Lets begin with 1st Peter 1.
We have here Peter writing to a group of people who have been brought into a covenant relationship with God.
They have been deemed as His holy people and called to a life of obedience.
On what basis?
The answer: ’sprinkling of the blood of Jesus’
1st Peter 1
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
This concept expanded on later in the chapter:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
The terminology uses shows us the nature of Christ’s death.
It was a sacrifice. It was a sacrifice for sin. It was a sacrifice which cleanses from sin.
How?
As we will see - on the basis that we identify and associate ourselves with what his sacrifice was teaching.
We all have a basic instinct to survive. We are born with a nature which is selfish in its desires. That’s not a crime. That’s the way we are. However, God calls mankind to respond to a moral law which would deny giving free expression to the desires of our nature.
Peter speaks of this:
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
He is holy! He is a righteous God. That’s His nature compared to ours!
And He warns, that sinful behaviour separates us from Him morally and not only that but it results in the ultimate physical separation as well – because the Bible is quite clear that sin inevitably leads to death.
And all the men and women who have ever lived under God’s moral law have been unable to keep it - and death, as a consequence for their sin – has inevitably followed.
And yet, there was one glorious exception. The Lord Jesus Christ. Now, he was just like you and I. He had the same flesh and blood. The same nature. He had the same basic instincts - which in all other people has led to sin. And yet, with him, it did not. He never transgressed against the holiness of God.
But then he died.
His blood was spilt. And that’s why Peter has a special description concerning the blood of Jesus. It was ‘precious’.
Why? Normal blood. Red. Pumped around his body. Produced when the skin is punctured. Spilt on the dust. Normal blood.
But precious. Why? Because of what it represented. It represented a life of perfection.
And we know the manner in which he was put to death. We know the violent, cruel and brutal way in which Christ died. The Bible paints a graphic picture of it in all four Gospel records.
The way the record is structured, we are led to the foot of the cross, and we are confronted with the horror of what happened and the absolute injustice of what transpired. This is designed to rivet our attention on the scene and cause us to ponder.
Because up until the record of his crucifixion, we’ve read all through of a righteous life. A life in which good was performed. Healing took place. God’s Word was taught patiently and like never before and yet at the end of Christ’s ministry - so hated had he become, that he was put to death in that way.
- We are confronted with the fact that its our sin for which he was put there
- Someway, somehow this has capacity to provide us with salvation
How?
Is there something mechanical about this whole thing? Is it like an elaborate contraption of levers and pulleys - pull the lever here and all this amazing mechanics take place and we don’t know quite how - but, boom - salvation pops out the other end?
No.
Romans 3
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
NET:
3:25 God publicly displayed30 him31 at his death32 as the mercy seat33 accessible through faith.34 This was to demonstrate35 his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed.3
Displayed him - To open ridicule and shame? Yes, but not for that reason.
He displayed him as the ‘mercy seat’.
In other words - he was set forth as the basis upon which fellowship with God could be enjoyed and experienced. He was set forth as the basis upon which we could receive mercy and forgiveness for our sins.
The very things which separate us from God, and lead to our eternal death.
And this arrangement places God’s forgiveness and mercy in the foreground - nothing mechanical about it. But there are certain thing we need to ‘get’ as we stand at the foot of the cross. There are certain things we need to understand.
First of all he is dying in order to show you what God thinks of sin. It is rightly related to death. It must be put to death.
He’s getting your attention and saying, but look… if you are prepared to acknowledge the righteousness of that principle, if you are prepared to acknowledge that your sins are worthy of death and that the only ‘blood that’s precious’, the only life that’s worth anything is his holy and righteous life… lived perfectly before he died…
Then on that basis, God says - I will forgive you. I will cleanse you from sin and there won’t be a state of enmity between us. In fact, there will be fellowship.
But you must not merely say ‘yes I believe that sin deserves death’. You need to live that.
