The Bible in 2020

Today’s reading

Deuteronomy 28; Mark 15:27-47

Selected Verses

And as the Lord took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the Lord will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you. And you shall be plucked off the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Deuteronomy 28:63

And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” Mark 15:37-39

Reflections

Moses described the seemingly endless ways Israel would suffer if they disobeyed God’s law, if they were not careful to obey it all, and if they did not “serve the Lord [their] God with joyfulness and gladness of heart” (Deut. 28:47). Their suffering would be through loss of crops, famine, mental anguish of all kinds, national humiliation, family breakdown, and (shudder) cannibalism.

Israel did fail to obey God. Israel did suffer the consequences predicted. But the ultimate suffering came not upon the nation but upon the Messiah, God’s own Son Jesus Christ. He bore the full weight of God’s wrath for His people. Jesus suffered for their sin. God the Father willed that His Son should bear this. It is accurate, although shocking, to say that God the Father delighted to bring ruin upon His Son thus vindicating His holiness and just wrath.

Think about it

So fully did Jesus’ death satisfy the wrath of God that the temple curtain separating the people from the Holy of Holies, wherein was the mercy seat, was torn in two. In Christ God made the way for all His people to come into His presence and to receive mercy.

What a great salvation Jesus’ death purchased for us! How delighted was God to open a way for His people to come into His presence! Let these truths grip you afresh today.

© 2017 John A Carroll Used by permission

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