|
The Setting
|
There are few situations more solemn than the last hours of a
persons life. The last words they say, thoughts they
communicate, and the things which they do. In the upper room
solemnity settled over the place on two levels: |
| |
1) |
To the disciples, it was a solemn occasion yet blended with joy
as they recalled the deliverance of their fathers from the
bondage of Egypt. |
| |
2) |
To the Lord, the solemnity was intensified because it was the
last hours before His crucifixion and His being forsaken by God. |
He now prepares His disciples for that which lies ahead. Yet, in that
occasion of pensiveness, He has joy (Jn.15:11). He had desired this
occasion (Lk. 22:15).
When our Lord was facing death, He sang a hymn (Matt 26:30; Mk.14:26).
This is utterly amazing for singing is something we do when we are
joyful. It is very hard to sing when facing, or experiencing, great
darkness and grief. The wonder is, “How could He sing when knowing that
which lay before him?” How infinite was the spiritual and mortal
strength of the man Jesus. This was no dark and melancholy Saviour, but
with ram like determination and strength, He sings a hymn and goes out.
There are three times when one of the Godhead sings.
| |
1) |
In
a future day when Israel is restored, then God will sing.
Israel is told to rejoice and be glad with all their heart, the
Lord hath taken away her judgments, and the Lord is in the midst
of her. How rich are the words of promise: “The LORD thy God in
the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over
thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee
with singing”. (Zeph. 3:17) |
| |
|
|
| |
2) |
Still in a future day, but the scene is changed. The Lord is in
the midst of His own, and the prophetic words will be fulfilled.
“I will declare they name unto my brethren: in the midst of the
congregation will I sing praise unto Thee”. (Psa. 22:22; Heb.
2:12) |
| |
|
|
| |
3) |
This time is also the singing of praise, but unlike the other
two, it was a bitter sweet singing. He would have sung with
deep thoughtful contemplations and appreciations. With intense
personal affirmations, He would have sung the sentiments of
“Great Hallel”, which consisted of Psalm 113-118, and very
possibly He would have led His own in the singing with: |
| |
|
|
Psa. 113-114 Before
the meal and the emptying of the second cup.
Psa. 115-118 When the meal is over and the 4th cup has been
filled. |
It is with a holy astonishment we contemplate his singing as He sang the
words, and as the disciples would respond with “Hallelujah”.
The word “hymn” (humneo),
in Matt. 26, indicates “a song of praise” and it is translated
“praises”; by Paul and Silas in prison (Acts. 16:25), and “praise”,
where the Lord is spoken of as saying: “I will sing praise unto thee”
(Heb. 2:12).
This
is the supreme example of our Lord for His people. In the hours when
singing praise to God is so very difficult, times of loneliness,
bereavement, business collapse, health , etc., then we can think of that
lovely man, who when facing His darkest hour, sang praises to
God.
| |
1) |
In 2 Chron. 13, a
battle is being waged against Abijah by Jeroboam. An ambush is
laid by Jeroboam but they sound the trumpets and shout (vv. 14,
15). The Lord fought for Abijah and Jeroboam was smitten. The
Lord here is going into battle, the religious and political
powers are set against Him, but in the singing there is a
remembrance of the mighty delivering power of God and ultimate
victory. |
| |
|
|
| |
2) |
When Peter faced death he slept (Acts
12:6). He believed the words of the Lord (Jn. 21:18) that
he would live to be an old man. He knew that despite the plans
of Herod, he would not die. Therefore, he slept.
