MOURN AND GRIEVE
Suggested Reading: Zechariah 11-12
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
The Altar area inside Saint Anne's Church, next to the ruins of the Pool of Bethesda, Jerusalem. The message is that God's altar is the Cross of Christ. Jesus said, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:14,15).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Zechariah 12:10
And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
God is speaking through Zechariah. The words, “I WILL” make it clear that God is committed to the time when the people of Jerusalem will look on Him (GOD) “whom they have pierced.” This was written 500 years before Jesus was crucified, and while the people looked on Him as He hung on the Cross, it refers to a yet future time when Jesus will come again. They will see Jesus in His resurrected Body, in which the wounds of His crucifixion are visible. Other prophets wrote of the One Who was “wounded for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5-6), and “They pierced My hands and feet” (only in crucifixion, and written centuries before any historical record of this method of execution). Read King David’s prophecy found in Psalm 22:16-18. To read one of the records of the crucifixion of Jesus, read John 19:34-37 and then read John 20:26-31 (prophesied in Zechariah 12:10 and 13:6). Make no mistake about it! Nobody other than Jesus fulfills these prophesies. Dr. Mark Hitchcock, a former attorney and now a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, appeared on the 100 Huntley Street telecast with a message called, “The Shadow of the Cross.” He documents the impossibility of the words of the prophets, including Zechariah, coming to pass as they did by accident (click here for Dr. Hitchcock).
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, my heart is so very sad as I think of how You must have grieved “as One mourns for His only Son.” As Jesus is there, one with You at Your throne, You can see the marks on His hands, His feet, and His side. You gave Your “only begotten Son, that whosoever [me included] believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). I pray that the scenes of Your Cross would continuously be before me. I believe “In Him” because You have shown me the One Who is “The Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6a) through the words of the prophets, the Apostles, and Your Holy Spirit’s revelation to me. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You, Jesus!!! Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I first saw the gruesome picture (below) when Dr. Paul Maier, Ph.D. in semitic languages, Harvard, and professor of Ancient History at Western Michigan University was my guest on the 100 Huntley Street telecast. It’s a nail which was embedded in the ankle bone of a crucified man, according to the archeologists. There must have been a knot in the wood into which it was driven that bent the point of the nail. Of course, the Romans crucified others, including the two thieves who died on the crosses on either side of Jesus. Dr. Maier’s book, Skeleton in God’s Closet, is based on the facts of Jesus’ crucifixion, and then a fictional story evolves when it is claimed that the bones of Jesus have been discovered. This book, in my opinion, is most captivating, stimulating, and well researched. I guarantee that readers will find it very difficult to put it down having begun to read (click here to purchase Skeleton in God’s Closet).
Yours to focus on the most important event in human history, prophesied by the Prophets in the Hebrew Bible and fulfilled by Jesus only!!! (read with me 1 Peter 1:18-25),
David
In the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, this heel bone with a nail pierced through it is on display, giving evidence for the ancient Roman practice of execution on a cross. Oh Jesus, how I grieve over my sins. You suffered crucifixion so that I, and all who believe in You, could be forgiven, saved from eternal death, and given as a free gift, eternal life. The Cross of Jesus was God's altar where His sacrificial Lamb was sacrificed in human time, but in reality was "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8).
There can be no reasonable doubt about Christ Jesus fulfilling bible prophesy. It would take everyone writing a script in one room (including historical content from hundreds of centuries) with a willing participant to be the character of a plot against the core Jewish values held at the time of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Impossible! Dr. Paul Maier’s presentation was fascinating. Thank you for walking us through this reality in your daily blog, David! This certainly deepens ones faith! His blessings and strength, to all bloggers!
Rather, against those whom could not could not envision Christ Jesus as Messiah as Jesus students were perplexed as in yesterday’s challenge, “why?”
Well said, brother–amen!
Amen!
