CHECK POINT

A Leadership and Intercessory Letter written to those who desire Integrity in the Inward Parts  (Psalm 51:6)

The Day God Cried

Written by Esther Dummer

Easter Edition: April 19, 2003

The Story of Jesus, His death and Resurrection, has been told over and over down through the ages.  We can read in the Word of God about the scenes that surrounded those events that brought Jesus from the Last Supper to the Garden of Gethsemane and to the Cross.  Then from there to the Tomb and onto the glad story of The Resurrection. 

For Centuries people have celebrated with Palm Sunday, Good Friday Services and Easter Sundays.

Plays have been written about the people that surrounded Jesus, looking from each and every perspective, trying to capture the angles of the people’s lives who were touched so long ago by the man Jesus. 

His life, death and resurrection continue to be the most loved story.

But there is a part of that story that is only alluded to in the Word of God.  We all know that God sent Jesus.  We know of the plan and the love that conceived that plan. 

But we don’t know what God did while these events took place.

Yes, we know that He ruled and reigned, never leaving His Throne as God Almighty.  It was obviously within His power to have stopped it anytime He deemed.  He could have instantly destroyed all the people and been done with all of us – but He didn’t.

We are certain of what He didn’t do.

He didn’t stop it.

We don’t know what He felt or did during this time, except for the fact that Jesus felt the absence of His Father during this crucifixion, so the Father was seemingly some distance from His Son.  But, He heard the voice of Jesus as His Son cried out with a loud voice in agony of soul.

Can you imagine hearing your son or daughter crying out, “Father? Help me!” and doing nothing to intervene?

Our hearts would also break at the sound of distress.  And then to be able to do nothing about it – that would be the ultimate in pain. 

Some may say that God had a choice and that He could have intervened.  Some know that Jesus could have called 10,000 angels and they would have come to save their Master from the disgrace and pain of the cross.  But then, their word to mankind was true – they would not forget the promise from the beginning that they had made – and they would keep their word. 

Mankind would have a redeemer.

It was finished, before it was finished.

That is the way with a Word of Truth.

I don’t think I was even thinking about this, but sometimes it is God’s good pleasure to open a fragment of Who He is in a way that we can see into His heart of love and mercy.  A slight window for a brief moment in time opened to me and I caught a glimpse of God’s heart. 

Saturday Morning, April, 19, 2003, at 8:30 am, I woke to the vision and the sound of The Father sitting upon His throne, head thrown back, his body slumped sideways, and a terrifying, echoing and reverberating cry that came from Him was sounding in my ears.  I felt the tremors of Heaven and the feeling was one of encapsulated grief as His Son, Jesus was crucified. 

I had never thought of God crying out in such a way, (and whether or not this depicts the actual way it was, I believe it is a glimpse into the Love of God for His Son, Jesus Christ.) but upon awakening, I remembered the scene depicted in the Bible of Jesus looking over Jerusalem and the scripture that simply stated, “Jesus wept …” (Luke 19:41) Another place that my mind was drawn to was the place of the burial of Lazareth, the friend that Jesus loved. It is recorded in John 11:35, “Jesus Wept.”  By definition, the word “wept” used, means to throw back the head and cry aloud with a loud wail.  He was not “slightly grieved” or masking His feelings of desire for Jerusalem or His dead friend, but rather expressed them without shame.  Then I knew that Jesus reflected perfectly His Father in Heaven.  He said to us that if we have seen Him, we have seen the Father.

I believe that God was not “slightly sorrowful” at the thought of His Son dying in such a way, but rather He too was given to expressing His heart at times much like Jesus did over the things that stirred His feelings, passions and emotions. 

The Father realized the full cost of the decision that they had made so long ago.

They knew that this day would come and had planned carefully for it, from the foundations of the earth.  When the signet of Heaven pressed the seal of the declaration, it was irrevocable. 

They were certain there could be only “One Way” back to the Father.

They would give “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…: and we would receive, “that whosoever should believe on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

The angels knew of the decision too.  It is certain that they were in attendance in heaven and upon the earth.  Those who sang Holy, Holy, Holy, knew the song spoke of an attribute that few had, so far, understood, for it is recorded that God could not look upon sin because of His Holy eyes….and now; Jesus was cloaked in all the sins of the world. 

How could God bear this?

How had mankind got themselves into such a mess?

They had been witnessed breaking every restraint, defiling everything pure, destroying life, wallowing in the muck and mire of life, cavorting in front of vain idols, destroying their children’s faith and destiny, revolting down through the ages against God, bowing their backs and stiffening their necks

It was a full-blown rebellion of against everything that was Holy.

They had even perverted the things of faith, those things that God had placed in their hands to serve Him.  He had sent them prophets that they would not heed, and even some of those prophets were perverting the Word of God for gain and favor with wicked men and women. 

Would mankind stop at nothing?

He had given them kings and even the good kings were flawed – inherently sinful.

He had disciplined the earth and the children of the earth so many times and yet they always debased themselves with anything that went against God. 

They always went back on their word.

They had promised and yet they broke promises and soon forgot their God.

But God was not one to break His Word for He kept every word that proceeded out of His mouth.

His Son had already been given, long before any of this had ever happened.

They defiled the Temple, bringing in prostitution and idolatry, right into the place of His habitation with mankind. 

He had told them that He would tabernacle with them and had kept His Word - but He was Holy and now, they expected Him to dwell in the midst of this?

He had watched them take up the ways of the most heathen nations down through the years – those nations that no longer had any moral restraint left whatsoever.  It was certain that, in the life of humanity, the child who was conceived in sin, died in sin. 

