The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Matthew 26:33-34,
"Peter replied, 'Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.' 'Truly I tell you,' Jesus answered, 'this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.'"
This exchange took place between Jesus and Peter on the Mount of Olives just following his last supper with his disciples. Jesus had announced they would all fall away from him and then quoted Zechariah 13:7, "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered."' It all turned out exactly as Jesus said it would. When Judas showed up with the crowd that arrested Jesus that night, the disciples were scattered and Peter denied Jesus three times.
Jesus quote of Zechariah 13 pointed to a perfect fulfillment of that prophecy that spoke to other things as well.
Like much of the fulfillment of prophecy, partial aspects of a specific prophecy have their fulfillment in special ways. Here is how Zechariah 13:7 looks, "Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!' declares the Lord Almighty. 'Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.'"
In looking at Peter's triple denial of Jesus that night, I have a thought that is only conjecture on my part. A lot has been said about Peter's denial of Jesus and the flaws within him to do such a thing. I'm not so sure about that all that. Look at Zechariah's prophecy, "the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones." What if the Lord had a hand in Peter's denial? The Lord said he would turn his hand against the shepherd's little ones.
"Peter replied, 'Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.' 'Truly I tell you,' Jesus answered, 'this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.'"
This exchange took place between Jesus and Peter on the Mount of Olives just following his last supper with his disciples. Jesus had announced they would all fall away from him and then quoted Zechariah 13:7, "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered."' It all turned out exactly as Jesus said it would. When Judas showed up with the crowd that arrested Jesus that night, the disciples were scattered and Peter denied Jesus three times.
Jesus quote of Zechariah 13 pointed to a perfect fulfillment of that prophecy that spoke to other things as well.
Like much of the fulfillment of prophecy, partial aspects of a specific prophecy have their fulfillment in special ways. Here is how Zechariah 13:7 looks, "Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!' declares the Lord Almighty. 'Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.'"
In looking at Peter's triple denial of Jesus that night, I have a thought that is only conjecture on my part. A lot has been said about Peter's denial of Jesus and the flaws within him to do such a thing. I'm not so sure about that all that. Look at Zechariah's prophecy, "the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones." What if the Lord had a hand in Peter's denial? The Lord said he would turn his hand against the shepherd's little ones.
Why would the Lord do such a thing? In continuing my conjecture, the death of Jesus Christ was to be the singularly most important event to ever have taken place on planet earth. Nothing among mankind begins to approach the significance, the momentous importance of the payment for all mankind's sins that Jesus wrought on that cross. It was not to be obscured as some kind of retaliation by the Jewish leaders against a mob of rebels. Possibly the Lord scattered his disciples to prevent such an obscurity? If that be the case, what possibility did Peter have but to deny the Lord to prevent his share in the judgment that was coming Jesus' way?
Consequently, with a thief on either side of him, (communicating other things) we see Jesus, alone among all his disciples lifted from the earth on that miserable cross to die a horrific death to take the payment for my sins and your sins.
As I say, just conjecture here on my part. Has Peter had a bad rap among many? What do you think?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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