I will keep this day’s blog permanently as I know someone who declares that they do not believe in God. (This person went forward in an altar call as a 9 yr old and was brought up in the church). Please pray for Kristy. Thank you friends.
May the Lord’s will be done:) amen!
Heavenly Father we put Kristy in your arms and come in agreement with our sister in Christ Doreen , in the name of the one and only who showed us the way Our MESSIAH , OUR KING , OUR PERFECT LAMB JESUS CHRIST.Amen.
Carole.
Usually, even when I wake up at 7am I just read the prayer of the day and go back to sleep postponing all the other readings till later. Last night I said to God, ‘God, give me the spirit of prayer, help me wake up at 4am every morning to praise and worship your name’. I was almost tempted to set my alarm clock due to the fact that i am not the type who would wake up at 4am. But I said to myself, ‘just believe’. So I went to bed between 1-2am. I woke up this morning and looked at the time , it was 3 min to 4am!!! Hallelujah !!!! I smiled and said ‘thank You Lord’! He woke me up and gave me strength to pray, pray and pray!! I love Him, He never leaves us nor forsakes us!! “Praise be to God , for His mercies EDURETH forever “. Stay blessed my blogg family
Bless you, Patricia! Amen!
Amen sister in Christ!
Such a profound image to have in one’s mind–an actual crucifixion–an individual nailed to a cross. I can’t imagine the pain for the person going through such an horrific torture on the taunting of the Roman cross–and knowing that death awaited him (her)–the agonizing pain of the physical condition and yet fear of the unknown upon dying. If such a thing were in front of us today, to stand witness to, would not our hearts be wretched with grief for a person we would not even know?
I thank God for the gifts He has bestowed upon us–the reality of the Word, and grace granted to us, that we, by our faith, know Jesus, cling to Him, and never let Him go. Jesus suffered the same agonizing physical pain as the one depicted in this photo, yet even more so because of the beating He endured in jail beforehand; then, with the crown of nails pierced to His skull, was beaten and whipped along the way to the very cross that would sanctify us. Yet even more profound was the truth behind what He knew his life death and resurrection meant for His God and all of us. I thank You Lord, that You served us, suffered beyond comprehension, and gave up Your life, so that we would know forgiveness and be saved. Let us live to glorify You, with everything that we are. Let us cling to the Word and maintain our ever close relationship with You, Our Lord and God.
We we adore Thee, Lord Jesus. We rest our hope in the grace that has been gifted to us, through You. We are obedient as children, and let go of our ignorance and sinfulness of past ways. Let us absorb the teaching of the Holy Word and take on a new holy way to conduct ourselves as You have ordained. We call on You, our Heavenly Father, in prayer and hope and faith, for we know we were redeemed by the precious blood of your son and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. He was a spotless lamb, who came before the slaughter on our behalf, so that we might know forgiveness, be sanctified by your loving grace, and be saved by the gift of eternal life! We shall live our lives with pure hearts of love for You, and each other, for we have been born again and know with all certainty, as sure as everything fades away, the word of the Lord, endures, forever!
Blessings dear fellow saints!
Thank you sister Beverlee, such powerful words only come through The Spirit within. Bless you today. how is your mom?
Blessings to you, sister Catherine. My mom is still knowing my voice on the phone, though engaging less and less; movng quickly into the next stage; will see her in two weeks time. Thank you and the rest of the saints for praying for her. I was just reminded this afternoon at a gatherng how many wonderful saints at the church are praying for her. Unfortunately, sometimes I forget all the blessings of prayer for her. I know I don’ want her to suffer through this much longer, but God has His timing and plan for everything and I trust in Him and His great power. Blessings and continued prayer for you and your family, Catherne!
P.S. Catherine, the prayer I devised, today, was derived from the inspiration of the first epistle of Peter 1:12-25.
I just finished reading A Skeleton in God’s Closet…fascinating read. It really made me think…what if it was proven that Jesus did not rise from the dead? It was a really frightening thought for sure. We would all be lost. Thank you Jesus for you life, death and resurrection.
