TO disturb friendly relations between God and man, has been the aim of the common enemy from creation onward. But Scripture makes it plain, that his hostile designs are all doomed to utter failure.
After his partial success in Eden, he was told that one of the woman’s “seed” would ultimately bruise his head, though bruised in doing it. When, in the “fullness of time,” Jesus was born, an angel was sent to bear witness of the significance of the event. To defeat God’s gracious purpose, the enemy’s work was speedily in evidence. Being a murderer from the beginning, it is not strange that a plan of destruction should be his first move, with a ready instrument close at hand. Wicked Herod, jealous of the incoming of another King, suited his purpose well. But this design of the enemy had long been foreseen, for the attendant circumstances had been plainly chronicled. (See Jeremiah 31:1515Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. (Jeremiah 31:15); Hosea 11:11When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. (Hosea 11:1).).
The kindness which God had in His mind was not to be thwarted.
Jesus returning to the land of Israel, the devil’s next design was to disqualify Him for the service He was predicted to render.
In the prophecy of Isaiah two things in one verse are definitely stated respecting Him (chap. 53:10): ―
1. His soul would be made an “offering for sin.”
2. “The pleasure of Jehovah” would prosper in His hand.
In God’s beloved Son, now dwelling with men, he hoped to find some disqualifying blemish; and, by temptation, to bring it to light. But he only proved that Jesus was as morally fit for the sacrificial altar after the temptation as He was before. “Get thee hence, Satan,” was the last word of the meek and lowly One to the wily tempter.
But the enemy had other devices. He imagined that, if Jesus could be made to realize the cost to Himself of God’s predicted way of blessing, He would turn away from it. But the deceiver was only deceiving himself, for Jesus knew all from the beginning.
In Gethsemane we find Him saying to three of His disciples, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; watch with Me.” Then, turning from them, He fell on His face and prayed, “O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” Again He prayed, “O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done” (Matt. 26:38-4238Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. (Matthew 26:38‑42)).
Now, reader, we would ask you to pause, and soberly consider what this was to “the Holy One of God”! The One Who knew no sin to be made a sin offering, would mean identification with that which was positively hateful to Himself, and the righteous consequences would be His also. The contemplation became intensely agonizing to His holy soul (Luke 22:4444And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:44)), yet if He was to have the joy of saving sinners; and His Father the joy of freely welcoming them, the drinking of that “cup” was inevitable! Assured of His Father’s will, He meekly accepted it; and “the joy that was set before Him” in doing so, we shall see in His blessed face one day, and share it with Him eternally.
The enemy had not yet found in Jesus that which served His deadly ends. What next? He had still another design. What was it? He would do his utmost to disparage those He had come to seek, in the eyes of their Benefactor; not by the way they had been treating one another since Cain’s day, but by the way they would now treat Him! Numberless had been the proofs how ingratitude for benefits received affects men generally; calling forth words like these, If I had only known how my kindness would be treated, I would not have shown it; but, NEVER AGAIN!
It was, however, in the heart and mind of Jesus that such reckoning should be thoroughly exposed, and, for this exposure, the enemy should be allowed full sway. In no way should it be suppressed, either by His disciples or Himself. Peter’s sword must be put up and its victim healed. If requested of His Father, twelve legions of angels would have been at His service forthwith, but it was not. He had represented God as “Kind to the unthankful and to the evil,” and His Father’s marvelous kindness must be seen to shine in its own matchless luster after the worst of man’s unthankfulness and evil had come to light. The prophets had foretold what man would do in connection with His suffering. Hence, as Jesus Himself said, “They have done unto Him whatsoever they listed” (Matt. 17:1212But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. (Matthew 17:12)). “Ye have condemned and killed the Just, and He doth not resist you” (James 5:66Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. (James 5:6)). When they spat in His face, He did not even turn His face away! “He hid not His face from shame and spitting” (Isa. 1:77Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. (Isaiah 1:7)). Think of how they mocked Him as Prophet. After blindfolding Him, they smite Him in the face and say, “Prophesy! Who was it that smote Thee?” Then they insulted Him as King. They put a scarlet robe on His shoulders, a crown of thorns on His head, and a mock scepter, a reed, in His right hand. He might have dropped the reed, but He did not. They did “whatsoever they listed” without protest. At Calvary they nailed His hands and feet to the Cross. Indeed man’s shocking treatment was in prominent evidence all through.
His atoning sufferings were from God’s hand. In those three hours of darkness, “Why hast Thou forsaken Me?” was His cry. “He was stricken, smitten of God and afflicted” (Isa. 53:44Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (Isaiah 53:4)). It was Jehovah’s sword that had been awakened against the “Shepherd,” against the Man that was Jehovah’s “fellow” (Zech. 13:77Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. (Zechariah 13:7)). The travail of his soul, man could not take note of outwardly. But being once endured by Him, our peace was affected forever.
It was only the marks of what He had suffered at man’s hand that were seen upon Him in resurrection. “Behold My hands and My feet; that it is I Myself” (Luke 24:3939Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. (Luke 24:39)). And those marks will be found upon Him eternally. “I beheld,” says John,” and lo, in the midst of the throne stood a Lamb as it had been slain” (Rev. 5:66And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (Revelation 5:6)). The symbol of perfect power― “seven horns” ―is seen also, but He had not exercised that power in escaping suffering at the hands of man!
Man’s treatment reached the climax when He was reviled by the two thieves hanging by His side. Then from His blessed lips came the proof that neither the last insult, nor all put together, had interfered with the expression, through Him, of God’s kindness to men. That kindness made known in Him was triumphant! “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” “The pleasure of Jehovah had prospered in His hand” (Isa. 53:1010Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. (Isaiah 53:10)). The utterance of a self-condemning heart on that very spot was heard in heaven. There was joy in heaven about that dying thief before he got there. Blessed witness that God’s kindness had triumphed gloriously! How delightfully suitable was it that the Holy Sufferer Himself that day should take him there!
Reader, one word with you. Men, in these last days of Gospel privilege, seem to be getting harder daily. What of the state of your own heart? Are you still able to disregard such kindness? Remember that the hand held out to you is a pierced hand, and the voice that calls you is the voice of Him Who said, “Father, forgive them.”
One closing word. In the ages to come there will be a special celebration of the “exceeding riches of God’s grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:77That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7).)
Can you afford to miss it? If you cannot, it is high time to bestir yourself.
Come to Jesus while He is still waiting to be gracious, at His Father’s right hand. GEO. C.