention, but now the angel had been sent. Jesus birth was marked with angelic messengers and so was His resurrection, both His coming and going were announced by Heaven. The shepherds had rejoiced, but the guards were scared witless.
The angel spoke to the women, ‘Jesus has risen and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him. Now I have told you(angels are messengers)’. The women ran to tell the disciples and suddenly Jesus met with them, again Heaven was being revealed in their midst.
The guards told the elders and chief priests what had happened and they were bribed to lie and say Jesus body had been stolen by the disciples. The soldiers took the money(bribes and lies go hand in hand) and this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this day(the lie did it’s work).
The final section of Matthew ends with Jesus commission to His disciples, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth(there is no realm where Christ doesn’t have authority) has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”. The all nations still has to to be fulfilled before His return.
The last line of Matthew, ‘And SURELY I WILL BE WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE’.
He knows what His people will face all down the ages and speaks to comfort and reassure us in our lives here on earth.
I had a friend who used to end all his ministry letters with the words, Emmanuel, God is with us! Amen and Hallelujah to that, He is faithful to us all.