“The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, ;It is done!’ And there
were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake.” Revelation 16:17-18
As our Lord hangs on the cross of Calvary in darkness separated from the character and goodness of God the Father for three hours, He
pays for the sin of all mankind. In those three hours the wrath of God for eternity is condensed and focused on His Son. Only God knows what that meant to His Son. Yet He makes sure we know that what the Lord totally satisfied the debt that was owed. As the Lord completes the shedding of His blood for us and as He pays for the very last sin of man, He gives up His life to God with the words, “It is finished”. The Greek word is tetelestai which means “it is finished or paid in full.
The early readers of John’s gospel would understand the message of this word clearly. Tetelestai was the word written on business documents or receipts in New Testament times to show that a bill had been paid in full. They knew John was stating that what the Lord did on the cross satisfied God’s just demand that sin (all sin) be paid for. This is a source of great joy and comfort yet humility and worship for every believer.
Despite the unbelievable act of mercy and compassion the Lord performed for mankind, many do not accept what He did for them. Out of pride they refuse to accept they are sinners in God’s sight;
they do not believe their sin justifies hell; they do not believe that Jesus is God and could, through His death, pay for anyone’s sin. Thus being deceived by their own pride and by Satan’s deceptions, they reject the only way God has provided for reconciliation with Him. Man’s rejection of God will come to its height during the Tribulation. The Church is raptured and the restraining of evil by the Holy Spirit is removed. Lawlessness sweeps the world in hatred toward God and man – it is In full rebellion toward God’s two primary commandments. Because God loves mankind and does not want any to perish, He pours out His wrath on the mankind. If His love will not reach their hearts and bring sinners to repentance, perhaps His wrath will.
At the end of the Tribulation the last angel with the last bowl of God’s wrath emerges from heaven. As he pours out this judgment on earth, a voice from heaven proclaims, “it is done”. John does not use “tetelestai” here, instead he uses the word “ginomai”. This word conveys the idea of becoming or coming into existence. It is often used to describe a change in state or condition, the fulfillment of prophecy. Vincent’s Word Studies says it “is used for God’s actions as emerging from eternity and showing themselves in time (physical space).” Thus we see the Lord, who took the title deed of earth in Revelation 6 finish the opening of the scroll which indicates He has taken back from Satan the right to rule the earth. Satan and mankind’s
rebellion has failed. What God said would happen, the Messiah’s millennial rule over earth will now come to pass.
What can we learn? The Lord paid for our sin – a choice remains. When one rejects God’s free gift of salvation he can be assured that what God will finish what He started. Messiah will rule, sin will be judged, sinners will be sentenced. The Lord came to earth as a babe in the fullness of time. He will take control of His kingdom in the fullness of time. What the Lord said on the cross, “it is finished” comes to pass just as God said.