The Curse Reversed: From Ark to Empty Tomb
"Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." - 1 Corinthians 15:20
Introduction
On that first Easter morning, when the women approached the tomb of Jesus, they expected to find death. Instead, they encountered an angel who proclaimed the most revolutionary words in human history: "He is not here; he has risen, just as he said" (Matthew 28:6). This announcement forever changed the trajectory of human history, marking the moment when the curse that had plagued humanity since Eden began its ultimate reversal.
Today, I invite you to journey with me through the grand narrative of Scripture, where we'll discover that Resurrection Sunday wasn't an isolated event but the climactic fulfillment of God's redemptive pattern established throughout history. From the days of Noah to the Exodus from Egypt and finally to that empty tomb outside Jerusalem, God has been working systematically to reverse the curse of sin and death.
This pattern of divine rescue isn't coincidental. As we'll explore, even the timing reveals God's masterful plan. The ark rested on Mount Ararat on the 17th day of the seventh month (Genesis 8:4) in the ancient calendar—a date that later became the 17th of Nisan in the Jewish calendar, the very day Jesus rose from the dead. God has been telling one story from the beginning, and today, on Resurrection Sunday, we celebrate its magnificent culmination.
I. The Ark of Salvation: God's Rescue in the Flood
"In this ark a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism..." (1 Peter 3:20-21)
The World Under Judgment; The Ark as God's Provision
In Genesis 6, we encounter a world thoroughly corrupted by sin. Scripture tells us "the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). The creation that God had once pronounced "very good" had become very bad. The curse that entered through Adam's sin had so thoroughly infected humanity that judgment was inevitable.
Yet even as God pronounced judgment, He provided a way of escape. To Noah, He gave specific instructions for building an ark—a vessel of salvation amid coming destruction. The dimensions, the materials, even the single door into the ark—all were precisely designed by God as His provision for preserving life.
Consider this profound truth: When humanity deserved nothing but judgment, God provided salvation. The ark wasn't Noah's idea; it was God's provision. Noah merely responded in faith and obedience.
The Ark Rests on Ararat ("the Curse Reversed") on the 17th Day
After the devastating flood, Genesis 8:4 records a pivotal moment: "Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat." This seemingly minor detail is actually laden with significance. In Hebrew wordplay, Ararat (???????) contains echoes of the word for "curse" (???), leading some scholars to suggest the name implies "the curse reversed."
Even more fascinating is the date—the 17th day of the seventh month in the ancient calendar. This date would later be identified as the 17th of Nisan after the Exodus, when God reset Israel's calendar. This precise day marked the beginning of a new creation, the first step in God's long plan to reverse the curse of sin and death.
The floodwaters that had executed judgment now receded, and dry land appeared. The ark that had preserved life now rested, and a new beginning for creation was inaugurated. The olive branch brought back by the dove signalled that life would flourish again. In the midst of judgment, God was already working toward restoration.
New Beginning for Humanity
As Noah and his family emerged from the ark, they stepped into a world washed clean. God established a covenant with Noah, promising never again to destroy the earth by flood and setting His rainbow in the sky as a perpetual reminder of this covenant of preservation.
Genesis 9:1 records God's blessing: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth." These words deliberately echo the original creation mandate given to Adam and Eve. This was nothing less than a new beginning for humanity—a fresh start, a second chance for creation.
Yet this new beginning, significant as it was, remained incomplete. The sin nature persisted in human hearts, as Noah's subsequent fall sadly demonstrated. The curse had been temporarily restrained but not fully reversed. God's plan of redemption was unfolding, but more chapters remained to be written.
II. The Passover Lamb: Deliverance Through Blood
"For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." - 1 Corinthians 5:7
Israel's Slavery and the First Passover
Centuries after Noah, we find God's covenant people enslaved in Egypt. The descendants of Abraham had multiplied into a great nation, just as God had promised, but they were not free. The book of Exodus opens with the Israelites groaning under the weight of oppression. Once again, God's creation was under bondage—this time to Pharaoh, who set himself up as a god in opposition to the true God.
After a series of plagues demonstrating God's power over the false gods of Egypt, the final judgment was announced—the death of the firstborn throughout Egypt. But once again, God provided a way of escape, a means of salvation amid judgment.
In Exodus 12, God instituted the Passover—a sacrificial system through which His people could be spared. Each household was to select an unblemished lamb, care for it, and then sacrifice it at twilight on the 14th day of the first month. The instructions were explicit and the consequences clear: "The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:13).
