Despite being early afternoon, it was unexpectedly dark on the hillside and the atmosphere was uneasy. Yahshua had been suspended from the cross for hours. Fearful cramping in those outstretched arms meant an inability to push Himself upwards. The large muscles in His chest were paralysed, the small muscles between His ribs inactive and although He could draw breath into His lungs He couldn’t exhale. He had to fight to raise Himself to get even one short breath. It would’ve been during these agonising moments He spoke His final words. According to the Gospel writers He spoke seven times, and just before finally committing His spirit into His Father’s care, He gasped an anguished yet triumphant, “It is finished” [John 19:30]!
Recently, I learned this brief sentence is only one word in the Greek and has been called the greatest single word ever to be uttered. I was deeply moved as I pondered. Yahshua’s work was complete, and He knew it! Despite being scarcely able to breathe, the word was an exhausted, pain-wracked, yet victorious cry of completion, acknowledging the fulfilment of eternal purposes as He made the ultimate sacrifice. Truly, I’m overwhelmed by the blood-stained, mud-spattered dignity of my Saviour as He hung between heaven and earth, a spectacle of criminality and curse, yet glorious, magnificently glorious! He had total confidence in His Father’s integrity, in His ability to perfect the work of redemption, and it rang out in that one mighty word!
The raging bitterness, rampant cruelty, and over-weening pride of Satan had been levelled against Yahshua without restraint, but the enemy hadn’t triumphed. His plans had been dealt a death blow. He’d gambled and lost! When, I often wonder, did he realise it? Calvary wasn’t an ignominious end to Yahweh’s plans for His precious Son, but an electrifying climax to His plans for the whole world! “Redemption was accomplished,” writes Oswald Sanders. “Every obstacle to man’s fellowship with [Yahweh] had been removed.”
The purposes and plans of Yahweh can be difficult to understand, so remember we can trust His integrity and ability to perfect what concerns us [Psalm 138:8] and work everything together for good [Romans 8:28].
Image by RENE RAUSCHENBERGER from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/sunset-cross-christianity-god-sky-4060429/
This Is My Friend!Blessed is the person who places his confidence in Yahweh and does not rely on arrogant people or those who follow lies.
Psalm 40:4, Names of God Bible
No matter what happens to us in this life, the word of [Yahweh] tells us that [Yahweh] is for us, not against us.
Donna Kazenske
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