The reversal - What was and what will be

Mark 15 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders, scribes, and the entire Council immediately held a consultation; and they bound Jesus and led Him away, and turned Him over to Pilate. ² Pilate questioned Him: “So You are the King of the Jews?” And He answered him, “It is as you say.” ³ And the chief priests started accusing Him of many things. ⁴ But Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You offer nothing in answer? See how many charges they are bringing against You!” ⁵ But Jesus said nothing further in answer, so Pilate was amazed.

⁶ Now at the Passover Feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. ⁷ And the one named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder in the revolt. ⁸ And the crowd went up and began asking Pilate to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. ⁹ Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” ¹⁰ For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. ¹² And responding again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” ¹³ They shouted back, “Crucify Him!” ¹⁴ But Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” ¹⁵ Intent on satisfying the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

¹⁶ Now the soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort. ¹⁷ And they dressed Him in purple, and after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; ¹⁸ and they began saluting Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!” ¹⁹ And they repeatedly beat His head with a reed and spit on Him, and kneeling, they bowed down before Him. ²⁰ And after they had mocked Him, they took the purple cloak off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.

²¹ And they compelled a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to carry His cross.

²² Then they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. ²³ And they tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. ²⁴ And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man would take. ²⁵ Now it was the third hour when they crucified Him. ²⁶ The inscription of the charge against Him read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

²⁷ And they crucified two rebels with Him, one on His right and one on His left. ²⁹ Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, ³⁰ save Yourself by coming down from the cross!” ³¹ In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself! ³² Let this Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.

³³ When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. ³⁴ At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabaktanei?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” ³⁵ And when some of the bystanders heard Him, they began saying, “Look! He is calling for Elijah!” ³⁶ And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.” ³⁷ But Jesus let out a loud cry, and died. ³⁸ And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. ³⁹ And when the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw that He died in this way, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

⁴⁰ Now there were also some women watching from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome. ⁴¹ When He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and serve Him; and there were many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

⁴² When evening had already come, since it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself also waiting for the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁴⁴ Now Pilate wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead. ⁴⁵ And after learning this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶ Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb which had been cut out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. ⁴⁷ Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were watching to see where He was laid.

Psalm 37:12-13 says: The wicked plots against the righteous, And gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him,  For He sees that his day is coming.  In today’s text it says: Now the soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort. And they dressed Him in purple, and after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; and they began saluting Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they repeatedly beat His head with a reed and spit on Him, and kneeling, they bowed down before Him. And after they had mocked Him, they took the purple cloak off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.  Philippians 2:9-11 says: Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Today’s text says: Then they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. And they tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man would take. Now it was the third hour when they crucified Him. The inscription of the charge against Him read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”  Revelation 19:11-16 says: 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. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

It may seem like the reversal is a long time coming, that the time from when Jesus was mocked to the time He will reign has been too long. God is not limited to or by finite time as we are. 2 Peter 3:8 says: Do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.  In truth, God is not and will not laugh at the outcome of those who choose evil. Ezekiel 18:21-23 says: “But if the wicked person turns from all his sins which he has committed and keeps all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall certainly live; he shall not die. All his offenses which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “rather than that he would turn from his ways and live?” 2 Peter 3:9 says: The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.  One thing that God will not reverse is what He has said. It will be as His word says, Jesus will return, this time not to be mocked, but to reign, not as King of the Jews, but as King of Kings. He will not come as the sacrificial redeemer, but as the righteous judge. At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. God will not reverse His plan, but we can reverse ours. We can repent and change the course of our lives and of our eternity.

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.