March 22 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

John 19:23–24

Devotional

The Savior had all His clothes removed from Him and He hung naked on the cross. His honor was gone and He was despised. It is no wonder that we read that Mary and the women stood afar off. Scripture prophesied that everyone would hide their face from Him as He bore the sins of the world. Scripture is fulfilled as Jesus hangs on the tree, naked and despised, dying for the sins of you and me.

Before the fall, clothing was not necessary. Man wore the garment of innocence. After the fall, clothing was necessary because of sin. A garment was needed to cover man’s shame. Without a covering, man’s honor was gone. In modern culture, our society could not function without clothing. We would seclude ourselves in shame.

On the cross of Christ, the Savior hung in shame. Shem and Japheth were not permitted to cover Him as they did for Noah. Jesus, the Son of God, is greater than Noah. He must bare the shame to pay for all the descendants of Noah who made themselves shameful before God.

Have you also been uncovered to your shame? Behold the Man. Consider yourself. Then you start to loathe yourself. You complain: “If people knew my inner being, I would be despised and put to shame.” But God knows everything. Because of your shame, the Surety had to be without a garment. He had no honor left.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.