When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit. —John 19:30
When we consider Jesus’ last words on the cross, we find something remarkable. When everything that was necessary had occurred, when every element of God’s plan was in place, the fullness of time arrived (Gal. 4:4).
It was a moment of contrasts between the old and the new. In the Old Testament, the people prepared places, objects, and elements to offer their sacrifices. In the New Testament, only two things were necessary: the cross and the Lamb. In the Old Testament, a cloud suddenly covered the tabernacle, making it impossible for people to enter because it was filled with the glory of Yahweh (Ex. 40:34–35). But on that Friday, a different scenario emerged—instead of being filled with the brilliance of God’s glory, darkness filled the earth, causing great fear to come over everyone who was there. And at that moment, our Lord surrendered His soul; His work had been completed with perfection.
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“Last Words: ‘It Is Finished’”(ReviveOurHearts.com/blog)
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible ®. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible ® and CSB ® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
Make it Personal
How do the sacrifices in the Old Testament that were necessary for the atonement of sin point to Christ’s one great sacrifice?