⃰
⃰
The only other man we read of being wakened by an angel is
Elijah. (1 Kgs. 19:5) |
| |
|
|
| |
3) |
When Stephen faced death he prayed, but his prayer was a
reversal of the words of the Lord. When the Lord was about to
enter death he said: “Father forgive them” (Lk. 23:34) and then:
“Into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Lk. 23:46). Stephen said:
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”, and then “Lord, lay not this
sin to their charge” (Acts 7:59-60). |
| |
|
|
|
There are at least three other truths which must be pondered: |
| |
1) |
The zeal of the Lord when He sang this. |
| |
2) |
The love that filled His heart for His own. |
| |
3) |
The love He had for the Father. |
| |
|
|
|
Nothing the Lord ever did was done in a casual or nonchalant manner, but
with full energetic devotion begotten of the Holy Spirit. He would have
acted in “ram like” determination. In a different context he could say:
“The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up” (Jn. 2:17). Of Him it could be
said: “For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be
confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I
shall not be ashamed” (Isa. 50:7). The resoluteness that marked His
life was now manifested in the genuineness of Him singing the words of
the hymn. |
| |
1) |
He who had spoken the truth throughout His life will not waver
before Pilate. |
| |
2) |
He who had performed miracles, disregarding the traditions of the
fathers, will not perform a miracle for Herod’s curiosity. |
| |
3) |
He who had stood and spoken against the powers of darkness will not fall
under them now. |
His spirit would be inwardly agreeing
to that which He was singing and with heart appreciation. This was not
the “sitting back” and repeating non-thinking phrases, but with the
attitude of His heart’s meditations. It was not a mere formality of
“this is the thing that was done” attitude, but as He sang, in spirit He
who was the truth would have been entering into the sentiments of the
words. Some would have told that which He came to save men from, others
of His own devotion, others of His purpose in it all. As God looked
into His heart, He saw the
purest genuineness of fidelity in affection, and how this delighted His
heart.
|
Therefore, He will sing the “Hallel”. The first marvel is that in these
four Psalms only one is thought of as Messianic. This is due to the
words of Psa. 118:22-23 and 26. These are referred to again in Matt.
21:42 and Matt. 21:9. While our Lord would have sung all these, it is
Psa. 115-118 that are referred to in Matt. 26:30. |
|
He would have sung:
|
| |
|
Psa.115:11 “Ye that fear the LORD,
trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.” |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Psa.
116:1-4 “I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my
supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore
will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrows of death
compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble
and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech
thee, deliver my soul.”
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Psa.
116:14-19 “I
will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. O
LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine
handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the
sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the LORD'S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem.
Praise ye the LORD.”
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Psa.
118:21-28 “I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become
my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the head
stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our
eyes. This is the day, which the LORD hath, made; we will rejoice and
be glad in it. Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech
thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the
LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. God is the
LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even
unto the horns of the altar. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee:
thou art my God, I will exalt thee.”
|
| |
|
|
|
Of all the occurrences of
this expression the one repeatedly used in the New Testament is: “The
stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner”
(Psa. 118:22). |
|
Christ is: |
| |
1) |
The Foundation Stone. (Isa. 28:16) |
| |
2) |
The Tried Stone. (Isa. 28:16) |
| |
3) |
The Chief Corner Stone. (Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:6) |
| |
4) |
The Living stone. (1 Pet. 2:4) |
| |
5) |
The Cut Stone. (Dan. 2:34) |
| |
6) |
The Head of the corner. (Matt. 21:42; Mk. 12:10; Lk. 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1
Pet. 2:7) |
Another expression which is wondrous to meditate on is: “Bind the
sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar” (Psa. 118:27).
What exactly does this mean? The brazen altar of the Tabernacle had
four horns (Ex. 27:2) and this verse records: “Bind the sacrifice with
cords, even unto the horns of the altar”. When the fierceness of the
fire burning on the altar is understood, then it is logical that a rope,
irrespective of how sturdy, would soon be burnt through. That which I
believe is indicated is the sacrifice had the sentence of death upon it,
there was no escape or evading it.
