Week Nineteen: The King s Prophecy - Psalms 16, 22, 67, 69 Overview Beginning in the garden of Eden, God speaks of a coming Seed who will redeem man through substitutionary death. A picture of redemption follows this promise when God takes the skin of an animal to cover man s nakedness (Gen. 3:15, 21). He amplifies this promise to the following generations by accepting Abel s and Noah s sacrifices, by promising Abraham that his descendants will be a blessing to the nations, and by providing a substitute for Abraham s son Isaac. He continues to layer that promise of redemption with clearer pictures of redemption by accepting the lambs blood on the doorposts and lintels in the Passover, by establishing the Day of Atonement, and by giving Israel the sacrificial system. More clarification occurs in Balaam s blessing of Israel, I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel.... Out of Jacob One shall have dominion (Num. 24:17,19). The LORD layers promise upon promise, detail upon detail throughout the Old Testament. Isaiah picks up on God s proclamation strategy, Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure (Isaiah 46:9-10). Many of the psalms written by David reveal details about the King and Messiah to come; therefore this lesson will focus on those promises. Lesson Objective: At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to identify the way that God communicates fine details about His Son s coming a thousand years before it happens. Key Truths Throughout history, God has declared His redemptive plans so that people can correctly interpret the days in which they live and walk by faith. God doesn t wait for a person to be perfect before He will speak to him or her; He speaks to those who seek His heart. Bible literacy prepares God s people to embrace His truth and communicate His gospel to future generations. New Testament believers have to know the Old Testament to understand who Jesus is and what He has done. CBT 52 Lessons - "1
Lesson Outline Psalm 25:14 says, The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, and He shall show them His covenant. As David seeks God s heart, God shares His secrets with David, and, just as the psalms give the reader access to David s deepest feelings, so they also give access to the thoughts and feelings of a greater King than David. In a beautiful picture of grace, God communicates through David, flawed prophet though he is, presenting key truths about the Son of David who will sit on the throne forever. 1. His life - Psalm 22:9-10; Ps. 69:8-9 Originates in God (22:9-10) the uniqueness of His birth, as seen in Luke 2-3. Set apart from His own family (69:8) I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mother s children (8); in John 7:1-9, Jesus brothers taunt Him and try to get him to go up to the Feast of Tabernacles, where the Jews want to kill Him. John explains, For even his brothers did not believe in Him (7:5). In Mark 3, Jesus gathers His disciples and gives them power over demons, and When His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, He is out of His mind (3:21). Characterized by passion for God (69:9) in John 2, Jesus cleanses the Temple, chasing the moneylenders out and saving a special rebuke for the sellers of doves (2:16), who were taking advantage of the poorest of the poor. John 2:17 says, Then His disciples remembered that it was written, Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up. Jesus fulfills this excerpt from Psalm 69 perfectly, completely consumed by a passion that God house be exactly as holy and as open for worship as God intends it. In His zeal He also draws the wrath of the authorities, fulfilling the statement, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me (69:9). 2. His death (Ps. 22:1-8, 11-21; Ps. 69:21) Jesus calls out the opening line to this specific psalm from the cross. His cry, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Mk. 15:34), is not merely the cry of an anguished heart; it is a citation of a Psalm inviting further examination. And Psalm 22 is incredibly specific in its description of His suffering and death. Jesus experiences: Ridicule (Ps. 22-6-8) David records the words of enemies: All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him (22:7-8). In Matthew 27:43, the elders and chief priests taunt Jesus, saying, He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, I am the Son of God. The men crucified on either side of Him say exactly the same thing (Mt. 27:44). Jesus completely fulfills the expectation in Psalm 22 that He will be misunderstood and mocked. CBT 52 Lessons - "2
Isolation from friends (Ps. 22:11) Just as Jesus followers scatter in the Garden of Gethsemane, and Jesus faces trials and execution alone, David records in Psalm 22:11, Be not far from Me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Not one of the people that has walked with Jesus for His three years of ministry in Galilee is able to assist Him as He faces death. Being surrounded by enemies (Ps. 22:12-13, 16a) Many bulls have surrounded Me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion.... For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me (Ps. 22:12-13, 16a). For Jesus entire time of arrest, trial, and execution, He is surrounded by hostile religious leaders and their guards, by Romans and their soldiers, and by Herod and his soldiers. They beat him and spit on Him, tart Him up in royal robes and a crown of thorns, mocking worship to Him. Even on the cross, His enemies surround Him and mock Him. Thirst (Ps. 22:15; 69:21) My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death (Ps. 22:15). They also gave me gall for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink (Ps. 69:21). After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, I thirst Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth (Jn. 19:28-29). Even the smallest detail of Jesus crucifixion has been mapped out a thousand years in advance. Crucifixion (Ps. 22:14, 16b) Jesus heart is like melted wax, and all of His bones are disconnected from their proper places. The jarring drop when the soldiers lower the cross into the ground would have popped His shoulders out of their sockets, and, when the soldier spears Jesus to make sure He s dead, immediately blood and water came out (Jn. 19:34). His hands and feet are pierced through (Ps. 22:16b), just as in crucifixion. These are incredible descriptions; the Jews had not yet come into contact with a culture that crucified people. Garments divided (Ps. 22:18) They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots (Ps. 22:18). Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be. (Jn. 19:23-24). In a beautiful picture, Jesus own executioners end up wearing His clothing what better example of His righteousness clothing sinners? 3. His resurrection (Ps. 16:9-11) Both Peter and Paul cite Psalm 16:8-11 as a prophecy of Jesus resurrection. Peter cites it on Pentecost as a proof to his Jewish audience that Jesus could not stay dead, noting: CBT 52 Lessons - "3
Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on the throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. (Acts 2:29-32) Paul likewise defends Jesus resurrection to the Jews in Antioch in Pisidia, noting that God has fulfilled His promise to the fathers by raising Jesus from the dead, so that by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses (Acts 13:30-39). 4. His reign (Ps. 22:22-31; Ps. 67) Jesus triumph shines through the last part of Psalm 22. David offers a declaration of praise to God from both god fearers and the children of Israel (22:23). Israel s unique relationship with the Lord expands to the nations: All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the LORD s, and He rules over the nations (22:27-28). And the goodness of what God has done will extend into the future A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, they will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, that He has done this (22:30-31). Psalm 67 likewise expands God s reign to all the nations: God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause his face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.... God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him (67:1-3, 7). Application - What does this lesson teach us about God? Man? Sin? Redemption? God doesn t speak through perfect people; He speaks through flawed people who seek Him. God has always planned to redeem sinners through Jesus. Even the fine details of the crucifixion reveal that Jesus wasn t executed or killed; He gave His life voluntarily for man s sin. Redemption comes only through the blood of the innocent on behalf of the guilty. God s redemption extends to the nations; they must hear about what He has done for them. Summary God speaks through David, a thousand years before Jesus coming and crucifixion, to prepare people for when it happens. God s heart has always been to include the nations in His kingdom. God acts by revealing His secrets to David as David seeks his heart. CBT 52 Lessons - "4
God reveals incredible details of Jesus life, death, resurrection, and reign. Discussion Questions God has given an amazing amount of detailed information about His Son through the whole story of Scripture. Why do so few believe? What does David communicate about the Messiah to come? Why is it so important for the believer to immerse him or herself in the Old Testament, to build an understanding of who Jesus is? How did these Old Testament details equip Jesus disciples and Paul to communicate the truth of the gospel? How important was it for them to know the Old Testament well? Why is it important for Christians today to know the Old Testament well? CBT 52 Lessons - "5