The Open Fountain
Zechariah 13:1
Introduction: Jesus
Christ is the focal object and central theme of the Word of God for He is the
Word Himself. One of whom the prophets spoke and of whom they prophesied is
none other than our Lord. Revelation
19:13
A.
A fountain flowing which provided cleansing for the
unclean.
1.
Messianic prophecy refers to a set day.
2.
Jesus referred to that day as His Hour.
a.
John 2:4, - “My hour has not yet come.”
b.
Later as He ministered to His disciples He said: John
12:23-28
c.
Zechariah 3:9 – “in one day”
3. In one short day the Lamb of God took upon Himself the sin of the whole world.
A.
The day Zechariah spoke of began when Jesus was nailed
to the tree.
1.
That day continues up to Armageddon.
B.
All nations that came against Jerusalem will look on
their deliverer whom they pierced.
1.
The question will be asked, “What are these wounds in
thine hand?”
a.
Zechariah 13:6, 12:9-14
2.
Then they realize the mistake their forefathers had
made.
a.
They accept Jesus as Messiah. Romans 11:26
3.
Jesus was that Fountain that was sealed until the day
His skin was pierced.
a.
When His skin was broken, the fountain was opened.
b.
Jesus is that Fountain.
c. He is the source of the cleansing stream that washes away our sins. Revelation 1:5
III.
God’s Predestined Plan.
A.
The Roman soldiers were NOT following their own plan of
execution.
1.
They were following a foreseen, foreknown, and a
fore-fixed plan.
a.
A plan that was devised before the world was made.
b.
Peter caught a glimpse of that predetermined plan in
that first sermon he preached after Pentecost.
Acts 2:23
c.
Jesus Christ was crucified according to a predetermined
plan in the mind of God.
B.
The Father foresees and knows.
1.
All plans for the sin offering was laid out in
eternity.
a.
John saw.
Revelation 13:8
2.
The exact procedure to the very detail was foreknown.
a.
Isaiah 52:14, Isaiah 53 – the physical details
b.
Psalm 22:16, Deuteronomy 22-23, Galatians 3:13 - - Hung
on a tree.
c. John 12:32-33 - - Manner of death He should die.
IV.
The manner and procedure the Fountain was opened. Zechariah
13:1
A.
The Holy Spirits reveals to the Child of God this great
importance.
B.
The five principle areas of His body that were opened.
1.
We studied three, the Head, the Hands, and the Feet.
2.
Later we will study the Side that was pierced.
3.
Today we will study the healing stripes on His body.
a.
Also we will focus on the mechanical aspects of the
crucifixion.
b.
We will look at the physical aspects of Jesus’
sacrifice.
c. We will see how the Fountain was opened.
V.
A Roman scourge opened Jesus’ Back.
A.
This happened outside Pilate’s judgment hall at the
whipping post.
1.
Jesus had been awake at least twenty-four hours and was
worn out.
a.
He was physically worn, as well emotionally exhausted.
b.
A wonder He survived the Roman scourge.
2.
Here was proof no man could take His life from Him.
John 10:18
B.
A close look at the Roman scourge.
1.
Much different from the traditional cat-of-nine-tails.
a.
As all Roman weapons, it was precisely built and
masterfully employed.
b.
The sharp bronze metal tips pierced equally distanced
points into Jesus’ back.
c.
The scourge ripped straight lines of flesh from the top
of His shoulders to His buttocks area.
1.
Foretold in Psalms 129:3
2.
The plowers were the Roman soldiers.
3.
They made long stripes from top to bottom of His back.
4.
Foretold again in Isaiah 50:6.
5.
The Roman soldiers wasn’t under the law, so thirty-nine
lashes meant nothing to them.
6.
Many had died at the whipping post because of the blood
lost.
C.
The Father gave the Son strength to accomplish the
pre-determined plan.
1.
The Mind of Deity fore-planned the whipping post.
2. This was the means by which the sickness and pains of many would be borrne.
VI.
The Crown of Thorns.
A.
It was woven from a thorn bush common to the Middle
East.
1.
It opened the Fountain from His head to let the
cleansing stream flow.
B.
The thorn bush.
1.
It had smaller thorns, but many of them.
2.
Each thorn had a poison resident in them.
3.
This caused stinging, itching, and burning.
4.
When they had placed it on His head they beat Him with
a reed. Matthew 27:29-30
C.
The blood flowed, soaking the mock crown.
1.
This was showing the protection we have today from evil
spirits.
2.
We have a protective hedge for our minds in the Blood
of Christ.
a.
The crown of thorns becomes our helmet of
salvation. Ephesians
6:17
b. When we keep our helmet on there can be no invasion of our minds by the enemy.
VII.
The last three areas of the Fountain opened.
A.
These were His hands, His feet, and His side.
1.
His hands were nailed by a sharp Roman spikes.
2.
Note a possibility.
Explain the difference between a cross and a tree. The tree was a straight timber on which
malefactors were nailed for execution. The cross had its origin in ancient
Chaldea, and was used as a symbol of the god Tammuz. To appease the pagans who+ believed, the T was lowered to make
the cross, now accepted as the Christian symbol of the faith.
3.
Very possible His hands were nailed over His head to
cause His lungs to collapse more quickly.
B.
His feet were placed one on the other and nailed to the
tree.
1.
All this was done on the ground.
2.
Several soldiers raised the tree and dropped with a
thud that jarred His body severely.
3.
This causing His flesh to tear in His hands and
feet. Psalm 22:16
4.
The custom was to break the legs of those still living
toward late afternoon. John 19:33-34
5. This they fulfilled. Psalm 34:30
Conclusion: Think on
this. How much are we willing to suffer
for His sake? He gave all that He had,
how much are we willing to give? Jesus
loved us so much He gave His life Blood so we could all be saved. Saved to spend all eternity in heaven with
Him.