I love today's Bible Plan reading! In Psalm 22 we have the "The Psalm of the Cross" that many believe was what JESUS was speaking on the cross. As you read, you will see where that idea comes from! Verses 30-31 say THIS about US!
30 Posterity shall serve Him; they shall tell of the Lord to the next generation. 31 They shall come and shall declare His righteousness to a people yet to be born—that He has done it [that it is finished]!
Posterity refers to future generations of people. Every generation from the early church to our time have passed the Word of God and the Gospel of JESUS Christ to the next generations! No, not everyone in any generation preached the Gospel, but SOMEONE in every generation DID! They declared that HE was righteous to those not yet born at the time, and they proclaimed that HE said, "IT IS FINISHED!" I love the song by Sarah Hart Pearsons from her album "Strength and Beauty in the Presence of the Healer" that states: It is finished! It is done! He has risen! We (I) have won! Then in Matthew 22 we see JESUS speaking in parables to the people, including the Pharisees. Verses 17-21 contain another of my favorite passages of Scripture!
17 Tell us then what You think about this: Is it lawful to pay tribute [levied on individuals and to be paid yearly] to Caesar or not? 18 But Jesus, aware of their malicious plot, asked, Why do you put Me to the test and try to entrap Me, you pretenders (hypocrites)? 19 Show me the money used for the tribute. And they brought Him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, Whose likeness and title are these? 21 They said, Caesar’s. Then He said to them, Pay therefore to Caesar the things that are due to Caesar, and pay to God the things that are due to God.
I LOVE that whenever they tried their schemes to trap JESUS, He would turn the tables on them, exposing and embarrassing them, but, most importantly, showing to the people the difference between TRUTH and error! How did they react? Verse 22:
22 When they heard it they were amazed and marveled; and they left Him and departed.
Then the Sadducees came with their own plans to trip JESUS up. Their question was the ridiculous question of the 7 brothers all having married the same woman, and then died childless. (Maybe this woman should have been investigated! Yikes!) As usual, JESUS exposed their error in thinking and left them speechless! But before JESUS finishes with this crowd, HE gives us this vital TRUTH! Verses 37-40:
37 And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). 38 This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. 40 These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.
AMEN! Finally, in Job 38-39 we see God Himself addressing Job about his wrong thinking and declaring HIS Truth! Read through these two chapters if you want to see what GOD has done! Now remind yourself, every day that THIS magnificent GOD we love and serve IS the ONE, TRUE GOD! Everything was made by Him (JESUS) and for Him! (John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16) AMEN! Here is the song mentioned above by Sarah Hart Pearsons!
IT IS FINISHED
Grace says, "You are loved"
In response I say, "Thank You, thank You Lord"
This is sweet salvation, this is sweet salvation
Grace says, "You are healed"
In response I say, "Thank You, I receive"
This is sweet salvation, this is sweet salvation
I believe because You said it
But I trust because I know You
It is finished, it is done
You have risen, I have won
It is finished, it is done
Now I'm singing hallelujah
Grace says, "You're redeemed"
In response I say, "Thank you I believe"
This is sweet salvation, this is sweet salvation
Grace says, "You are cleansed"
In response I say, "Thank you, I forgive"
This is sweet salvation, this is sweet salvation
grace says, "You are loved"
Grace says, "You are healed"
Graces says, "You're redeemed"
Grace says, "You are clean"
It is finished, it is done
Jesus said it, the work is done
It is finished, it is done
Now I'm singing hallelujah, hallelujah
Shalom in Him!
