1) Psalm 22: Christ was and is King
As Christ dies he cries out loud the beginning of the 22nd Psalm, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”(Psalm 22:1)
The Centurion who said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” knew the death itself was miraculously early, indicating that though God had taken his spirit, God had not forsaken him entirely. However as practicing Jews know, quoting the leading line of a Scripture portion, points to the whole passage.
When we consider Psalm 22 we see that Christ quoting it there was a rebuke. They were fulfilling Psalm 22!
Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth (Psalm 22:3-21)
It is not a compliment to any of them there that there was none to help. It is no compliment that he was despised as a worm. It is no compliment that they mocked.
Imagine looking on a spectacle, hearing the mocking mob and then being reminded of a well known Psalm by King David, from your hallowed history already a thousand years old, that speaks of everything you see about you?
So one moment Christ is crying 'Why have thou forsaken me'? calling for salvation as he dies and then the Divine prophecy, already part fulfilled in every detail before your eyes that you call to mind changes direction,
I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. (Psalm 22:22-24)
Then the tone suddenly changes again and we read of the Kingdom being Yahweh's. It is political as the word "nations" says, just as King David's kingdom was great among the nations.
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.
All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this. (Psalm 22:26-31)
The meek have been always oppressed, but then we are told the afflicted are heard... bear with me here! The salvation in Christ's death is translated to a multi-national POLITICAL salvation of many people, all of who are mortal (dying creatures). At an appointed time when the Kingdom is revealed as being Yahweh's, the meek will come and worship and speak of the rightness of God's actions, now almost 2000 years old!
Two thousand years ago the mockers said look at those nutty Christian people preaching Christ's resurrection and the coming Kingdom of God as, 'All things go on as they have from before!' (2 Pet 3:4). What if the events begun 2,000 years ago when a mob began to fulfill King David's Psalm of his greater Son are to be finally fulfilled in this generation? What if the Psalm's prophecy after traversing three thousand years is to finally end soon?
Because one thing is sure, nothing goes
on as it did before! Many rejoice or sorrow at who comes to power..
but as
the thousand year old Psalm 22 was being fulfilled nearly two
thousand years ago Pilate
wrote for all to
read, here is
the King of the Jews!
Within
a generation the Jewish nation ceased to exist and within a few more
generations
so did the Roman Empire!
Those
meek in every age that are in Christ enter directly
into
the
Commonwealth of Israel, obtain the covenants of promise, a strong
hope and the blessing of a life guided right
now and every day by
Yahweh Elohim for their good (Eph 2:12). We
pay taxes as strangers paying custom and tribute (Matt 17:25)
knowing that no matter who rules, they exist only as God allows and will pass away as wind blows away chaff, because
soon the meek will be blessed as all worship in Christ's Kingdom on earth as;
The kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations. (Psalm 22:28)