And thank you David for you faithfulness in presenting this blog every day…even through your illness and treatment. This blog is keeping me on track reading every day.
I think it would have been so difficult for the Jewish people to grasp the meanings of the prophesies before the time of Jesus’ crucifiction. With the written Word, and many years later, then they (we) would know that He is God.
Please pray for Ukraine and its allies.
I pray for Jerusalem once again.
Your strong faith is an inspiration to me DM. You, Billy Graham and the like are wonderful shepherds in our lives. Thank you Jesus.
May God bless us all this beautiful Spring day as the robin’s songs herald in the warmer weather.
“May God bless us all this beautiful spring day as the robin’s songs herald in the warmer weather.” Beautiful, Lynda–thank you! I am doing a painting of robins in spring, today!
Thank you David Mainse for another power pact deliverance on today’s lesson in Zechariah. Dr. Hitchcock surely put into perspective… the odds of prophecy coming into reality through Christ as just by chance…
It astonishes me how an Orthodox Jew can reject this fact…
Holy Father, thank You for Your one and only Son Jesus. I can’t begin to imagine the pain and sorrow that You would have gone through as You watched Him fulfill His purpose on the CROSS.
Lord Jesus pour Your Holy Spirit on to Your humble followers this day, for Your Honour and Glory! Amen!
Have a truly blessed day everyone!
Amen, David! Thank You for pouring Your Holy Spirit on us, Your low;y and humble servants, dear Lord! All for Your Honour and Glory!!
My own personal opinion is that the Orthodox Jews merely deny, deny, deny. I pray for them only because they have been forgiven and God loves them so much. I’m a touch disgruntled with them but I don’t count in the grand scheme of things. If our heavenly Father loves them, who am I not to love and forgive them?
God forgives us all the same way, Lynda, and we are reminded not to judge each other–that is up to God. The scriptures teach us to love God first and foremost and to love our neighbours with the same heart of love. Perpetually, we are all neigbours to one another. God bless you, dear sister-in-Christ!
Only the Holy Spirit can remove the veil…and reveal truth.
Thanks be unto the Lord Jesus Christ. We are debtors to Him forever. Amen to all that has been written before. Perhaps we could go to You Tube and listen to the song, “Such Love” Because He was willing to suffer so much for us, that love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost to love one another. Love to all.
Here it is, Ger:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XRTUk5vbNY
Such Love, Pure As the Whitest Snow
by Graham Kendrick
Such love, pure as the whitest snow
Such love, weeps for the shame I know
Such love, paying the debt I owe
O Jesus, such love
Such love, stilling my restlessness
Such love, filling my emptiness
Such love, showing me holiness
O Jesus, such love
Such love, springs from eternity
Such love, streaming through history
Such love, fountain of life to me
O Jesus, such love
© 1988 Make Way Music
Oh loving Father, may I always keep the sight of The Cross of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour before me. I cannot imagine such suffering, especially for The One who was blameless but in obedience gave HIS Life for us.
Saviour, keep me near The Cross!!!!!
Blessings on this day fellow saints in Jesus. Thank you Pastor David for our readings and your expounding of how to apply it to our daily lives.
Dear Rev. David M.
Once more today your daily prayer is one that I want to recite and offer to the Lord and I was thinking this morning early that your thank yous could have the sign of infinity in caculus would be very suited for the ultimate gift that our Heavenly Father did when He gave His ONLY SON JESUS CHRIST.
PS… Thank you Beverlee Busch for a beutiful song of worship.
Have a blessed day sisters and brothers in Christ.
xxxx Carole.
I really do not understand so much of Bible, more so the books of the old testament. Why are there so many riddles? So much repetition? So many names I for one will never remember. I have been trying to follow this blog, but so much of it I just don’t get. I feel so weary. God help me.