|
In the Scriptures dealing with the passion narrative, there are several
bindings of the Lord. |
|
He was: |
| |
1) |
Bound and brought to Annas. (Jn. 18:12-13) |
| |
2) |
Bound by Annas and sent to Caiaphas. (Jn. 18:24) |
| |
3) |
Bound by the rulers and sent to Pilate. (Matt. 27:2; Mk. 15:1) |
Herein is a tremendous truth. He who came to set at liberty those who
were bound was Himself bound. One can understand the demonics being
bound (Lk. 8:29), Barabbas (Mk. 15:7), and also the woman bound by the
power of Satan (Lk. 13:16). But Christ was devoted to God and could not
be bound by satanic powers. He was never guilty of the offenses of
insurrection and murder, yet He is bound! The wonder of it is that the
Son of God is the Jehovah of the Old Testament, and concerning Him, it
is recorded: “He bound up the sea” (Jer. 5:22) and “He bound up the
waters” (Prov. 30:4). Profound reality, the unbounded God, who cannot
be restricted, is transcendent beyond all, yet was bound by the
creatures he had made. This is condescending grace at infinitum.
Those who were rejecting Him were bound by sin and failed to see it.
The reality is that while He was bound, He was the only free man: “If
the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (Jn.
8:36). He was free in spirit, undamaged by inherent sin, and
undistorted by external corruption.
In the scriptures we read of others who were bound:
|
Others Who Were Bound in the Scriptures |
|
Isaac |
The sacrificed son, because of obedience to the father.
(Gen. 22:9) |
|
Samson |
A judge. (Judg. 16:8) |
|
Joseph |
The suffering son, because of obedience to God’s principles
of fidelity. (Gen. 40:3) |
|
The three Hebrews |
Because of devotion to God. (Dan. 3:21 |
|
Hoshea, Manasseh and
Zedekiah |
All kings.
(2 Kgs. 17:4; 2 Kgs. 25:7;
2 Chron. 33:11) |
|
Jeremiah and Agabus |
Were prophets. (Jer. 40:1; Acts 21:10-11) |
|
Paul |
Because of the gospel. (Acts 22:29) |
|
Zedekiah |
Because of rebellion against the discipline of God. (Jer.
39:7) |
|
Barabbas |
Because of personal sinfulness. (Mk. 15:7) |
|
John |
Because of speaking faithfully the word of God. (Matt. 14:3) |
Several truths become clear by way of similarity and contrast.
When the lovely Son of God was bound, He was the bound Son because
of His obedience to God, obedience to God’s principles, devotion to
God, speaking faithfully God’s word, for the providing of the
gospel. But He was never bound due to his sin, rebellion against
the discipline of God or personal activity in wickedness.
Repeating again that the
cords which secured the sacrifice to the altar could not have been
literal, but cords according to the will of another. So with Christ,
the cords that held Him to Calvary were not the nails, nor the
activities of man, but the devotion of His heart and the desire of the
heart of God. In pictorial language it is making evident that for
Christ there could be no wavering of the devotion of His heart and zeal
for the glory of God. In the vastness of eternity past, the beloved Son
was the appointed to be the Sacrifice for sin, and was bound to that
commitment. (1 Pet. 1:20)
|
What were the cords that bound the Lord to Calvary’s tree? |
| |
1) |
The love the Lord had for His own. (Jn. 13:1) |
| |
2) |
The love he had for His Father, the only one He specified
in life. (Jn. 14:31) |
| |
3) |
His obedience. (Heb. 10:9) |
| |
4) |
The joy set before Him. (Heb. 12:2) |
In two of these statements
there is the going into the very heart of the Saviour. The Holy Spirit
draws aside the curtain of His innermost motives and gives to the holy
apostle the understanding of His love and His joy. This was not the
love of a servant for His master (Ex. 21:5)
but His love for His church which is symbolized as His wife and children
(Rev. 21:9; Heb.2:13).
|
How
is love to be measured? God told Abraham: “Walk through the length
and breadth of the land” (Gen. 13:17) This was a horizontal aspect.
However, when it comes to the love of God, Paul writes: “That ye might
be able to understand with all saints what is the breadth and length,
and depth and height, and to know the love of God” (Eph. 3:18-19).
