IT IS FINISHED!

 

“IT IS FINISHED!” The greatest victory cry that still resounds throughout Creation.

“it is finished!” The warfare between The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan for the eternal destiny of each individual.

“it is finished!” The icy grip of Death and Its despair has been broken.

 Those three words were uttered by Jesus from the cross of Calvary. What appeared as an execution by authorities with undiluted malice towards Jesus, had far deeper implications. Jesus had come with a mission to fulfil. It was not a single issue to be fought over, but many facets with eternal consequences.

 We major on what those words mean for us, such as forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope. However, my mind cannot grasp the breadth of Christ’s victory and its implications. Have you ever sat down [you need to, for it will take time] and considered what “it is finished!”  embraces?

 The promises inherent within the Jewish Temple sacrificial system have been fulfilled. Jesus is the Passover Lamb. He has paid Sin’s price. He has stripped Death of its haunting power and binding fear. As 'the Lamb of God’ He crushed the Serpent called Satan. Where did this take place? In the darkness which enveloped the world that 3pm of the crucifixion day.

 Daniel predicted that on the 69^th week of a 70 week of years from a specific date in the time of Nehemiah the Messiah would be cut off. That is, suffer death. This has been calculated to be the time when Jesus was crucified. “it is finished!” What Daniel 9:24-26 detailed has been completed.

 Isaiah 53 predicted there would be One called to be The Suffering Servant who would take Judgement upon Himself as a substitute for Israel. The Gospels and New Testament confirm this promised person as Jesus. “it is finished!” is His testimony from Calvary.

 In writing to the Christians at Colossae, the apostle Paul highlighted what Jesus secured for we Gentiles. In the letter to the Colossians in 2:10-15 is a ‘breathtaking’ explanation of “it is finished!” Christ has made us alive to God, we who had been dead to Him before. The charges listed against us had been paid for and wiped off our record. It was as though above the crucified Jesus was the charges listed, nailed and Christ’s blood declaring, ‘paid in full!’

 What the cry “it is finished!” also points to is ‘Now This Will Happen!’  What is involved in ‘This?’ We can be pardoned. We have a new destiny. We have a new song of faith, hope and love. We have a new relationship with Jesus and a new mission from Him. There is also the prophecies concerning the land and people of Israel, the return of Jesus to judge and reign and the rapture of the church. They are some of what are ahead for the inhabitants of earth and the Lord calls you to believe Him and be ready.

Copyright Ray H. October 2020.

Healed by His stripes – but from what?

 Faithfulness to the Covenant offered National Health Benefits. Neglect of, or the breaking of the covenant would have profound consequences. This would be felt all across the land, its agriculture and of course upon the people. Among the signs of the people being out of favour with Yahweh would be Yahweh afflicting them with the  sicknesses and plagues of Egypt.

Did this promise preclude the Nation from having other health remedies? No! God had already placed on record the healing qualities herbs, and physicians are also mentioned. The treatment of people with skin complaints is well known with those infected being excluded from society until pronounced clean. A distinction needs to be made between individual cases of sicknesses and the Lord’s use of the curses in judgement. Consider the case of Hezekiah. He took ill and was told he would die. The King cried, literally, to the Lord for a reprieve which was granted. His cure consisted of a lump of figs put in a plaster and placed on the inflammation. He was healed.

Therefore, there must be more than mere physical healing when considering what is healed by the Suffering Servant’s stripes. Often the visible expression of a moral or spiritual infection breaks out in a person’s body. Isaiah’s diagnosis of the Nation was a sickness caused by the iniquity of priests and people which corrupted worship. Yahweh turned His back on their rituals. Jeremiah used another word to describe the moral and spiritual condition of Israel. Treachery by leaders, perversion by priests of the sanctuary’s holiness through idolatry and forgetfulness by the citizens he called ‘backsliding.’  The Nation was consistently moving in a direction away from fellowship with their Lord. Before a healthy relationship could be rekindled the people must turn around, an expression for repentance. But, a price had to be paid.

The Nation was morally and spiritually decrepit. If the Covenantal fellowship was to be restored only the Lord could endure the severity of the chastising strokes.

Another factor needing attention was the power of Yahweh’s curse. Deliverance, was needed. When the Law and Covenant were broken the curse was activated. Israel was therefore under its curse. Justice must be pronounced and carried out. A ‘cutting off’ from Yahweh was decreed. It meant a death sentence. As such a breach had happened no human endeavour or sorrow could heal it. How could the Nation survive?  Isaiah 53.8 tells us about the One who stood between Heaven’s wrath and the Nation’s destruction and was ‘cut off on its behalf!

