Presents
Matthew #2571
Isn't it amazing how even the very words the chief priest would say, mocking Jesus, while He was hanging on the cross were written and foretold of in Psalm 22, and our Father brought it to pass exactly as it is written.
In our last study we left off in Matthew 27:32 where Jesus Christ had already been beaten and scourged and mocked and was now being led away to be crucified. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, who Mark tells was the father of Alexander and Rufus, and compelled him to bear His cross. So Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, is now making His way up the hill to the place called Golgotha, a place of a skull, to be crucified as the Lamb of God... according the will of God!
Question: What do you suppose was on the mind of Yahshua Messiah as He walked up that hill? Well there is no need to wonder for Luke tells us exactly who and what He had on His mind.
Let's go check it out.
This is the same point where we left off in Matthew 27:32 in our last study.Luke 23:26-28
And as they led Him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
These women were mourning and lamenting for Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the very one who was about to be crucified and shed His innocent blood on the cross for their sins and for the sins of us all who are willing to repent and believe on Him.And just as in the garden of Gethsemane, where many suppose Jesus was thinking of Himself when in reality He was only thinking about those upon whom the cup of our Father's wrath would have to be poured out when He returns, He was still concerned about those who would have to drink of that cup.That's right, He was thinking of those who would become whores and spiritual adulteresses, who would jump in bed with the false messiah and be spiritually seduced and impregnated with his flood of lies and deceit.[27] And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him.
Remember... Jesus Christ was WILLINGLY doing what He was doing in walking up that hill to be crucified. Why? Read John 3:16! Remember too, that He could have called down twelve legions of angels at any time along the way and made His enemies His footstool right there on the spot! Matthew 26:53 "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and He shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" You "see", He did what He did for you and me, because He loves us.
Here is the documentation of what Christ was thinking about as He walked up that hill:
This instruction and admonition for the "children" is for the sons and daughters of the final generation who shall be present when the Satan comes to earth as the false messiah (along with his angels) is cast out of heaven to this earth as per Rev. 12:7-9 and deceives the whole world into believing he is the true bridegroom, i.e. that he is Jesus Christ come to take them to wife. And it is written concerning "those days" that all those who do not have the seal of God in their foreheads (Rev. 9:4) will be spiritually seduced and impregnated with his lies. Only those who remain spiritual virgins and endure unto the end (Mat. 24:13) shall escape the wrath of that cup which shall be poured out. However, those who remain undefiled as virgins, which is to remain barren, shall be blessed indeed when He returns.[28] But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
You may recall in Matthew 24:19 that Jesus said this same thing only in the reverse, warning of the woe to come upon those who do not remain virgins.[29] For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
In other words, woe to those who are spiritually impregnated when He returns and blessed are those who are not, i.e. those who are barren because they have remained virgins unto the true bridegroom, unto the Word of God. The picture we are to "see" by this is that Jesus Christ, the true bridegroom, is going away for 2,000 years and when He returns He is expecting to marry His virgin bride.How do you think He will feel when He returns to find that His lovely bride-to-be has been sleeping with another Jesus and is now pregnant by him? Another Jesus? Yes, the Jesus that is taught by the traditions of men which are contrary to and make void the Word of God.The apostle Paul spoke and warned of the seduction of Christians who listen to those false teachers who preach the other Jesus.Matthew 24:19
And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Haven't you read?
But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days (Matthew 24:19)!2 Cor. 11:2-4
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Are you familiar with the seduction that took place in the garden when Eve became impregnated by the serpent and bare his son Cain? Or have you listened to the traditions of men and believe she ate an apple? (The word "apple" is not to be found anywhere in the book of Genesis.)[3] But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Do you listen to preachers without checking them out in the Word of God? Do you remember that Jesus Christ Himself warned us in Matthew 24:5 that in the last days "many [the majority] false prophets would come and deceive many?"Matthew 24:5 "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." The point is, if you wish to remain a spiritual virgin unto the coming of the Lord you better take heed and be "wise" and listen to "His voice", the Word of God, instead of following the traditions of men who preach another Jesus.[4] For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
Let us now return to the path where Jesus is about to be crucified.
