THE FAILSAFE OF THE CROSS
Bill Hofkins ©
I am writing this article with the firm belief that when Jesus hung on the cross to pay for our redemption, he died two deaths. On the cross he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Forsaken in Greek shows abandonment. He was left alone, without help, or left in the lurch.
If God the Father turned away from him 180 degrees, then he was, by necessity, cut off from the perfect relationship he enjoyed with the Father.
Because they hung him on a cross, he lost his divinity for a brief time — three days and three nights to be exact. He voluntarily surrendered his deity and became a mere mortal. Because he was mortal, he went to hell like any other man separated from God.
If you are wincing because you think it abhorrent that Jesus could die spiritually, you are not alone. I must confess I thought it repulsive and detested the notion that Jesus could die in any way other than physically on the cross as the Lamb of God.
That is until I learned the very lessons within this article. I intend to present evidence that will convince you of these facts and leave you with a deeper appreciation for the cross and the plan of redemption.
The second purpose of this writing is to point out that because of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord, the cross becomes a fail-safe.
A fail-safe is just that — Safety against failure. The cross guarantees that throughout eternity there will never be another rebellion, not by angels or by man; nor by Jesus or any of the redeemed of God.
You may also object to the notion that Jesus could ever rebel against God. That it is utterly absurd, ridiculous, and preposterous. May I say that I must agree with you!
Jesus, as we see in the Gospels, is a perfectly sinless God-Man who always conformed to the will of God, honoring His Father with flawless obedience. He was the Word made flesh, perfect in every way. Nevertheless, we will prove the failsafe of the cross prevents any future rebellion, yes, even from Jesus.
So then, why would the Father curse Jesus if he is a perfect sinless man? Why would such darkness and deep depression fall upon him? What caused the curse and how did he become sin itself?
The Curse Causeless
2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. Proverbs 26:2
This proverb teaches that any curse pronounced upon an innocent person for personal harm or injury will not land or settle upon him. Like a bird flitting among the trees, the curse will fly away without incident.
Does God follow this rule? How could He pronounce the curse of death upon His Beloved Son without a reason or provocation? Or was he cursed and forsaken because he deserved it? Have you ever understood just how Jesus became sin? 1 Corinthians 5:21 declares:
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (Emphasis mine throughout this writing.)
Yes, there is a technical, legal, scriptural reason he became sin! It was the very act of hanging on the cross that brought the cursing. Hanging on the cross was all it took for God to turn away and forsake him.
But why a cross? If it was only the shedding of blood God required to forgive sin, then they could have simply beat him or whipped him to death. They could have stoned him or run him through with a sword. Any of these methods would produce blood and plenty of it. What was it about the method of the cross, that was so vitally important?
The Tree
OK, here it is. The New Testament writers considered the cross to be a tree. No, I do not mean with branches and leaves and hanging fruit. The cross was a piece of timber cut and shaped from a tree into an instrument of execution and death. This is extremely important in the redemption story because without the tree there is no redemption!
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: Galatians 3:13
The verse referred to by the Apostle Paul is rather obscure, found in Deut. 21:22,23. Regardless of obscurity, this verse sets up the chain of events needed to complete God’s agenda.
22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. Deuteronomy 21:22-23
Sin Worthy of Death?
Jesus never sinned and was not guilty or worthy of death. As the lamb of God, he voluntarily surrendered his life unto death. Apparently a person could be cursed without committing sin at all. What it required was the actual hanging on the tree. Galatians 3.13 proves this.
So, it is not that Jesus sinned or rebelled, it is that he voluntarily, obediently allowed himself to be nailed to a tree with the intention of cursing. He was there on the cross willingly, fully exposed for all to see, no better than a common criminal; then to be thrown in the trash heap with the other malefactors.
And You Hang Him on a Tree
It was fitting that death came on all men through Adam because of a tree and equally fitting that death would be destroyed AND fellowship with God restored because of a tree. The following verses confirm it was a tree that he hung on, not just a piece of timber used by the Romans for execution.
