Monday: The Suffering Messiah
Daily Lesson for Monday 26th of February 2024
Read Psalms 22:1-31 and Psalms 118:22. How was the Messiah treated by those He had come to save?
Many psalms express the agonizing feelings of utmost forsakenness of the suffering Messiah (e.g. Psalms 42:1-11, Psalms 88:1-18, and Psalms 102:1-28). Psalms 22:1-31 is a direct Messianic prophecy because many details in this psalm cannot be historically connected to King David but perfectly fit the circumstances of Christ’s death. Jesus prayed with the words of Psalms 22:1-31:1 on the cross (Matthew 27:46).
Image © Lars Justinen at Goodsalt.com
The torment of Christ’s separation from His Father, caused by Christ carrying the entire world’s sins, can be measured only by the extent of their closeness, namely, their unparalleled oneness (John 1:1-2; John 10:30). Yet, even the depths of inexplicable suffering could not break the unity between the Father and the Son. In His utter forsakenness, Christ unconditionally entrusts Himself to the Father, despite the utter depths of despair He faced.
“Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might redeem us from the condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon His heart. The wrath of God against sin, the terrible manifestation of His displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of His Son with consternation.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 753.
The threatening animal imagery of strong bulls, roaring lions, and dogs highlights the people’s cruelty and animosity that Christ, who is compared to a harmless and helpless worm, met in His final hours. With amazing accuracy, Psalms 22:1-31 conveys the venomous remarks of the crowd that mocked Jesus with His own words to the Father (Psalms 22:1,8; Matthew 27:43) and the soldiers dividing Jesus’ garments (Psalms 22:18, Matthew 27:35). Little did the people understand then that the “worm” they sought to crush would become the chief “cornerstone” of the Temple and secure its foundation (Psalms 118:22).
However, the rejected Messiah became the Source of salvation for God’s people after His resurrection from the dead (Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:10-12). Christ suffered the rejection of humanity, but God glorified His Son by making Him the living “chief cornerstone” of God’s spiritual Temple (Ephesians 2:20-22, 1 Peter 2:4-8). For those who reject this Stone, namely, God’s means of salvation, it will become the agent of judgment (Isaiah 8:14, Matthew 21:44).
Jesus on the cross paid in Himself the penalty for every sin you have ever committed. How should the fact that He suffered on your behalf impact how you live now, that is, why you should find sin so abhorrent?
(21)
I did not have the stomach to watch Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ". I saw a couple of minutes of it played in a sermon, which was enough for me. It did give me pause for thought though. At $615 million, it was the fifth-highest-grossing film in 2004. That meant a lot of people went and saw it, which raises some questions. Why did so many people view the film? Were people converted by it? Did some people think that viewing it was some sort of penance we should do because of our sins?
Even for those of us who purposely did not see the film it raised our awareness of the suffering of Jesus. While it can be said that others have suffered the same physical brutality, none could have carried the burden of being cut off from God in the way that Jesus experienced it.
The message of "The Passion" does not end with the suffering though. There is a resurrection, a new beginning, salvation, the comforter who is with us always, and hope. For those of us who claim that all of this was done so that we can have salvation, we have the responsibility to show the world that Christ has risen in us. If Christ is not alive in us then we have left him back in the tomb.
Where do we see God's love for us the most? On the Cross.
Where do we see God suffering the most? On the Cross.
Where is God most glorified throughout all eternity? On the Cross.
So if the most love possible and the most suffering possible and God's greatest glory all meet on the Cross (Col. 2:15 NIV)....
Won't that be true in our own lives too? As Jesus's followers who are filled with His Spirit and character..... the moments when God's gracious love is most freely flowing out of us and the most we ever draw attention to God's glory will occur in each moment of spiritual crucifixion where we die to self....and it will also involve moments of the greatest suffering. Grace is all about loving the most unlovable. The ones who hurt us the most are the ones we (God's Spirit in us) love the most. And that, right there, means suffering.
Back to God's perspective....He created people KNOWING that they would not love Him or ever turn to Him. He suffered and died for people who He knows will never choose Him. I've always wondered in the cases of mass shootings if the parents of the shooter, if they had known what their child would grow up to do in bringing so much pain, if they would still choose to bring that child into the world?
In God's case, He did. And not only that, He planned before the creation of the world that He would bear the death penalty for those children (Rev. 13:8; 2 Tim. 1:9). And not only dying by electric chair or lethal injection, but a messy painful "slaughter" (Is. 53:7). Jesus was "slaughtered" before the foundation of the world to show us God's lavish grace.
Jesus's suffering and slaughter is the centerpiece of worship in heaven (Rev. 5:9-12). Jesus is the ultimate display of "all things working together for good for those who love God" (Rom. 8:28)....all things, especially the things meant by evil for evil that bring pain, suffering,and corpses (Gen. 50:20 KJV)...but in those situations of suffering, God's grace is shown the clearest and that saves a lot of people. God does not delight in the suffering caused by evil (Eze. 33:11), but He uses any result - of His great love in offering the freedom of choice - to draw people to Himself (Lam. 3:32).