Yes, there were those that tried to live by the letter of the law – attempting to maintain their righteousness, but even some of them had become oppressors – making laws that burdened the people, making demands upon them that could not be kept, even by they, themselves.  They were stealing from the poor and making themselves fat and rich on the back-breaking work of others. 

They were sitting pretty in His House, right up to the day that Jesus walked in and found the money changers littering the entrance to the place of sacrifice.

How could one tamper with and profit from the sacrifice?

Everywhere God looked; it was continually on a downward spiral.  Mankind was caught in a satanic whirlpool, being systematically destroyed and no one was resisting.  Everyone was doing what was right in their own eyes. 

God had redeemed remnants over and over again, bringing people out of the plights that they had got themselves into time and again. 

But, like clockwork, they always went back, as a pig to the wallow and the dog to his vomit.

Noah – a good plan for one man and his family and in 120 years of “preparing the way of escape” was unable to get one convert to go with him into the ark.  There was no power of redemption left working in any human being anywhere on the face of the earth – so everyone perished, except Noah and his family.  And yet the seed of sin was still in mankind – even in Noah’s family, for they were scare off the ark when the sinful nature was revealed. 

The Plan was all that could redeem men and women from the sin that plagued them.

It was time for the law that God had decreed to be enacted.

The sound would have pierced all the heaven’s portals for there is no voice like the voice of God Almighty.  It is recorded that He sounds like thunder.  The sound would have shaken anyone listening, down to the core of their being – as the profanity of mankind – demonic filth – settled from head to toe upon the Son of God.  Every known debasement, lies, perversion of all kinds, all the works of the flesh, murder – everything that God despised was resting upon His Son. 

The cry of Jesus, “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) resounded into the holy ears of God.  The voice He heard was laden with the weight and loneliness that sin had caused so many to slink away in agony over.  Now His Son was under such a weight and burden – but it was the plan.  That knowledge didn’t make it any easier.

When His Son had knelt in the Garden, the cry then had been hard enough, for He had heard Jesus say, “Father, if there is any way that this cup can pass from me...” (Mark 14:36) 

That prayer had reached His ears and all He could do is what His Son would do – go through with it.

And they had – gone through with it.  He could have called ten thousand angels – it’s true – but He didn’t.

Jesus had died in agony, encapsulated in the darkness of the world – not from the nails and crucifixion, but by the plan of the ages and for a purpose. 

The Father wanted His children – His creation – to come home to Him.

He had to open the Door.

Jesus had to be the Door.

Holy Spirit had to lead people to the Door.

Jesus cried out one more time, “Father, into thy hands, I commit my Spirit,” and then, “It is Finished.” (John 19:30) The Plan was finished.  Jesus was the sacrificial lamb.

Now that is a wonderful thing to do for anyone!

Sometimes I think that we believe that this was easier for Jesus and His Father than it is for us - but not true.  God loved His Son.  Jesus loved His Father. 

It was a difficult plan to follow through with, but they did it all, down to the very last bitter drop of the cup.

And God felt every move and every pain, and every moment that the awfulness of sin rested upon Jesus Christ, His Son.

God’s plan was not finished though

There was going to be a day of rejoicing that would be remember down through the ages.  It would be celebrated by all the nations as people came to know of such love and sacrifice.  There would only be shouts of joy from heaven’s portals.  They would know that Jesus was alive. 

The grave was certainly sealed.

The guards were definitely in place.

The people were as low as they could get.

Jesus was dead and buried.

There is something about the stillness of death.  Quietness settles in as the realization of what has happened to a loved one washes over us.  The wailers have gone home.  The flowers are wilting.  The nice words have been said.  And the grave has won another victory…or so it would seem.

But God was not done with The Plan of the Ages. 

The plan included the time of breaking of demonic seals upon the tomb, by a supernatural hand; showing the guards what the power of a living God was like; and bringing a message of life to a camp that mourned the loss of their Lord.  As sure as the former part of the plan was carried out, as hard as it was, this was going to be the most joyful time in human history.  It would be the proof that was needed to declare victory over the sin of mankind.  They would soon be free. 

The grave shook open as the resurrecting power of God swooped into that place of death.

Yes, we have all heard it, sang about it, but do you know what it’s like to bury your loved one and then to go and find that their grave is empty – that death has been cheated of the life of someone dear to you?

Not only did God disturb the sealed tomb of Jesus, but He also disturbed the sealed tombs of many others.  That has been happening ever since, as God has been setting people free by the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead!  God’s power was manifested and Jesus rose up in power over death, hell and the grave.

Oh death, where is thy sting – Oh grave, where is thy victory?

Funerals have come and gone but there has never been a time in history like the story of our Lord’s death and resurrection. 

He lives folks and Heaven rejoices evermore.

We rejoice and we are on our way home.

God Bless the Faithful Watchman on the Walls of the Church!

This newsletter is dedicated and written as an instruction and encouragement to a powerful and focused group of people who have devoted their life to a life of prayer for the Church.  It is written to incite them to move forward with decisiveness and purity.  It is written to stabilize and align the errant things that are occurring in intercessory and church circles.  It is written to break new ground in understanding our own hearts.

I would also like to take this time to say thank you to those who have subscribed, those who have forwarded these messages or photo copied and passed them on to others. Also, thank you to those who have written encouraging words to me.  They are greatly appreciated. 

NOTE: This material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed an interest in receiving this information for non-profit use only.

"Check Point" is an online newsletter published by: "Esther Dummer." Permission is hereby granted to copy and distribute for non-commercial purposes. Consider duplicating, in its entirety, as published, and distributing to friends, relatives, pastors or your church congregation, or forward via email.  It is my delight to have those who desire to use these messages to further God’s move to do so. 

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