The timeless Cross

Psalm 32:1-6 AMPC

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is he who has forgiveness of his transgression continually exercised upon him, whose sin is covered. [2] Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit. [3] When I kept silence [before I confessed], my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long. [4] For day and night Your hand [of displeasure] was heavy upon me; my moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! [5] I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord [continually unfolding the past till all is told]-then You [instantly] forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! [6] For this [forgiveness] let everyone who is godly pray-pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely when the great waters [of trial] overflow, they shall not reach [the spirit in] him.

When I read this Psalm, a precious one, to which I have returned time and again - I marvel.

It was written prior to the Cross where Jesus would carry the sins of each person in His Body.

Yet it holds out the promise of Divine forgiveness as you and I come humbly to confess our wrongdoings and selfish motives.

It tells how failure to admit our transgressions has a negative physical as well as a spiritual and emotional effect.

How could forgiveness be properly administered prior to the Cross? We're told that the sacrifice of slain animals wasn't enough to atone for sin:

Hebrews 10:4 AMPC

Because the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to take sins away.

So how was forgiveness properly possible in David's era, so that he could rejoice and be blessed?

The Bible tells us that the Cross is in effect timeless. It is a cosmic event that stands in eternal "now-ness".

1 Peter 1:20 NKJV

He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.

Revelation 13:8 NLT

And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast (antichrist). They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made.

That's how believers from the past could enjoy the forgiveness we now bask in - and will do into eternity.

Praise God for the timeless Cross which brought us forgiveness through Jesus the Christ.

John 1:29 NLT

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!