‘ As Jesus's followers who are filled with His Spirit and character..... the moments when God's gracious love is most freely flowing out of us and the most we ever draw attention to God's glory will occur in each moment of spiritual crucifixion where we die to self....and it will also involve moments of the greatest suffering. Grace is all about loving the most unlovable. The ones who hurt us the most are the ones we (God's Spirit in us) love the most. And that, right there, means suffering.’
Dear Esther - as so often repeated on this platform - GOD has blessed you with a unique gift of spiritual insight in breaking and sharing the ‘bread of life’ and graphically illustrating in words the sentiments of the heart (and not only yours)
All the glory and praise be to GOD for using you powerfully on this platform. It is my prayer that you with all the other users of ssnet be powerful intercessory priests and kings to those around us and at last live and reign with JESUS - the One altogether lovely.
Dear Sister Marcia,
Amen! All praise to God for any words coming from me that honor Him. It is always my prayer as I write and before I hit “submit” that His Holy Spirit give Jesus the preeminence (Col 1:18), and that “the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Ps. 19:14). I’m grateful for this platform and also blessed by the many inspired comments shared by the Body of Christ here. May we continue to grow in understanding His mind-blowing love for us and in applying the wisdom of His Word. 🙏🏻💕
God is not giving me an inch of break in today's lesson. I read the passages of scriptures that has been mentioned, and I felt that the wording in the Psalms I could relate to because I am feeling just like I am the one the wording was originally intended for and them I was in for a rude awaking, 'Many psalms express the agonizing feelings of utmost forsakenness of the suffering Messiah' (not me per se).
This is what leads me to the opening statement, God is not giving me an inch of break in today's lesson. So, all these times I was just actually wallowing in self-pity? You see all this time I honestly believe that the affliction here mentioned in these passages Ps.22, Ps. 88:1-18, Ps. 102:1-28 Ps 42:1-2, were written in because of what person goes through. Clearly it is not as how one (I) believe, but a vast if not all these crucibles, were design for the suffering Saviour. Seeing then that the happenings are creditable to the suffering Saviour, where do I fit in? what is the purpose that hardships that I am going through? Please explain.
I’m Psalms 22 is clearly about the “The suffering of the Messiah”, but David must of related or how else could he have written the psalm. Even though I may not have gone through the same degree of suffering, with the sufferings I do go through, I can trust my Heavenly Father the way Christ & David did. I can call out to Him and know He hears me.(vs 24). Psalms 22 also speaks of the restoration of sinners after suffering. Vs 25-31.
Psalm 23, the Good Shephard follows Psalms 22, the suffering Shepherd.
The Good Shepard who provides, restores, leads, protects, guides, and comforts.
It gives me reason to pause and think. After I have suffered, may I do the same for others. 2 Cor. 1:3-7.
I agree but I don’t think David wrote this psalm
Hi Ronald, I think the thing to remember is that Jesus' feelings of separation on the cross involved every feeling that you feel too. I feel Jesus carried not only every sin that we ever committed but every sadness and result of sin we experienced too. What we experience is a minute fraction of what Jesus experienced, but He experienced it and He knows how you feel. After all, David and the other psalmists were prophesying when they wrote these psalms but they were still born of a certain experience. They were the shadow but Jesus experienced each emotion in the ultimate way.
Don't feel God isn't giving you a break. Jesus sympathizes with you (Hebrews 4:15) because He's felt it. He's not condemning you for your feelings, but calling you to Him.
The world seems to be so locked in itself. Thus, it seems logical to do the same within the world of my mind. But it is necessary to meditate on Jesus' love for humanity and grasp what He felt when He died here. His suffering has no comparison to what I go through; His mercy is my only salvation from the imprisonment of my heart. By His death for humanity, I can feel free from the boundaries sin has set for my world.
I think the fact the psalms describe in detail Jesus's agonizing suffering, pain, betrayal and death, this should provide us some assurance that he is very aware of all our trials, struggles, pains and suffering. He remained faithful, overcame his burdens and was victorious. Be encouraged and allow the Psalms to be our comfort in the time of need.
Our Messiah suffering for us prophesied by many of the Psalmist is why it is said at the foot of the cross is where we are drawn to Christ. We don't physically stand at the foot of the Cross of Christ, or where it was supposedly located, obviosuly, it is empty. In prayer, we praise, thank, give glory to God, asking for things, including the Holy Spirit, and while still in prayer we accept the multiple gifts He has promised us. We walk away rejoicing, knowing He always follows through with what He knows is best for us. We live, my brother's and sister's in the love of Christ, letting the Good Shepard care for us, His flock. He leads any who want Him, into the paths of righteousness for His name sake.
I do believe I have told this story before?
A few years ago I was at campmeeting wheeling my mother around in a wheel chair. I said where do you want me to take you next? She said over there that building, there is where they are having a lecture on prayer, the paragraph above is the essence of that class on prayer. It is by prayer and a thoughtful hour absorbing the life of Christ that we gain a compassion for others, by working for others our life is being impacted for the Kingdom of Christ.
Amen God’s suffering made it possible for us to have eternal life. The choice is ours to make to be with God or the chief corner stone or not. Praise God for his ultimate sacrifice.