| Why did Christ Have to Die?, Part 5 |
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| Written by David Lawrence |
| Monday, June 29 2009 00:00 |
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(We continue to look at this subject. So far we have noted the ultimate holiness of God as declared by the Seraphim to Isaiah, the radical fallenness of man in consequence of Adam’s sin, and the resulting hopeless and desperate situation for the human race.) After the fall Adam and Eve seem to have tried to correct the situation themselves by hiding their nakedness, the symbol now of their shame in rebelling against God, by providing clothing of fig leaves (Gen. 3:7). Yet God did not accept this human attempt at clothing themselves to make them righteous. He clothed them with animal skins (Gen. 3:21). The significance of God clothing them rather than accepting their attempt to clothe themselves points to two truths: a) First, that fallen man cannot save himself. b) Second, that there is one possibility for life: that God would accept the death of a substitute, in this case, animals. If God clothed them with animal skins, the implication is that animals that once were clothed with those skins died so that Adam and Eve could wear their skins as a covering. But God’s justice is satisfied: the penalty for sin is death, and death was paid. Thus we see the idea of substitutionary atonement introduced, at least in type and shadow. This concept is illustrated over and over under the Mosaic Law when animals were slain and offered as atonement for the sins of Israel. Most graphic was the Day of Atonement when the high priest slaughtered animals, then confessed the sins of Israel above the head of a goat and released it into the wilderness to carry away the sins of the people, and another goat was killed to carry out the penalty of death (Lev. 16). Why were animals chosen rather than other people? To answer the question we note that no man can die for another: “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him” (Ps 49:7). Why not? Obviously, man is a sinner and his sacrifice would be tainted with his sin. Animals are not accountable beings and therefore have no sin. However, animal sacrifice is insufficient as animals lack the perfect righteousness that man needs for acceptance with God. Their sacrifice was symbolic and pointed to the sacrifice of Christ (Heb. 10:1-4). |
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