The Story: Week 15

Recap:

Our God, the Most High, YHWH Himself created the heavens, the earth, and all that inhabits those two realms.

Mankind, made as an imager of the Most High, was set to rule the earth and spread eden across it.

But humans were deceived and led to rebellion by a spiritual being called a serpent.

In this fallen state, mankind could no longer be in the immediate presence of YHWH.

But God would not abandon Humanity, and instead declared that one day, a descendant of that first woman, Eve, would come and crush that ancient serpent.

Ages pass, and other spiritual beings follow suit after the original rebel, choosing to act against the Most High, and trying to establish their own authority on earth.

Eventually, In a joint rebellion of both man and spirits, YHWH divorces humanity.

Declaring that If humans wont obey and worship Him, then they will worship other, lessor gods.

But YHWH would take a portion of humanity as his own.

The descendants of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. The Israelite people.

These people would be set apart, and given the opportunity to worship the Most High.

But old habits die hard.

The Israelites were still humans. Humans with hearts locked in rebellion.

The Israelites would break covenant with YHWH.

Constantly, they would worship other gods, practice wicked things, and continually sin.

YHWH, however, would remain faithful to the covenant He made.

And slowly, over time, He would speak to Israelites that were loyal to Him.

Revealing, bit by bit, what this hero, who was spoken about back in the garden, would look like.

And what He would do.

Then, roughly 2000 years ago, an event that would shake the earth occured.

A child was born to a virgin woman.

A little boy who was named Yeshua.

In english, we know Him as Jesus.

This little boy is the champion that was spoken about from ages past since the very beginning.

This little boy would grow up and become a man.

A man who went out to the wilderness and challenged that ancient serpent, face to face.

He would gather a following of 12 dedicated disciples, and begin healing people, feeding people, teaching people, and casting out demons from those that were possessed.

He would teach that He had come to fulfil the covenantal law.

That Gods standard was higher than any mere human could hope to achieve.

That a day of Judgement was coming and that YHWH had brought His kingdom down to earth.

He taught that all people needed to repent, turn away from their sinful ways, and follow Him.

That if they would do that, then they would be spared from the coming wrath, liberated from the chains that the dark spiritual forces had shackled them with.

Jesus taught that He was the only way to YHWH.

Because He, Jesus was in fact YHWH clothed in flesh and bone.

The Most High God, walking on the earth in the form of a man.

This claim that Jesus made disrupted and disturbed the people and spirits that held authority on this world.

The religious leaders of the time called Jesus a blasphemer.

And the dark spiritual forces that had been given authority on this world so long ago did not want to give up their power.

And that serpent from old hatched a plan.

He would convince humanity to kill the God-Man.

And so our story continues...

The Arrest

It was the night of passover.

Remember, back in Egypt.

With the war that occured between YHWH and the gods of Egypt.

That YHWH said he would kill every firstborn in Egypt, but if you took a young male lamb that was spotless, sacrificed it, and spread its blood above the doorframe, then that house would be spared.

Its the same night.

Jesus spoke with his disciples over the passover meal.

He washed their feet, telling them that they needed to do the same for each other.

He told them he was about to be taken away, made to suffer and die.

They didn't understand.

After dinner, Jesus took a few of the disciples with Him, and went to a garden to pray.

The NET Bible (Second Edition) Chapter 22

47 While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared, and the man named Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He walked up to Jesus to kiss him.

48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

49 When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said, “Lord, should we use our swords?”

50 Then one of them struck the high priest’s slave, cutting off his right ear.

51 But Jesus said, “Enough of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders who had come out to get him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs like you would against an outlaw?

53 Day after day when I was with you in the temple courts, you did not arrest me. But this is your hour, and that of the power of darkness!”

I know that everyone here has done something that we know we aren't supposed to do.

If you are going to do something wrong, and you dont want to get caught, do you usually do it in broad daylight for everyone to see?

Or do you try to sneak off, somewhere hidden while its dark out.

Usually, its the latter.

Jesus calls them out for this.

That they had every opportunity to arrest Him in the temple, but instead they waited till now.

To arrest and try Him in secret, in the dark.

The NET Bible (Second Edition) Chapter 14

Then they led Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests and elders and experts in the law came together.

54 And Peter had followed him from a distance, up to the high priest’s courtyard. He was sitting with the guards and warming himself by the fire.

55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find anything.

56 Many gave false testimony against him, but their testimony did not agree.

57 Some stood up and gave this false testimony against him:

58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands and in three days build another not made with hands.’ ”

59 Yet even on this point their testimony did not agree.

60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?”

61 But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest questioned him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”

62 “I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

63 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses?

64 You have heard the blasphemy! What is your verdict?” They all condemned him as deserving death.

65 Then some began to spit on him, and to blindfold him, and to strike him with their fists, saying, “Prophesy!” The guards also took him and beat him.

At a secret trial, where no one can see except those that are in on the plot.

