Spurgeon: January PM
* 01/16/PM
"The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself."
--Daniel 9:26
Blessed be His name, there was no cause of death in Him.
Neither original nor actual sin had defiled Him, and therefore
death had no claim upon Him. No man could have taken His life
from Him justly, for He had done no man wrong, and no man could
even have lain Him by force unless He had been pleased to yield
Himself to die. But lo, one sins and another suffers. Justice
was offended by us, but found its satisfaction in Him. Rivers of
tears, mountains of offerings, seas of the blood of bullocks,
and hills of frankincense, could not have availed for the
removal of sin; but Jesus was cut off for us, and the cause of
wrath was cut off at once, for sin was put away for ever. Herein
is wisdom, whereby substitution, the sure and speedy way of
atonement, was devised! Herein is condescension, which brought
Messiah, the Prince, to wear a crown of thorns, and die upon the
cross! Herein is love, which led the Redeemer to lay down His
life for His enemies!
It is not enough, however, to admire the spectacle of the
innocent bleeding for the guilty, we must make sure of our
interest therein. The special object of the Messiah's death was
the salvation of His church; have we a part and a lot among
those for whom He gave His life a ransom? Did the Lord Jesus
stand as our representative? Are we healed by His stripes? It
will be a terrible thing indeed if we should come short of a
portion in His sacrifice; it were better for us that we had
never been born. Solemn as the question is, it is a joyful
circumstance that it is one which may be answered clearly and
without mistake. To all who believe on Him the Lord Jesus is a
present Saviour, and upon them all the blood of reconciliation
has been sprinkled. Let all who trust in the merit of Messiah's
death be joyful at every remembrance of Him, and let their holy
gratitude lead them to the fullest consecration to His cause.