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Prepare Your Heart

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Read God’s Word

Jeremiah 44-46
Hebrews 5:1-6:12

A Verse for Today

Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

Hebrews 5:7 (CSB): “During his earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.”

Reflecting on God’s Word

Even a cursory look at the verses around Hebrews 5:7 makes it clear that it is speaking of Jesus.

I don’t know about you, but I can imagine Jesus shedding a few tears (John 11:35). But, at least in my mind, I can’t imagine Him uttering “loud cries” (wailing loudly) as he shed even more tears in His prayers to the Father. I’ve heard people from the Middle East wail as they are confronted with unspeakable grief. I just can’t imagine Jesus doing that, but He did.

Hebrews 5:7 (CSB): “During his earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.”

This reference appears to be a loose translation and interpretation of Psalm 22:24. It also appears that the writer of Hebrews was relying on the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Old Testament) rather than the original Hebrew. That’s why Psalm 22:24 sounds different from Hebrews 5:7.

Psalm 22:24 (CSB): “For he has not despised or abhorred the torment of the oppressed. He did not hide his face from him but listened when he cried to him for help.”

So, what was Jesus praying for with loud wails? He wasn’t asking God to spare Him from physical death. Actually, a death on the cross would cause someone to CRAVE physical death to end the torture.

Jesus was, instead, praying as He experienced total separation from His Father on the cross. He was praying to be “resurrected” from that spiritual death. He was praying to be reunited in the love relationship He had for all eternity with the Trinity.

No one this side of death knows what it’s like to be separated from God’s love and God’s common grace. The worst of lives on planet earth are incredibly better than the experience of those already in Hell. They are in a place where God’s presence to bless, love, grace, mercy, and all of His other beautiful attributes will never again be experienced. God’s presence (since He is omnipresent) is in Hell, but only as the One who makes sure that eternal justice is being carried out.

For the six hours that Jesus hung on the cross, and even more particularly the final three hours where darkness came over the whole land, Jesus wore the sin of everyone who would put their trust in Him to save them. As the Father saw Jesus wearing our guilt, God the Father turned His back on God the Son. That was the worst horror of all. And Jesus was praying that it would eventually end.

And it did! Why? “Because of His reverence.” Jesus wasn’t apathetic or careless when He prayed to His Father. He was careful and cautious, treating His prayer as something that required so much seriousness. And because He prayed that way, He was reunited with His Father after He cried out “It is finished” on the cross and died.

Spend Time in Prayer

  • Ask God to help you realize just how much Jesus went through to make you right in the Father’s eyes.
  • Thank the Lord for what He did in saving you.

Going Deeper

If you want to dig a little deeper into Hebrews 5:7, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:

“What does it mean that Jesus had godly fear (Hebrews 5:7)?”

Sharing

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Matt Ellis is the pastor of White Hall Baptist Church in Richmond, Kentucky (whitehallbaptistchurch.org)