Golgotha is an Aramaic word which comes from "gulgoleth" meaning a round "skull". In Latin it is "Calvaria" from which we derive the English word "Calvary". And you know what else? This location of hills also happens to be where Mount Moriah ("seen of Yah") is located, the spot where Abraham offered up His son Isaac upon the altar as per YHVH's command (See Smith's Bible Dictionary under "golgotha"). You "see", nothing happens by accident with our Father and so there are no loose ends in His magnificent plan for the salvation of His children. And the more you see how perfectly His Word fits together and how precisely events unfold exactly as they are written, the more you stand in awe of His Power and Majesty. The events surrounding the crucifixion alone demonstrate this and document to anyone with the least amount of common sense that man alone could not have foretold of these events a thousand years before they happened and then brought them to pass so precisely and right on time!Matthew 27:33
And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
There were numerous occasions when Christ was given to "drink" which we will discuss later. Notice however that He refused to drink this "poor man's wine".[34] They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when He had tasted thereof, He would not drink.
Have you heard the "cock crow" as did Peter to know that "If it is written, it must be fulfilled"? Here then is where it is written that they parted His garments and cast lots![35] And they crucified Him, and parted His garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
The 22nd Psalm was written a thousand years before Jesus Christ was crucified and yet it details precisely the events that took place on that day!It is truly amazing how anyone could read that Psalm and not see its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. To that end, we will cover Psalm 22 at the conclusion of today's study.Psalm 22:18
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
This was the second of three inscriptions which were setup on the cross. You can read about them in appendix 163 in the Companion Bible if you have one or online at http://www.angelfire.com/nv/TheOliveBranch/append163.html.[36] And sitting down they watched Him there;[37] And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Nevertheless, there was an argument between the chief priests of the Jews and Pilate concerning this inscription on the cross. The kenites did not want the inscription to read "The King of the Jews" but rather "I am King of the Jews", i.e. to show that He made the claim He was King of the Jews and not that He was. John records this for us.
John 19:21-22
Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
Pilate was not about to change what he had written... especially not for this no-good bunch of religious hypocrites![22] Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
Isaiah 53, from which we have quoted several times already, is another incredibly detailed chapter that was fulfilled by Jesus Christ, who was "wounded for our transgressions", "bruised for our iniquities", "opened not His mouth", and was "brought as a lamb to the slaughter" (Isaiah 53:5,7). It is also written in that chapter that He was "numbered with the transgressors" and so it is that He was crucified as a common criminal with the two thieves of Matthew 27:38 and two malefactors.Matthew 27:38
Then were there two thieves crucified with Him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
One of the malefactors on the cross will open his ears and "hear" as Jesus Christ teaches the 22nd Psalm while He is hanging on the cross, quoting each verse as the events they foretell of unfold precisely according to that which is written, and thus he will behold Messiah. Imagine seeing the soldiers parting His garment and casting lots while the Lord is quoting Ps. 22:18. Jesus will eventually say to that one malefactor, "Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43)."Isaiah 53:12
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
You know something? Perverting and twisting the Word of God as these passers by did is even to revile Him. Here is what Jesus actually said: John 2:19 "Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." What the fools do not realize is that Jesus Christ could have saved Himself, His flesh that is, and come down off that cross at any moment if He so chose to! Remember the twelve legions of angels He had at His disposal at any time? But He chose not to for the sake of sinners, even those who reviled Him, that they might have the opportunity to be saved.[39] And they that passed by reviled Him, wagging their heads,[40] And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
There is no greater act of love
that what He did for us!
How could anyone not turn to Him
and love Him for what He has done?
Remember what Jesus said to these religious clowns back in the garden of Gethsemane? They shall witness a whole lot more than just seeing Him coming down from the cross. They will see Him coming from heaven in the clouds with ALL POWER and authority and they shall bow their knee in submission to Him. Understand that the reason they are crucifying Him is for the wonderful and miraculous works He has already done, so even if He did come down from the cross they still would not believe Him.[41] Likewise also the chief priests mocking Him, with the scribes and elders, said,[42] He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.
