AWAKE, ARISE, AND TRIUMPH
Tuesday – December 22, 2020, Tevet 14, 5781
THE SOLDIERS TOOK HIS GARMENTS
Greetings dear and precious friends and partners as proceed toward Christmas. Before going further please share this teaching as widely as possible. Thank you. It may be too late for this warning but please do not stress out about gifts or the meal. The reason for Christmas is to celebrate the coming of the Messiah. Keep it simple, you don’t have to please everyone. There is no reward in Heaven for the Christmas gifts you give or the dinner you cook. Husbands and children don’t be part of the problem be part of the solution for that precious woman in your lives.
Now, welcome to this ongoing Bible Study of the Book of John. God is so good to us. The featured picture is of Celebration Church in Pittsfield Maine. This is a grand old traditional Church building (not the congregation) which I believe was a Methodist Church initially. I find it quite amazing that the text we are dealing with in this Christmas season is the Crucifixion of our Savior. The sacrificial Lamb of God, not that God needed a sacrifice for any sin He committed but we, mankind, desperately needed forgiveness and restoration (for all who will choose) to the family of God.
Galatians 4:4-7 (KJV)
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Wow, what a deal! Why someone would choose darkness is beyond me today, however there was a time when I too choose darkness. You might be thinking this is not Resurrection Sunday week but Christmas. Jesus did not come to be a cute little tike in a manger (although no doubt He was) but THE sacrificial Lamb. Now, let’s turn our attention to our primary Bible text and read it aloud, yes, out loud.
John 19:23-25 (KJV)
23 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.
25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
By the time Jesus is nailed to the Cross He has been treated very cruelly and the pain in His body has to be excruciating. Isaiah seeing Jesus upon the Cross wrote the following.
Isaiah 52:14 (KJV)
14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
Jesus has been whipped with at least thirty-nine strips (Roman Law) and this is reportedly with a very cruel whip (not that any whipping is great) that rips away portions of flesh. Even before being taken to Golgotha the blood loss has got to be substantial. A crown of thorns was pressed into His scalp. He has been mocked, scorned, and stripped. Now Jesus finds Himself nailed to a Cross naked, oh, what humiliation, all for you and me. Looking at verse twenty-five we see four notable women at the Cross with Jesus, His mother, His mothers’ sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. We know there are four soldiers, many passersby, and at least one of His disciples, John (the one whom Jesus loved).
Back to verse twenty-three and the parting of Jesus’ clothing. His clothing was made into four parts indicating one piece of clothing or more may have been torn to be more than one part. Then there was the coat which was seamless and the soldiers cast lots for it. This fulfilled ancient prophecy.
Psalm 22:17-18 (ESV)
17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
Notice that this is Jesus talking in the first person through the Psalmist David (King David). Knowing this in excruciating detail He still came to redeem us. Oh, what a Savior! The ongoing blood loss and excruciating pain has to be great. This experience is far beyond what any of us can actually imagine or want to imagine. Lord willing, I will pick up right here tomorrow.
2 Chronicles 20:20b (KJV)
20 … Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it, believe it, and speak over yourself and your family by faith in Jesus name! Quit asking God to bless you, you are already blessed, you have the Blessing, give Him something to do by the words of your mouth. Once you know the will of God, decree the thing (Job 22:28, Isaiah 45:11, Mark 11:23). (The Blessing is the Holy Spirit) We have left God way to long with nothing to do in our lives.
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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