Confessed Murderers Acquitted !!!

In a stunning turn around of unprecedented proportions, a group of defiant cold blooded murderers facing the death penalty have been pardoned! The group consists of male and female rebels from diverse backgrounds and multiple ethnic and cultural persuasions. Each perpetrator was actually sentenced to death; yet by a stunning turn of events the court and Ruler in Jerusalem pardoned them after each one made a heart wrenching confession and expressed deepest sorrow for their horrendous deeds.

In Jerusalem over 2000 years ago a man was nailed to a cross and murdered by a group of rebels bent on defiance in direct opposition to the Law. Yet, the Victim of this terrible crime allowed it to happen in order to save the very people who were guilty of the crime!

"And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself...in the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease" Daniel 9:26-27.

As was shown on Wednesdays entry, a week is symbolic of 7 years in bible prophecy. We also saw that Jesus came and was anointed exactly on the date foretold by scripture. Now the prophecy speaks regarding the "70th week determined" upon the Jewish nation and foretells that final week in amazing accuracy.

After His anointing in 27 AD (at the end of the 62 weeks, noted above) Jesus ministered for 3.5 years healing the sick, feeding the hungry, teaching others to be selfless and kind to one another. Then "in the midst of the week" exactly 3.5 years later, in the year 31 AD, Jesus Christ (Messiah) was "cut off, but not for Himself" by allowing Himself to be murdered on a Roman Cross. He did not die for Himself... He died for the sins of other men who were guilty of sins He himself had never committed! But why ?!

The bible tells us that sin is the breaking of God's Commandments and that all men have broken them. The bible declares that all who break God's Commandments are guilty of sin and ultimately are deserving of death and will reap death because that is what sin does to people. Not only do sinners die because of the degradation that sin causes but also because God can not allow selfishness to run unchecked in a unselfish universe. Ultimately selfishness, which causes sin, if allowed to go unchecked would result in a desire to take God's throne and position for ourselves. Satan the instigator of sin said "I will exalt my throne above the Most High" and those with the same sinful attitude ultimately would try to do just that! Selfishness feeds upon itself and others and is never satisfied.

The first chapter of the book of John says that Jesus "Created all things". All things include the Commandments by which sinners are judged and condemned to death. Christ, who created beings with intelligence and freewill, allowed Satan to continue in selfishness and allowed him opportunity to deceive man into sin. The results of that deception are evidenced by the death and decay that is now all around us. Christ, in allowing man to fall by the deceptions of the devil, allowed for a demonstration of the results of sinful selfishness in view of all the unfallen intelligences in the universe as a witness. Now, on the Cross, Christ revealed His Plan for saving fallen man from the sin that they had been tricked into becoming addicts to.

Only One equal to the Law condemning the sinner to death, the One Who created it, could truly stand in the place of the sinner and take the penalty for sin upon Himself. In this way the standard of the Commandments was raised high for its perpetual goodness, and the love and justice and mercy and selflessness of the Creator was shown to the entire universe. On the cross God's hatred of sin and his love for the sinner were made fully manifest.

Those that Jesus healed were told "go and sin no more." Jesus said "If you love Me keep My Commandments." If we had kept His Commandments, we never would have become addicts to sin, and He never would have had to die "cut off, but not for Himself" - murdered, by all of us and our selfishness, nailed to a Roman Cross. If we truly loved Him we would never have sinned and would never have condemned Him, our Creator, to death.

As the chart in Tuesdays entry shows, Jesus kept the covenant with the Jewish nation for the entire 70 weeks given in Daniel 9. In the midst of the week He died, the true Lamb of God had come to be the Sacrifice for our sins. No longer would the temporary substitutionary sacrifice of animals be needed or accepted as a profession of faith for the pardon given on the part of a repentant sinner. Henceforth, only faith in the death of the Messiah, His sacrifice, along with a contrite confession and sorrow for our deeds of selfishness, that had placed Him on the Cross, would be acceptable to the Creator for Pardon.

In the midst of that 70th week Christ died, slept silent that Saturday in a tomb, and arose to life the first day of the week to present Himself before The Father as the "sacrifice and oblation" for a lost people. After resurrection Jesus tarried with the Disciples and told them to preach the Gospel (Goodnews) to all the house of Israel "first for a witness." This was done for an additional 3.5 years that the 70 week prophecy be fulfilled. Then, in the book of Acts we are told that great persecution erupted against the Christians in Jerusalem and upon the stoning of Stephen the Disciples fled Judea into the gentile regions carrying with them the "Goodnews" of Jesus the Messiah and His Salvation.

In perfect harmony with Daniel's Prophecy the 70 weeks were kept with the Jewish Nation. In the midst of that final week the King allowed Himself to be executed in our place in order that we might go free and yet by doing so He establish the credibility of the Law to the universe and the penalty due Satan who in his pride will never humble himself to accept the righteousness of God and His Law Established for the good of all free and created moral agents.

"How many times shall I forgive my brother if he sins against me? Seven times?" asked the man. "Not seven but rather 70 times 7" replied Jesus, clearly referring to His own patience with the Nation of Israel for the 490 years given them by the prophecy in Daniel chapter 9.

Are you a murderer? Are you sorry for your selfish nature and sinful deeds? Are you sorry you are this way and do you wish pardon and power to change your ways from the Man You placed upon the cross? Then seek Christ and confess to Him; ask Him in all sincerity to forgive you and to change your nature from sinful to selfless and He will grant you pardon through His blood and healing by the power of the Holy Spirit to walk in newness of life. Speak to Him. He is ready to meet you where you are.