Days of Praise ~ Yahweh Makkeh ~ The LORD Who Smites

 “I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the LORD that smiteth.” Ezekiel 7:9

Israel was continuously rebellious, particularly with regard to their blatant idolatry. God’s judgment was inescapable. God smote Israel by allowing Babylon to hold them captive for 70 years. God knew what it would take for Israel to forsake idolatry and return to him.

God also knew…from the beginning...what it would take to reconcile the world to himself...

When Jesus was growing up and studying the scriptures, he read the prophecies about himself. He read about himself in the scriptures. He understood everything that would happen to him, and important things he would accomplish. Though he was a Son, he learned obedience by the things he suffered. (Hebrews 5:8) 40 minus one stripes. He knew what was ahead of him.

Highlights of the prophecies of his crucifixion: Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 50:6, Isaiah 52:13 through chapter 53, Zechariah 12:10-11, Zechariah 13:6-7, and the eight words that Jesus read in Hebrew scripture before he ever spoke them... "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Psalm 22:1 


Remember when God walked through the animal parts as he made covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15? In essence, God was saying that if he didn't keep his part of the covenant, may he wind up like those animals. AND, if Abraham didn't keep his part of the covenant, may the curse be on God. Under the New Covenant, Jesus came to break the curse of the law. Jesus Christ was torn to pieces, just like the animals in the Covenant of Parts in Genesis 15. (Credit to Tim Keller for this insight.)

The high priest, Pilate, the Jews, and the Roman soldiers all smote him. He was spat upon, struck, scourged, and crucified. Because of his  obedience and great love for God his Father, and mankind, he willingly submitted to the will of his Father. He was, for the first time, separated from his Father in Heaven, because he took upon himself the sins of the whole world.

On two occasions, Moses smote the rock, symbolic of Christ. The first time, God told him to strike the rock so that water would come out. The rock was symbolic of Jesus Christ, who would be smitten, and then become living water for us. Moses was disciplined for how he handled the second smiting of the rock. Instead of speaking to the rock, he smote the rock again. Moses had no idea that, symbolically, he was smiting Jesus Christ, again. The rock was only to be struck once, and Jesus Christ was crucified one time. (This is why God punished Moses by telling him he was not allowed into the promised land. However, much later on we do see Moses in the promised land during the transfiguration of Christ!)

"for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ." 1 Corinthians 10:4.

We Praise God for loving the world so much that he sent his only Son to pay the price for our sins, providing a way for us to escape from eternal death, and instead, enjoy eternal life with them. (John 3:16) 

Christ willingly submitted himself to be smitten for our sins so we could share with him in eternity. God was pleased to crush his Son, who was scourged and crucified. His punishment brought us peace. His stripes purchased our salvation and healing.

"But the LORD was pleased to crush him, putting him to grief; if he would render himself as a guilt offering, he will see his offspring, he will prolong his days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in his hand." Isaiah 53:10

"For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." Colossians 1:19-20

We praise you for your discipline!

• You discipline us because you love us! 
• You want us to share in your holiness and righteousness.
• You want to restore us to bring us back to fellowship with you. 
• You look for teachable moments with us. 
• You walk with us to see all we do is right, stepping in at any necessary moment to correct us.
• You send your Spirit to convict us to wholeheartedly repent.
• When you discipline us, we are blessed, saved from future trouble. 
• Sometimes our chastening may be severe.
• You don’t want us to lose heart. (Hebrews 12:5-6) 
• We will be earnest and repent. 
• You want us to accept your corrections graciously.
• You want us to discipline our children well.
• You desire for us to have a teachable spirit. 
• You don’t judge us as we deserve.  

We praise Yahweh Makkeh, Our LORD Who Smites!  

Thank your for smiting our enemies. Thank you for smiting your Son so that we could share in eternity with you. Thank you for smiting us…disciplining us, that we may share in  your holiness.