The Blood on the Doorposts, Deliverance from Death
The blood of the lamb, applied to the doorposts and lintel of each Israelite home, created a marked separation between those under God's protection and those facing judgment. What saved the Israelites that night? Not their ethnic identity, not their moral superiority, not their personal merit—but their faith expressed in obedience, as they applied the blood according to God's instruction.
Dr. Elizabeth Chen, a microbiologist, once shared how this image transformed her understanding of salvation. "In my lab," she explained, "we work with dangerous pathogens. What protects us isn't our knowledge of the pathogens or our fear of them, but the protective barriers we put in place—special suits, air locks, decontamination procedures. Similarly, what protected Israel wasn't their understanding of judgment or their fear of it, but the blood barrier God instructed them to apply in faith."
That night in Egypt, the angel of death "passed over" the homes marked by blood. Inside these homes, families huddled together, dressed for travel, eating the Passover meal in haste—their loins girded, their sandals on their feet, their staff in hand. They ate as if they were ready for immediate departure. This was not just a meal; it was a preparation for exodus, for their deliverance, for their freedom.
The Institution of a New Calendar—A New Beginning for God's People
The significance of this event is underscored by God's command in Exodus 12:2: "This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you." God literally reset the calendar for His people. Time itself was being recalibrated around this pivotal act of deliverance.
This new beginning wasn't merely chronological—it was theological and existential. Israel was being reborn as a free people. Their identity was now defined not by their slavery but by their redemption. Every year thereafter, the Passover celebration would remind them: "We were slaves, but God delivered us. We were dead in bondage, but God gave us new life."
This new calendar centered on Nisan (also called Abib), marking spring—the season of new life. The lamb was selected on the 10th day of Nisan, sacrificed on the 14th, and then came the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And according to Jewish tradition, Israel crossed the Red Sea on the 17th of Nisan—emerging fully free from Egypt's power, just as the ark had rested on the 17th day of the seventh month (later designated Nisan 17).
As we remember the Sacrifice of our Lord on the Cross on Calvary, just as the Lamb was sacrificed in Egypt. The 14th day of the first month (Nissan), our Lord died for our sins, and after three days, the 17th day of the first month, He rose again from the dead as the Ark rested in Mount Ararat.
God was establishing a pattern—judgment, provision, deliverance, and new beginning—that would find its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.
III. The Empty Tomb: Christ, Our Firstfruits
"But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." - 1 Corinthians 15:20
Jesus as the True Passover Lamb
Fast forward to first-century Jerusalem. The city is bustling with Passover pilgrims, each family preparing to sacrifice their lamb in commemoration of that ancient deliverance from Egypt. But this particular Passover would be different from all that had come before.
John the Baptist had already identified Jesus with the prophetic declaration: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). Jesus was the unblemished Lamb who had lived a perfect life. And now, as Passover approached, He prepared to offer Himself as the final, perfect sacrifice.
The timing is extraordinary. Jesus was arrested on the night of the Passover meal, tried through the night, and crucified the next day - precisely when the Passover lambs were being slaughtered in the Temple. As those lambs were dying to commemorate deliverance, the true Lamb was dying to accomplish it.
On the cross, Jesus declared, "It is finished" (John 19:30)—using a Greek term (tetelestai) that could be translated "paid in full." The debt of sin was satisfied; the sacrifice was complete. Like the blood on the doorposts in Egypt, His blood would now mark those who put their faith in Him, causing judgment to "pass over" them.
Resurrection on Nisan 17, the Day the Ark Rested
Jesus was crucified on Friday, the 14th of Nisan, and lay in the tomb through the Sabbath. Then, on Sunday morning - the 17th of Nisan - the greatest miracle in history occurred. The stone was rolled away, not so Jesus could get out, but so witnesses could see in. The tomb was empty. Christ had risen!
The significance of this date cannot be overstated. The 17th of Nisan—the very day when the ark rested on Mount Ararat, signalling new creation after judgment. The very day when, according to tradition, Israel crossed through the Red Sea, emerging as a free people on the other side. And now, the day when Jesus conquered death itself, emerging from the grave as the firstfruits of the new creation.
Professor Ray Vander Laan, a biblical historian, puts it this way: "God doesn't do coincidences. He does patterns." The resurrection occurred precisely when it did because God was making a statement: This is the fulfillment of everything I've been preparing since the beginning. This is the ultimate ark of salvation, the ultimate exodus from bondage, the ultimate new beginning.