They give false testimony about Jesus.

They lie about things that He said, twisting His words.

And He remains silent.

When asked if He is the Christ, Jesus response is amazing.

“I am, and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Its a reference to the prophet Daniel,who wrote about his visions of the end times.

Daniel wrote that he saw one like a Son of Man riding on the clouds approaching the Most High and was seated at His right hand.

This Son of Man would be given all ruling power, authority, and dominion.

He would be honored by the Most High in a way that only the Most High was worthy of.

It was a 2nd person of YHWH.

Jesus is telling them that He is YHWH, and He is specifically that 2nd person of YHWH that Daniel wrote about.

Since Jerusalem was under Roman occupation, the Pharisees did not have authority to execute anyone, they had to obey Roman law.

So they took Jesus to Pilate who was the Roman Governor of Judea.

The NET Bible (Second Edition) Chapter 27

11 Then Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.”

12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he did not respond.

13 Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many charges they are bringing against you?”

14 But he did not answer even one accusation, so that the governor was quite amazed.

15 During the feast the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd, whomever they wanted.

16 At that time they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Jesus Barabbas.

17 So after they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ?”

18 (For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy.)

19 As he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message to him: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man; I have suffered greatly as a result of a dream about him today.”

20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed.

21 The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!”

22 Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” They all said, “Crucify him!”

23 He asked, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”

Jesus is Condemned and Mocked

24 When Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!”

25 In reply all the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”

26 Then he released Barabbas for them. But after he had Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified.

27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence and gathered the whole cohort around him.

28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe around him,

29 and after braiding a crown of thorns, they put it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand, and kneeling down before him, they mocked him: “Hail, king of the Jews!”

30 They spat on him and took the staff and struck him repeatedly on the head.

31 When they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

Jesus own people, who He had been healing.

Teaching.

And caring for.

Called for His execution, even when the Roman governor could find no reason to execute Him.

They wanted a murderer to be released instead of Jesus.

They beat Him.

They mocked Him.

They spat on Him.

The NET Bible (Second Edition) Chapter 27

33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”)

34 and offered Jesus wine mixed with gall to drink. But after tasting it, he would not drink it.

35 When they had crucified him, they divided his clothes by throwing dice.

36 Then they sat down and kept guard over him there.

37 Above his head they put the charge against him, which read: “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”

38 Then two outlaws were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

39 Those who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads

40 and saying, “You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are God’s Son, come down from the cross!”

41 In the same way even the chief priests—together with the experts in the law and elders—were mocking him:

42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the king of Israel! If he comes down now from the cross, we will believe in him!

43 He trusts in God—let God, if he wants to, deliver him now because he said, ‘I am God’s Son’!”

44 The robbers who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him.

Jesus’ Death

45 Now from noon until three, darkness came over all the land.

46 At about three o’clock Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

47 When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.”

48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink.

49 But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to save him.”

50 Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit.

There, at Golgotha hung the body of Jesus of Nazareth.

The God-Man, YHWH Himself, The Creator, the self existent all loving, all good, all merciful, all just Most High God.

Who was faithful in covenant even to a cheating bride who whored around with lessor rebellious created beings.

There He hung, nailed to a tree despised by those He loves.

The dark forces thought they had won.

They had succeeded.

They Convinced the holy people, set apart, to kill their hero.

The God-Man was dead.

But they had forgotten the whole point of the passover.

The spotless lamb was sacrificed, so that by its blood, death would not come to those who were loyal to YHWH.

The very next verse says:

The NET Bible (Second Edition) Chapter 27

51 Just then the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks were split apart.

Remember that because of our fallen nature, we could no longer be in the immediate presence of God?

Because perfection can not cohabit with imperfection without destroying the imperfection.

The Holy of Holies in the temple was seen as the place where Gods immediate presence dwelt on earth.

The temple curtain is what separated the Holy of Holies from the people.

Jesus death ripped the curtain in half.

It restored mankind chance to be in the immediate presence of YHWH.

It restored right relation between God and humans.

We were so blemished with sin, so infected and corrupted by it, that we needed a perfect sacrifice to wash us from it.

But none of us could be perfect.

So God Himself came down to provide the sacrifice we couldn't afford.

He took our punishment, so that by His blood we could be washed clean and once again, for the first time since Eden, walk in the immediate presence of God Most High.

At the same time, what was written about by Daniel was fulfilled.

By this sacrifice, the rebellious created gods no longer had any legal claim on the hearts of men.

Anyone who accepted the blood of Jesus would be washed clean, and all that is clean belongs to YHWH.

The Son of Man approached the Power and was given all authority, honor, and dominion.

The nations were reclaimed so that what was promised to Abraham would be fulfilled.

That all nations would pronounce blessings on each other by the name of one of his descendants.

Humanity is now free to follow the One True King.

This is the climax of the human story.

But it is not over yet.

We will continue with “The Story” next week.