Crucifixion

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Psalm 22:24-25

second-coming224 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; 

and he has not hid his face from him, but has heard, 

when he cried to him. 

25 From thee comes my praise in the great congregation; 

my vows I will pay before those who fear him. 

When the afflicted cry to Him, He heres their cry. We forget this because in general we no longer experience great affliction. True, loved ones die, jobs are lost, houses go into default, however we no longer face the fire, dungeons, and swords that the father’s of our faith were often exposed to. Our poverty is spiritual and not economic. Our afflictions are self inflicted.

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of the affliction we experienced in Asia; for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself. 2Cor. 1:8 

For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 2Cor. 4:17

. . . for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of liberality on their part. 2Cor. 8:2

. . . sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. Heb. 10:33

We to are told to follow our Lord’s example and care for the afflicted. We can only meet physical needs He can meet spiritual , emotional and physical needs.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27 

From thee comes my praise, Our praises come from him because we are responding to His great work of removing our afflictions. This praise is to be made in the great congregation. In the New Testament the congregation or ekklesia was translated into church erroneously. We are not a building or a place, we are a congregation, free to move about and make disciples where ever we go. (See Also: Ekklesia)

Vows must be payed. We often forget that a true vow is made publicly before witnesses and paper work is signed. The only such vow many of us ever make is a marriage vow. Although there are preachers out there that encourage people to do such foolish things as make a vow to read the Bible everyday, unless there is signed papers with witnesses it is not considered a vow.

FYI: The only vow in the Bible that does not have such witnesses is the Vadar covenant in. [Gen 15 c.f. Jer. 34:18-19; Song 2:17] The blood of the animals was the witness. (See Also: The Vadar Covenant)

Those who fear him. Many today have lost their fear of God. The Spiritual Leaders  of the post modern church have made God into some kind of buddy or myth. There is no fear so there is no wisdom.

Teach me thy way, O LORD, that I may walk in thy truth; unite my heart to fear thy name. Psa. 86:11 

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who practice it. His praise endures for ever! Psa. 111:10

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Psalm 22:20-21

crosstwilight20 Deliver my soul from the sword, 

my life from the power of the dog! 

21 Save me from the mouth of the lion, 

my afflicted soul from the horns of the wild oxen! 

Deliver my soul from the sword, cannot mean just any sword. Swords take lives not souls. This must be referring to the sword of God, that flaming sword of His divine wrath, which is the word of God. [Gen. 3:24; Heb. 4:12; Rev. 19:15] As our Lord hung there dying His personal human fear was that all the sin of the world that was being laid upon Him might not be forgotten.

Save me from the mouth of the lion, is a reference to our oldest enemies Satan, who prowls like a roaring lion. [1Pet. 5:8] Here it is, in the fullness of time, or the mo’ad that the original promise is fulfilled, as Messiah’s own death destroys Satan’s kingdom and his claim to it.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Gen. 3:15

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; John 14:30

FYI: If you are reading the King James Version it is a unicorn that afflicts His soul. [See Also: Unicorns in the Bible]

It is the children of Israel that are the horns of the wild oxen.

God brings them out of Egypt; they have as it were the horns of the wild ox. Num. 23:22

Their rejection of Messiah truly afflicted His soul as just before His arrest He had stated.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Matt. 23:37 

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Psalm 22:18-19

crosstwilight18 they divide my garments among them, 

and for my raiment they cast lots. 

19 But thou, O LORD, be not far off! 

O thou my help, hasten to my aid! 

For those who do not believe that Yeshua/Jesus was not who He said He was and that He arranged to fulfill all these odd prophecies, How did He arrange this one? How did he get Roman soldiers to preform this act?

23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom;  24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfil the scripture, “They parted my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” John 19:23-24

This prophecy was written one thousand years before the events described. There is just no way to have faked or arranged this. It stands as one of the great proofs that He was who He said He was. The other is Daniel 9.