Marriage, expressed the uniqueness of God’s relationship with His chosen people (Jeremiah 3:14). Their unfaithfulness through spiritual adultery cause the Lord to issue a bill of divorcement. But His love for Israel would not be denied. But the ‘bill’ had been issued, how could it be withdrawn? Only by the adultery being punished! How could Israel die and live again? How could Israel survive to be forgiven?  As Israel’s husband He chose to pay the price. He gave up His life on her behalf. Forever the price of such love would be worn. Yahweh’s righteousness was more powerful than the chains of death as shown in His rising again. Isaiah 54:4-10 is a glorious expression of His redeeming love.  He is Israel’s husband, Maker and Redeemer. Though a period of separation is decreed, a day has been set for reconciliation.

Every aspect revealed as offensive act towards God and His word. The judgement upon such action and attitude required punishment or death. Here is grace expressed . The Nation could not be eliminated because Yahweh had decreed its purpose and future. How could Justice be done and yet the promise be fulfilled? In steps the Suffering Servant. He took their place and took their curse, their death sentence and satisfied The Lord God's Holiness. How wonderful to read, ‘He saw His soul’s travail and was satisfied’ Isaiah 53:11.

 

In future studies we will consider the heart of God for this Nation. As we do we will understand a little more of His mercy, grace and faithfulness to us.

 

Jesus' Healing Powers Reveal - ?

From out of obscurity into being a celebrity is the story of Jesus. In Matthew 4:17 it is written ‘Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.”’ Why would anybody listen to Him? That is answered in verses 23-25. it is recorded that He cured every disease and every sickness. Later, when John the baptiser asked a question from his prison cell Jesus’ answer pointed him back to the prophets.

What is the significance behind the words of Jesus about the blind seeing, the lame walking, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear and the dead are raised to life? Apart from reassuring John that his role as ‘forerunner’ wasn’t in vain, Jesus was making a statement about Himself. This wasn't about ego, it was about the prophetic word. In them there are specific statements linking Yahweh to certain acts of healing. Isaiah 35 points to the time when God will open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap and the tongue of the speechless will sing for joy. Compare also Psalms 146:8, 103:3.

What Jesus was unfolding, to John and all others was the wonder of Jesus being Emmanuel, the God who is with us. He was declaring for all who can grasp it, He is the Lord God come to the people as the promised Servant of Isaiah 42.1-9. One of the signs by which He will verify His mission was ‘to open the eyes that are blind.’ The very moving account of just such a healing is found in John 5.1-18. In that final verse is the punch line pointing to Jesus. The Jews wanted to kill Jesus because He was making Himself equal with God (compare John 10:28-33).

The healing miracles of Jesus astounded the people and annoyed the Nation’s leaders. The Lord healed individuals and each one was a declaration that the Kingdom of God was impressing itself upon the Nation. If Jesus could do this to an individual then there was National implications. Unfortunately, the leaders of the country had eyes which wouldn’t see and hearts as cold and hard as granite.  Instead of assessing Him in the light of their Scriptures they judged Him by their prejudices and preconceived ideas. To them He was, and remained ‘Belzeebub’ and His power source was the Devil. When they had the opportunity to remove Jesus from the earth they took it. That happened when Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, an amount the Sanhedrin was more than willing to pay.

Knowing the story as we do what eventuated still moves us with wonder and gratitude. Their betrayal and unjust condemnation of the Man from Nazareth became the most attractive power in the universe. Jesus foretold that when He said if He was lifted up, He would draw all peoples unto Himself (John 12:32). The healer of the physical, emotional and mental condition of people now became the One who would make believers morally and spiritual whole. The cross offered redemption. This paved the way for forgiveness. Personal repentance and faith would transform the lost believer into the found, the cursed into favoured ones and the rejected and despised into the accepted and loved.

The cross of Christ Jesus also transformed Him. He who was the healing servant of Isaiah 42 now became the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53. In that glorious passage what do we read? ‘By his bruises we are healed!’ (NRSV) What is that healing? The Nation which was under the curse of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 was set free. The dire picture of Isaiah 1 was blotted out. Jesus became Sin so as to take it out of God’s sight when dealing with the Nation and with us. How sad it must have been for Peter and John according to Acts 3:17-26. They offered the Nation God’s promise of ‘times of refreshing’ and the return of the Messiah and the universal restoration long promised. It was rejected. Such a state exists still. For them and Gentiles the issue isn’t sin, it is what will they do with Jesus? The Bible points to future events for Israel and Gentiles and it all hinges on the relationship which they have, by faith, with Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. The same applies to us, personally.

copyright Ray Hawkins Sept 2015.

Next week: Healing limitations highlighted in N.T. letters.