By MYRA D. COLGATE
CHEROKEE PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS CHURCH
“Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there to pray.’
“He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and became anguished and distressed.
“Then he said to them, ‘My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.’
“Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed.
“Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, ‘So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour?’
“’Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’
“He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.’
“He came again and found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open.
“So leaving them, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more.
“Then he came to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.’
Matthew 26:36-46 (GSB) (NET)
Isn’t it a bit ironic how the first Adam and his wife were betrayed, simply by Adam’s own silence, as Eve was being tempted? He should have said to Eve and the devil what The LORD had really told him concerning the forbidden fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam was present with his wife as she was being tempted—perhaps used a kiss to tempt Adam. For His silence, not giving Honor to God by resisting the devil for Eve; the first Adam was told by, the ‘LORD God’ {He justly} ‘expelled him from the’ (Garden of) ‘Eden to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken.’ By the LORD’s judgment for his disobedience, He was to be kept from returning there by, ‘angelic sentries who used the flame of a whirling sword to guard the way to the tree of life.’ Genesis 3:23-24 (GSB) (NLT).
The LORD was very merciful in this requirement. Otherwise, they (and we) would have been left there, forever under the devil’s dominion in his kingdom of darkness. After the LORD’S Judgment, every earthly thing was placed under the curse. if they’d been allowed to remain there, they could have eaten of the ‘forever’ fruit of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden—and remained trapped in time.
Our Jesus (also known as the second ‘Adam’) who is the Son of God and the Son of Man, was found in a garden, too—the Garden of Gethsemane. He had been there praying over what He knew was included bringing all prophesies to complete fulfillment as given to mankind. Their being fulfilled, concerned His being made into our perfect, sinless sacrifice, suffering through each ‘unto death’. He was betrayed by a kiss from a friend and met also with soldiers having swords and clubs. Jesus silently faced His accusers…
He knew, from the Father’s own Word, He would have to make His own choice. He humbled Himself before the Father and obeyed—each Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled. Because of Their total Love for all of us, along with Jesus’ absolutely, perfect obedience, He would suffer all of the tremendous pain, humiliation and shame planned for Him. The religious leaders of the Jews and then later, the Roman soldiers prepared Him for execution in our place. He paid in full for us, suffering all diseases, sicknesses, griefs, and pains—so we should not ever have to face any sicknesses or diseases ourselves. Our discerning of His Body as the Bread of Life, in our Communion with Him, brings forth our healings.
He would have to endure the cross with all of its horrific pain, until the full price for each sin had been suffered and paid for—by His dying there, in our place. Only then, as the full price was paid, would He choose to dismiss His Spirit.
His journey into hell—by having become the sin for each human being, since He Who knew no sin, would become sin—for each and every one of us—He has become our very own sacrificial Lamb. Once sacrificed, His Blood brings us our Perfect Salvation. Perfectly, He (and we) are now seated at God’s Right Hand in Heaven—even now.
