The answer is: An Angel

Matt 28:2

Picture this scene: it’s early Sunday morning, peace hangs in the air, perhaps sprinkled with the sweet scent of dew on grass. Suddenly, there’s a thunderous occurrence—a great earthquake! It’s so intense that it seems the very earth around that tomb is shaking with anticipation for what’s about to happen. In the midst of this chaos, down comes an angel, dazzling like lightning, fearsome yet magnificent.

In Matthew 28:2, this angel rolls away the stone that was guarding the entrance of the tomb, creating not just a physical passage but also a dramatic moment in the biblical narrative that symbolizes hope and new beginnings. It’s not just a stone being rolled away; it’s the very barriers of death and defeat being pushed aside.

Throughout the scriptures, angels play significant roles in delivering messages and altering the course of events. For instance, when Mary receives the message of the impending birth of Jesus, it is also an angel that brings the news, showing consistency in their purpose as heavenly messengers.

Fun fact: The stone itself is believed to have been massive, weighing perhaps upward of 2,000 pounds. It’s also interesting to note that the raising of Jesus from the dead echoes the prophetic writings found in Isaiah, where new life emerges from darkness and despair, ultimately reflecting a theme of resurrection that can dazzle and inspire us through the various narratives in the Bible.