Psa. 22
IT is in the cross of Christ that we behold the manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. We there read the deep mysteries of divine grace. Each detail of the sufferings of the Lamb of God opens to our souls a fresh stream of the fullness of that mercy which endureth forever. The sufferings and glory of the Lamb are the all-engrossing subjects in heaven, the substance of the testimony of the prophets on earth, and the continual ministry of the Holy Ghost to the church now. The cross of Christ is the manifested love of God―that perfect love which casteth out fear. When we meditate on the wounds, and bruises, and sorrows of Jesus, in connection with our sins, when we see that we could be healed in no other way than by such stripes, and that it was our transgressions that caused Him such immeasurable agony, surely sin becomes exceeding hateful to us, while we adoringly own and magnify the wonders of redeeming love. The same lesson teaches us that the holy sin-hating God, is also a gracious sin-pardoning God. Neither sin, nor the world, nor Satan, look so dark anywhere as at the crucifixion of Christ, the only fountain of life, and light, and love, and peace. In the rent flesh of Jesus, we behold every barrier removed to the immediate entrance of the sinner that believes into the presence of God, and that with conscious acceptance and removal of all guilt. The Spirit of God comforts our souls by bringing Jesus and His work to our remembrance, and strengthens us with His flesh and blood, which is our bread from heaven.
In the twenty-second Psalm, there can be no mistake as to who the Person is that pours forth such intensely bitter cries to the Lord. It can be no other than the Holy One of God, for He says, “I was cast upon Thee from the womb, Thou art My God, from My mother’s belly,” “Thou didst make Me hope when I was upon My mother’s breasts.” (vss. 9,10.) Surely such things can be said of none other than Emmanuel―the Holy Child Jesus. The birth-condition of every other child is the opposite, for we are “shapen in iniquity,” and go astray as soon as we are born, speaking lies; all by nature children of wrath, the carnal mind being enmity against God. The perfections of the Person of our Lord not only show us His capability of bearing the infinite wrath of God, and His exceeding suitability for our substitute, but also how surpassingly great those sufferings must have been, to One whose feelings were so exquisitely sensitive, on account of the infinite perfections of His holiness and love. That tender heart that had so pitifully and thoroughly entered into the deep distress of the widow at Nain, and so fully sympathized with sorrowing Martha and Mary, was now most deeply sensible of the scornful look and deriding jeer of the wicked assembly; but while He uttered unto His God, “All they that see Me laugh Me to scorn,” ... “They pierced My hands and My feet,” ... “They look and stare upon Me,” ... “They part My garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture,” He also cried, in the abounding’s of His grace, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!”
It is most blessed to see how minutely our Lord poured out all His sorrows into the ear of Jehovah, whether they arose from the words and ways of the people, or from the overwhelming wrath and forsaking of His God. “He committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.” He likened Himself to being surrounded with many and strong bulls, compassed with dogs, enclosed by the wicked; and He cried to be delivered from the sword, to be saved from the lion’s mouth, and says He was heard from the horns of the unicorns. What love! What unfathomable sorrow! What depth of suffering! Though Jesus knew all things that should come upon Him, He drew not back; He set His face to go up to Jerusalem, with the cross in full prospect; and when Judas and the band came to take Him, He went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; He hid not His face from shame and spitting. (Isa. 1.) He was indeed the Good Shepherd that laid down His life for the sheep. The frequent allusion that Jesus made to the cross, in His intercourse with His disciples, shows us how much the sufferings of that hour occupied His soul. It was for the joy that was set before Him, that He endured the cross, and despised the shame. “I have,” said He, “a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished.” Not long before the sufferings of the cross came upon Him, He told His disciples, that the scripture, “And He was reckoned, among the transgressors,” must yet be accomplished in Him. (Luke 22:3737For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. (Luke 22:37).) He also referred to His disciples being “scattered” (Matt. 26:3131Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. (Matthew 26:31)); but with what unutterable sorrow must the solemn scriptures in immediate connection with these references have premed upon His heart, wherein it is said, “It pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief; Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin.” “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man that is My fellow, with the Lord of Hosts: smite the Shepherd,” &c. (Isa. 53:10-1210Yet 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. 11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:10‑12); 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).)
So deep was the humiliation of Jesus, that He cried, “I am a worm, and no man,” The people of Israel had privileges that were withheld from Him, when God “spared not His own Son.” If they called upon the Lord in trouble, He heard and delivered them; but as a worm is trodden under foot, so low did our adorable Lord go down for our sakes, that He said, “Our fathers trusted in Thee; they trusted, and Thou didst deliver them. They cried unto Thee, and were delivered; they trusted in Thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people.” But, though “poured out like water,” all His bones out of joint, His heart like wax melted in the midst of His bowels, His strength dried up like a potsherd, and His tongue cleaving to His jaws; still He is the doer of the will of Him that Kin Him, still He pours out His soul unto death, and, that the scripture might be fulfilled, He saith, I thirst.” In the darkest moment He trusted in His God, and though feeling that Jehovah had brought Him into the dust of death, still He cried, “O My Strength, haste Thee to help Me;” and, when all that was written of Him was accomplished, He was heard.
Blessed indeed it is for us, beloved, that we now know Jesus as risen and glorified, and that He is not ashamed to call its brethren. The resurrection of Christ is God’s public testimony to the value of His work on our behalf, thus speaking to our souls of full forgiveness of sins, and acceptance in Him our life and righteousness. So that praise is emphatically our becoming posture of soul, while we wait for His return from heaven. “Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him.” (vs. 23.) The literal “seed of Jacob” will also yet praise Him, after they have looked upon Him whom they have pierced, for “He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.” (Isa. 27:66He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. (Isaiah 27:6).) And yet more than this: the kingdoms of this world shall yet become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ (Rev. 11:1515And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15).), for “all the ends of the world shall remember, and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Him.” (vs. 27.) The Lord shall be King over all the earth; in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one. (Zech. 14:99And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. (Zechariah 14:9).) We know that righteous judgment must precede the full display of this “celestial,” and “terrestrial” glory, but it is pleasant to our souls to anticipate the time, when Jesus our Lord shall indeed see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied, and when every knee shall bow to Hint, who is still despised and rejected by so many.
ORTHODOX DOCTRINE, OR ACCURACY OF OUTWARD WALK, NO SUBSTITUTE FOR CHTIST. ―There may be great practical insubjection to much revealed truth connected with the Church of God on earth, and with its hopes, while a living Christ is known, enjoyed, and fed upon, and the “speech,” consequently, “with grace, seasoned with salt.” On the other hand, there may be subjection to much of the word in the letter of it, great accuracy in doctrinal statement, great scriptural simplicity in all outward things as regards worship and the ordering of the Church, while a cold, sapless, saltless speech and ways, manifest, too unmistakably, that living communion with a living, risen Christ, is all but unknown. O brethren, think on these things! Christ’s flesh is meat indeed, His blood is drink indeed, He is Himself a satisfying portion, and if you are not abiding in Him by living faith, you will not be able to resist the ensnaring solicitations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, nor live so as to ensure the Lord’s approval at His appearing.