Daily devotion – Thursday 1st July 2021
Isa 50:6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
We leave the Garden of Gethsemane and now make our way to the area of Golgotha (place of the skull) and the Garden Tomb, where we will celebrate the resurrection with communion and a time of praise.
Golgotha, or the place of the skull where we believe that Jesus Christ was crucified is an amazing place.
Golgotha lies about a mile and a half from where Jerusalem is situated today but the old city of Jerusalem was situated much closer to the place of the skull.
It would have taken about 1 to 1 ½ hours to walk. One of the interesting facts about the place of Jesus crucifixion is that our guides explain that Christ would not have been crucified on the highest part of Golgotha, but at a height where people could view Him, speak to Him and hear Him as He spoke whilst hanging on the cross. As you read the Gospel accounts this makes a lot of sense with the descriptions of the events at the time of Christ’s crucifixion.
Today, a bus depot lies at the base of Calvary which is quite a culture shock as we visit this location.
Seven hundred years before the events at Calvary, Isaiah would give us in detail what would await our Lord here at Golgotha – Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Each time I sit across from this rocky outcrop, I am always reminded of our Lord’s isolation and loneliness as He hung on that cruel cross before the world.
What was Jesus thinking when He hung there?
David in Psalm 22, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit actually tells us what was happening in our Lord’s mind at the time – 7 Everyone who sees me mocks me.
They sneer and shake their heads, saying,
8 “Is this the one who relies on the LORD?
Then let the LORD save him!
If the LORD loves him so much,
let the LORD rescue him!”
14 My life is poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart is like wax,
melting within me.
15 My strength has dried up like sun-baked clay.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead.
16 My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs;
an evil gang closes in on me.
They have pierced my hands and feet.
17 I can count all my bones.
My enemies stare at me and gloat.
18 They divide my garments among themselves
and throw dice for my clothing.
I find David’s Psalm 22, staggering in its description and cannot read through these verses without pausing and knowing that Jesus went through all of this for you and me.
But our tour does not finish at Golgotha! Neither did Christ’s ministry stop at the cross.
There was more to come, for just a short walk from Golgotha, the place of Christ’s crucifixion, is the tomb where His body was laid. We will look at the Garden Tomb another day.
As we close today’s devotion, let us humbly remember that Christ alone paid for our sins. He alone took our judgment upon Himself.
Never did He seek to halt His crucifixion, never did He cry out for the cruelty to stop.
Isaiah put it so eloquently – Isa 53:7
He was oppressed and treated harshly,
yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
Truly His death was a sacrifice to end all sacrifices!
This week, let us give thanks to our Lord for His great love for you and honour Him with worship and praise!