Lesson Three • Earthquake
Devotion #4: Hindsight is 20/20
Pastor Ferdinand Sanders
“When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’” Matthew 27:54
Have you ever looked back on a moment or event in your life and thought about how you could have done things differently? With the information that you now have after going through it, it is not uncommon to wish you would have made a different choice, taken a different path, or said something different. The beauty of hindsight is that it allows us to learn from mistakes and make better decisions in the future. In Matthew chapter 27, we see this sense of hindsight through the perspective of a Roman centurion following the events that occurred after Jesus died on the cross.
In Matthew 27:51-54, we see the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth shook, rocks split, and tombs were opened. These were extraordinary events that were witnessed by many, including the Roman centurion and his soldiers who were guarding Jesus. At that moment, the centurion and those with him had confirmation that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. The centurion’s realization that Jesus was the Son of God was a significant moment, not only for him, but for all of humanity. At that moment, he saw the truth that many others had missed. He recognized that Jesus was more than just a man; He was the Savior of the world.
Our world today is fortunate to have all of this “hindsight.” Bigger than the experience of the centurion in Matthew chapter 27, we have the full, complete Word of God that offers us the confirmation that Jesus truly is the Son of God. Despite the hindsight available, there are many that still have not shared in the same realization or revelation that Jesus truly is the Son of God. It can be easy for us to get caught up or distracted by the daily challenges and struggles of life, and we do not see the evidence or the ways in which we are surrounded by the presence of God. These verses speak to the urgency that we have as Christians to share our experiences with others so that they can come to know the same Jesus.
Just like the centurion, we have moments of realization when we see the truth about who Jesus is and what He has done for us. We can look back on our lives and see how God has been faithful, even in the difficult times. We can have hope for the future, knowing that God is in control and that He has a plan for our lives. When we look at these verses in Matthew chapter 27, we can see how they were a fulfillment of prophecy and a sign of God’s power. May we always remember that hindsight is 20/20, and trust that God is leading us on a path toward His ultimate plan for our lives.