Psalm 22 and The Passion of Jesus
By Gordon Robertson
The 700 Club
CBN.com – Jesus did give of Himself, and it was all foretold in the Scriptures. That's what Jesus said to the disciples on the road, "How slow of heart we are to believe all that the prophets foretold."
We're going to give you a whole series of the prophecies that were fulfilled on the cross. We've already started with Isaiah 53, and today we're going to move on to Psalm 22. It's one of my favorite Psalms. It's called the Song of David.
Even in the introduction to Psalm 22, you see it as a Messianic song, because David asks the chief musician to play this song on a particular instrument. The Hebrew translation for it is morning star. The morning star is yet another symbol of the Messiah, the chosen One, the One who is going to come to redeem His people.
The very first line of Psalm 22, here it is: "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" These are the identical words to what Jesus said on the cross, and it's recorded in Matthew 27. At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" He knew He was fulfilling what David said a thousand years before the event. You've got to keep that in mind. Psalm 22 was written a thousand years before the event.
Here is our next one, again, all from Psalm 22. It even describes in detail what the people around the cross are going to be saying to the Messiah as He is dying. And it says, "All those who see me ridicule me. They shoot out the lip. They shake their heads saying, 'He trusted in the Lord. Let Him rescue him. Let Him deliver him since He delights in him.'"
Let's go to what actually happened, as recorded again in the Gospel of Matthew. Likewise, the chief priest also mocking with the scribes and elders said, "He saved others. Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel let Him come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God."
Remember that from Psalm 22. "He trusted in God. Let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him. For He said, 'I am the Son of God.'" Can you imagine, a Psalmist a thousand years before it actually happened describing exactly what people are going to be saying to Jesus as He's hanging on the cross? It absolutely boggles your mind. Here is the son of David - that's one of the Messianic titles of Jesus, son of David - and here is David in Psalm 22 describing his passion, describing how people were going to mock Him.
The detail gets even more astounding.
Here it is in Psalm 22:12-13. I have struggled with this for a long time, and I finally got it in a Hebrew translation, an orthodox rabbinical translation from a group called Art Scroll out of New York City. It's a wonderful illumination of the Psalms. And here you've got two words. "Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me." Now Bashan is a place in Israel where they have very good pasture land. And so the bulls there get big and beefy. When I saw The Passion, and I remembered this, it came to me that here is a visual description of beefy Roman soldiers who were then coming after the Messiah, coming after the chosen one.
But even more importantly, this word here, "they encircled me." The Hebrew translation is actually "crowned." And it's been translated into English "encircled." But "strong bulls of "Bashan have crowned me." This is a strong visual image of the crown of thorns. "Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head and a reed in His hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews.'"
It also gets specific about what happens during crucifixion. Here it is, Psalm 22:15: "My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and I'm as dry as an old piece of pottery. My tongue clings to my jaws. You have brought me to the dust of death." One of the signal things about crucifixion is that the body literally dries out. The fluid starts to collect down in the legs and the extremities. And literally, your mouth, your tongue starts to cling to the roof of your palate. You cannot imagine the thirst created by crucifixion. Here it is a thousand years before, predicted what was going to happen to the Messiah as He hung on the cross. And here Jesus says it, John 19:28-29: "After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished that the Scripture might be fulfilled said, 'I thirst.'"
Jesus knew what was in Psalm 22. He knew it before He went to the cross. He knew what He was going to suffer, and here it is being fulfilled, what David wrote in Psalm 22.
It goes on even farther to describe how crucifixion happens. "They pierced my hands and my feet." We know this happened to Jesus, because doubting Thomas said, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nail and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." Again, all foretold by King David a thousand years before the event.
It even gets to the detail of the soldiers gambling for his clothes and how they're going to do it. "They look and stare at me." Then it says, "They divide my garments, and for my clothing they cast lots." Now if you're going to cast lots, how are you going to divide? There's two parts to this. John tells us, "Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts." They divided to each soldier a part and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece, a very valuable piece of clothing in those days. They didn't want to cut it up. So they decided, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it whose it shall be." Can you imagine the detail of that prophecy a thousand years before the event, saying not only is it going to be divided, but there is going to be one piece of clothing that they're not going to divide, and they're going to cast lots for that one.
There is one piece of this prophecy in Psalm 22. Keep in mind also that David wrote this a thousand years before the death of Jesus, and crucifixion hadn't been even invented. So there was nothing for David to have a reference for about hands and feet being pierced, or hanging on a cross until you're so dry that you are hungry and thirsty that you cry out, 'My God. My God, why have You forsaken Me?" There was no way for him to know that soldiers were going to gamble for your clothes. The prophecy is so specific, and it happened a thousand years before the crucifixion.
But there is a part of this prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled, and it's up to you and me to make sure it happens. Here it is: "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You, for the Kingdom is the Lord's." Here is the final Messianic prophecy, that all the earth is going to hear.
And who has that commission? Well, Jesus gave it to you and me. "Go ye into all the world and preach this Good News. Preach remission of sins based on what I am going to do or what I have already done on the cross." And so it's up to us to see this one fulfilled. All the ends of the earth shall remember, and they shall know, and all will come and worship, for the Kingdom is the Lords.
