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Ring of Truth provides 366 daily ‘proofs’ that the Bible is consistent throughout from Genesis to Revelation, and relevant for our lives today!
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Luke 23:38
“There was a written notice above Him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
It was right.
John tells us it was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek – so all the world would know, and he also records that the Chief Priests of the Jews wanted it changed, but Pilate refused (see John 19:20 - 22). The Jews saw a man; the Pharisees a challenge to their authority; Pilate an enigma, and His disciples saw a King. In one sense, they were all right. He was all those but His Name was Jesus – because, as we saw in Matthew – “He (would) save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
When Jesus was crucified it was not at man’s instigation – it was at His. God, The Father, had made the plan, and Jesus, the Son, fulfilled it in the power of the Spirit. Jesus, the King, became Man in order to die (see Zechariah 9:9). Whilst the reason for His death and the way in which it was carried out was ‘our’ fault and ingenuity, nevertheless, He had to die on a cross to pay the price and break the power of the curse.
The Law tells us, “anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse” (see Deuteronomy 21:23). Jesus had to die that way to break its power.
Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46) He could understand the followers and disciples leaving Him, but Father too? There was no reply. Not because Father wasn’t there. Not because Father wasn’t watching. Not because Father didn’t care or didn’t approve. Quite the opposite. He was standing watching with pride and joy (behind a broken heart) because He knew that once Jesus had paid the price, the world would never be the same, and Satan’s total defeat would be secured once and for all. We saw death; God saw total invincibility. The culmination of His plan.
John goes on to record that Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Not, “I am finished”. Oh yes, at that point He “gave up His Spirit”, but more than that, He knew He had paid the price in full. From that time on, no one could ever say to God that He had no idea how they felt, that He had not endured more than they endure or that they were unable to find the way to know peace with God. Jesus knew that the final Sacrifice had been made and it was a shout of triumph.
After that, all that had to be done was to take the Keys from Death and Hades and await His resurrection by the power of the Father (see Revelation 1:17-18). That resurrection was not in doubt because He had remained sinless. Whilst the soul that sins dies (see Ezekiel 18), by implication the sinless Soul cannot remain dead.
Jesus is still “KING OF THE JEWS!” (Whether they acknowledge it or not.)
In each of us there is a cross and a throne. In most of us Christ is on the cross and we are on the throne. But if Jesus is to become ‘King’ of our lives – we have to get off the throne and walk over and die on the cross so that He can come down from the cross, walk over and ascend our throne.
How far have you got?
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