Justice And Mercy

Scripture

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? 

~Psalm 22:1, NLT

Quote

The strongest argument for the validity of SCRIPTURE is fulfilled prophecy.

~John MacArthur

The greatest proof that the bible is the inspired word of God is fulfilled prophecy. Fulfilled prophecy is also the greatest proof that Jesus was the Messiah. Only God knows the future. This is because God ordained the future and it is He that will bring it to pass. A part from God, there is no future. More than one hundred detail prophecies concerning Jesus the Messiah were perfectly fulfilled in His life and ministry. These are the ones we know about but I am sure there are others. Psalm 22 may be the most amazing passage of scripture in the entire bible. Some refer to Psalm 22 as the “Gospel According To David.” If one did not know better, one would think that Psalm 22 was recorded by someone standing at the foot of the cross but David wrote this Psalm one thousand years before the fact. Steven Lawson says, “It is the most detailed description of the cross found in all of scripture.” As I read and pondered this Psalm yesterday morning, I was overcome by a spirit of awe and amazement. Psalm 22 deifies human logic. The only plausible explanation is that God inspired David to write it. Christ is in all the Psalms. The next time I study Psalms, I am going to pinpoint and highlight Christ in the Psalms but the average Psalm is about David or someone else as a type of Christ. This Psalm is amazingly unique. It has nothing to do with David.

  1. There is no recorded event in the life of David that corresponds to this Psalm.
  2. The Psalm contains phrases that relate specifically to crucifixion, a form of execution that did not exist in David time.
  3. The Psalm contains no mention, not even a hit, of David’s personal sin.
  4. The Psalm contains no pray, no call for vindication for the injustice suffered. [Both 3-4 are uncharacteristic of David]

Jesus made seven statements while He was on the cross; “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me,” is the fourth of the seven. Jesus never prayed in this manner other than on the cross. He always began His prayers with ‘Father’ but here it is ‘My God.’ Based on Isaiah 53:4-6 and 2 Cor. 5:21, we believe that in this moment of darkness and agony, Jesus became the sin bearer of the world. All of our sin since Adam, plus all the sins that will be committed in the future were placed on Jesus. For the first time in all of eternity, Jesus was separated from the Father. His prayers not heard; no response from heaven. Jesus felt utterly rejected and alone. Jesus absorbed God’s wrath for our sins and it crushed Him. This silence from heaven and this broken fellowship with the Father had never been known before and thank God, it will not happen again.

I see the amazing genius of God, He extended mercy to fallen man without compromising his moral integrity. By allowing His own Son to die for our sins; He is able to justify us legally. A story always helps us understand the truth. In the early 1900’s, many large cities had night court. Law enforcement officers would bring law breakers before the judge as soon as they were arrested. They brought in a man who had stolen a loaf of bread and manager of the store was brought in as a witness. It was obvious that the man was guilty. Before sentence, the judge asked him why he took the loaf of bread without paying. Remember, this is before we became a welfare state, the man with head bowed in shame said, “I took it because I don’t have any money. I have not been able to find any work and I have a wife and three children who are hungry. I know that stealing is wrong and that I am guilty.” The Judge being a just man said, “I find you guilty and fine you one dollar.” The poor man looked at the Judge in dismay, “Your honor, I don’t have a dollar. If I had a dollar, I would not have taken the loaf of bread.” The Judge said, “I know you don’t have a dollar but I am about to give you a dollar [the Judge reaches for his wallet and gives the man a dollar], now give that to the bailiff.” Then the Judge surprised the court by sounding his gavel and saying, “I find this entire court one dollar for being indifferent to the needs of your fellowman…pay the bailiff.” Then he took the money from the bailiff and gave it to the man saying, “Take this and buy your family some food.”

The Judge did nothing illegal and yet he showed mercy to the guilty. This is exactly what God did at Calvary: He extended mercy to the guilty by paying the fine or the debt Himself. Hallelujah, what a Savior.

  • Deidra did a good job last Sunday night. You can tell she has the Missionary calling. The need is overwhelming. It seems that we do so little but every little bit counts.
  • I was outside for about 15 minutes around 9:30 last night and not a single car. Its a rarity on Ironman Road which could be names the Lawrence County Freeway.
  • Kraut and Sausage twice yesterday: I sure would like a pizza.

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