◄ Resting In Him (Easter Reflections - (10) ►

Easter Reflections - STUDY

  7th word from the cross

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice – (Telelestai – Finished), He said: "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit", and having thus said, He gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous man".
Luke 32: 44-46

 Work of Redemption

Here Christ’s is the last utterance fell from the lips of the Lord Jesus. Here - the point that our salvation was procured. Here His life’s mission is fully accomplished. Here the seventh word of completion from the Saviour is spoken. Here is the last word from the wooden tree – the cross of Calvary.

 Cry of Triumph

Christ’s redeeming work was completed with the triumphant cry, "It it finished". He has emerged from the dark tunnel of unspeakable separation. Separation of the Son of His love from His beloved Father. He had finished the work that Father had gave Him to do – an obedient Son. His gruelling work on the cross for our redemption was finished and so He said, "Father, into Thy hands, I commend My spirit".

Salvation Procured

Man had done what they could to this sinless One. Evil man had done its vilest worst and hung Him on the cross to die. Wicked Satan did what he could against Jesus.. the incarnate God, but His was the final Victory. His is the Power and His is the Kingdom for His is the Majesty and His the Glory for ever and ever, amen –  for God raised Him from the dead, forever. He had drunk of the bitterest cup that God, His Father willed. Forgiveness has been procured for all mankind who would believe, and He could now say, "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit".

Christ Victorious

He bowed His head and offered His spirit to the One Who loved Him.. before the foundation of the world, so that we who were chosen In Him before the foundation of the world, should be holy "and without blame before Him in love". Ephesians 1:4. In humble, but like manner, regardless of what man or Satan plan against us, God set a greater plan from before the foundation of the world for us – "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" By faith Our Lord, passed victorious, through His bitterest hour of trial.

Sins Forgiven

By faith, He clung, irrefutably to, "MY God and MY Father". By faith He thus rested with a perfect peace in the arms of His Holy Father. The terrible struggle was over; completed; finished in full. The deep darkness and anguish of heart was over; completed; finished in full. The eternal price for sin and death was completed; finished; paid in full. The price for our redemption was paid; fully paid; paid in full.

Peace Accomplished

The Man of prayer and Son of God, who through His perfect life offered God His prayers and praise and supplication, gave us a perfect example, when He said, "Father, into Thy hands, I commend My spirit". We too as blood-bought sons, need to commend all into the hands of  God. We too need to rest in the bosom of the Father. We too should daily cry out, "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit – into thy hands I commend my soul, my body, my life – my all".

Obedience Rewarded

The Man of Service died as He lived, in complete and utter obedience to the will of His God and Father. We too, in humility of heart and obedience to His Word, need to die to self that we may live to Him. But remember... when Jesus died on the cross, the work of the cross was finished, yet when He died on the cross, the plan of redemption was not yet fully complete.

Sins’ Price Paid

For three days and three nights, His body would lie in the heart of the earth. For three days and three nights, His body would remain in the place of death.. in the depths of Satan’s realm – accomplishing the full and final plan of redemption, on our behalf. Yet at the very point that He gave His spirit into the safekeeping of God He could cry out the greatest victory cry of all, "it is finished".  How could this be – How could this possibly be – How could He call "It is Finished" – if the work was yet to be completed? "My thoughts are not your thoughts, saith the LORD neither are your ways My ways".

Satan’s Power Crushed

Christ’s death paid the price for our sins. Forgiveness of sins at this point was finished. Hallelujah, my sins are washed away. Hallelujah, all my sins are forgiven and flung as far as the east is from the west. And yet the sting and victory of death would remain forever, without the power of the resurrection. The curse of the sin nature; the Old Man; the carnal Self would remain forever without that final resurrection triumph.

Death’s Sting Defeated

His death paid the price for our sins. Forgiveness of sins at this point was Finished. "Telelestai".  His resurrection broke the power of sin and death. Destroying the power of sin, death, and Satan at this point was finished, Telelestai. His death and His resurrection combine, to complete His Work of Salvation in the victory of the Cross. And for three days and nights as time caught up with eternity  Jesus rested His Spirit in the arms of the Father.

The Greatest Story

His spirit was here commended into the eternal bosom of the Father. His soul from here descended into the bowels of Sheol, into Abraham’s Bosom.. to set captivity captive. His cold dead body from here was committed into a borrowed tomb.. and for three days it seems as if, ‘time stood still’ – so that His death and His resurrection joined hands together in this; the greatest story ever told.

The Greater Glory

The Lord, Christ Jesus, the Author, and Finisher of our faith, despised the shame for the greater joy before Him. We, who are made in His likeness, must also despise the pain and anguish this world affords for our greater glory. We must not wait for death to overtake us before we plead, 'Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit'. Each day of His life, were thus commended into the hands of the Father... as in spirit and soul and body, He trod the way of the Cross. We too must day by day tread that same path that He trod, for the victory has already been won. Hallelujah!

The Holiest of All

"nd the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ". 1 Thessalonians 5:23  "Put off your shoes from your feet: for the place where you stand is holy ground". Exodus 3:5