As we approach the end of our series called All About Jesus, we will spend a few weeks considering the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. This week we will see that Jesus died as our substitute.
• Heb 9:22. Q. How are almost all things purged (purified or cleansed)?
Q. What is necessary for the remission (forgiveness or liberty) of sin?
The concept of one dying as a substitute for another did not start in the New Testament with Jesus. The substitutionary death of one for another is a strong theme throughout the Old Testament beginning all the way back in the Garden of Eden with the first couple, and the first sin.
The Bible says that when Adam and Eve sinned they knew that they were naked. Their newly fallen nature made them ashamed of their nakedness and they attempted to cover themselves with aprons of leaves. God’s plan for dealing with their nakedness was much different from theirs.
• Genesis 3:21. Q. What did God make coverings for Adam and Eve from?
Q. What had to be done in order to produce these coats?
The very first sin was the cause of the very first physical death. An animal had to die in order to cover the results of Adam and Eve’s sin. This was a powerful picture of the bloody religion that would soon fill the pages of the Old Testament.
Abraham and Isaac
Another Old Testament picture of a substitutionary death is found in the account of Abraham and Isaac. In Genesis 22 God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac his only son. An obedient Abraham took his son up the mountain knowing by faith that God would provide a substitute, or raise his son again from the dead (Gen 22:8, Heb 11:19). At the last moment God told Abraham not to harm Isaac and then we read:
• Gen 22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering _____________________
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The Scapegoat and the Day of Atonement
Another clear example of the substitutionary death of an innocent for the guilty is found in Leviticus 16 where we read about the Day of Atonement.
On the Day of Atonement the High Priest was required to take two goats from the children of Israel. He was then to cast lots upon these goats, this was to determine which of these would be the sacrifice for a sin offering and which would be the scapegoat.
• Lev 16:15,16. Q. Who was this offering for? v15____________________
Q. What had to be sprinkled within the vail on the mercy seat?___________
Q. Why did an atonement (cleansing or forgiving) have to be made? v16
Now look at Lev 16:20-22. Where we read God’s instructions regarding the remaining goat.
Q. What did Aaron confess over this living goat?
Q. What was done with this goat next?
The goat on whose head the iniquities of the people were laid was set free, while the innocent goat that had no sin placed upon him was sacrificed before God. The scapegoat was sent away into the wilderness, unto a land not inhabited.
Q. What do you think God was teaching through this ceremony?
The ceremonies of the Old Testament can often seem strange, unnecessary or even cruel at times, but we should never forget that all these things were done to bring us to Christ (Gal 3:24). The Day of Atonement was necessary for God to make the children of Israel acceptable in his sight, to show the Israelites the seriousness of their sin, to remind the Israelites of His holiness, to set Israel apart from all other nations and to picture the substitutionary death of the coming Messiah.
As a yearly holy day, God used the day of Atonement to continually teach the children of Israel (and ultimately us) that 1. Sin must be punished; 2. Sin can be atoned for; 3. He, by his mercy and grace, would provide a substitute to bear the punishment for their sin, thus making the atonement possible.
The Passover
Finally, let’s consider the Passover and how it reemphasizes the need for a substitutionary death in order to save from sin. While looking at this account in Exodus 12, we will make direct comparisons to the death of Christ as he is directly referred to as our Passover in 1 Cor 5:7.
In Exodus 12 we read the account of the Passover. The Passover as a holy day had its origins in Egypt on the night that God had the first born of every home killed by the death angel. God provided a way for the children of Israel to be saved from sharing in the Egyptian’s fate.
• Ex 12:3. Q. What was every man to take? ________________________
• John 1:29. Q. How did John refer to Jesus?_________________________
• Ex 12:5. Q. What could the lamb not have?_______________________
• 1 Pet 1:19 Q. How is Jesus described here?__________________________
• Ex 12:6. Q. What were the people to do to the lamb?_________________
• Acts 2:23. Q. What did the people to to Jesus?______________________
Notice here that this lamb was to be held from the 10th day until the 14th day. For these four days this lamb was to be observed, examined and inspected. This was a time of testing to see whether or not he had any spot or blemish. This is the very same process which our Saviour went through after he rode a donkey into Jerusalem. Q. With what words did Jesus’ examination before Pilate end? • Luke 23:4 Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, ____________________________________________.
• Ex 12:7. Q. What had to result from the death of the lamb? (Heb 9:22)
• Luke 22:20. Q. What happened to Christ’s blood, why?
• Ex 12:46. Q. What could not be done to the lamb?
• John 19:36. Q. What did not happen to Jesus?
• Ex 12:13. Q. What was God’s promise concerning the lamb’s blood?
• Rom 5:9. Q. How are we justified? With what result?
New Testament Scriptures Regarding the Subsitutionary Death of Christ
Now let’s briefly look various New Testament scriptures which clearly teach that Jesus has become our substitute by dying in our place on the cross. Look up the following verses and indicate 1. Which phrases refer to his Death and 2. Which words refer to the fact that he died for us as our substitute.
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Death |
Substitute |
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1 John 3:16 |
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1 Peter 2:21 |
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1 Peter 3:18 |
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Hebrews 9:28 |
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Isaiah 53:5 |
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Jesus died as our substitute on the cross. When we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour we are in essence saying “I identify with your death and accept you as my substitute”. Subsequently the responsibility of the Christian is to identify with his life (Rom 5:10). He died for us, now we must allow him to live through us. Just as he substituted his death for our death, we are now to substitute his life for our life. Try to memorize Gal 2:20 this week!
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