30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Acts 5:30
39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Acts 10:39
29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. Acts 13:29
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: Galatians 3:13
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 Peter 2:24
The Forsaking
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? Psalm 22:1
‘Forsaken’ is the Hebrew word ‘Azab’. Forsaken means abandoned, left behind, left in the lurch. Left in the lurch means that you are depending upon someone else’s support, but they never show up to the rescue.
To better define the words forsaken and abandon we may invoke the emotional feeling of ‘no one cares’ or ‘I am helpless, woe is me.’ Within Psalm 22 there are also references to lions tearing flesh, bulls of Bashan, (which could gourd and trample his flesh). Also mentioned is a pack of wild dogs (surrounding and attacking). The leaders of the nation, and Rome, enacted doom and gloom upon him.
Jesus hung on the cross from nine A.M. until three P.M.. At noon, a darkness fell upon the land. Imagine the same darkness that was over Egypt during the time of the 10 plagues. A thick, depressing darkness that one could not only see but feel.
Jesus was the light of the world, but now His light was dim, and darkness covered the land. He was depressed, abandoned to his enemies, and at death’s door. His light was out, and they left him in the lurch.
‘He was forsaken’ implies the relationship he always enjoyed with his Father was there no longer. It was like Adam after he sinned and felt naked and ashamed.
Some scholars believe they hung Jesus on the cross naked. Exposed for the Sanhedrin and others to gawk at, and to mock. Ps 22.8 gives the impression they gloated over him in his misery:
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. Psalm 22:7-8
The chief priests, with the scribes and elders, used the same phrasing with slight variation in Matthew 27:
41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
43He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. Matthew 27:41-43
They changed the phrase ‘seeing he delighted in him’ to ‘if he will have him for he said, I am the Son of God.’ Was it because they saw him hanging on the tree of cursing that gave them such confidence in their mocking? After all, no one can hang on a tree without the subsequent cursing from God.
They thought they had him and there was no way of escape or redemption. But they did not know the rest of the story, that after three days and nights he would arise from the dead.
The Apostle Thomas who doubted Jesus’ resurrection would have a reasonable defense in the matter of his doubting. Imagine him saying, “But Lord, I doubted your resurrection because I saw you hanging on a tree and cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. How could anyone who is accursed ever rise from the dead?” His doubting makes perfect sense when we consider it from the perspective of hanging on a ‘tree’ of cursing.
Only by hanging on the tree was he forsaken and accursed.
Only by hanging on the tree did he become sin and bare our sin.
Only by hanging on the tree was he condemned to die two deaths.
Do you see it? Only by hanging on the tree could redemption take place. Otherwise, there is no legal justification to forsake him, or for him to become sin itself.
TWO
HE THAT IS HANGED IS ACCURSED OF GOD
‘Accursed’ is the Hebrew word Qualah and associated with keeping one’s oath and covenant. To be blessed would be the reward for obedience and covenant keeping. Cursing would be the opposite, the penalty or punishment for breaking one’s oath by disobedience.
The Israelites entering the promised land illustrates the word curse in a practical way. If the people kept the covenant by obeying all the commandments, there would be bountiful blessings.
Blessings in the city and field, in their basket and store, in silver and gold, in the fruit of their bodies and cattle. They would be the head and not the tail. They would have victory in battle and plenty of rain and bumper crops. Deut. 28.1-15
Blessing would flow as they kept the covenant and served the Lord.
But what if they misbehaved? They would experience the curse of breaking covenant:
45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: Deuteronomy 28:45
The Israelites did not always keep their oath to follow God’s covenant. Eventually, the entire nation turned from God and was evicted from the promised land.
The Assyrians attacked the ten northern tribes of Israel around 720 B.C… They raped, pillaged, and enslaved them. This happens when the Blood Covenant is not taken seriously. Because they forsook God and served idols, they took them captive. The Israelites never returned to their homeland.
Judah also backslid and had the same results. Even after seeing the fate of their northern brothers and had many warnings from various prophets, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took them captive around 587 B.C.
Fortunately for Judah, they returned after seventy years and stayed in the land until 70 A.D. But they never regained complete autonomy. Other nations always ruled over them.
Because Jesus hung on a tree it compelled God the Father to be faithful to his written word. The Covenant legally bound Him to curse whomever they hung on a tree.
