Sharon Betters

Today’s Treasure

Dear Friends,

Today we will join the crowds who followed Jesus, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” The more people heard about this “King of Israel” the more they wanted to be close to Him for they did not want to miss any miracle the rabbi performed. But as we know, all was not well on that fateful day:

The Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

John 12:19

I have no doubt the same women who followed Jesus to the Cross five days later were in this jubilant crowd, shouting Hosanna and laying down palms as a pathway for Jesus. Within a few days, their hosannas would turn into wails.

I wonder how many of those shouting Hosanna were there when John the Baptist introduced Jesus to the world:

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about.”

John 1:29-30

Throughout their history, God’s priests sacrificed a lamb every morning and every night. Year after year His people brought lambs to the priests with the purpose of shedding the blood of the lamb to wash away their sins. The need for sacrifices never ended because one sacrifice could not wash away their sins once and for all.

Throughout scripture, the Lord gives us glimpses through the blood of lambs of a future hope, that one day He would provide the ultimate sacrifice. When Pharaoh refused to let God’s people go, the final plague was the death of the firstborn son. God told His people to put the lamb’s blood on their doorposts to protect against the angel of death. They sheltered in their homes, praying, worshiping, waiting for the blood to do its work in warding off the angel of death. God kept His promise. What a picture of what was to come.

Later God tells Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son, the promised child, Isaac. As they traveled up Mt. Moriah, Isaac asks, “But where is the lamb?” Looking back we know that Abraham’s answer is the gospel, “God Himself would provide the lamb.” And so throughout their history, the Israelites watched for this lamb who would be the fulfillment of God’s promise made in Genesis: 3:14-15:

The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Genesis 3:14-15

The Israelites waited for their Messiah, many believing He would come as a conquering warrior, missing the repeated message of the lamb’s blood. In God’s perfect timing, John declares, This is the One! This is the Lamb we have been waiting for! God, not man, is providing the lamb who will take away the sins of His people. Behold, the Lamb of God!”

And now, the journey to the Cross is about to end, the place where the Lamb of God will sacrifice Himself to save His people from their sins. Let’s travel these last few days as women of the resurrection, watching the crucifixion from afar, eyes suddenly open to what John meant by his declaration, grateful for the blood of Jesus washing away our sins once and for all and longing to experience the power of His resurrection. And then may we rejoice:

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2

Treasured by Him,

Sharon

Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.

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Contact Sharon with comments or questions at d ailytreasure@markinc.org.

The Power of His Resurrection