How to give your life to Christ:
1. Admit you are a sinner and need forgiveness.
2. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave.
3. Through prayer, confess that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and commit to live for Him for the rest of your life.
What to Pray:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and rose from the grave to give me life. I know You are the only way to God so now I want to quit disobeying You and start living for You. Please forgive me, change my life and show me how to know You. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Monday, March 29, 2010
"My Basket Woven Shoes"
"My Basket Woven Shoes"
I was a very young girl when I was left all alone in this world. My Mother had gotten ill in the night and died from a massive heart attack. This is something that you never forget, thats hearing someone gasping for air when they are dying. My Dad was so grief strickened that we hardly ever talked to each other. I was really not all alone, I had my sisters there with me. They had also lost their Mother. Mary, who was fifteen and was two years older than me and Lucy and Sharion were younger eight and five years old. . I do not know how they felt, but I seemed to just walk around in a daze. As if it all was only a nightmare! Each one handles grief in their own way. We had our chores to do everyday before school and after we got back home. One thing about loosing your Mother at an early age, you have to step up and do work that most children do not have to do. Our Dad was a really good man, a righteous man. He worked very hard cutting timber and hauling logs to the saw mill and lumber to town to sale at the lumber company.
I was getting ready to graduate from the eight grade. We had graduations from Elementry School back in the 1950"s. My Dad had been to the town near where we lived in the Ozarks. While he was there he bought me a new pair of shoes. They were not like what I always wore, you know those black and white ones that we called saddle oxfords?
They were so beautiful, woven like a basket and in a cream color. I had never had a pair of slippers like that before in all of my life!
I was sitting out on the porch and the sun was shining over my shoulders as I tried that new pair of shoes on. There for a brief moment I could see both my Mothers and Dads shadow on the ground there with mine.
I really and truly had a pair of shoes just like these! What a coincidence!
By: Claudean Brown
I was a very young girl when I was left all alone in this world. My Mother had gotten ill in the night and died from a massive heart attack. This is something that you never forget, thats hearing someone gasping for air when they are dying. My Dad was so grief strickened that we hardly ever talked to each other. I was really not all alone, I had my sisters there with me. They had also lost their Mother. Mary, who was fifteen and was two years older than me and Lucy and Sharion were younger eight and five years old. . I do not know how they felt, but I seemed to just walk around in a daze. As if it all was only a nightmare! Each one handles grief in their own way. We had our chores to do everyday before school and after we got back home. One thing about loosing your Mother at an early age, you have to step up and do work that most children do not have to do. Our Dad was a really good man, a righteous man. He worked very hard cutting timber and hauling logs to the saw mill and lumber to town to sale at the lumber company.
I was getting ready to graduate from the eight grade. We had graduations from Elementry School back in the 1950"s. My Dad had been to the town near where we lived in the Ozarks. While he was there he bought me a new pair of shoes. They were not like what I always wore, you know those black and white ones that we called saddle oxfords?
They were so beautiful, woven like a basket and in a cream color. I had never had a pair of slippers like that before in all of my life!
I was sitting out on the porch and the sun was shining over my shoulders as I tried that new pair of shoes on. There for a brief moment I could see both my Mothers and Dads shadow on the ground there with mine.
I really and truly had a pair of shoes just like these! What a coincidence!
By: Claudean Brown
Thursday, March 25, 2010
MUFA's
Health Benefits of Monounsaturated Fat
Monounsaturated fat is the healthiest type of fat. MUFAs is liquids at room temperature and semisolid or solid when refrigerated.Olive oil is an example of a type of oil that contains monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fat helps lower "bad" LDL cholesterol levels without negatively affecting the "good" HDL cholesterol. It promotes heart health and might help prevent cancer and a host of other ailments.
Health Benefits:
•Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) can increase the production of a super hormone that signals the body to burn off belly fat. In a study dieters who consumed a group of healthy fats called monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) lost 56% more central body fat (the belly bulge) than those on a low-fat diet. Even better, the MUFA eaters slimmed without cutting calories or doing additional exercise.
•MUFAs can help normalize blood sugar level. This is because MUFAs contain Adiponectin which enhances cells' ability to take in glucose for fuel, lowering the amount of harmful blood sugar circulating in the blood. This has been proven to lessen cravings for sugary foods and other carbohydrates by up to 81%.
•MUFAs help reduce inflammation. This is a good news since inflammation triggers a body-wide "severe stress" response that leads to the over production of the belly fat - storing stress hormone cortisol.
•Individuals who regularly consume MUFAs also experiences other benefits like improved heart health, increased energy, higher libido, lowered flu risk, improved memory and focus, and protection from cancer especially that of breast cancer, colon and prostate cancer
.
What is behind MUFA's slimming power: Studies revealed when intake of MUFA's is increased, the body produces more adiponectin a hormone found in fatty tissue. Adiponectin triggers an internal switch that tells the body to stop breaking down muscles for energy (a process that slows metabolic rate) and start burning fat stores for fuel. In fact, studies show that a meal containing MUFA's significantly boosts fat burn for five hours straight.