You must embrace a new way of living. A Christ like way of living which involves obedience to righteousness and a sincere and genuine effort to turn away from sin. And there’s hope in that way of life. In fact there’s a specific hope. The hope of salvation. The promise of eternal life.
That’s what can come says God, from a life in which sin is repudiated and righteousness embraced. Proof of that? Once again, Christ is the pattern.
What happens when a unrepentant sinner dies and goes beneath the ground.
He stays there. But what happened when the righteous son of God died and was buried.
The Apostle Peter later said in Acts chapter 2 that the grave couldn’t hold him.
If people who live lives of sin are rightly related to death.
What about a man who lives a life of righteousness? He can only be rightly related to life!
And so he was raised from the dead. He was given eternal life.
And all those who place their faith in him and pattern their lives on him will have eternal life.
Jesus himself said that:
John 3
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Now that’s a prophecy. But is it one that will affect your future? My future?
John 12
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
Interesting… what did Jesus know about his death and how he should die?
Let’s go back to 1st Peter and the next part of our talk:
1st Peter 1
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
NET:
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who predicted the grace that would come to you searched and investigated carefully. 11 They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when it testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ and his subsequent glory.
So, prophecies which focused on Christ had been uttered many times before Christ was born. He was to be the deliverer. The Saviour. People knew he would one day come.
Intense interest and the subject of much earnest enquiry and discussion.
Two aspects.
- Suffering, to be followed by
- Glory.
Now we saw in John 12 that Christ knew of the manner of his death. How did he know? It was prophesied beforehand. But can we find a prophecy concerning Christ which focuses on his suffering and the glory that would follow? (and which potentially has some impact on our future)
I’d like you to come back to Psalm 22.
Many people say:
- “prophecy - contrived”
- “Out of context”
- “Written after the event”
When was the event of Christ’s crucifixion? Circa AD30.
When was Psalm 22 written? A Psalm of David. 1000 years BC!
But hang on… can only be copies, and how do we know.
Well, part of Psalm 22 was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Parchments of which have been carbon dated. First in 1950, 1991 and 1994-95. All sorts of test. They were able to analyse the size, variability and style of the text. The scrolls were analysed to such a degree and with such precision that they have been able to determine that some of the black inks used were made from carbon soot they they were able to determine were from olive oil lamps. They were able to determine that a mixture of honey, oil and vinegar had often been added to thin the ink to enable proper consistency for writing.
But the upshot of all of these studies indicated that the parchments were dated to 300BC at the earliest and the 1st century at the latest.
Demonstrating that these were copies of even far more ancient texts.
We don’t have the issue of prophecies being written after their alleged fulfilment when it comes to the Old Testament.
Psalm 22 portrays for us the sufferings of Christ.
In fact, it’s remarkable. If the account of the Gospels gives you what happened, why it happened and how it happened. Psalm 22 adds another dimension. The human dimension. This is how Christ felt and what he experienced through the ordeal.
Now remember, we know he was just like us. The instinct for survival, the streak of self preservation was strong in him too… As much as he wanted to yield to his Father’s will. As much as he was one with His Father’s desire to provide a means of salvation for all people that would be drawn to him, his very soul shrunk from what was ahead.
We know that from his prayer in the garden.
Luke 22
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Look how the Psalm begins:
Psalm 22
1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? (ESV: ‘groaning’)
That’s how he felt.
Mark 15
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Mark 15
29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, 30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross. 31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.
This was spoken of in Psalm 22:
Psalm 22
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
Psalm 22
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
Mark 15
24 And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.
Expound Psalm.
Psalm 22 (ESV)
6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—
He is in the horror of the moment. The next verses read almost as a panic.
17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. 19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! 21 Save me from the mouth of the lion!
And all of sudden… the tone of the Psalm shifts.
One of the most remarkable shifts in any of the Psalm… Half way through
verse 21:
You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!
