Christ's death in the place of His people was an agony that we are forever prohibited from experiencing. He took all the wrath for our crimes, so that we might go free from the judgment!
These days, we say that timing is everything.
Yet, in Christ's day, only He and the Father knew when it should be, or even what it should be.
To His disciples, "right now" would be a good time for Jesus to bring in the physical kingdom. They sought only a political salvation.
But for Jesus, the question was, when will my sacrifice be made? That was to be the pinnacle of His ministry - the completion of the offering for sin at the cross.
Peter describes how the old testament saints puzzled over what manner of time Christ's suffering should take place, and in what order would be the triumphant and tragic events foretold them by the Holy Ghost.
But it was for us that they ministered. After the time had past, the meanings of the prophecies of Christ's suffering and exaltation would become crystal clear!
In His day, only Jesus knew the proper time, but now we saints know of that time, for it has been fulfilled!
So often in the Gospels, it is recorded that Christ could not be slain, for the time had not yet come.
His own mother and brothers urged on Him to commit Himself, or to present Himself to take up the kingdom, but He told them that His hour had not yet come.
The Apostle John recorded how Jesus' brothers egged Him on into appearing in Jerusalem and showing His mighty powers. They were taunting Him, that if He really was Messiah, it was time to get on with the program.
But Jesus was focused on the proper time to lay down His life to save us at Calvary. |
