WHAT GOD HAS DONE TO SAVE MANKIND

WHY THE MESSIAH WOULD DIE

The prophecy at Daniel 9:24-26 foretold that the Messiah-God's Anointed One-would fulfill a great purpose. He would come to  earth "to terminate the transgression, and to finish off sin, and to make atonement for error, and to bring righteousness" forever.  The Messiah would remove the condemnation of death from faithful mankind. But how would he do this?  The prophecy explains that he would be "cut off," or put to death.

The ancient Israelites were familiar with the idea of atonement for error.  In their worship under the Law that God gave them through Moses, they regularly offered up animal sacrifices.  These reminded the people of Israel that humans need something to atone for, or cover, their sins.  The apostle Paul summarized the principle in this way:  "Unless blood is poured out no forgiveness takes place."  (Hebrews 9:22) Christians are not under the Mosaic Law with its requirements, such as sacrifices.  (Romans 10:4; Colossians 2:16, 17)  They also know that animal sacrifices cannot provide permanent and complete forgiveness of sins. Instead, these sacrificial offerings foreshadowed a far more valuable sacrifice-that of the Messiah or Christ.  (Hebrews 10:4, 10; Galatians 3:24) Yet, you may ask, 'Was it really necessary for the Messiah to die?' 

Yes, the Messiah had to die if mankind was to be saved. To understand why, we must think back to the garden of Eden and try to grasp the enormity of what Adam and Eve lost when they rebelled against God. Eternal life had been set before them!  As children of God, they also enjoyed a direct relationship with him.  But when they rejected Jehovah's rulership they lost all of that and brought sin and death upon the human race. -Romans 5:12. 

Next time: WHAT GOD HAS DONE TO SAVE MANKIND/ Conclusion of WHY THE MESSIAH WOULD DIE

From the book: KNOWLEDGE That Leads to Everlasting Life