##DailyDevotion Jesus Fulfills Scripture & Opens God’s Kingdom To Us
John 19: 23When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took His clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier, and the tunic was left over. The tunic was without a seam, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another, “but let’s throw lots and see who gets it” — what the Bible said had to come true: “They divided My clothes among them, and for My garment they threw lots.” So that’s what the soldiers did. 25Now, His mother and her sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary from Magdala were standing near Jesus’ cross. 26Jesus saw His mother and the disciple He loved standing near. “Woman,” He said to His mother, “there is your son!” 27Then He said to the disciple, “There is your mother!” The disciple took her and from that time on had her in his home. 28After this, knowing everything had now been done, and to have the words of the Bible come true, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge soaked in the wine on a hyssop stem and held it to His mouth. 30When Jesus had taken the wine, He said, “It is finished.” Then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
As we read the account of Jesus’ crucifixion, if we turn to Psalm 22 and read that in parallel to it, it is like you are reading two eyewitness accounts of the crucifixion and Psalm 22 was written a thousand years earlier by King David. David was a prophet. He must have seen this by the Spirit. Makes you wonder what he may have felt seeing this happen to his descendant and his LORD. In Psalm 22 it is written, “7All who see Me mock Me; with mouths wide open they are wagging their heads (saying): 8 Put Your trouble on the Lord. —Let Him rescue Him and save Him, seeing He delights in Him!” This indeed we witness as we hear the crowds on Good Friday mocking our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We also read in Psalm 22, “8 They divide My clothes among themselves my clothes among themselves and throw dice for My garment..” So too, here in this and every account we see the Roman soldiers dividing up Jesus’ clothes and casting lots to see who gets his one piece tunic. It still never ceases to amaze me as I read the Psalm and then hear the Gospels’ account of Jesus’ crucifixion. He indeed fulfilled everything in that Psalm from his arrest, his death and even his hope for the resurrection and the growth of his Church.
But then there is this passage, “8After this, knowing everything had now been done, and to have the words of the Bible come true, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29A jar full of sour wine was standing there.” What does drinking sour wine fulfill? In Psalm 69 it is written, “21And they put gall in My food and for My thirst give Me vinegar to drink.” Indeed much of Psalm 69 speaks of the treachery of the ruling Jews to Jesus. But there is another place we should look, Luke 22 where Jesus says, 18“I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until God’s kingdom comes.” You might remember Jesus refused wine earlier in his crucifixion. Now, Jesus seeing everything was finished takes the sour wine. Why? With everything accomplished by Jesus on the cross, God’s kingdom has come. It has been opened to all believers. Everyone who puts their trust in Jesus is now partakers with Jesus in his kingdom. Everything necessary for your salvation is completed by Jesus. Let us give him thanks and praise.
Merciful God and Father, you offered up your Son Jesus Christ as the sacrifice so we may enter into your eternal kingdom. Grant us faith in Jesus so we may drink with him in his kingdom now and forever. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.