All of a sudden… the horror of his circumstance is gone…
The Lord can now see… that he’s done it… he’s been obedient to his
Father…
They’ve done their worst… death is near and so is… the glory.
And look at the glory that all of sudden has all the pain, agony and shame diminishing…
This is the hinge point of the Psalm… now for the transition.
He transcends the moment. Focus shifts.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
A congregation!
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
A congregation that fears the Lord!
24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. 25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
Envisaging a time of glory in which he worships God - but not alone!
Now come to the New Testament - Hebrews via the way of John:
John 12
23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Hebrews 2
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church (great congregation) will I sing praise unto thee.
Back to Psalm 22
26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.
He is seeing the results of his sacrifice!
28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. 30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.
His vision was and is one of a community saved as a result of what he has achieved.
Why is it a prophecy that impacts your future? Elements still to be brought to fruition.
He has yet to praise the name of his Father in the midst of the great congregation. Will we be in that great congregation - part of a multitude of people brought into being by what his work of the cross achieved?
Hebrews 12
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Notice also: let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely
and
let us run with endurance the race that is set before us
Again, there’s a new life to live. And old way of life to be left behind.
Identify with his life. Be baptised. Associate ourselves with his life, death and resurrection.
It does mean fighting out basic instincts, our natural desires. Following a higher path.
How to do it? In community. With friends.
So did we peruse tonight prophecies in the scripture that will impact your future?
That’s for us to decide.
References:
Psalm 22
1 Peter 1:11
Psalm 22:1
Matthew 27:46
Mark 15:34
Psalm 22:1–18
Mark 9:12
Luke 24:27
Psalm 22:5
Romans 5:5
Psalm 22:7
Matthew 27:39
Mark 15:29
Psalm 22:7–8
Matthew 26:24
Luke 23:35–36
Psalm 22:8
Matthew 27:43
Psalm 22:15
John 19:28
Psalm 22:16
Philippians 3:2
Psalm 22:16–18
Matthew 25:24
Psalm 22:18
Matthew 27:35
Mark 15:24
Luke 23:34
John 19:24
Psalm 22:20
Philippians 3:2
Psalm 22:21
2 Timothy 4:17
Psalm 22:22
Hebrews 2:12
Psalm 22:23
Revelation 19:5
Psalm 22:28
Revelation 11:15
Revelation 19:6
Psalm 22 Triumph through Suffering
An individual’s lament, a messianic psalm
Psalm 22 shows the tension David felt while knowing that God was totally powerful to help him at the same time that he was experiencing what appeared to be the absence of God’s presence to help. The faithful person may cry out in great pain and yet affirm God’s goodness and ultimate deliverance (Psalm 22:3, 8, 10, 22). Jesus quoted the first part of Psalm 22:1 while he was dying on the cross (Matt. 27:46), acknowledging his sense of abandonment by the Father as he bore in his own person the sin of mankind (Hebrews 2:14,15,16)). The imagery of Psalm 22:3 represents Israel’s praise serving as a throne of glory for God. The “worm” (Psalm 22:6) serves as an illustration of humiliation, one being trodden underfoot with contempt. For the fulfilment of Psalm 22:7 in Christ’s suffering, see Matthew 27:39; and for Psalm 22:8, see Matthew 27:43. In Psalm 22:14–16 David prophetically described the crucifixion, for it was a means of execution that was not known until Roman times. The suffering that David described by using hyperboles was literally experienced by Christ. For the piercing of Christ’s body foretold in Psalm 22:16, see John 20:25. For the fulfillment regarding his clothing in Psalm 22:18, see Matthew 27:35. David prayed for deliverance from death (Ps. 22:19–21), while Christ’s deliverance was accomplished by his resurrection from the dead. For Psalm 22:22, see Hebrews 2:12. David predicted the universal worship of God during the millennial kingdom (Ps. 22:27–31; cf. Zech. 8:20–23; 14:6–11). Tyndale.