MUFA rich foods:
•Avocado. Avocados can help prevent skin aging and its rich potassium content prevents fluid retention and high blood pressure. It can also doubles production of glutathione S-transferase, an enzyme that speeds the rate at which the liver removes fat trapping toxins from the body.
•Nuts. women who consume nuts such as almonds, peanuts and walnuts eat 48 fewer calories at mealtime. This is because MUFAs help control appetite and keep blood sugar steady.
•Olives and Olive oil, Peanut oil, Canola oil. Consuming just 10 olives or 2 tablespoons of olive oil slashes appetite by 22%. This is because fat slows digestion, which in turn causes the intestines and brain to release appetite-curbing hormones for several hours.
•Dark Chocolate. In addition to MUFAs, decadent dark chocolate is a rich natural source of phenylalanine. This amino acid is a crucial building block of dopamine, a brain chemical that suppresses appetite.
Related Articles
•Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Weight Loss
•Nutritional Treatments of Autism - Fatty Acids
•Cooking Oil Knowledge #1: Correctly Choose, Correctl...
http://hubpages.com/hub/Health-Benefits-of-Monounsaturated-Fat
Monounsaturated fat is the healthiest type of fat. MUFAs is liquids at room temperature and semisolid or solid when refrigerated.Olive oil is an example of a type of oil that contains monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fat helps lower "bad" LDL cholesterol levels without negatively affecting the "good" HDL cholesterol. It promotes heart health and might help prevent cancer and a host of other ailments.
Health Benefits:
•Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) can increase the production of a super hormone that signals the body to burn off belly fat. In a study dieters who consumed a group of healthy fats called monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) lost 56% more central body fat (the belly bulge) than those on a low-fat diet. Even better, the MUFA eaters slimmed without cutting calories or doing additional exercise.
•MUFAs can help normalize blood sugar level. This is because MUFAs contain Adiponectin which enhances cells' ability to take in glucose for fuel, lowering the amount of harmful blood sugar circulating in the blood. This has been proven to lessen cravings for sugary foods and other carbohydrates by up to 81%.
•MUFAs help reduce inflammation. This is a good news since inflammation triggers a body-wide "severe stress" response that leads to the over production of the belly fat - storing stress hormone cortisol.
•Individuals who regularly consume MUFAs also experiences other benefits like improved heart health, increased energy, higher libido, lowered flu risk, improved memory and focus, and protection from cancer especially that of breast cancer, colon and prostate cancer
.
What is behind MUFA's slimming power: Studies revealed when intake of MUFA's is increased, the body produces more adiponectin a hormone found in fatty tissue. Adiponectin triggers an internal switch that tells the body to stop breaking down muscles for energy (a process that slows metabolic rate) and start burning fat stores for fuel. In fact, studies show that a meal containing MUFA's significantly boosts fat burn for five hours straight.
MUFA rich foods:
•Avocado. Avocados can help prevent skin aging and its rich potassium content prevents fluid retention and high blood pressure. It can also doubles production of glutathione S-transferase, an enzyme that speeds the rate at which the liver removes fat trapping toxins from the body.
•Nuts. women who consume nuts such as almonds, peanuts and walnuts eat 48 fewer calories at mealtime. This is because MUFAs help control appetite and keep blood sugar steady.
•Olives and Olive oil, Peanut oil, Canola oil. Consuming just 10 olives or 2 tablespoons of olive oil slashes appetite by 22%. This is because fat slows digestion, which in turn causes the intestines and brain to release appetite-curbing hormones for several hours.
•Dark Chocolate. In addition to MUFAs, decadent dark chocolate is a rich natural source of phenylalanine. This amino acid is a crucial building block of dopamine, a brain chemical that suppresses appetite.
Related Articles
•Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Weight Loss
•Nutritional Treatments of Autism - Fatty Acids
•Cooking Oil Knowledge #1: Correctly Choose, Correctl...
http://hubpages.com/hub/Health-Benefits-of-Monounsaturated-Fat
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
A Love With No Boundry
He loved you without beginning. Before years, and centuries, and millenniums began to be counted, your name was on his heart. Eternal thoughts of love have been in God’s bosom towards you. He has loved you without a pause; there never was a minute in which he did not love you. Your name once engraved upon his hands has never been erased, nor has he ever blotted it out of the Book of Life. Since you have been in this world he has loved you most patiently. You have often provoked him; you have rebelled against him times without number, yet he has never stayed the outflow of his heart towards you; and, blessed be his name, he never will. You are his, and you always shall be his. Jesus saith, “Because I live, ye shall live also.” God’s love to you is without boundary. He could not love you more, for he loves you like a God; and he never will love you less. All his heart belongs to you. “As the Father hath loved me,” saith Jesus, “even so have I loved you.”
From a sermon entitled "Deep Calleth Unto Deep," delivered April 11, 1869 by C.H. Spurgeon
From a sermon entitled "Deep Calleth Unto Deep," delivered April 11, 1869 by C.H. Spurgeon
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