The Weight Of History

As I read through the end of the Gospels, I wonder what Jesus thinking and His mindset during His arrest and eventual crucifixion.  My answer came too me during a reading of Matthew 26.  In verse 50, this is during Jesus arrest, right as Judas arrives, Jesus says, “Friend do what you came for.”   After this, the verse says, men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.  I know throughout the Gospels, Jesus talks of the events of His crucifixion, His death and raising again.  But, did Jesus know the pain He was going to endure, I mean, how heavy are the sins of history?

If we look into the following Chapter of Matthew (27) we find out that Jesus knew exactly what He was getting into.  Look in verse 46, even facing the Cross, death, and having to rely totally on His Father in Heaven,Jesus quotes Scripture!  He knew that The Word of God has power!  Even on the Cross He proclaims it!  Read in Matthew 27:46, “About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).  He quoted Psalm 22.

Jesus knew very much what He was getting into when He said, “do what you have come for” He did not run, He went willingly into God’s Will, God’s Plan, no matter the fear or pain it may cause Him.  Jesus knew Prophecy, He knew He would be alone, crying out in anguish. (Psalm 22:1)  He knew He would be worn and scorned by men (Psalm 22:6.)  He knew He would be mocked and insulted and even His Father would be challenged (Psalm 22:7-8).

He knew He would lay in the dust of death (Psalm 22:15).  And He followed God’s Will there, all for our sins all for redemption we do not deserve, all because of God’s love for His children.  God is just.  Not wanting to bring His wrath onto His children, and not wanting them to face this wrath, and eternity in Hell, Jesus took up the cross for us.  All He asked of the unsaved is too repent of your sins and trust in Him, the Savior, the King in His crown of thorns, The Son of God.

But you know what?  Jesus knew one thing about God that is so hard for today’s society to truly grasp, the fact that He is faithful.  God told Jesus He would reign as King after this, that He would rise again to join The Father again, and God made it happen, when Jesus said, “It is finished” it was not only a promise to our salvation, but a sigh of relief that His earthly work was done.  He knew He was about to join The Father and become The King of Kings, and The Lord Of Lords
Jesus also left one last message, after His Resurrection, in Matthew 28 He returns to His disciples, His friends, and to the world to proclaim, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  (verses 19 and 20)  With this the promise of the Psalmist of Psalm 22 was granted, as He writes in verse 29-31,

“All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
   all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
   those who cannot keep themselves alive.
   Posterity will serve him;
   future generations will be told about the Lord.
  They will proclaim his righteousness,
   declaring to a people yet unborn:
   He has done it!”

Praise the Lord today that He overcame sin and death, for us on the cross, paying the price we never could.  Once. And. For. All.  It’s time to fulfill His last command because He Has Done IT!  Praise the Lord, He Has Done IT, and it’s time we let the world know it.