We have here Peter writing to a group of people who have been brought into a covenant relationship with God.
They have been deemed as His holy people and called to a life of obedience.
On what basis?
The answer: ’sprinkling of the blood of Jesus’
1st Peter 1
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
This concept expanded on later in the chapter:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
The terminology uses shows us the nature of Christ’s death.
It was a sacrifice. It was a sacrifice for sin. It was a sacrifice which cleanses from sin.
How?
As we will see - on the basis that we identify and associate ourselves with what his sacrifice was teaching.
We all have a basic instinct to survive. We are born with a nature which is selfish in its desires. That’s not a crime. That’s the way we are. However, God calls mankind to respond to a moral law which would deny giving free expression to the desires of our nature.
Peter speaks of this:
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
He is holy! He is a righteous God. That’s His nature compared to ours!
And He warns, that sinful behaviour separates us from Him morally and not only that but it results in the ultimate physical separation as well – because the Bible is quite clear that sin inevitably leads to death.
And all the men and women who have ever lived under God’s moral law have been unable to keep it - and death, as a consequence for their sin – has inevitably followed.
And yet, there was one glorious exception. The Lord Jesus Christ. Now, he was just like you and I. He had the same flesh and blood. The same nature. He had the same basic instincts - which in all other people has led to sin. And yet, with him, it did not. He never transgressed against the holiness of God.
But then he died.
His blood was spilt. And that’s why Peter has a special description concerning the blood of Jesus. It was ‘precious’.
Why? Normal blood. Red. Pumped around his body. Produced when the skin is punctured. Spilt on the dust. Normal blood.
But precious. Why? Because of what it represented. It represented a life of perfection.
And we know the manner in which he was put to death. We know the violent, cruel and brutal way in which Christ died. The Bible paints a graphic picture of it in all four Gospel records.
The way the record is structured, we are led to the foot of the cross, and we are confronted with the horror of what happened and the absolute injustice of what transpired. This is designed to rivet our attention on the scene and cause us to ponder.
Because up until the record of his crucifixion, we’ve read all through of a righteous life. A life in which good was performed. Healing took place. God’s Word was taught patiently and like never before and yet at the end of Christ’s ministry - so hated had he become, that he was put to death in that way.
- We are confronted with the fact that its our sin for which he was put there
- Someway, somehow this has capacity to provide us with salvation
How?
Is there something mechanical about this whole thing? Is it like an elaborate contraption of levers and pulleys - pull the lever here and all this amazing mechanics take place and we don’t know quite how - but, boom - salvation pops out the other end?
No.
Romans 3
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
NET:
3:25 God publicly displayed30 him31 at his death32 as the mercy seat33 accessible through faith.34 This was to demonstrate35 his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed.3
Displayed him - To open ridicule and shame? Yes, but not for that reason.
He displayed him as the ‘mercy seat’.
In other words - he was set forth as the basis upon which fellowship with God could be enjoyed and experienced. He was set forth as the basis upon which we could receive mercy and forgiveness for our sins.
The very things which separate us from God, and lead to our eternal death.
And this arrangement places God’s forgiveness and mercy in the foreground - nothing mechanical about it. But there are certain thing we need to ‘get’ as we stand at the foot of the cross. There are certain things we need to understand.
First of all he is dying in order to show you what God thinks of sin. It is rightly related to death. It must be put to death.
He’s getting your attention and saying, but look… if you are prepared to acknowledge the righteousness of that principle, if you are prepared to acknowledge that your sins are worthy of death and that the only ‘blood that’s precious’, the only life that’s worth anything is his holy and righteous life… lived perfectly before he died…
Then on that basis, God says - I will forgive you. I will cleanse you from sin and there won’t be a state of enmity between us. In fact, there will be fellowship.
But you must not merely say ‘yes I believe that sin deserves death’. You need to live that.
