Jesus in the OUTER COURT

In an earlier lesson we saw that the war of the universe is fought on two fronts. In his rebellion against God and attempt to usurp God's throne, Satan made a bid to become master of the entire physical universe. Yet the heart of every human being is itself a battlefield in this all important struggle that can only end in eternal life or eternal death. The cross of Calvary made victory possibel on both of htese fronts. It was no accident that Jesus died hanging between heaven and earth, nailed to a universal pagan religious symbol. It was the moment of Satan's glory (or so he thought). He had the Son of God captive on his own symbol and cast it toward heaven in a defiant gesture of his supremacy over the power of God. But the moment of his great was also sealed the moment of his demise. The evil nature of Satan was unmasked before the entire universe by his treatment of the innocent Author of all life. He who is the essence of love and he who is the essence of selfishness stood face to face at Calvary. Satan forever lost any morsel of sympathy that may have lingered in the hearts of those unfallen beings who had remained loyal to God during the war in heaven. Just as important, he lost his power over all those caught in the snares of sin who truly wish to escape.

The war against sin was won on a universal level that day outside the walls of old Jerusalem. Satan is a defeated foe. All that is left is the "mopping up" of the war on planet earth. The war continues in the hearts of men and women, though time is fast drawing to a close. But even here the victory was won for those who will but claim it as their own. The infinite value of every human being was revealed on the cross. God paid with His own life the penalty of sin for every individual. Calvary still stands as the keystone to God's plan of salvation. This lesson will look more deeply into this event which was foreshadowed in the Outer Court of the wilderness tabernacle and the temple in Jerusalem.

1.	In the Old Testament sanctuary service, who actually killed the sacrifice? Leviticus 1:3-5

Helps and hints: The animal sacrifice was intended to be a graphic illustration of the fact that sin produces death. The fact that the sinner himself was to slay the sacrifice was to reinforce his understanding that his own sins would contribute to the death of his substitute for sin. That substitute was Jesus.

Helps and hints: Jesus made it clear that His sacrifice was a voluntary sacrifice that HE HIMSELF made. He took the sins of all mankind upon Him and it was the weight of these sins that eventually killed Him. But even to the end He could have chosen not to go through with it. The apostle Luke records Jesus' last moments of life on the cross, "And when Jesus had vccried with a loud voice, he siad, 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:' and having said thus, he gave up the ghost." Luke 23:46. It was a deliberate act, even to the end.

Helps and hints: Jesus suffered intense physical pain during the time of His trial and crucifiction. But it was the weight of the sins of the world that brought Him to the point of death. It was the terrible separation from God that He felt so acutely that caused Him to cry out in anguish. And yet, even as He cried out, He uttered words of faith. For these words had been re-echoed in the book of Psalms nearly 1,000 years earlier, in Psalm 22, the "crucifiction Psalm." Jesus died with the words of Scripture on His lips.

Helps and hints: Two points are brought out in this text. God Himself cannot be killed, nor can He die. It is for this reason, in part, that Jesus became a man, so that He COULD die in our place. The other point to notice is that it was by the GRACE OF GOD that Jesus was allowed to taste death. The idea that God the Father is angry at us, while Jesus works to appease that anger was championed by the Medieval Church, and is rooted in paganismn, not the Bible. Jesus Himself testified, "and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: for the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God." John 16:26,27.

Helps and hints: Satan hoped that by destroying Jesus on the cross, God's activities on earth would be finished. Instead, it won the highest respect of millions for their Creator, and signalled the befinning of the end for Satan. He began the process of his own judgement, which will be finalized in his destruction at the end of this earth's history.

Helps and hints: John 12:32 says that Christ would "draw all men" unto himself. The word "men" appears in italics in the King James Version because it is a word supplied by the translators. Colossians 1:20 indicates that Jesus fully reconciled ALL things in heaven and on earth. Even His heavenly creatures were now left entirely without doubt concerning the wisdon of God's plan of salvation and intention to destroy sin forever.

Helps and hints: Some Christians have been taught that Jesus Himself is sacrificed often, even daily, in their own religious ceremonies. This is not the case. Christ offered Himself ONCE. Anyone looking to that sacrifice in FAITH can receive salvation.

Helps and hints: Heaven and earth did not pass away at the cross. Jesus died to satisfy the claims of God's broken law. If salvation coudl have been accomplished by abolishing the law, God could have done that before the horrors of Calvary. In that case Jesus would not have had to die at all. Eliminating God's law makes Jesus' sacrifice on the cross meaningless.

Helps and hints: It was the cross of Calvary that demonstrated how God can be both JUST and MERCIFUL at the same time. It is the greatest testimony to His infinite wisdom.

Helps and hints: God's mercy is what restored His relationship with fallen mankind. His justice will ensure peace throughout the universe for all eternity. Those who share that eternal kingdom will gladly obey the laws of peace, having seen that they are the foundation of God's righteous character. They will obey from the heart, by their own choice, in their own minds, not from fear or coercion. Having once been slaves of sin and death, they wil all agree with the motto inscribed on the courthouse in Worcester, Massachusetts: "OBEDIENCE TO LAW IS LIBERTY."

Brief Summary Of The Results Of The Crucifiction:

1. God showed that He deeply loved sinners but abhorred their sins.
2. Christ obtained the authority to forgive the sins of anyone who comes to Him with a contrite heart, confessing his sins. Micah 7:18; Mark 2:10
3. He died for all men. Every man be saved if he will accept what rightly or legally belongs to him. Accepting Jesus, no man is condemned to hell. those who go there do so by their own choice. Christ gave His own blood to cleanse our polluted souls. 1 John 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:15
4. He paid the penalty of our sins, which is the second death. Romans 6:23
5. Instead of destroying Adam after he sinned, Christ dies in his stead. Romans 5:6,8
6. He justified God, His government, and His laws before the whole universe. John 17:3,4
7. He demonstrated that God is humble and willing to serve. Philippians 2:6-8
8. He proved that God is willing to suffer and endure the most degrading treatment to save those He loves. Isaiah 53:1-5
9. He demonstrated His obedience, to the point of death. Hebrews 5:8
10. He showed that He loves His creatures more than Himself.
11. As a result of Christ's incredible demonstration of love and justice, a great multitude of people have chosen Him through the ages to be their God, their Lord, their King, and their Redeemer. Revelation 5:8,9;7:9

(from The Gospel of Jesus Christ, E.B. Knechtle and C.J. Sohlmann)

What happened in the outer court?

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."

Romans 5:8,9

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