It Is Finished!

Hello dear Beloved family!

Every time we get together, our expectations are very high, but our God always seems to do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph 3:20)! It was no different this weekend!

Are you living in the Finished Work of the Cross of our Lord Jesus? Just because of the excitement in my heart over what we were able to experience together, I wanted to send a few notes in congruence with the message on Sunday. If you missed it make sure you click on our YouTube link to stay current with what our family is growing in!
John 19:30 (ESV)
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Those words “it is finished” is a translation of the Greek word tetelestai, a word that means to end, to bring to completion, to bring to a conclusion, to complete, to accomplish, to fulfill, or to finish. There were many nuances to this word, but five have great significance concerning this defining moment of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.

First
This was Jesus’ exclamation that He had finished the work the Father had sent Him to do.

One scholar noted that when a servant was sent on a mission and then later returned to his master, the servant would say, “Tetelestai” — meaning, “I have done exactly what you requested” or, “The mission is now accomplished.” This is the very message Jesus spoke when He said, “It is finished!”

This means, in that moment when Jesus cried out, He was exclaiming to the entire universe that He had faithfully fulfilled the Father’s will and the mission was now accomplished. No wonder Jesus shouted — for this was the greatest victory in the history of the human race!

Second
This word “tetelestai” was the equivalent of the Hebrew word spoken by the high priest when he presented a sacrificial lamb without spot or blemish.

Annually, the high priest entered beyond the veil into the Holy of Holies, where he poured the blood of the sacrificial, spotless lamb on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant. The moment the blood touched the mercy seat, atonement was made for the people’s sins for one more year. This was done year after year to obtain the annual, temporary forgiveness of sin.

When Jesus hung on the Cross, however, He was both Lamb and High Priest. In that holy moment as our Great High Priest, Jesus offered His own blood for the permanent removal of sin. He offered up the perfect sacrifice of His own blood – of which every Old Testament sacrifice was a type and symbol – and in that instant, there remained no more need of offering for sin.

Thus, when Jesus said, “It is finished!” He was declaring the end of sacrifice, because the ultimate Sacrifice had finally been made! Atonement was completed, perfected, and fully accomplished. It was done once and for all — finished forever!

Third
In a secular sense, “tetelestai” was used in the business world to signify the full payment of a debt.

When a debt had been fully paid off, the parchment on which the debt was recorded was stamped with tetelestai, which meant the debt had been paid in full. Jesus took our place. He paid the debt we owed for our sin. And when we, by faith, repent and receive Him as Lord, we are set free! This is why Paul wrote, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

When Jesus uttered those words, “It is finished!” it was His declaration that the debt was fully satisfied, fulfilled, and complete. His blood utterly and completely cleansed us forever. It was far-reaching and all-embracing for all of us who put our faith in Him.

Fourth
In ancient times, “tetelestai” also depicted a turning point when one period ended and a new period began.

When Jesus exclaimed, “It is finished!” it was a turning point in the entire history of mankind. At that moment, the Old Testament came to an end — it was finished and closed — and the New Testament began. The Cross was “the Great Divide” in human history. When Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” He was shouting that the Old Covenant had ended and the New Covenant had begun!

Fifth
This would be the equialavent of what the Levitical priests would pronounce over a person who had been healed, or cleansed of leprosy. Sickness and disease were finished.

The entire chapter of Leviticus 14 is dedicated to the problem, atonement, and cleansing of leprosy. Biblical leprosy is an interesting study because it no longer exists. The disciples were commanded to “cure” diseases which is different than healing. Luke 9:1 and 2 makes this clear distinction. The disciples obeyed and obviously tackled the most wretched, communicable, debilitating, humiliating, deadly, and excruciating disease known to mankind in that region. Biblical leprosy no longer exists today because the Church did what it was told.

Jesus was the atonement for ALL sickness and ALL disease for ALL mankind for ALL time. Christians today do not need to “be healed”. We are seated IN CHRIST, the Healer. We are supposed to be giving healing away, not needing it for ourselves. In Isaiah 53:5, we are prophetically told that healing would be by Jesus’ stripes. Matthew 8:17 highlights that this process was in action and also confirms that it was specifically annotating physical healing. First Peter 2:24 calls this healing a past event placing the “finishing” of it at the Cross where all the other promises were atoned for.

Leviticus 14:19 and 20 literally uses the terminology of “atonement” describing the cleansing activities of the priests over the one who has been set free from the scourge of leprosy. That atoning process is not complete until the priest utter the word “taher” or “pronounced clean”. This is a very clear parallel to the words that our Lord pronounced… “It is finished” or “tetelestai”. Sickness and disease is a Finished Work of the Cross! Believe and receive what was purchased for you!

I pray these truths are sinking into the depths of your soul and producing great prosperity in your very own soul-man! We pray for you incessantly and are expectant of powerful and glorious testimonies of Jesus’ Great Love manifesting in your life!

Perfect Peace multiplied to you!

Steve