8/10/2019 KT2-1 the Cross - Centre of History
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Copyright 1998 Paul Collins, Bunty Collins and David Collins.
May be freely reproduced, except for profit, provided copyright and
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information is kept intact. Scriptures quoted from the New
International Version, unless otherwise stated. Used by
permission.
SERIE
S:SOGREATSALVATION-LESSON
1
The Cross - Centre of History...The Lamb that was slain from the
creation of the
world. Revelation 13:8
The Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ is the
centrepoint of allhistory. It is the pivot of Mans
existence on earth. In the Old Testament days,
all of Gods dealings with Man pointed him tothe Cross that was
to come. His salvation was
through faith in what God promised would hap-
pen. Today we look back to that time, nearly
2000 years ago, when the Son of God hung on
the Cross between heaven and earth, between
God and Man, and we receive salvation through
faith in the finished work of Jesus on the Cross.
From the beginning
Fromthemomentthe firstman and woman,Adamand Eve, sinned (see
Genesis 3), Gods plan of
redemption was set into motion and Jesus was
foreordained to die.
The promise of the Saviour
And I will put enmity between you [the Ser-
pent] and the woman, and between your off-
spring and hers; He will crush your head, and
ou will strike his heel Genesis 3:15.
The crushing of the serpents head (a mortalwound)and the
strikingof theheelofthewomans
offspring (or Seed Galatians 3:16) took place
on the Cross.
The shedding of blood
The Lord God made garments of skin for
Adam and his wife and clothed them Gen-
esis 3:21.
At the moment of sin the gloryof God that had
clothed Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:26-27) had
now departed (Genesis 3:6-7). The first shed-
dingof blood took place in the Garden of Eden
to clothe their nakednessa prophetic picture
of the shedding of Jesuss blood on the Cross,
which would bring spiritual clothing for us aclothing with
therighteousness of God (Revela-
tion 3:5; 19:8).
The pivot of history
..you were redeemed from the empty way of
life...with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb
without blemish or defect. He was chosen
before the creation of the world, but was re-
vealed in these last times for your sake 1
Peter 1:18-20.
From the beginning of time God ordained the
sacrifice of a lamb as a substitute to be the only
way to receive forgiveness of sins and accep-
tance by God. It was given as a pre-picture of
the Lamb of God who would die once for all as
the substitute for all mankind (see John 1:29;
Hebrews 9:25-26).
Abel (Hebrews 11:4; Genesis 4:1-7).
Abraham (Gen.15:1-6; Gal.3:16; John8:56) Isaac (Hebrews 11:17;
Genesis 22:1-14).
Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7; Ex.12:1-33).
Brass snake (John 3:14-15; Num.21:6-9).
Sacrifices of Law (Heb.9:7-28;13:11-12).
The prophets (Isaiah 53; Acts 3:18).
Today
Fromthe timeof the early Churchuntil today we
are reaping the benefits of the Cross as we
look back and by faith receive all that was ac-complished for us
there.
