John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
What
stood out to me this year as we studied Jesus’s death was that He chose exactly
when to die when He “gave up his spirit.” He didn’t succumb to death and His
life wasn’t taken from him. He died at the exact moment and time He and the
Father planned. In fact, even the timing of what happened after His death
continued to fulfill God’s plan.
John 19:31-37 31 Now it was
the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because
the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the
Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of
the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.
33 But when they came to Jesus and found that
he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead,
one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of
blood and water. 35 The man who saw it
has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the
truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These
things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones
will be broken,” 37 and, as another
scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”
The Jewish leaders were so concerned
about being outwardly clean in order to celebrate the Passover. Crucified before
them, though, was the only truly clean and perfect Righteous One. All their
previous Passover celebrations pointed to this final Passover sacrifice.
As God had commanded Moses and the
Israelites not to break the bones of the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:46), so God
made sure His ultimate Passover Lamb’s bones weren’t broken.
As God had commanded Moses and the
Israelites to spill the Passover lamb’s blood and take shelter under it (Exodus
12:6-7, & 13), so God made sure His ultimate Passover Lamb’s blood was
spilt so you and I could take shelter under it.
Jesus was the perfect and final Passover
Lamb. Have you accepted Him as your Passover Lamb who died in your place, taking
the judgment you deserve? If so, you and I have shelter under His blood for
forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and His robe of righteousness!