This is both horizontal and vertical. Thus the love of God and
Christ is to be measured ⃰ by: |
| |
1) |
What it causes to be given up. |
| |
2) |
What it bestows. |
| |
3) |
What it endures. |
| |
|
⃰
Of course, it is impossible for us to measure the love of God. |
Considering The Cords And Their Relevance To The Lord.
|
First Cord: |
| |
The first cord in John is: “having loved His own that were into the
world He loved them to the uttermost”. Paul wrote: “Christ also loved
the church, and gave Himself for it” (Eph. 5:25). Then bringing it
closer he wrote: “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me”
(Gal. 2:20); but none of them indicate the intensity or length of that
love. John goes beyond this and says He loves to the uttermost! How
far was that uttermost? Perhaps an illustration would help. |
| |
|
Illus:
In 1984 I was in Ireland with my family. On the last morning I was
there I walked along the water’s edge and on the pathway I saw a large
stone. On it I wrote: “R J 1984”. Counting the steps back I told mum
and dad about it. About two weeks later I got a card from dad in
Budapest, and in it he wrote: “Son when you left I took a walk on my own
and counting the steps I found the stone with that which you had
written. I began to cry, for son, you will never know how much you are
loved”.
|
| |
|
| |
Saints of God, we look not to words inscribed on a stone but to the old
rugged cross and hear the Lord say, “My child you will never know how
much you are loved”. His love for each of us meant leaving the heights
of glory and bliss. That’s what love caused Him to give up. He has
granted to us eternal redemption, eternal life, and being blessed with
all spiritual blessings. That is what He has bestowed to us. He
suffered banishment from God, and with it, a grief no words can express
or mind conceive. That is what His love endured. No wonder it says:
“He loved them to the uttermost”. |
| |
|
|
Second Cord: |
| |
The second cord was His love for the Father (Jn. 14:31). This was the
only time the Lord ever proclaimed His love for the Father. It is so
remarkable for people being self centered will at times say to those who
bestow gifts on them “I love you”, but it is because of that which they
are receiving. One would have understood the Lord proclaiming His love
for the Father on the Mount of Transfiguration, or when the people
wanted to make Him king. Such was not the case, rather, it was when He
was facing His darkest hours. The man who loved God with all His heart
and who loved God consistently and perfectly, now was going to manifest
not only by word but by deed the measuring of His love for the Father. |
| |
|
| |
He would face the verbal humiliations by man, from the watching crowd
(Lk. 23:35); the chief priests (Mk .15:31); and the two thieves (Matt.
27:44). His love for the Father was greater than any verbal
humiliation. |
| |
|
| |
Added to this would be the physical humiliations of the Lord by the
Roman soldiers. (Matt. 27:27-31; Mk. 15:6-20) and Herod’s men of war
(Lk. 23:11). His love for the Father was greater than any physical
humiliation. |
| |
|
| |
Once again, added to this was
the physical torturing of the Lord when He was slapped(Jn. 18:22);
blindfolded (Lk. 22:64); spit upon (Matt. 26:67); buffeted (Matt.
26:67); scourged (Matt. 27:26); struck on the head (Matt. 27:30); and
crowned with thorns (Matt. 27:29). But, his love for the Father was
greater than any physical torturing. |
| |
|
| |
In the offerings of the Old Testament the animal was laid on the altar,
it was dead! However, when the Lord was put on the cross, not only was
He alive, but in conscious awareness He deliberately went to the cross. |
| |
1) |
In
perfect obedience and grace unto death even “the death of the cross”.
(Phil. 2:8) |
| |
2) |
Manifesting His unreserved love for the Father. (Jn. 14:31) |
| |
3) |
Demonstrating unreserved determination to fulfill the Fathers will.
(Jn. 18:11) |
| |
|
|
| |
He will give His body, “His own body” (1 Pet. 2:24); “His own blood”
(Acts 20:28); Blood that was characterized as “Innocent Blood” (Matt.
