The Land of Bashan is mentioned
59 times in the Old Testament. 22 times when Bashan is mentioned
we also read that Og was her king. We are told very little about
King Og and or Bashan, but we do know that he was one of two
kings of the Amorites which the Israelites did battle with in
their journey through the wilderness. Sihon was king of Heshbon and
Og of Bashan. These Amorites had taken these
cities and kingdoms from the Moabites. The Israelites had
made a request of Sihon that he would allow them to pass through
his land peaceably, but he refused and attacked them. During the
ensuing battle, Israel prevailed, overthrowing Sihon and taking
Heshmon, and ultimately 60 cities ruled over by Og, king of Bashan. This King Og of Bashan was quite
a man of renown in those parts, being one of the last of the
race of giants which dwelt in the land at that time. So while
the word Bashan literally means fertile, it does indeed represent
a land of great strength and presents itself as a producer
of strong opposition, which was a formidable foe for the Israelites
as they came to do battle, most especially due to the gigantic
king who was their leader. It appears that the cattle of
Bashan were especially well known for their aggressive and even
oppressive tendencies, as we see them referred to by the prophet
Amos, as he uses their cattle as an illustration of the tendencies
of the inhabitants of the land of Bashan. Thus we see the Lord
Jesus Christ, whose prayer David records in the 22nd Psalm, referring
to the fact that he was surrounded by the strong bulls of Bashan. It is impossible for mere mortals,
as we are, to fully comprehend the depths of the sufferings
and the utter darkness of despair that gripped the heart and soul
of our Savior as He entered into the very ante room of hell in
order to deliver that people whom He loved with an everlasting
love. We are surely dumbfounded as
we read of the barrenness of his soul as he undertook the
redemption of that bride which is his. Can any man fathom the
depths of his sorrow? None eye did pity him as he hung
a curse between heaven and earth. For in that day did his own father
forsake him and the heavens became dark and foreboding as he cried
out in his thirst. Yet in such time, when it was
obvious to the passerby that he was even cast out from the
gaze of his Heavenly Father, yet did his soul cleave unto
him who had sent him to accomplish such a thankless task, for those
who mocked him and turned their eyes away from seeing his visage
so marred more than any man. Would any man, by his own logic,
would have cursed God and blasphemed, yet did this perfect man cry
out the more for aid of Him whom his soul loved more than life
itself? Would any man boast of faith?
Let him be ashamed to compare his best estate to that of him
who did no sin, neither was God found in his mouth, as he committed
himself unto Him in whom he would safely trust, though he slay
him with the horrors of hell itself. Yes, the mighty bulls
of Bashan did beset him as they compassed around him, snorting
and pawing the ground in anticipation of his demise. At that moment
he was powerless to effect his own deliverance, not due to any
lack of innate strength, but because he willingly became weak
for our sakes. He who is the author of life
itself, he who spoke the worlds into existence, he who makes
peace and creates evil, did give himself up to his tormentors
that he might bring in an everlasting peace and righteousness for the
objects of his love. O you men of religion, who would
go about to establish your own righteousness, and dare to speak
of your duty and obedience, let your mouths be silent and your
heads hang in a basement as you look upon Him who is the righteousness
of God. What would you offer in light
of that which he has undertaken to illustrate the only standard
of righteousness which is accepted in the courts of heaven? How
foolish to seek a refuge in your own pitiful offerings compared
to that which is wrought by him who is the mediator and champion
of that people whom he loved from before the foundation of
the world. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at 4the4 at windstream dot net.