Behold - Your Saviour!

Behold - Your Saviour!

In the past, I have done devotions on the theme of Behold, A Fivefold Picture (of the Saviour), basically presenting the contrasts between the Gospels, using the five different Behold statements about the Saviour. Ie. Isaiah 42:1 states, "Behold my servant," and corresponds with the Gospel of Mark which presents Jesus as a servant.

Now at the Mission we are working our way through the Gospel of John, and I was covering part of John 19. I know there are five different statements about the Saviour using the word "Behold," that use the term in a different way than it is normally used (ie. Behold, ... Consider something - but these statements are commanding us to behold a Person - eg. Behold your King - no comma - ie. Take a long, deep look at your King).

For a refresher I rechecked to find behold is used 1326 times in 1275 verses - only eight verses are used differently covering these five statements:

Behold My Servant! - Isaiah 42:1 and Matthew 12:18. Corresponding to the Gospel of Mark.
Behold the Man! - John 19:5 and Zechariah 6:12. Luke presents Jesus as the perfect Man.
Behold your King! - John 19:14. Corresponding to the Gospel of Matthew.
Behold the Lamb of God! - John 1:29, 36. The overall theme of the Gospels, and the Bible as a whole.
Behold your God! - Isaiah 40:9. Corresponding to the Gospel of John.

5 statements about the Saviour in eight verses, each representing a different aspect of His character...

Today I presented Jesus going to the cross using these five statements.

1) Behold My Servant!

Isaiah 42:1-4 and Matthew 12:18-21 showing what our Saviour was like.
Matthew 20:28 how Jesus came to serve us by giving His life for us.
Isaiah 53:11 how the knowledge and reception of that Servant leads to salvation.
Here is the Saviour going to fulfill His ministry: Behold my Servant!

2) Behold The Man!

John 19:1-12 Recap Jesus' struggle in the Garden, capture by the guards, beatings, scourgings, crown of thorns beaten onto His head, etc.
Behold the Man! (this word carries the idea of weakness) - the Saviour at His weakest, then being crucified, thirsting - John 19:28 Behold the Man!

3) Behold Your King!

John 19:13-22 His authority is shown by commanding the crowd to let His disciples go - John 18:8
Mocking of Jesus by the purple kingly robe, crown of thorns, presented as the King of the Jews, sign above His head - John 19:19 (shows God's authority and overruling of His enemies' intents to show who Jesus was, even to those who refused the truth), His dying at His choice and command, not man's - John 19:30 (notice the "It is finished" - the price was paid for our sin, victory was won! Recall what God's Servant would do in Matthew 12:20). Behold Your King!

4) Behold The Lamb of God!

The Passover Lamb - perfect, young, beloved, killed and His blood shed for our salvation - see especially Exodus 12:3-7, notice "a lamb... the lamb... your lamb" - the young lamb they had grown to love now killed for them and the blood applied... On the cross, dying for our sins, shedding His blood - John 19:16-18 Has His blood been applied to your soul through faith in His sacrifice for you? Behold the Lamb of God!

More weakness - laid in the tomb for three days and nights, then...

5) Behold your God!

The Saviour has risen. He is alive! Behold the King of Kings; behold your God; behold your Saviour!

The Lord Jesus Christ has triumphed, He has risen forevermore.

Behold your God! Isaiah 40:9-10 John 20:24-28

April 14th, 2011
Jerry Bouey