27:24); and “Precious Blood” (1 Pet. 1:19). |
| |
|
| |
On
that cross, suspended between Heaven and earth, the son of God was
declaring: “I love the Father”. He who had taught: “Love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and soul and strength and mind” (Lk. 10:27), did
that to the uttermost. Solomon loved the Lord and walked in the ways of
his father David (1 Kgs. 3:3), but the love of Solomon was only a shadow
of the love the Lord had for His Father.
|
| |
|
|
Third Cord: |
| |
The
third cord was His obedience to God (Heb. 10:7-8). Hundreds of times in
the Old Testament the Lord is recorded as saying: “I will”.
|
| |
|
1) |
“And I have said, I
will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the
Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and
the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and
honey.” (Ex. 3:17) |
| |
|
2) |
“And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if
thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy
firstborn.” (Ex. 4:23) |
| |
|
3) |
“And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a
God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you
out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” (Ex. 6:7) |
| |
|
4) |
“And
I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did
swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will
give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.” (Ex. 6:8) |
| |
|
5) |
“Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy
servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among
the nations.” (Neh. 1:8) |
| |
|
6) |
“I
also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear
cometh.” (Prov. 1:26) |
| |
|
7) |
“And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I
will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break
down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down.” (Isa. 5:5) |
| |
|
| |
While so
often He had said “My will”, indicating absolute sovereignty, yet, in
the Garden of Gethsemane he said: “Not my will” (Lk. 22:42). His life’s
purpose was to fulfill the words of the Psalmist: |
| |
|
“I will
pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. O LORD,
truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid:
thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of
thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my
vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people, In the courts
of the LORD'S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the
LORD.” (Psa. 116:14-19) |
| |
|
|
| |
On that
dark evening His obedience to God was marked by: |
| |
|
1) |
Singularity, doing all for the glory of God. |
| |
|
2) |
Irrevocability to do the will of God. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
This man
was the perfect fulfilment of the servant of Ex. 21 whose body was
marked: |
| |
|
1) |
Because of the words of love: “I love my master, my wife and my
children” (Ex. 21:5) |
| |
|
2) |
By the wounds of love, for his ear was bored with an aul. (Ex.
21:6) |
He held the highest place above, Adored by all the sons of flame,
Yet such His self-denying love, He laid aside His crown and came
To seek the lost, And at the cost
Of heavenly rank and earthly fame He sought me—Blessed be His name!
It was a lonely path He trod, From every human soul apart;
Known only to Himself and God Was all the grief that filled His heart,
Yet from the track He turned not back,
Till where I lay in want and shame, He found me—Blessed be His name!
Then dawned at last that day of dread, When desolate, yet undismayed,
With wearied frame and thorn-crowned head, He, God-forsaken,
man-betrayed,
Was then made sin On Calvary,
And, dying there in grief and shame, He saved me—Blessed be His name!
C.A. Tydeman.
|
Fourth Cord: |
| |
The
forth cord was: “The joy that was set before Him” (Heb. 12:2). As
before, we tread in pathways far beyond human comprehension, for none
can tell the anticipated joy He had and how deep His delight will be
when He sees: “the travail of His soul and is satisfied” (Isa. 53:11).
He, the Corn of Wheat that fell into the ground will have much fruit
(Jn. 12:24); when He “brings many sons unto glory” (Heb. 2:10); when he
is glorified in His saints” (2 Thess. 1:10); when He presents His
“bride” (the church) to Himself without spot or wrinkle” (Eph. 5:27);
and “present you faultless before the presence of His glory with
exceeding joy” (Jude 24). |
| |
|
| |
Since
the anticipated delight and wonder of Heaven’s vaults resounding, with
ten thousand times ten thousands and thousands of thousands saying with
a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing”.
Then we read, “And every creature which is in Heaven, and on the earth,
and under the earth, and such as are in the sea and all that are in them
heard I saying, ‘Blessing and honour and glory and power, be unto Him
that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever!” It
is no wonder the twenty-four elders fell down and worship Him, and say
“Amen”. (Rev. 5:11-14). |
| |
|
| |
In my
mind, I can see across the arch of Heaven the words, in brilliance
shining, “I will put my trust in Him” (Heb. 2:13) and “He trusted in
God” (Matt. 27:43). |
May
God grant us good understanding as He, by His Holy
Spirit, deigns to guide us into all truth.
John 16:13
Copyright © 2011 by Rowan Jennings, Abbotsford,
British Columbia
|