As our Lord was dying they were casting lots for his clothes. So His call for help is one of promise. The deed was done. His humanity now reminds God of the three day deal. Be not far off, hasten to my aid. There is just that shadow of not quite doubt, just a need for reassurance. His deity knew He had the victory His humanity was suffering. We all need to be told that it will be ok.

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Psalm 22:16-17

crosstwilight16 Yea, dogs are round about me; a company of evildoers encircle me; they have pierced my hands and feet — 

17 I can count all my bones — they stare and gloat over me;

This song was to be sung according to the tune, “The Hind of the Dawn”. And our Lord is our Hind who comes leaping across the mountains of vatar. [S of S. 2:17] This was the terrible day of that leap. For all who watched it seemed as though He failed to make the jump. However it is a long leap that took three days to clear, and clear it He did.

As our Lord reaches His end He feels like a hind surrounded by dogs. Now a dog will never chase down a Cervidae, all these animals can easily out run dogs. However if a pack of dogs incircle the poor thing, it will not get away. Two dogs will keep the head busy while a third will hamstring the hind legs. Once the deer cannot run it is doomed. Our Lord is now surrounded by evil men, They had wearied Him with their content attacks, and in the  end He never even sought to runaway. The Sanhedrin, Herod, Pilate, they all agreed to set aside their differences and surround Him. In the end they actually pierced His hands and feet just as dogs would hamstring a deer, and this thousand year old prophecy perfectly predicted this horrible death. (For which the Rabbis have no answer.)

He had been called a wine-bibber and glutton yet here He is in death, all His bone are exposed, He hung there naked and exposed. They gloated at His suffering.

“He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. Matt. 27:42

He died naked and alone that He might clothe a great multitude in robes of righteousness. That none of us should go exposed.

(“Lo, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is he who is awake, keeping his garments that he may not go naked and be seen exposed!”) Rev. 16:15

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Psalm 22:14-15

crosstwilight14 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 cleaves to my jaws;

thou dost lay me in the dust of death. 

Now we come to the death throes of Messiah.

He was literally poured out like water.

 

34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.  John 19:34

He did feel dried up, as all the Divine wrath that is due to us, was poured onto Him.

28 After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil the scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished”; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-30

They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. Psa. 69:21

The life of all sinners is forfeit, the only way out is to ransom the soul with the only sacrifice perfect enough to complete the transaction.

Crucifixion is a slow death by asphyxiation. In the end one must push up with the legs in order to take a breath.  This is why the leg were broken, without the ability push up they could not breath, in this way they hastened the victims death.

The entire weight of the victims hung on the arms, stretching the body and dislocating the joints. As Matthew Henry puts it, “His bones were put out of joint that He might put the whole creation into joint again,”.

Upon His death He was laid in the dust, for He was fully human and had a fully human body, and from dust we were made.

In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Gen. 3:19

However few notice that it is the Serpent that eats dust.

The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above all wild animals; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. Gen. 3:14 

Though he seeks to devour us.

Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. 1 Pet. 5:8 

Those who claim Messiah as their Lord, need not be devoured. For he has been given more than even he could ever swallow. The life of the perfect sacrifice.

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Psalm 22:3-4

second-coming23 Yet thou art holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 

4 In thee our fathers trusted; they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. 

At first glance and separated from the rest of the Psalm this looks like a praise, however it is actually a complaint. As Messiah hung on the cross, He complains that God the Father is not coming to rescue Him. In His agony and suffering He reminds God that He saved others.

He was delivered to His enemies, He felt forsaken, He felt that no one was coming to deliver Him, because that was the way it was.

Yet it was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand; Is. 53:10 

Only in being forsaken, only in being rejected, could victory be given to all. without obedience He could not become a source for all who OBEY Him.

8 Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; 9 and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 9 and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, Heb. 5:8-9

There is always that little catch about obedience that the dispensational church has lost, with their false teaching that, “the law has passed away”.

As the Son of God was obedient unto death so we must be obedient to His teachings.

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. John 15:10