"Stretched Out and Crushed"

"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels." (Psalms 22:14) Looking at these next four verses, there is something that you should know as we study the crucifixion of our Lord, and that is the fact, that at the time of this writing the punishment of crucifying someone to a cross had not been practiced yet. The graphic detail of this kind of an execution is amazing, considering this was written about one thousand years before this event took place. Remember, the title that I mentioned was written over this Psalm in my Bible is "Anguish and Praise", to which we read today of the Lord's great anguish upon the cross; suffering a brutal death where not only did He have those huge nails through His flesh, but the weight of His own body caused Him great pain and suffering. "Poured out like water" is a term that expresses several different things in relation with what was taking place upon that cross. The first and foremost meaning is that of His blood sacrifice; the shedding of His blood for the sins of the world. There are some who speculate that Jesus did not die of a ruptured or broken heart, but that He bleed to death because of the scourging that He had received, and the fact that His body was so badly torn, that you could not recognize Him. The second meaning that we can gain from this, is the washing of His blood upon the earth; as if the Father is pouring out His Son upon the earth, thereby cleansing it with the Water from heaven. Another meaning that is a little more complicated to explain, is that of His life being poured out by His own people; as the promise that has filled the cup, being spilt out and rejected as if the people did not accept the contents of the cup. The simpler meaning, and one that describes His condition, is that of total exhaustion and thirst from the massive punishment that He was suffering. His bones were all out of joint, because of His hanging there for hours; besides of the jolting His body received as they dropped the cross into the ground as He was nailed upon it; His body was being stretched like salt water taffy is pulled so the aeration makes it soft and enjoyable (if you can understand that concept). And then, His 'heart of wax'; wax being always figurative of melting, Jesus' heart did melt within Himself, for several obvious reasons; the most obvious being His condition of despair and anguish as He hung there on the cross, and the massive pressure that was placed upon His heart and lungs as His chest was being pressed against them. But, His heart melted also for you and me, and for the many souls that would be rejecting His offering of love and sacrifice. Gazing down upon the crowd that had gathered, hearing all the cursing and ridicule that was being thrown at Him, and knowing how that they really had no clue what a terrible thing that they were doing, Jesus was heart-broken for His people; for all those that only hours before had been singing praises to His entrance as the Messiah, who now, were all disgusted by His torn body, as He hung before them on that cross. His heart was 'melted in the midst of His bowels', which is that place of emotions, distress, or love. No greater love could be expressed for you and I, and no greater love could the Father have offered the world than that of giving us His Son!!! The anguish that the Father must have felt, and the crushing that He must have felt within His heart! Do we really understand just how much He loves us? "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee." (THE SONG OF SONGS 1:2-4)