You must embrace a new way of living. A Christ like way of living which involves obedience to righteousness and a sincere and genuine effort to turn away from sin. And there’s hope in that way of life. In fact there’s a specific hope. The hope of salvation. The promise of eternal life.
That’s what can come says God, from a life in which sin is repudiated and righteousness embraced. Proof of that? Once again, Christ is the pattern.
What happens when a unrepentant sinner dies and goes beneath the ground.
He stays there. But what happened when the righteous son of God died and was buried.
The Apostle Peter later said in Acts chapter 2 that the grave couldn’t hold him.
If people who live lives of sin are rightly related to death.
What about a man who lives a life of righteousness? He can only be rightly related to life!
And so he was raised from the dead. He was given eternal life.
And all those who place their faith in him and pattern their lives on him will have eternal life.
Jesus himself said that:
John 3
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Now that’s a prophecy. But is it one that will affect your future? My future?
John 12
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
Interesting… what did Jesus know about his death and how he should die?
Let’s go back to 1st Peter and the next part of our talk:
1st Peter 1
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
NET:
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who predicted the grace that would come to you searched and investigated carefully. 11 They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when it testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ and his subsequent glory.
So, prophecies which focused on Christ had been uttered many times before Christ was born. He was to be the deliverer. The Saviour. People knew he would one day come.
Intense interest and the subject of much earnest enquiry and discussion.
Two aspects.
- Suffering, to be followed by
- Glory.
Now we saw in John 12 that Christ knew of the manner of his death. How did he know? It was prophesied beforehand. But can we find a prophecy concerning Christ which focuses on his suffering and the glory that would follow? (and which potentially has some impact on our future)
I’d like you to come back to Psalm 22.
Many people say:
- “prophecy - contrived”
- “Out of context”
- “Written after the event”
When was the event of Christ’s crucifixion? Circa AD30.
When was Psalm 22 written? A Psalm of David. 1000 years BC!
But hang on… can only be copies, and how do we know.
Well, part of Psalm 22 was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Parchments of which have been carbon dated. First in 1950, 1991 and 1994-95. All sorts of test. They were able to analyse the size, variability and style of the text. The scrolls were analysed to such a degree and with such precision that they have been able to determine that some of the black inks used were made from carbon soot they they were able to determine were from olive oil lamps. They were able to determine that a mixture of honey, oil and vinegar had often been added to thin the ink to enable proper consistency for writing.
But the upshot of all of these studies indicated that the parchments were dated to 300BC at the earliest and the 1st century at the latest.
Demonstrating that these were copies of even far more ancient texts.
We don’t have the issue of prophecies being written after their alleged fulfilment when it comes to the Old Testament.
Psalm 22 portrays for us the sufferings of Christ.
In fact, it’s remarkable. If the account of the Gospels gives you what happened, why it happened and how it happened. Psalm 22 adds another dimension. The human dimension. This is how Christ felt and what he experienced through the ordeal.
Now remember, we know he was just like us. The instinct for survival, the streak of self preservation was strong in him too… As much as he wanted to yield to his Father’s will. As much as he was one with His Father’s desire to provide a means of salvation for all people that would be drawn to him, his very soul shrunk from what was ahead.
We know that from his prayer in the garden.
Luke 22
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Look how the Psalm begins:
Psalm 22
1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? (ESV: ‘groaning’)
That’s how he felt.
Mark 15
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Mark 15
29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, 30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross. 31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.
This was spoken of in Psalm 22:
Psalm 22
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
Psalm 22
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
Mark 15
24 And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.
Expound Psalm.
Psalm 22 (ESV)
6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—
He is in the horror of the moment. The next verses read almost as a panic.
17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. 19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! 21 Save me from the mouth of the lion!
And all of sudden… the tone of the Psalm shifts.
One of the most remarkable shifts in any of the Psalm… Half way through
verse 21:
You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!
