DOUBLE
JEOPARDY
Proverbs
19:12
“A
king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the
grass.”
The recent parallel Bible series
that carried us through Lent and the Easter celebration ended with Jesus
ascension back to heaven. One of the last
things John 19:28 says Jesus said while hanging on the cross before He gave up
His spirit was, “I am thirsty.” What does Jesus being thirsty have to
do with Double Jeopardy? [JEP-ur-dee]
means danger, risk, or trouble.
The law of double jeopardy is that a
person cannot be tried twice for the same crime. When Jesus cried out from the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew
27:46), Jesus took the totality of human sin onto Himself. Holy Father took His wrath out on Jesus for
our sin, and had to look away. Jesus
became humans’ “burnt offering” when He willingly sacrificed Himself to death on
a cross to pay for our crime of sin.
Since Old Testament times, a burnt
offering of sacrificed animals paid for people’s sins. So when Jesus took human sin on Himself on
the cross, He became the sacrificed Lamb of God (John 1:29), our burnt offering
as payment for sin. The Father accepted
Jesus’ death as the final sacrifice for mankind’s sin.
Jesus’ death also bought humans
gifts.
Jesus paid for our crime of sin with
His life. As a burnt offering, Jesus
felt thirsty hanging on that cross. Jesus
saying, “I am thirsty.” is our only hint that
Jesus felt burnt- offering heat and parched throat. This fulfilled Psalm 69:21 prophecy. Instead of complaining, Jesus died. After rising to life again after three days,
instead of complaining, Jesus offers people forgiveness of sin. Instead of complaining that people rejected
His sacrifice, Jesus offers believers eternal life.
But
the devil loves to remind us of sin. 1
Peter 5:8 warns us, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion, (pretending to be king, pretending to be God), looking for
someone to devour (accuse).” Tell the
devil, “Double Jeopardy!” when he assures you that God could never save a
sinner like you. “Jesus already paid for
confessed sin! I cannot be tried for it
again. I am free!”
Take
Home Nugget
The second part of
the opening Scripture is favor. 1
Corinthians 1:30 says, “It is because of him that we are in Christ Jesus, who
has become for us wisdom from God—that is our righteousness, holiness and
redemption.”
When God
looks at you, He sees a dearly beloved.
He looks at you with favor, not wrath.
Jesus
paid my death sentence, and I cannot be tried for my sins today.
Hallelujah!
J.D.
Griffith
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