God Said “Go Close the Windows”

 Last week I was at a Gospel performance featuring Michael and Ed Cullipher. Ed sang a song that likely brought tears to even the hardest heart, “Go Close the Windows.”

As Jesus hung on the cross “Angels cried Father please stop them" and God answered "Go close the Windows." What anguish God must have felt, nevertheless, as the Suffering Messiah Jesus was to serve as the propitiation for sin. Ephesians 2:8-9, “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Jesus was the  conciliation that permitted us to stand before our  righteous God. 

 

As I listened to Mr. Cullipher I thought back several years to when Pastor Bruce talked about “The Seven Sayings of Jesus on the Cross.” I was inspired to look into some of the Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled while Jesus hung on that cross.

 

The following is from my earlier blog postings:

 

# 1. Forgiveness: Luke 23:34, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

Numbers 15:26, “And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.”
Psalm 22:18, “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”

#2. Salvation: Luke 23:43, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Isaiah 40:3, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John the Baptist is often referred to as the end of The Old Testament.

#3. Relationship: John 19:26-27, “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Psalm 69:8 “I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.”

#4 Abandonment: Matthew 27:46, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Psalm 22:1, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”

#5 Distress: John 19:28, “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

Psaml 69:20, “Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.”

#6 Reunion John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

Psalm 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

#7 Triumph: Luke 23:46, “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”

Psalm 31:5, “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” 

Tetelestai means, “It is finished.” Jesus paid the price, it is up to each of us to choose to accept or reject the gift of Grace.