Now, it happened to be the true king of Israel, his Beloved Son Jesus.
Joshua Hangs Six Kings
But to what extent was Jesus cursed? If he hung on a tree, the answer is obvious. Jesus received thorough cursing, Spirit, Soul, and Body. To better understand what Jesus experienced, we will look at two examples of hanging and thorough cursing in the book of Joshua.
28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.
29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcass down from the tree and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day. Joshua 8:28-29
This passage shows it was only the king of Ai that was hung on a tree, and no other citizen.
The other example occurred when Joshua commanded the sun and moon to stand still for a twenty-four-hour period while the Israelites fought the armies of Jerusalem, of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and of Eglon.
The five kings of these regions were losing the battle and hid in a cave at Makkedah. Joshua ordered the mouth of the cave to be covered over until they had time to deal with them after the battle. We pick up the story in verse 22:
22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave…
26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.
27 And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees… Joshua 10:22-27
Notice it was only kings that were hung on trees.
Also notice that before hung, they were…
ALREADY DEAD!
Verse 26 says he smote them, slew them, and then hung them on trees. What? I thought they hung people on trees to kill them, not hang them after the fact.
But no, they were not hung to be killed…
THEY WERE HUNG TO BE CURSED!
There is a reason that only the kings needed to be hung and cursed. Kings were Heads of State, rulers that represented kingdoms that opposed God’s kingdom and agenda.
Kingdoms are comprised of government and religion. If a king was hung and cursed, then cursed would be his kingdom. His government system, including his heirs, his citizens, his religion. All cursed by God forever.
There is no historical account of these kingdoms ever recovering.
Jesus Hangs And Is Cursed
When Jesus hung on the tree the following narrative occurred:
19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was,
JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
20 This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.
21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. John 19:19-22
Why did the chief priests object and request that Pilate change the inscription to ‘but that he said I am the king of the Jews.’ Is it because they knew that if He was their king, then like the kings Joshua hung, their kingdom and religion would also be cursed?
Was Jesus the king of the Jews? YES!
Was the kingdom of the Jews cursed? YES!
Israel rejected their Messiah because they didn’t recognize him as the one who fulfilled the Bible prophecies. They expected a warrior king like the great King David.
They wanted a commander-in-chief of government and military who would run the Romans out of the country and restore their place as an autonomous nation. However, they would be the ones run out of the land.
In 70 A.D. Titus of Rome destroyed the temple and killed over one million Jews in and around Jerusalem. They scattered the Jews throughout the world until they became a nation again in 1948. A separation of 1,878 years.
While away, the land laid barren. There were few inhabitants with little or nothing growing. The land also changed Gentile hands at least five times.
I would say that Jesus, as the King of the Jews, was cursed, and so the Jewish Nation became cursed as well and it came to an end!
For the record, I do not advocate replacement theology. The church of Jesus shares the life of the same Olive tree according to Romans 11. However, God is not finished with His physical people, the Jews.
It is a prophetic relationship.
Although the nation of Israel was cursed, Jesus foretold its resurrection. He even told the disciples in Matthew 24 there would be a modern nation and a rebuilt Temple. Therefore, we ask God to bless, protect and prosper the nation of Israel.
Adam Died Two Deaths
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Genesis 2:17
The Hebrew word ‘mooth’ is used twice in the phrase ‘surely die’. In Hebrew, it reads “Thou shalt mooth mooth”.
We understand it to mean that on that day, if or when Adam touched and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would die spiritually.
Then, because of spiritual death, he would later die physically. Adam ate the forbidden fruit, therefore he died twice. Once at that moment of disobedience, and then later physically, at age 930.
Jesus Died Two Deaths
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Isaiah 53:9
Noted In the margins of certain Bible translations, the word death in this verse is pluralized and should read, “and with the rich in his death’s.”
The JFB Bible Commentary gives a poignant description of his deaths. This is their commentary on Isaiah 53.9:
Hebrew, ‘deaths.’…as we say, ‘at His death.’ The plural, ‘deaths,’ intensifies the force; as Adam by sin ‘dying died’ (Ge 2:17 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.’ (Margin); that is, incurred death, physical and spiritual. So, Messiah, His substitute, endured death in both senses; spiritual, during His temporary abandonment by the Father; physical, when He gave up the ghost. JFB.
