The Planned Death of Christ

God carried out His eternal purpose in Christ Jesus (Eph 3:11). In His predetermined plan and foreknowledge (Acts 2:23), the eternal Son of God would take on flesh (Jn 1:14), be born of a woman (Gal 4:4), live a perfect, sinless life of obedience (Heb 4:15), die a criminal’s death (Is 53:12; Mk 15:28), be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Mt 27:57), and on the third day be raised from the dead (Mt 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; 27:64).

Having made an atonement for sin (Lev 16), an eternal redemption, through His own blood (Heb 9:12), for the forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7), according to the eternal covenant (Mt 26:28), Jesus ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father (Ps 110:1; Mk 16:19; Acts 2:33; 5:31), in majesty (Heb 1:3; 8:1). The mission for the Son of God, to become the Son of Man, in order to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21), was a complete success.

Jesus was given the name above every name that is named (Eph 1:21; Phil 2:9). He was given all authority in heaven and on earth (Mt 28:18). His kingdom is everlasting (Ps 145:13; Dan 4:3, 34; 7:14, 27), and His dominion is eternal (1 Tim 6:16; 1 Pet 4:11; 5:11; Jude 1:25).

In order to save His people from the just judgment of God, the Son needed to propitiate the wrath of God against elect sinners, from all over the world (1 Jn 2:2; 4:10). Jesus did this by representing them in the place of punishment, which was the cross of Calvary. There, the sinless Lamb of God took away the sins of His people from every nation, tribe, and tongue (Jn 1:29; Heb 4:15; Rev 5:9). As our great high priest, He offered Himself to God in the place, on behalf, and for the benefit of His Beloved flock.

The Good Shepherd became like us. All we like sheep have gone astray, but He came to seek and to save that which was lost (Lk 19:10). He laid down His life for His own sheep (Jn 10:11, 15), those who belong to Him (1 Cor 3:23). As a Lamb led to slaughter, Jesus bore our sins in His body on the Cross (1 Pet 2:24). He who knew no sin became sin for us (2 Cor 5:21); for the iniquity of us all fell on Him (Is 53:5).

The imputed sin of those He came to save, that is, those whom the Father had given Him (Jn 6:37; 17:2, 6, 24), was paid-in-full with His precious blood redemption (1 Pet 1:19). Christ died for us, the just for the unjust (1 Pet 3:18). In this, He demonstrated His love for us (Rom 5:8), that while we were yet sinners, He purchased us with His own blood (Acts 20:28).

This was always the plan of God. Jesus was born to die. He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 5:6, 12; 13:8). In His book of life were written the names of His people (Rev 13:8; 17:8). With a motive and a mission of love, Jesus not only made the way for His church to be right with God, but He is the way (Jn 14:6).

No one comes to Christ unless God the Father draws him (Jn 6:44, 65), and all that come to Christ, the weary and heavy-laden (Mt 11:28), have the blessed assurance that Jesus will never leave nor forsake them (Heb 13:5), and He will never cast them out (Jn 6:27). In other words, the Good Shepherd never loses even one of His sheep, for nothing can separate God’s chosen people from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:35–39). No one can pluck them from His hand, nor the Father’s hand (Jn 10:28–29).

It was the reprobate haters of God (Rom 1:30), who aligned in opposition to God’s Anointed (Ps 2:4). In their rage, they hated Jesus without a cause (Ps 69:4) because they refused to have this God-man reign over them (Lk 19:14). These were the wicked men appointed for the day of evil (Prv 16:4), in which they crucified the Prince of life, who is the King of glory (Ps 24).

All of these things were foretold by the prophets of God, sent to Israel, as a warning and a hope. With beautiful feet, these men of God were sent to preach a message from God that told of the coming Messiah, who would be for the rise and fall of many in Israel (Lk 2:34), a stumbling block and rock of offense, by which all would be judged (Is 8:14; Rom 9:33; 1 Pet 2:8).

Still, Jesus was lifted up, as the bronze serpent in the wilderness (Num 21:6–9), for God’s people to look upon and be healed from their plight of sin, death, judgment, and punishment, forever, in the fiery hell of the second death (Rev 20:14–15). He was exalted outside the camp, and those who go to him there, even today, are not disappointed (Heb 13:11, 13).

God’s people proclaim His death, until He comes again (1 Cor 11:26). We proclaim Him (Col 1:28), as the only Savior of sinners (Is 43:11). He alone is the faithful and true witness (Rev 3:14; 19:11), and as the Spirit comes to His born again (1 Pet 1:3), they receive power to bear witness of Him, to the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Just as the prophets foretold of the advent, suffering, and death of Messiah, today, we tell of His coming again to judge the living and the dead (2 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5). On that day, when men look upon Him whom they pierced (Zech 12:10), they will be unable to hide themselves from the wrath of the Lamb (Rev 6:16).

Who will save you from the wrath to come (Mt 3:7; Lk 3:7)? Thank God, Jesus delivers His beloved from the wrath to come (1 Thess 1:10). He does so because He did so, when He was sent to die for God’s holy nation, which was always God’s plan.

David Norczyk

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

November 21, 2020