The truly amazing thing about this is that even the very words the chief priest would say were written and foretold of in Psalm 22, and our Father brought it to pass exactly as it is written.[43] He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God.
That should increase your faith to know how truly in charge of all things our Father is, for no man could have opened the mouths of the chief priests in this manner nor orchestrated the fulfillment of all these detailed events written of so long ago.Psalm 22:8
He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in Him.
This would be from 12:00 noon to 3:00 PM that the sun was darkened and the moon did not give her light![44] The thieves also, which were crucified with Him, cast the same in His teeth.[45] Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
The next verse will show that those that stood there did NOT understand what Jesus was saying. How fitting indeed, for it seems that most preachers and so-called teachers of our Father's Word also do not understand what Christ was saying, else they would not give such blasphemous sermons and state that "God momentarily turned His back on His Son at that moment when He took the sins of the world upon His shoulders". No, what Jesus was doing was quoting and teaching what David wrote in the 22nd Psalm which begins "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me"![46] And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Some people just cannot comprehend that Jesus at NO TIME was thinking of Himself and contemplating saving Himself. He didn't need saved... He was Yahshua Messiah fulfilling the will of the Father.Let's conclude this study by visiting the 22nd Psalm, the Psalm of the crucifixion which began a new day and new hope for each and every one of us.[47] Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
And God said, "Let there be Light: and there was Light" and so it was the "Dawn of a New Day"! "Aijeleth" means "doe" or "hind" and "Shahar" means "of the dawn" or "morning light" and so it was that God sent His Son into the world to be the Day Spring, "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world (John 1:9)". John 1:4 "In him was life; and the life was the light of men." Now here is the first verse of Psalm 22:Psalm 22:1-31
To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.
God never forsook His Son for He sent Him into the world to pay the ultimate price for sin that we might believe on Him and not perish (Jn. 3:16). Again, Jesus Christ came to do the will of the Father, to establish the "new day", and it is through the offering of His body that we are sanctified!My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
It is written: Hebrews 10:9-10 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
He took away the old covenant of rituals and blood sacrifices and established the new covenant.
He became our Passover once and for all (1 Cor. 5:7).[10] By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Again, it was Father's will that Jesus Christ die on the cross so that we might have the victory in Him, for He is our deliverer (next three verses)!Psalm 22:2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
[3] But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.[4] Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
The word "confounded" means to be ashamed!Imagine the shame of those who will see Him coming in the clouds with power and great glory! Imagine the shame of all those who will discover that while they thought all along that they were being good Christians by following the traditions of men, they allowed themselves to be seduced by the false messiah, the other Jesus, and when they wake up they discover they had become adulterers and adulteresses. As it is written (Rev. 6:17), they will be so ashamed they will wish for the mountains and rocks to fall on them![5]They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
"I am a worm" is an expression meaning He was a lowly man, born in a manger, and disesteemed by the people.[6] But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
"To shoot out the lip" is like the expression we use "to mouth off"![7] All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying,
These were the words of the chief priest... written a thousand years before he said them.[8] He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
Jesus was the Son of God, begotten by the Holy Spirit in His mother's womb.[9] But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.[10] I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
The sheep scattered and there was none to help.[11] Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
Bulls are symbolic of enemies and the bulls of Bashan were known to be the strongest, symbolizing the kenites.[12] Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
A roaring lion rips and tears and shreds its prey! Satan himself is likened to a "roaring lion" who seeks to devour whomsoever he may (1 Pet. 5:8).[13] They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
Yes, He was "poured out like water" and His bones were out of joint, but as it is written in Ps. 34:20, not one of them was broken! You can read of the fulfillment of this in John 19 when the Roman soldiers came to break the legs of those were being crucified but they broke not His! Why not? God would not allow it for His Word must come to pass as it is written![14] I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
Is this not just incredible? How perfect is our Father's Word! You can always count on what He says, for His Word NEVER FAILS!John 19:32-37
Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. [33] But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: [34] But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. [35] And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. [36] For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. [37] And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
