I. IT IS PROPHESIED OF EDOM THAT THEY SHALL SURELY DRINK OF THE CUP.
A. Drinking of the cup is a metaphor used throughout the scriptures to indicate how the wicked were to receive the wrath of God in judgment.
1.
Ps.75:8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and He poureth out the same: but the dregs there of all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them.
2.
Jeremiah 25:15 Thus saith the Lord to me, take the wine cup of this fury at My hand and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee to drink it.
3.
Rev.14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation.
B. Grape juice looks like blood, those who had been treading the grapes looked like soldiers who were returning from a bloody battle.
1. Isaiah had a vision of the Lord during the time of the great tribulation and he said: Who is this that cometh from Edom in glorious apparel traveling in the greatness of His strength? The Lord answered, "I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save." The question is then asked, "Why is your apparel red, and your garments like one that treads out the grapes?" The Lord answers, "I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with Me for I will tread them in My anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments and I will stain all My raiment. For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed is come."
2.
Rev.14:19,
20. And the angel thrust in the sickle into the earth and gathered into the great winepress of the wrath of God, and the winepress was trodden without the city and blood came out of the winepress.
C. Thus as the prophet speaks of Edom drinking of the cup, it is a reference to the fact that Edom will not escape the judgment of God, but will surely drink of His wrath against the wicked.
II. THE PRAYER OF JESUS IN THE GARDEN. "FATHER IF IT IS POSSIBLE, LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME."
A. God's plan for the redemption of mankind from the judgment pronounced against sin, was to make His Son a sin offering.
1. In the sin offering you would place your hands on the head of the sacrifice, and confess all of your sins. The animal would then be slain by the priest and the blood poured upon the altar.
a. It this way the animal became a substitute for you. You recognized your guilt and the fact that you deserved to die, but the animal died for you.
b. The righteous judgment of God was satisfied in the death of the lamb.
2. Isaiah tells us that all of us like sheep had gone astray we had turned our own ways but the Lord has laid upon Him the iniquities of us all. In the same chapter God cried, "For the transgression of My people was He stricken." He spoke of making of Him an offering for sin.
3. Thus Jesus was to become our sin offering. Thus John wrote, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
B. The hour had now arrived that Jesus was to become the sin offering for the world. He has gone to the garden with His disciples as Judas has gone to the priest to tell them where they might find Him to arrest Him.
1. There alone in the garden He is in the midst of the greatest battle in the history of mankind. The supreme battle of light against darkness.
2. Paul tells us that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of the strongholds of the enemy.
3. Here as Jesus is waging the war in prayer, His sweat turns as it were as great drops of blood falling to the ground.
C. He is facing that awesome and horrible prospect of soon drinking of the cup of the wrath of God against wickedness.
1. The fury of the wrath of God against sin is to be poured out upon Him, as He becomes our substitute.
2. Realizing what is about to transpire, I can surely understand His reluctance, and the prayer, "If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me." No one in their right mind would ever want to drink of that cup.
3. The scripture tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, thus all are destined to drink of that cup, who do not accept the provision that God made at such a tremendous cost. I thank God that because Jesus drank of that cup for Me, I do not face the prospect of having to drink of that cup.
D. I believe that in that dark hour as Jesus was hesitating at the prospect of drinking the cup, that the Father flashed upon His mind the glory of being able to save mankind from certain destruction. The glory of bringing man into fellowship with the Father and the Son. So that Jesus added, Nevertheless, not what I will, but Thy will be done.
1. In the book of Hebrews we read, "Who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame."
E. Soon when the soldiers led by Judas come into the garden to arrest Jesus and lead Him away for the mock trial before the High Priest, and Peter draws his sword and begins to wail away, Jesus commanded him to put away his sword, it was totally unnecessary, for the Lord could call the angels to His defense, if He so desired. He said to Peter, "The cup that the Father has given Me to drink, shall I not drink it?"
III. THE CROSS WAS ONE OF THE MOST TORTUOUS AND HIDEOUS WAYS EVER DEVISED BY MAN TO PUT A MAN TO DEATH. IT IS NOT A SUDDEN DEATH AS IS THE ELECTRIC CHAIR, IT IS NOT AN EASY DEATH AS THE GAS CHAMBER. IT IS A SLOW TORTUOUS DEATH, THAT OFTEN TOOK HOURS, SOMETIMES DAYS.
A. Jesus hung for six hours on that awful cross. Time is relative, and six hours in horrible torment can seem like an eternity.
B. He drank the cup, drained the dregs for you and Me
1. How foolish that one should reject the love of God, and His only provision for our sins.
2. If you have rejected that love today, I would certainly be curious to know what your excuse is. Sure you cannot be in your right mind. It makes such sense to receive the forgiveness of your sins that is being offered to you. God said, "Come now let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet, they be as white as snow."
C. We are told in our text that Edom judgment was not to drink of the cup, but surely they shall drink the cup.
1. Your judgment is not to drink of the cup, as Jesus has already drunk the cup for you, but if you reject Him, then surely you also will drink of the cup, and shall not escape the wrath of God.
2. John sort of says it all in
John 3:36. "He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life, but He that believeth not on the Son of God, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on Him."
3. The choice is squarely yours, either receive the fact that Jesus drank the cup for you, or drink of it for yourself. There is no other alternative.
Verse-Reference
Square — [Jhn 1:1 KJV]
Abbreviate Books
Use SBL Abbrev.
