Holy Week: Entr’acte

Yesterday was Good Friday. Yesterday, we pause to reflect on the day that Christ died for the sins of the world.

Two thousand years ago on this day, the disciples of Jesus were probably in shock or despondent over the events of yesterday. Jesus had repeatedly told them that He would have to suffer and die but they never could quite put it together. At this point, they undoubtedly did and were probably saddened that they didn’t believe Him beforehand. I’m sure they felt now like sheep without their shepherd and probably couldn’t believe that He would rise again tomorrow.

While we are in between Jesus’ crucifixion and tomorrow’s glorious resurrection, I wanted to take a look at Psalm 22 and see it’s prophetic nature to the cross. It was written by David about 1,000 years before Jesus was born.

My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; and by night, but I have no rest. Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them. To You they cried out and were delivered; in You they trusted and were not disappointed. –Psalm 22:1-5.

You probably recognize the beginning of the Psalm as one of the last sayings of Christ from the cross. Some have said that this shows that Jesus was not God. This is not the case. You really have to read the subsequent verses and first, realize that this was originally written by David during a period of time that he felt abandoned by God. If we fast forward 1,000 ahead to the cross, Jesus alone was paying the debt to sin. You have to understand that Jesus was suffering in our place. As such, Jesus was experiencing the alienation caused by our sins!

Think about this for a moment. I’m not sure we really get this point. We sometimes so casually say “Jesus died for the sins of the world” without really thinking of it’s implications. It’s almost like it’s an abstract thought. Jesus died for the sins of all humanity. More than that, He suffered–in my personal belief–for each of our sins, specifically. He took upon Himself the horror, the alienation and the death–the wages of–each individual sin of every person.

But I am a worm and not a man, a reproach of men and despised by the people. –Psalm 22:6.

In one sense, this is an odd sounding verse, but in another it’s an understandable and poignant sentiment. But on closer inspection, something vivid unfolds. The word “worm” is translated from “Kermes” in Arabic, “Towla” in Hebrew, “Kokkinos” in Greek, or “Coccus Ilicis” in Latin. In Henry Morris’ book, Biblical Basis for Modern Science, he has this to say of this worm:

“When the female of the scarlet worm species was ready to give birth to her young, she would attach her body to the trunk of a tree, fixing herself so firmly and permanently that she would never leave again. The eggs deposited beneath her body were thus protected until the larvae were hatched and able to enter their own life cycle. As the mother died, the crimson fluid stained her body and the surrounding wood. From the dead bodies of such female scarlet worms, the commercial scarlet dyes of antiquity were extracted. What a picture this gives of Christ, dying on the tree, shedding His precious blood that He might ‘bring many sons unto glory’ (Hebrews 2:10)! He died for us, that we might live through Him! Psalm 22:6 describes such a worm and gives us this picture of Christ. (cf. Isaiah 1:18).”

This is evidence of design. Only God could create such a word picture using this term. Again, remember, Psalm 22 was written 1,000 years before Jesus was born and about 400 years before crucifixion itself was even invented!

All who see me sneer at me; they separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying “Commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.” –Psalm 22:7-8.

This was fulfilled at the cross as well.

And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.” The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine, and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” –Luke 23:35-37.

And:

Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” –Mark 15:29-30.

Then comes a series of verses wherein David describes his struggles with death. Again, crucifixion had not even been invented for another 400 years. Observe the details of these verses and how they describe someone dying on the cross.

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is melted within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and You lay me in the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; they pierced my hands and me feet. –Psalm 22:14-16.

I’ve always marveled at the last portion: “they pierced my hands and my feet.” What an odd thing for David to say when the only reasonable attribution of this verse is to describe wounds of crucifixion.

I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; they divide me garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. –Psalm 22:17-18.

There is no way you could convince me that the soldiers at the foot of Jesus’ cross had read some Jewish scrolls of this Psalm and then acted it out!

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts, a part to every soldier and also the tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece. So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be”; this was to fulfill the Scripture:, “They divided My outer garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” –John 19-23-24.

If you are reading this and are unsure you believe, it’s historical fact that Jesus of Nazareth died by crucifixion, ordered by Pontius Pilate, during the reign of Tiberius. It’s also historical fact that King David existed and was born in 1,040 B.C. It’s also historical fact that David penned many of the Psalms around 1,000 B.C. If you put all these events together and in their chronology, then you have to conclude that the Bible is divinely inspired. How else can you explain the details David provides and how each is vividly fulfilled by Christ?

If Jesus is who He said He is, then why would you spend another moment living in and to die in your sin? Today is the day of salvation for you! Celebrate your death to your old life and rise with Christ to new life and celebrate His glorious resurrection tomorrow!

As a side note, if you think that the days of people being crucified ended in the days of the emperor Constantine in 337 A.D., think again.

May He Increase!