LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Into the Hands of Sinful Men
"The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men..." (Luke 24:7).
The Bible refers that when King David took a census of the people, he sinned grievously against God, for which God was angry with him. David quickly realized what he had done, and asked for forgiveness. However, God sent the prophet Gad with a message for David. He gave him a choice of three forms of punishment. The first, seven years of famine, the second, to flee from his enemies, and the third, a pestilence over the land for three days.
David answered, "I am in great distress; let us fall now into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great, but let me not fall into the hand of man. David knew God, and he chose well. It is preferable to fall into the disciplinary hands of God, than into the hands of men. David was able to choose, even though his sin had greatly displeased God.
However, there is another case in which a man could not escape that from which David escaped. His name is Jesus. The will of God had decreed: "The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified...". David escaped from men, even though he had sinned. Jesus, however, did not escape from the hands of sinful men, even though He had not sinned. What a different fate!
The Romans were a special class of sinners. They were a warlike, conquering people. They had many cruel devices to subdue their enemies. And they also had a very painful way of executing criminals. A cruel and exemplary way of doing it: crucifixion.
Jesus was delivered into the hands of a very special class of sinners. Perhaps there was no other people more experienced in putting to death than the Roman people. And Jesus fell into the hands of that special class of sinners. He was not delivered from them. He did not have the fate of David; he did not refuse to take our place on the cross, to save us once and for all.