Later He will say "I thirst"... but not because He is thirsty! He will be quoting from Psalm 69:21, the Psalm of the Redeemer, for the last thing He did before He bowed His head and willing gave up His life, was to redeemed His people, Israel. (No, not the people from that little country in the middle east that we call Israel today!)Psalm 22:15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
This is even a fulfillment of the first prophecy in Genesis concerning Messiah, in that Satan would bruise His heel. And so His heel was bruised when those nails were driven through His feet.[16] For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
The good news is that the head of the dragon is coming off!Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Remember the scourging we read about in our last study?[17] I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
Again, this was written a thousand years before the crucifixion and it came to pass exactly as it is written.[18] They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
Here it is:
This should increase your faith to know of His power and might and give you strong assurance that the Word of God cannot fail. It never has and it never will! Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."John 19:23-24
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. [24] They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
The word "darling" means the same thing as "soul", while "the dog" is yet another symbolic description of "the enemy".Psalm 22:19
But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.[20] Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
The Hebrew word translated "unicorns" is "reem" which simply means a wild bull, not some mythological creature. These "horns of the wild bull" are symbolic of the power of His enemies spoken of in verse twelve.[21] Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
unicorn, re'em, reh-ame', Hebrew 7214; or re'eym, reh-ame'; or reym, rame; or rem, rame; from Hebrew 7213 (ra'am); a wild bull (from its conspicuousness) :- unicorn.
Have you read what Paul wrote in Hebrews chapter two? He talks about Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the "suffering of death" and that He came to "destroy him (Satan) that had the power of death". Then he quotes directly from Psalm 22:22.[22] I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
Hebrews 2:12
Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Let's return to Psalm 22.[13] And again, I will put my trust in Him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.[14] Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
To "fear" Him means to "revere" Him. So all those who love the LORD, all the natural seed of Jacob and all those grafted in, praise Him and glorify Him!Psalm 22:23
Ye that fear the LORD, praise Him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify Him; and fear Him, all ye the seed of Israel.
If you love Him and serve Him according to His will, He will hear your prayers and deliver you even from death, from the depths of the earth! Have you read of Jonah's deliverance from the depth of the deep, the heart of the earth?[24] For He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath He hid His face from Him; but when he cried unto Him, He heard.
Do you love Him and revere Him? Then His promises are to you![25] My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear Him.
He is our Redeemer and eternal life is given to those who love and serve Him with meekness and fear (reverence).[26] The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
The day is soon coming when every knee shall bow to Him.[27] All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
He is the King of kings and His kingdom shall endure forever![28] For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and He is the governor among the nations.
There is none other name in heaven or on earth by which a person can be saved, and without repentance and belief in Yahshua, you shall surely die!Isaiah 9:6-7Psalm 22:29
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.[7] Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before Him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
Now notice carefully how the Psalm of the crucifixion ends. This once again documents that these last days were on the mind of Jesus Christ for He now speaks of the final generation.
"Seed" is offspring, meaning sons and daughters. In the final generation, the season just before His triumphant return at the sound of 7th Trump, the sons and daughters, who would be are brothers and sisters (Philadelphia) to each other (right?), shall come and "serve Him" and "trust in Him". The next verse tells us what they shall do in serving Him.[30] A seed shall serve Him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
Peter spoke of these same sons and daughters (seed) in Acts chapter two when he stood up and quoted from the Book of Joel (Yahveh is God). He declared that which was written concerning "the last days" when those sons and daughters would "see" visions, meaning they would "understand" the visions of prophets, and they would come and teach those visions, His Word, His righteousness, to their brothers and sisters of the true House of Israel.[31] They shall come, and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that He hath done this.
Also, those of you who have Companion Bibles will note in the margin that the phrase "He hath done this" in Hebrew is equivalent to "It is finished". We therefore have documented in Matthew 27:46 that Jesus Christ spoke the first words of Psalm 22, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?", and we have documented in John 19:30 that Jesus Christ spoke the last words of Psalm 22, "It is finished".
Do you have any doubt that He taught the rest of that Psalm while hanging on the cross? It is no wonder that one of the malefactors was converted right there on the cross beside Him.We shall learn even more of what Jesus said on the cross and see more fulfillment of that which is written in our next study! How truly remarkable is the Word of God!
... to be continued.
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