All of a sudden… the horror of his circumstance is gone…
The Lord can now see… that he’s done it… he’s been obedient to his
Father…
They’ve done their worst… death is near and so is… the glory.
And look at the glory that all of sudden has all the pain, agony and shame diminishing…
This is the hinge point of the Psalm… now for the transition.
He transcends the moment. Focus shifts.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
A congregation!
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
A congregation that fears the Lord!
24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. 25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him.
Envisaging a time of glory in which he worships God - but not alone!
Now come to the New Testament - Hebrews via the way of John:
John 12
23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Hebrews 2
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church (great congregation) will I sing praise unto thee.
Back to Psalm 22
26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.
He is seeing the results of his sacrifice!
28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. 30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.
His vision was and is one of a community saved as a result of what he has achieved.
Why is it a prophecy that impacts your future? Elements still to be brought to fruition.
He has yet to praise the name of his Father in the midst of the great congregation. Will we be in that great congregation - part of a multitude of people brought into being by what his work of the cross achieved?
Hebrews 12
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Notice also: let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely
and
let us run with endurance the race that is set before us
Again, there’s a new life to live. And old way of life to be left behind.
Identify with his life. Be baptised. Associate ourselves with his life, death and resurrection.
It does mean fighting out basic instincts, our natural desires. Following a higher path.
How to do it? In community. With friends.
So did we peruse tonight prophecies in the scripture that will impact your future?
That’s for us to decide.
References:
Psalm 22
1 Peter 1:11
Psalm 22:1
Matthew 27:46
Mark 15:34
Psalm 22:1–18
Mark 9:12
Luke 24:27
Psalm 22:5
Romans 5:5
Psalm 22:7
Matthew 27:39
Mark 15:29
Psalm 22:7–8
Matthew 26:24
Luke 23:35–36
Psalm 22:8
Matthew 27:43
Psalm 22:15
John 19:28
Psalm 22:16
Philippians 3:2
Psalm 22:16–18
Matthew 25:24
Psalm 22:18
Matthew 27:35
Mark 15:24
Luke 23:34
John 19:24
Psalm 22:20
Philippians 3:2
Psalm 22:21
2 Timothy 4:17
Psalm 22:22
Hebrews 2:12
Psalm 22:23
Revelation 19:5
Psalm 22:28
Revelation 11:15
Revelation 19:6
Psalm 22 Triumph through Suffering
An individual’s lament, a messianic psalm
Psalm 22 shows the tension David felt while knowing that God was totally powerful to help him at the same time that he was experiencing what appeared to be the absence of God’s presence to help. The faithful person may cry out in great pain and yet affirm God’s goodness and ultimate deliverance (Psalm 22:3, 8, 10, 22). Jesus quoted the first part of Psalm 22:1 while he was dying on the cross (Matt. 27:46), acknowledging his sense of abandonment by the Father as he bore in his own person the sin of mankind (Hebrews 2:14,15,16)). The imagery of Psalm 22:3 represents Israel’s praise serving as a throne of glory for God. The “worm” (Psalm 22:6) serves as an illustration of humiliation, one being trodden underfoot with contempt. For the fulfilment of Psalm 22:7 in Christ’s suffering, see Matthew 27:39; and for Psalm 22:8, see Matthew 27:43. In Psalm 22:14–16 David prophetically described the crucifixion, for it was a means of execution that was not known until Roman times. The suffering that David described by using hyperboles was literally experienced by Christ. For the piercing of Christ’s body foretold in Psalm 22:16, see John 20:25. For the fulfillment regarding his clothing in Psalm 22:18, see Matthew 27:35. David prayed for deliverance from death (Ps. 22:19–21), while Christ’s deliverance was accomplished by his resurrection from the dead. For Psalm 22:22, see Hebrews 2:12. David predicted the universal worship of God during the millennial kingdom (Ps. 22:27–31; cf. Zech. 8:20–23; 14:6–11). Tyndale.
