Jesus is the Connecting Thread

“Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:16, 17).

— Aaron Kuehmichel

Adam respected God’s direction. But when Satan deceived Eve into supposing the threat was not real, Adam’s concern for his wife induced him to join in her disobedience — rather than, in faith, seeking the help and direction of their Creator. As a consequence, “through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men” (Romans 5:12, NASB). The penalty of Adam’s sin was death, and all mankind experiences death because we were born from Adam after he sinned and have inherited imperfection through Adam.

The Law Covenant

“Moses … told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and the people answered with one voice … All the words which the LORD hath said will we do” (Exodus 24:3). There was a great benefit to Israel for keeping the Law Covenant they made with God. “If you … keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession… a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5, 6 NIV).

If Israel would “listen to these judgments and keep and do them … God will keep with you His covenant and His loving kindness … He will love you and bless and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb, and the fruit of your ground” (Deuteronomy 7:12-14 NASB). The 28th chapter of Deuteronomy lists the blessings that would accrue, if they were obedient.

However, there was also a cost for breaking the covenant. Deuteronomy 28 also lists the curses that would accrue, if they were unfaithful. In Deuteronomy 30:19, God sums up the matter. “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and thy seed may live.” This was not a promise of everlasting life, for they were a dying race under Adam, but they would prosper in this life, if they were obedient.

Various serious offences were listed in the Law, for which earnest punishment was due, even the death of the offender. Stubborn and rebellious children (Deuteronomy 21:18-21). Blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16). Disregard for the Sabbath (Numbers 15:32, 35). Serving pagan gods (Deuteronomy 17:2-5). Encouraging others to serve such gods (Deuteronomy 13:6, 9). Marital infidelity (Deuteronomy 22:23-24).

Beyond this, “If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death,” they could “hang him on a tree” as a public example to others to deter this kind of sin (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). It was to be brief, he was not to remain hanging through the night (verse 23).

Israel had entered into a covenant relationship with God willingly, and were to police themselves. In this way Israel was unique. “You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth” (Amos 3:2 NASB). They were the only nation in a contract with God. He would bless them as His people, and through the Law, guide them in godly conduct. In this respect, the Law was a tutor, or teacher (Galatians 3:24). Ultimately, this would lead them to Christ, the pure example of all the good that
the Law encouraged.

But there was liability connected with this remarkable privilege. “You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth; Therefore, I will punish you for all your iniquities” (Amos 3:2 NASB). Because Israel would often be a wayward people and not abide by the principles of the Law, Israel would be in double jeopardy: the general condemnation from Adam’s disobedience in Eden, and a second liability for disobedience under the Law. “When the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death” (Romans 7:9-10 NASB). “By the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20).

Thus, while all mankind had to be ransomed from death, Israelites had also to be redeemed from the curse of the Law. Jesus would fulfill both of these requirements. He would be “A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of … Israel” (Luke 2:32).

The Ransom

Leviticus 17:11 says, “The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement” (NASB). The blood of an individual represents his life. Thus, “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22 NASB). With our redeemer Jesus, the blood he shed represents his perfect human life, given for mankind.

Here are seven passages that speak of Jesus giving his life for the redemption of us all.

(1) Since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22).

(2) “There is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time” (1 Timothy 2:5 NASB).

(3) “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” Matthew 20:28, NASB).

(4) “Since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives” (Hebrews 2:14-15 NASB).

(5) “He Himself is the propitiation [satisfaction] for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2:2 NASB).

(6) “As through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:18-19 NASB).

(7) “Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God” (Romans 6:9-10 NASB).

Why Jesus Died on a Cross

Jesus had to die as a perfect adult without sin to exchange his life for Adam and to ransom Adam, Eve, and all of his offspring from death. He only had to die. However, he died in a dire way, hanging on a cross. By this means — hanging on a tree, a cross — Jesus additionally took the deepest burden of the Law, and thus redeemed even the most ungodly of Israel.

Here are three texts which speak of the burden of the Law upon Israel, that was removed by Jesus accepting this deepest burden the Law.

(1) “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

(2) “When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

(3) “Christ … forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14 NIV).

Israelites who recognize Jesus as their Messiah and Redeemer are now freed from the Law, redeemed from the curse of the Law, and no longer obliged to its specifics. Of course the godly principles exhibited in the Law, and the moral stipulations reflected in the Law, should be observed by all godly people, as they would be even if the Law had not been given. But Jewish believers in Christ are no longer governed by the typical offerings, feasts, and holy days stipulated under the Law.

Thus, Paul advises, “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come” (Colossians 2:16, 17).

There is no prophetic verse that stipulates explicitly that “Messiah shall be crucified.” If there had been, the Jewish Sanhedrin probably would have disposed of him in some other way than crucifixion by the Romans. For they would not have wanted to play into the hands of those Jews who considered Jesus to be Messiah.

Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 give prophecies regarding Jesus’ death, but neither explicitly states that Messiah would be crucified. Looking back, one can see the testimony of the prophecies fulfilled in the crucifixion, but it was not seen beforehand.

The Jewish leaders wanted not only to remove Jesus, but to discredit him. People had flocked to Jesus, listened to his words, and the leaders were jealous of his influence. Having Jesus hung from a wooden cross was a special condemnation they supposed would demonstrate to Israel that Jesus was condemned and cursed of God.

Types or Clues of Messiah’s Death on a Cross

Though there are no direct prophecies respecting the manner of Jesus’ death, there are types and symbolic clues in the Old Testament that Jesus would die on a cross.

(1) In the account of Abraham offering Isaac, we have a picture of God offering His son in sacrifice for the world. “Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son” (Genesis 22:6). Isaac carrying the wood on which he would be offered, calls to mind John 19:17, where Jesus, “bearing his cross went forth into …. Golgotha.”

“Abraham built the altar … and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood” (Genesis 22:9) — a symbol that Jesus would be offered in sacrifice on the wood he had born to Golgotha.

God directed Abraham to take Isaac to “the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of” (Genesis 22:2). The name Moriah appears once elsewhere in scripture, in 2 Chronicles 3:1. There Solomon built the temple, where the offerings of the Law represented the offering of Jesus. “Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.”

When Abraham’s experience at the mount was completed, Isaac was lifted from the altar as a picture of Jesus being raised from death (Hebrews 11:19). Abraham named the place Jehovahjireh, which means “The LORD will … provide” (margin, King James), reminding us of Genesis 22:8, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” In fulfillment of this picture, God is the one who provided Jesus as the “lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8).

Another subtle type or picture is found in the Tabernacle arrangement with the offerings made on the brazen altar in the court. In Leviticus chapters 1-7 are recorded regulations for five main offerings Israelites could present before God — burnt, meal, peace, sin, and trespass offerings. Leviticus 1:7-9 specifies that for a burnt offering that the priests would put fire (coals) on the altar, place wood on the fire and then arrange the pieces of the offering upon the wood to be consumed as the burnt offering. “Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, the head and the suet over the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar” (Leviticus 1:8). This is another reminder that Jesus, represented by Isaac, would be placed on the wood of the cross.

The meal or grain offering represents what we give — our time, money, and abilities — to God in His service. The peace offering represents our consecration. Both the meal and peace offerings were laid upon the burnt offering already on the altar. From this we can see that recognizing the ransom must occur first before we can give an acceptable offering of our time, talents, devotion and money to God.

The peace offering, laid upon the burnt offering, indicates that acceptance of our consecration depends upon our recognition of the ransom price paid for our sins. For more information see Tabernacle Shadows.