Often we read and do not understand because we are reading without thinking. Such is the case of God’s declaration in the Garden of Eden about our Lord’s purpose in coming to this world. All of us have read many times the tenth chapter of Hebrews and overlooked the declaration there made. “for it is impossible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when He cometh into the world, He said, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God….Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God….By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.” Hebrews 10:4-10
The declaration in Eden was simple, forthright, and direct. After man had sinned, Christ called a meeting with the parties involved. That which He said to Adam and Eve was the recognition of the weakness mankind possessed. Man would and will sin!! “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 What Christ said to Satan destroys the atheistical doctrine so prevalent among the religious of the day: Christ begged not to die in the shadow of Calvary!! The purpose of this study is to point out the ridiculous insanity of this position. For the whole last week while on Earth, Christ was preparing to die. It was not something that came on Him suddenly nor was it something unexpected. He came to die!! Last week I pointed out that if Christ had not died we would be still in sin!! There was NO animal sacrifice would or could ever satisfy or appease the Almighty!!
Love had a plan and Love never questioned His role in bringing this plan into reality!! The whole of the “mystery of the ages” was announced in the Garden the day man sinned. “In the volume of the book” is often not understood. It literally means “before, from the beginning” Christ would die!! The purpose and plan for mankind from before the beginning was that Christ would die for the sins of His church and redeem it!! Not only had God decreed this and Moses wrote this truth from the very beginning of sin!! “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it (this enmity) shall cause (you, Satan) to lose your throne and you (Satan) will bruise His heel (take His life). Genesis 3:15 Look, my friend just WHEN this information was made known!! It was told that Christ would die!! This was at the beginning of the Book!! It was told in the very beginning of inspired revelation that Christ intended to die to purchase His church, and become High Priest so the purchased would be successful!! “Mine ears hast Thou opened, Thou hast fully instructed Me, furnished and fitted Me Psalms 40:6 How could some now deny this truth and have Christ act dishonorably in Gethsemane?? God prepared (declared) for Christ a human body in which to live. This body was found in the womb of Mary. Mary was betrothed, not yet married. Mary had not had sexual relations with any man so the seed (originator) of life would come from Mary and not a human male. This brings about many questions from the beginning-did God lie from the start? A declaration such as this one makes it impossible to believe in Christ as the Son of God and still think His death at Calvary was just a bad turn of events.
From the readiness and willingness of Christ to go through such an act shows us many things about Him whom we call both Lord and God!! When no less sacrifice would have been proper nor acceptable here we have Christ voluntarily when coming into this role proclaiming His joy in being honored as the chosen one to die for His Church!! Christ would come as a sacrifice but not only just as a sacrifice, He would come as King over the vaunted Church of Christ, but not just sacrifice, king: He would also come as a genuine hero for the second thing Christ would do was to take away a priesthood with which God the Father NEVER HAD DELIGHT! This would terminate the plan held mysterious from before the beginning of the ages which “eye had not seen, ear had not heard, neither had it entered into the heart of man what God had in store for them that love Him!! How could this conclusion have ever been happier for the Church of Christ because it was for It all these plans and arrangements were made. By ONE sacrifice He hath eternally vouchsafed our security amongst the redeemed. Mind cannot conceive of the glory He received when He returned Home!
