“And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.” (Luke 24:44-45)
It was necessary that Jesus fulfill all the words that were written concerning him, because those words came from the Father by the voice of the prophets, and the scripture declared that not one word would return to him void.
Why did we need Jesus to be a sacrifice for us? Because we all have been partakers of sin. Not so with Jesus, “who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.”
It started long ago in the garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were created in a state of innocence. All things were provided for their well-being. But they disobeyed God and ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Their eyes were opened, and they saw their nakedness, and hid themselves.
Sin entered the world and innocence was lost. Adam and Eve could only bring forth children after the flesh; they could not reproduce the spirit they once knew. There had to be another way. There had to be one who could once again establish fellowship with God.
After leading the Hebrew people out of Egypt and freeing them from cruel bondage, Moses sought the will of God in all that he taught the people. He spent forty days on Mount Sinai in communion with God. And so began what people call the law of Moses, and with it came the statute of animal sacrifice. The innocent for the guilty, as an act of appeasement toward God. But this could not continually justify the people and had to be repeated often.
Moses said, “This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.” (Hebrews 9:20) And in verse 22, Paul wrote, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”
The people needed a perfect sacrifice which would forever take away their sin. But they needed hope beyond what they could see. The word said, “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me;” (Moses) “unto him ye shall hearken.” (Deuteronomy 18:15) This pointed to Jesus. He was born a Jew; he was and is the greatest prophet that ever walked this earth. He is the Son of God.
John the Baptist recognized the promised one. “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)
Under the law, the sacrificial lamb had to be the first born. It had to be without flaw. It was put up and watched for a few days to be sure it was not sick. It had to be perfect.
The blood of the lamb was precious, the innocent for the guilty. “For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people.” (Hebrews 9:19)
Our Lord was without flaw. He was the first born. He was the perfect Lamb of God. He was offered for our sins, the innocent for the guilty. “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” (Colossians 2:14)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Often quoted, but seldom taken to heart.
Jesus brought the ordinance of animal sacrifice to a close by becoming a perfect sacrifice that endures forever. He fulfilled all the words of the prophets that spoke of him and ushered in a new day where the elect live by faith.
“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” (I Peter 1:2) Natural then, spiritual now.
Satan never had power over Jesus. All through the gospel of Christ, we read where Jesus commanded unclean spirits of Satan to come out of many possessed individuals. He raised the dead. All power in heaven and earth was given to Jesus.
Satan had power over death in that he is the master deceiver. He creates lies and false belief and entices gullible people to tempt God. The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
Jesus exposed the lies of Satan, taking his power from him and he hated the Lord for it and persuaded evil men to crucify him. But Jesus arose from the grave and is alive for ever more, thus making the power of death null and void to all that believe.
