Prayer: Father, my eyes are open, my heart is ready, my mind is alert to Your Spirit. Teach me today. Amen.
Reading: Deuteronomy 21 key: vs. 22-23
22 “Suppose a man is guilty of a sin with a death sentence and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree. 23 His body is not to remain all night on the tree—instead you must certainly bury him the same day, for anyone hanged is a curse of God. You must not defile your land that Adonai your God is giving you as an inheritance.
Attention: If you have watched a vintage western movie, you probably witnessed a hanging. Hanging was the method of capital punishment for cattle rustlers and someone who killed an unarmed man or someone who did not draw or shoot on you first.
In biblical times, “hanging was not regarded as a means of capital punishment according to biblical law, although it was practiced by the Egyptians (Genesis 40:19,22), and the Persians (Esther 7:9)”, according to the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (pg. 713).
Biblical law as we see in Deuteronomy 21 required that man’s body, if hanged, be taken down and buried the same day, “for anyone hanged is a curse of God.”
It was this requirement by Adonai which prevailed in Messiah’s death of the cross. His body was secured by a rich man, Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15: 42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19: 38-42). The cross which Messiah died upon was considered a tree because it was constructed from a tree. So, accordingly, Joseph rushed to Pilate in order to fulfill the same day burial requirement given by God.
I encourage you to ponder these things when you next participate in the Lord’s Communion, in remembrance of Yeshua Messiah.
Action: I choose to remember the price Yeshua paid for me on the cross at my next communion.
Yield: I choose to ponder on the details of Messiah’s death.
Engage: I choose to engage with the Holy Spirit in remembering Messiah’s death, burial & resurrection.
Relationship: I choose the close intimate relationship with Adonai.
Prayer: Father, it is a curse to be hung upon a tree. Messiah took the curse of death upon a tree for me and prevailed over death. He arose triumphantly, walked upon the earth for another forty days then ascended into heaven to be seated with You. I look expectantly for Messiah’s return! Amen.
Memory Verse: Galatians 3:13-14
13 Messiah liberated us from Torah’s curse, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)— 14 in order that through Messiah Yeshua the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so we might receive the promise of the Ruach through trusting faith.
Music Video: Phillips, Craig & Dean—Crucified With Christ https://youtu.be/_0_1jazh454
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”