The Day God Died

When it comes to the crucifixion of Jesus, everything happened as God said it would. I’m sure you noticed in verse 24 the phrase, “that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” This was referring to the soldiers who gambled to see who would win Jesus’ jacket. The crazy thing is, David wrote about this moment 1,000 years earlier in the book of Psalms. And there’s a lot more where that came from.

In verse 28, we see the same phrase being used again when Jesus says, “I thirst!” David described this moment in Psalm 22:15, “My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue clings to my jaws, you have brought me to the dust of death.”

David even goes on in Psalm 22 to describe Jesus on the cross with his hands and his feet pierced. David wrote this 500 years before crucifixion was even invented.

On top of that, God also gave the prophet Isaiah very distinct facts 700 years before the execution as well. He foretold of Jesus being struck on the back, His beard being plucked out, and his face being spit on. He foretold of Jesus dying in-between two criminals. He even foretold that Jesus would pray for his enemies.

In all, over 28 unique prophecies were fulfilled the day Jesus died. Why would God go to such great lengths to describe how His Son would die? Why would he call ‘8-ball corner pocket’ 1,000 years before the actual moment?

Verse 35 says, “so that you may believe.”

Ultimately, God did this so we would see that this whole thing was a rescue mission—that Jesus was sent into the world to save the world—and so we wouldn’t mistake it. He died so that we could live and that was the plan all along. John 10:18 says, “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of myself.” In a very real sense, He sacrificed His life so we could go free.

CREDIT: 21 Days in the Gospel of John by Levi Lusko

“The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.””

‭‭John‬ ‭19:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