W K Tweedie
Taken, with slight editing, from Tweedie’s volume, Glad Tidings.
John 19:30: It is finished.
The law of God is magnified and made honourable. Peace is now made between God and man, on terms which glorify the Holy One. The atonement is complete. Independent of man or man’s power, the sure foundation has been laid – an eye has been given for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot. Provision has been made for cleansing the conscience. An end of transgression has been made. An everlasting righteousness has been brought in. The Holy Spirit has been purchased and will be sent.
A plea has been provided for the chief of sinners, so that “It is finished”, spoken by the Saviour on the cross, may send a thrill of joy into the heart of the believing sinner upon earth, as it enhances the blessedness of the just made perfect in heaven.
“My soul is polluted”, exclaims the humbled believer. Pollution is finished by the blood which cleanses from it all, the Saviour on the cross rejoins, and from His throne in glory.
“The burden of my guilt is greater than I can bear”, exclaims the self-condemned soul. “It is finished; there is no condemnation”, is the reply of the Redeemer, as He waits to be gracious.
“I shall one day perish,” is the expression of the awakened conscience. A ransom has been found, and redemption is finished, is the answer from the cross again. Thy sins, even if their name is legion, may all be swept away.
Freely take, then, what God has so freely provided. And looking in faith to the cross on which the Redeemer died as the substitute of His people, remember His last words and rejoice. The condemning power of sin is finished, and the prophecy given to Daniel is fulfilled to every soul that believes: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (9:24).