Jesus was dead. Hope was lost. The disciples were scattered for fear of being arrested and killed. Darkness was winning… for now.

The only event the Gospels recorded on Holy Saturday was found in Matthew:

“The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.’ ‘Take a guard,’ Pilate answered. ‘Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.’ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.”

Matthew 27:62-66 (NIV)

The friends of Jesus were not planning nor were they strategizing. They were grieving the loss of their teacher and friend. Peter had denied Jesus three times the day before, for fear that he’d be killed because of his association with Jesus. The rest of the Disciples had similar fears on Saturday. Imagine the doubt. Imagine the lies the enemy spoke to their hearts. Imagine how easy it would have been for them to believe their Messiah, who had come to bring hope to the world, was now gone forever. Imagine the hope lost.

Even though He was silent, God was working. The dawn was coming!