Soli Deo Gloria

One cannot read through the passion of Christ in the gospels and not weep at the profound humiliation, abuse and suffering our Savior went through. Even more profound is that while we were yet sinners, Christ Jesus dies for us (Romans 5:8) and if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:10) Because of God’s eternal love for us, He sent His Son to die for our sins by shedding His blood on the cross and bearing the wrath we so deserve. This our Lord did willingly for us. Through faith and trust in Christ and His crosswork (the Puritans referred to Christ’s saving work on the cross as crosswork) we are forgiven of our sins and obtain the imputed righteousness of the spotless Lamb of God. This is amazing grace!

Jesus’ first advent was one of proclaiming the Good News of salvation and a proclamation of His death and shedding of precious blood through which we are saved. One reads the gospels and sees Christ as a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. (Isaiah 53:3) While the crosswork of Christ is glorious in what it achieved the story is not over. When comparing the passion of Christ with His glorious second advent in Revelation one finds treasures of Scripture that when compared are profound.

This brings us to a small study of Matthew 27 and Revelation 19. When I first began working on this study I was brought to my knees as I 1) visualized in my mind what we will see with our eyes at Christ’s second advent and 2) the majesty and glory of Christ’s return compared to the humiliation, ridicule and physical torment our He endured to redeem His elect.

1. The Glory of the Person of Christ

Let’s begin with

“They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. After they had mocked Him” (Matthew 27:30-31a)

Now compare it with

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.” (Revelation 19:11)

Here we have such a contrast. Our Savior being spit on, mocked, hit, ridiculed – and all for sinners like you and me. At our Lord’s second coming there is no humiliation, no spit, no mocking, no ridicule. There is only majesty, sovereignty and total righteous rule over the world as His enemies are made a footstool to His feet.

2. The Majesty of Our Sovereign King

Matthew 27:29 shows the soldiers twisting together a crown of sharp thorns and placing it on our Lord’s head. Our Lord experienced piercing pain as the long thorns were thrust into the thin flesh of the crown of the head against the skull. Again, ridicule and mocking of the Lamb of God. Compare this to Revelation 19:12 where we read, “His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems…”. Instead of blood stained eyes His eyes are like fire and on His head is not a twisted crown of thorns but a multitude of diadems – majestic crowns adorned with jewels to symbolize the utmost in sovereignty.

3. The Scepter of our Righteous King

Matthew continues in 27:29 that after “twisting together a crown of thorns” they “put a reed in His right hand”. A reed. A small, easily bent reed. The same plant that Isaiah so preciously writes of Christ’s saving nature that “a bruised reed He will not break.” (Isaiah 42:3) The soldiers were again mocking Him be presenting Him with such a “scepter”.

However, when compared to Revelation 19:15 we read that “He will rule them with a rod of iron”. At Christ’s second advent there will be no flimsy reed in His hand but a rod of strong iron which He will rule with – one of justice, judgment and righteousness.

4. A Scarlet Robe

In Matthew 27:28 we read that “they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him”. Along with the crown of thorns and the reed scepter this only added to the mocking by the soldiers. I can only imagine the darker spots of red on the scarlet robe from His body severely beaten and scourged by the soldier’s whips. This scarlet robe completed the ensemble created by the soldiers to mock the King of the Jews.

Revelation 19:13 also has our Lord in a scarlet robe but one scarlet red because it is “dipped in blood”. While theologians argue over who’s blood is on our King’s robe, contextually the passage answers that question. It is obviously the blood of our Savior – the atoning blood of the spotless Lamb of God. The King of Kings is wearing the robe dipped in blood as He is coming out of heaven – not after judgment that is to follow, so this cannot be the blood of the wicked.

5. Every Knee Shall Bow

In Matthew 27:29 we read that the soldiers “knelt down before Him and mocked Him saying “Hail, King of the Jews”. Here, God veiled in flesh was being humiliated, scorned, whipped, mocked and soon to be nailed to a cross for our sins. In Matthew we have a few soldiers kneeling down in mocking worship of our King. However, at our King’s second coming there will be a sound like thunder on the earth as every knee slams to the ground in one accord. Philippians 2:10 tells us “that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth…”.

6. The Great Cup…

So far I have been demonstrating the physical abuse our Savior received from humans.  Let me make something very clear – when our Savior was in the Garden praying with drops of blood from His body He was not praying for the Father to remove the pain of the cross or even the ridicule.  Our Lord was praying that if all possible that cup would be removed.  That cup is the wrath of God.  The all-out wrath of a pure, holy righteous God on the sin that would be laid upon that Spotless Lamb.  Jesus Christ took that wrath – the wrath we so deserve.  He was a propitiation – a satisfaction of that wrath.  He is the Captain of our salvation.  God had to turn away from His Son at that moment – a moment of absolute agony for Christ.  And yet we read that Christ ascended into Heaven – fully man and fully God.  He now sits at the right hand of the Father awaiting His return in power and glory and honor and all majesty – in the glory of God Almighty.

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I am always in awe as I read Scripture. It amazes me how the Holy Spirit will continually open our eyes to the beauty and preciousness of Christ in His Word. I am brought to my knees knowing that God sent His Son to die on the cross and take the wrath I so much deserve for a sinner such as I.By raising Christ from the dead, God showed His approval of the sacrifice of the unblemished Lamb of God. At this moment our Savior is seated at the right hand of God “always living to make intercession for us”. (Hebrews 7:25)

And oh the blessed day when the sky will split open revealing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with all the angels to usher in His elect. May we as regenerate Christians live our lives in constant expectation of the return of our Lord. May we live our lives in that expectation through mortification of sin and sanctification. May we obey the commandments of our Savior and “be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour”. Matthew 25:13

If you are not a Christian be aware that when Christ returns He will return not in humiliation but in total triumph and in judgment. Our holy God must punish sin and Scripture clearly tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. (Romans 3:23) Every single person deserves the punishment and wrath of God as we all have broken His perfect Law. That is the bad news. However, there is awesome good news. You have two ways to live. My friend – I urge you to carefully consider your standing with God.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Related posts:

1. Prophet, Priest & King
2. The Advent Conspiracy
3. A Passion for God’s Word
4. My King!
5. Christ My King on High