"They bound the hands of Jesus in the garden where He prayed; they led Him through the streets in shame; they spat upon the Saviour, so pure and free from sin; they said 'Crucify Him, He's to blame." To the howling mob He yielded, He did not for mercy cry; the cross of shame He took alone; And when He cried, "It's Finished," He gave himself to die; Salvation's wondrous plan was done! He could have called ten thousand angels to destroy the world and set Him free. He could have called ten thousand angels but He died alone for you and me!"
IT IS FINISHED!" Jesus cried from the cross; and having completed everything required for man's salvation plan, He committed His Spirit into the Father's hands, hung His head and died. As His spirit ascended, darkness fell upon the earth; the ground shook violently causing a great earthquake and fear fell upon those nearby.
His body was taken down and placed in a tomb which was then sealed by Roman Soldiers to assure no escape or theft of His body. Grief and devastation struck His followers and sadness was upon His mother Mary and all His followers while a great celebration was going on in Heaven! Jesus had just fulfilled Salvation's Plan and the separation between sinful man and God was forever eradicated by the blood of this Precious Sacrificial Lamb!
When Jesus died, the grounds shook so violently that the veil in the Holy of Holies was torn in half, from top down to the bottom; an act that could have only come from heaven above, since the top of the veil was too high for man to reach (noted to be almost 60 feet in height). No longer would sin separate man from God; and no longer would man be required to offer up blood offerings yearly by a High Priest of the temples for his sins.
Hebrews 9:24-26 explains, "For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself."
Jesus was now the High Priest for all mankind, once and for all time sake. His ultimate sacrifice broke down the barrier between man and God. Man can now come boldly before the throne of Grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16} knowing that "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."[1 John 1:9].
Jesus became the bridge between God and all mankind, to all who will believe and receive Him as their Lord and Savior. No longer is man separated from God by the great gulf of sin. His supreme sacrifice made it possible for you and me to enjoy a personal relationship, a one on one relationship with our Heavenly Father, through His Son, Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
His death on the cross was not the end.... oh no, but only the beginning for all who believe and receive the works Jesus fulfilled for their salvation. What joy to know that when this earthly life is over, we're not dead, but alive in Jesus forevermore. As we close our eyes on earth we open our eyes seeing our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus who reigns forevermore! What Glory awaits us on Heaven's bright shore when we see our Lord face to face;
So Holy Week continues with Good Friday on the rise and then that 3rd Glorious day....... "But until then my heart will go on singing, until then with joy I'll carry on; until the day my eyes behold that city; until the day God calls me home!" God loves you dear friend, and so do I~~
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