It was when Jesus cried out “Why have you forsaken me” that he died the first death. If forsaken, then His Father abandoned him, and he was no longer the sinless Son of God. He became the Lamb of God, which took away the sin of the world. He not only took the sin he BECAME THE SIN. 2 Cor. 5.21
Adam rebelled and touched the forbidden tree, causing spiritual death. Jesus would voluntarily touch the tree of cursing. It would separate him from God, and he would lose his standing as Deity by being out of relationship and fellowship.
Hanging on the tree, he became a mere mortal which opened the door to become sin itself.
Can God Die?
But you might be thinking that it would be impossible for Jesus to die spiritually because he is God in the flesh and — God cannot die. Using that logic, answer this question: How could he die physically as God? He was walking in a covenant relationship, so wouldn’t God be protecting him from his enemies. Ps. 91 and Deut. 28.7 for example.
Also, when in Nazareth they tried to shove him over the cliff, but he could not be taken. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, the soldiers fell backward when He spoke the words, “I AM HE”. There are other examples where he could not be captured–unless he laid down his life willingly.
Yes, it is unreasonable to think that the God-Man, Jesus, could be killed by a hostile enemy force, but what if Jesus voluntarily surrendered his life both spiritually and physically? Why do we see the physical death of Jesus but hardly notice or examine his spiritual death?
For example, we know of his great spiritual battle in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus became troubled in spirit and agonized between doing his own will or doing God’s will. To become the Paschal Lamb of God on that specific Passover, he needed to make an all-in commitment and volunteer his life.
Like Adam who chose to touch the tree, Jesus also had a choice to touch the tree of cursing.
All through the Gospels, Jesus forewarned the Apostles of his death, burial, and resurrection. But now, the evening before it was to happen, he was confronted, face to face, with the actual event.
Why was he overly stressed-out if it only required him to endure a beating? Was it because he was wrestling with more than just the idea of being physically beaten and killed?
Was it not because he dreaded the horror of being forsaken and separated from his Father?
The following verses recount Jesus in Gethsemane. While reading ask the question, ‘was he fretting over a physical or a spiritual death?’
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt….
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. Matthew 26:37-42
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:41-44
‘Heavy’ in Greek means: ‘to be troubled, much distressed,’
‘Sorrowful’ in Greek is: ‘very sad, deeply grieved.’
‘Agony’ is the Greek used for: ‘severe emotional strain and anguish’. He suffered such agony that he sweat, as it were, great drops of blood?
Do you seriously think a beating and subsequent physical death would cause all this heavy sorrow, grief, and agony of spirit? How could he who came from eternity dread a truly short length of time (six-twelve hours) of being beaten and crucified?
You may disagree and express that he was in agony because he knew he would soon be taking on the unbearable sin of the entire world in his role as the lamb of God.
You, of course, would be correct. But how could he become the lamb of God? He could not take on and become the very sin of this world unless:
- He was hoisted upon a tree,
- Was forsaken by God,
- Became a curse,
- Lost relationship with God his Father,
- And was completely abandon and left in the lurch?
There is no pretty picture here. No religious goosebumps. Jesus paid the price for our redemption by getting down and dirty in the very muck and mire of betrayal, cursing, sin, rebellion, hate, and murder.
He would pay the price by the death of his very own spirit.
The overwhelming reality of being separated from his Heavenly Father is what afflicted him in the Garden, anticipating the loss of fellowship.
He drank the poisonous dregs from the cup of death!! He exchanged life for death; holiness for sin; reward for cursing; heaven for hell; the just for the unjust.
He voluntarily, with purpose and forethought, gave up the position of Deity to become a mortal man. However, I reiterate it was only for three days and three nights that he was in this condition.
You may ask yourself why I am belaboring this issue that Jesus died spiritually. Why is this particularly important? As Agatha Christie’s character, the great detective Hercule Poroit would say, ‘You must exercise the little gray cells, and if you will be patient, all will become clear.’