Peter described how the prophets of old foresaw the sufferings of Christ, but did not grasp their true meaning. They were told of these things by the Spirit of Christ that was in them, that same Spirit that quickens poor dead sinners and causes us to understand what those prophets could not.
In reviewing the Old Testament testimony to Christ's suffering, we noticed that Psalms 40 and 69 both address the unsatisfactory nature of animal offerings, and the Lord Jesus being brought in by God to make the perfect sacrifice in the place of sinners.
Our sins were laid on Jesus and He was treated as guilty in our place. He preached righteousness, and yet He was treated shamefully and full of reproach. He was smitten by God in our place, and wicked men persecuted Him on the cross.
These Psalms also predict that Jesus would be lifted up as God's salvation - both on Calvary's tree, and at the right hand of God!
They also told of how Messiah would be despised for His Gospel preaching, how He would be forsaken by His own brethren.
The zeal of God's house would eat Him up! The disciples connected this prophecy with Jesus' cleansing of the temple, which won Him powerful enemies who ultimately would put Him to death.
The Lord Jesus knew this perfectly well, for when they objected to His temple cleansing, He told them they would try to destroy His body, but He would rise again the third day!
Jesus knew that His zeal for God's house would result in their murdering Him on the cross.
In His thirst on the cross, the Psalmist had predicted they would insult Him with vinegar to drink.
It was the Lord Jesus Who made sure God's Word was fulfilled to the last letter.
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John Pittman Hey was born in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, to Godly parents who from the beginning raised him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. With child-like faith he came to Christ on his fourth birthday at his mother's knee. He received his education at church...