The Ultimate Reversal of the Curse: Death Defeated, New Life Offered to All
Adam's sin brought death into the world—the ultimate curse. In the garden, God had warned, "In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:17). That spiritual death was immediate, and physical death became inevitable. But Jesus, the "last Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:45), reversed this curse through His resurrection.
As Paul explains in Romans 5:17: "For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!"
The empty tomb represents the ultimate reversal of the curse. In Adam, all die; in Christ, all can be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22). The resurrection proves that sin and death—the great enemies of humanity—have been defeated. The curse is being reversed, and one day, it will be completely eliminated. As John foresaw in Revelation 22:3, "No longer will there be any curse."
Martha Jensen shared how she experienced this truth after her husband's sudden death. "I stood at Tom's grave, consumed by grief," she said. "But suddenly I remembered—this isn't the end of his story or mine. The empty tomb means that one day, this grave will be empty too. Death doesn't get the final word anymore."
Event Date (Original Calendar) Date (Religious Calendar) Symbolism
Ark rests (Noah) 17th, 7th month 17th, 1st month (Nisan) Salvation from judgment
Passover 14th, 1st month (Nisan) 14th, 1st month (Nisan) Deliverance by the Lamb’s blood
Resurrection (Jesus) 17th, 1st month (Nisan) 17th, 1st month (Nisan) New life, curse reversed
Conclusion: The Pattern Fulfilled
God's Pattern: Judgment, Provision, Deliverance, and New Life
Throughout Scripture, we see God's consistent pattern:
• In Noah's day: Judgment through the flood, provision in the ark, deliverance from the waters, and a new beginning on Ararat.
• In Moses' day: Judgment on Egypt, provision of the Passover lamb, deliverance through the Red Sea, and a new beginning as God's covenant people.
• In our day: Judgment for sin borne by Christ Himself, provision through His sacrifice, deliverance through His blood, and new life through His resurrection.
This pattern reveals a God who doesn't abandon His creation to the consequences of sin but consistently acts to rescue, redeem, and restore. The resurrection of Jesus isn't an isolated miracle; it's the culmination of God's redemptive work throughout history.
The Resurrection is the Fulfillment of God's Promise to Reverse the Curse for All Who Trust in Him
The apostle Paul captured the significance of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57: "When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Because of Easter morning, we can declare with confidence that the curse is being reversed. Sin's power is broken. Death's sting is removed. The grave has been conquered. And all who put their trust in Christ become participants in this new creation, where the effects of the curse are progressively being undone.
Even now, we see evidence of this reversal all around us:
• Where sin brought shame, Christ brings forgiveness and restoration.
• Where sin brought division, Christ brings reconciliation.
• Where sin brought bondage, Christ brings freedom.
• Where sin brought death, Christ brings eternal life.
Invitation: Step into the New Life Christ Offers—The Curse is Reversed!
Today, on this Resurrection Sunday, you stand at a crossroads. Like Noah, you can respond to God's warning and enter the ark of salvation He has provided in Christ. Like the Israelites in Egypt, you can apply the blood of the Lamb to the doorposts of your heart and be spared from judgment. Like the disciples who discovered the empty tomb, you can move from despair to hope, from grief to joy, from death to life.
The invitation of Easter is clear: Step into the new life that Christ offers. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 promises, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
This isn't about religious ritual or moral reformation. It's about resurrection power—the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, now offered to you to transform your life from the inside out.
Will you remain under the curse, trying to make your own way, building your own towers of Babel to reach heaven? Or will you accept God's provision—His ark of salvation, His Passover Lamb, His empty tomb?
The women who visited the tomb that first Easter morning went expecting to find death. Instead, they found life. Today, you too might have come expecting the familiar, the routine, perhaps even bringing your own emotional grave clothes of doubt, fear, or despair. But Jesus offers you what He offered them—an encounter with resurrection life.
The curse is reversed! Death has been defeated! And new life is available to all who trust in Him. This is the good news of Easter. This is the gospel. This is our hope. This is our joy.
"The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let the one who hears say, 'Come!' Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life." (Revelation 22:17)
The curse is reversed. The tomb is empty. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!
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Blessings,
Pastor JM Raja Lawrence
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
email: lawrencejmr@gmail.com
Mobile: +91 9933250072
