By Gail K. Kachnycz; 27 February 2021
Crushed. This word rarely has a practical point of reference in modern society. If someone is disappointed, they may be described as crushed, but they are really more crestfallen. “Crushing it” is slang in the pop culture for an excellent performance or achieving a goal quickly and easily. Most people don’t have to physically crush anything during the routine of their daily lives.
In the time of the Bible, grinding grain to flour was an everyday activity. At the time of harvest, grapes were crushed to make wine and olives were pressed to obtain the oil. Everyone was familiar with these methods and often many were involved in the process. The word “crushed” would have immediately been connected to an experience common to daily life.
In the examples of grain, grapes, and olives, crushing or grinding changes them to a form that is more useful. Grapes and olives can be eaten as whole fruits, but grain is almost always ground into flour to make some type of bread or other baked item.
Crushing is also part of the process to preserve and therefore extend the time that the food was useful. Grapes could be dried into raisins, but crushing and fermentation yielded wine. This was not only a beverage to be enjoyed at celebrations, but in ancient times used for medicinal purposes. Herbs, which were crushed to expose their internal fluids, were immersed in wine so that the alcohol could form a tincture.
Olives must be pressed with intense pressure to obtain their oil. When the process is finished, only pulp remains. The precious liquid was used not only for food and medicine, but also for light. Small lamps which used olive oil for fuel were the method to provide light after sunset in homes during Bible times.
Isaiah 53:5 notes of the Messiah:
But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
The people in ancient times would have had a very vivid and practical point of reference when the passage states that the Messiah is crushed. It is poignant that Jesus spent his final night on the Mount of Olives. Like olives, he endured crushing to bring nourishment to our souls, healing from the effects of sin, and light into a darkened world. He was willing to endure physical pain, torture, and death, but even more to have His communion with His Father torn apart, to bring these blessings of mercy and grace to us.
Do you feel crushed? Is your body weary? Are your knees so weak that you wonder how you can be standing up? Does your chest feel hollow, as if you have been sobbing even though you have not shed a tear? Is your mind numb? Are your emotions raw? This may be your experience if you are a person with chronic illness or the caregiver for someone in physical or mental decline. With no end in sight, you may wonder how long you can go on like this. How long do you have to remain in the press, while the life is squeezed out of you? What is the use of it?
You are not alone. Jesus understands what you are going through. Hebrews 12:2 records:
…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus knew that submitting to the ordeal of the cross would bring ultimate glory to God. Your current situation can bring glory to God. His purpose is not to squash you like a bug. He will not test you beyond what you can endure (1 Cor. 10:13). In your journey through chronic illness, or as a care giver, you may encounter others who are in a similar situation. They may not have the trust in God and the hope of salvation. As you come alongside them, they may be refreshed by the fragrance of God’s mercy, and nourished by His grace. You can demonstrate that:
…we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in time of need.
(Hebrews 4: 15-16).
Jesus, for the joy that was set before Him
Endured the cross
Received the scourging
He was crushed.
No comments
Post a Comment