Introduction:
Soteriology:
"Don't all religions teach the same basic things?"
Humanity’s dilemma: True Moral Guilt
Definition:
God’s solution to man’s dilemma: Subsitutionary Atonement
I
Definition:
Pre-Cross:
Genesis 3:21 – Clothing for Adam and Eve
(Francis Schaeffer) "Immediately after their rebellion, (Adam and Eve) were now afraid and tried to cover themselves. But in verse 21, God took this covering away and gave them a coat of skins . . . Probably, these were the first animals to die. This indicates, I believe, that man could not stand before God in his own covering. Rather, he needed a covering from God . . . that required sacrifice and death—a covering provided not by man but by God. One would want to be careful not to press this into dogma . . . but (I believe) that this was the beginning of the Old Testament sacrificial system ... (Francis Schaeffer, Genesis In Space and Time, p. 105,106)
(Keil and Delitzsch) "By selecting the skins of beasts for the clothing of the first (people), and therefore causing the death or slaughter of beasts for that purpose, he showed them how they might use the sovereignty they possessed over the animals for their own good, and even sacrifice animal life for the preservation of humans; so that this act of God laid the foundation for the sacrifices . . . Clothed in this sign of mercy, the man was driven out of Paradise, to bear the punishment of his sin . . . " (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, vol. 1, p. 106)
Summary:
Genesis 4:3-5 – Cain and Abel’s offerings
Summary:
Genesis 8:20,21 – Noah’s sacrifice
Contrast between Pagan and Christian sacrifice:
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Pagan |
Judeo-Christian |
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The gods’ wrath is arbitrary and capricious. |
God's wrath is clear, rational, and dependable. |
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The worshipper innovates ways to appease the gods. |
God ordains and prescribes the way to appease him. |
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Sacrifice is an animal, vegetable, or mineral. |
Sacrifice is ultimately God himself in human form. |
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Sacrifice is often viewed as meeting a physical need (hunger, sensuality). |
Sacrifice satisfies God's righteous anger for our sins. |
Summary:
Genesis 22:1-14 – Abraham’s offering of Isaac
Notes:
Summary:
Exodus 12:1-14 – The Passover meal
Summary:
Leviticus 4 – Sin Offerings
Summary:
Levitcus 16** - Day of Atonement Symbolism
The Ark of the Covenant:
Mercy Seat:
Two goats:
Summary:
Isaiah 52:13-53:12** – The Anonymous Servant
53:5 "… pierced through for our transgressions ... crushed for our iniquities ... by his scourging we are healed ... "
53:6 " ... the Lord caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him ... "
53:8 " ... he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due ... "
53:10 " ... if he would render himself as a guilt offering ... "
53:11 " ... as he will bear their iniquities ... "
53:12 " ... he himself bore the sin of many ... "
52:14,15 " ... he will sprinkle many nations … " The death of the Servant (Jesus) will be the basis of forgiveness for the whole world.
Summary:
John 1:29 – The Lamb of God
Note:
Summary:
Did Jesus understand that he came to atone for human sin?
“…the fact is that the cross isn't a form of cosmic child abuse - a vengeful Father, punishing his Son for an offence he has not even committed....such a concept stands in total contradiction to the statement ‘God is love’... The truth is, the cross is a symbol of love. It is a demonstration of just how far God as Father and Jesus as his Son are prepared to go to prove that love. The cross is a vivid statement of the powerlessness of love....” – Steve Chalke, Alan Mann The Lost Message of Jesus (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2004).
How does this statement square with what Jesus says about himself?
(Mark 10:45) For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
(Luke 22:37) "For I tell you, that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, `AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS'; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment."
Summary:
Matt 26:26-30 – Jesus interprets the Passover meal.
Note:
Summary:
Luke 22:20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.
(Jeremiah 31:31-34) "Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, (32) not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. (33) "But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. (34) "And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
Summary:
At the Cross:
Jesus died as predicted with regard to:
Purpose (Isaiah 52):
Place (Genesis 22; Exodus 12):
Time (Exodus 12; Daniel 9):
Manner of death (Psalm 22):
Post-Cross:
(1 Cor. 5:7) Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.
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Festival |
Purpose |
Symbolism |
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Passover – Leviticus 23:5
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Remember how God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt. |
Jesus’ death – 1 Corinthians 15:7 |
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First Fruits – Leviticus 23:9-14 (The Sunday after Passover)
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Celebrate the first crops of the barley harvest as tangible evidence of a future harvest. |
Jesus’
resurrection –
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Pentecost – Leviticus 23:15-22 (Fifty days after the Sabbath following Passover) |
Show joy for a bountiful harvest |
Birth of the church and harvest of people coming to Christ. – Acts 2 |
(2 Cor. 5:21) He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
(1 Pet. 1:19,20) ... but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.
(1 Pet. 3:18) For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God ...
Hebrews 9:11-14, 23-26
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LEVITICAL SYSTEM (Old Covenant) |
JESUS' DEATH(New Covenant) |
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Where? |
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What? |
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When? |
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Result? |
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Romans 3:21-28
Concluding Observations
Substitutionary atonement is the heart of biblical theology/soteriology. Apart from it, there is no salvation!
People have always been saved by grace through faith (Hebrews 11:2), and always through Jesus' death.
The Old Covenant is now obsolete.
Leviticus 16** – The Day of Atonement is a clear example of substitutionary atonement for the nation of Israel.
Isaiah 53** – This passage makes it clear that the Old Testament sacrificial system must be fulfilled by a Person – the Servant of the Lord.
Romans 3:23,24* – All humans fall justly under God's condemnation because of their sins, but all humans are acceptable to God if they receive Jesus' atoning death for their sins.
Complete the Security of Salvation Assignment.