Jubilee Day!
Satan was still rejoicing at Jesus’ Words of “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Satan was not quite the Bible scholar he believed himself to be. If he had recalled The Book of Psalms, Chapter 22, he would have realized Jesus was quoting the lament of a hurting and grieving person. He was making a statement for all humanity who are weighed down with so many sins, they can no longer see God’s Face.
The Book of Psalms, Chapter 22 is a lament. But it ends with the triumphant Message that was about to be revealed from the cross.
Posterity will serve Him;
future generations will be told about The Lord.
They will proclaim His Righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it!
Psalm 22:30-31
At the moment satan heard those words, “It is finished,” he felt relieved. His plans had gone like clockwork. He interpreted Jesus’ proclamation as the beginning of Jesus’ concession speech.
But it was Jesus’ next Words that changed everything completely.
Jesus called out with a loud voice,
“Father, into Your Hands I commit My Spirit…”
Luke 23:46
We describe The Resurrection as happening on the third day after Jesus died on the cross.
I believe that in fact, The True Resurrection happened at the moment Jesus dismissed His Spirit to God and The Holy Spirit.
The Power of The Three in One was felt throughout the earth, including what was about to become a very shaky earth for satan.
At that moment
the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open.
The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.
They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ Resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him
who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed,
“Surely He was The Son of God!”
Matthew 27:51-54
I like to imagine that something else very significant was happening in the world of The Spirit. The One surrounded satan and said, “We have come to receive the wages you owe our people. We are here to settle the books.”
Satan said, “You can’t accept the wages for other people. They worked for me. They earned what they earned. Only they can receive their wages. That’s the rule.
You always go by the book. So you know what’s legal and what is not. I am in charge of the book of death. No one can open it but me.”
God’s Words are timeless. We are benefiting from Words spoken long ago. We speak and hear Words today. God allows us to hear Words now that will not be revealed to others until some time in the future.
I believe satan may have heard the words John later heard in his Revelation from God.
“…I am The First and The Last, The Living One.
I was dead, but now I am alive forever.
I have the keys of death and hell.”
Revelation 1:17-18
I believe satan’s protests were drowned out by the voices of angels and saints of God, who attested to The Power and Authority of The One to receive and deal with satan’s payroll.
And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand.
They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.
In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
Revelation 5:9-13 (NIV2011)
Satan tried one last plea. “They can’t be forgiven. They haven’t asked You. They haven’t forgiven anyone. I know Your Rules.”
I believe The One told satan, “You have spoken wrongly. This is the moment of The Jubilee! No longer will it be limited to once every seven years or to a specific day on the calendar.
On this day at this time, all debts are forgiven. All those held captive by you are freed. All property and everything I have given them from the beginning are returned to them. And from this day forward, it shall be that when they ask for the Mercy of The Jubilee, I will give it to them.”
Satan saw The One, standing in Power and Authority. He became aware of being sprinkled with fresh blood and water, gushing from the side of Jesus. And he heard,
This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ.
He did not come by water only, but by water and blood.
And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement!
1 John 5:6-8 (NIV2011)
