THE CROSS THROUGHOUT THE SCRIPTURES
Behold the Lamb of God Joh 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” The lamb was to be without spot and without blemish and was actually tied down to the horns of the altar. The priest would put one hand on the man’s
1. The Cross Appears, GEN 3:15.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 1 - Phi 2:8 In fact, although having being discovered in outward appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of spiritual death, even death on a cross. 1Co 1:18 “For the doctrine concerning the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Josephus described crucifixion as “the most wretched of deaths” - suicide was preferable to the cruel fate of being put on the cross. It originated several centuries before the Common Era and continued into the fourth century AD when the practice was discontinued by Constantine. The brazen serpent being lifted up on a pole, Num 21:9. People would watch Him as He was suffering publicly, Psa 22:7-8. His hands and feet would be pierced, Psa 22:16. Not one of His bones would be broken, Psa 34:20. They would offer the Lord Jesus Christ gall and vinegar, Psa 69:21. The prophecy of His crucifixion, Isa 53:12. The piercing of Jesus’ side, Zec 12:10. Death by crucifixion was invented by the Persians which is now Iran. Later it was adopted by the Phoenicians (Canaanites, a perverted people) and the Carthaginians (North Africa). Only one word can describe death by crucifixion: agony. “On the cross there are only two things, pain and eternity. They tell me I was only on the cross twenty-four hours, but I was on the cross longer than the world existed. If there is no time, then every moment is forever.” Mass executions in which thousands died, such as the crucifixion of 6,000 followers of Spartacus as part of a victory celebration in 71 BC, appear in literature. Alexander the Great had 2,000 survivors from the siege of Tyre crucified on the shores of the Mediterranean. During the times of Caligula, AD 37-41, Jews were tortured and crucified in the amphitheater to entertain the inhabitants of Alexandria. Many researchers have believed death occurred as the result of a ruptured heart - Joh 19:34 - the water and blood flowing out of the wound. Other scholars have regarded asphyxiation or suffocation as being the cause of death. If the victims are hanging with their hands extended over their heads, death can occur within an hour, or in minutes if the victim’s legs are nailed. For exhaling to occur in a normal manner two sets of muscles are needed - the diaphragm and the intercostalis muscles between the ribs. As a deterrent in the ancient world, many of its victims were crucified where the criminal event took place. It was common to have a procession through the streets of Jerusalem where the criminal, along with a statement of his crime, could be publicly displayed. Mar 15:20 And after they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, and put His garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him. Mar 15:21 And they pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross. He carried the patibulum - the crossbeam. Around our Lord’s neck hung the titulus on which were inscribed the charges for which He was being executed. To add further humiliation to the process the victim was stripped completely naked. Once stripped, the victim would be thrown on his back upon the patibulum, the crossbeam. The long, square-headed spikes would inevitably pass through or close to the median nerve of the hands or the wrists so the nerve was severely damaged. The crossbeam would drop into place with such force that the victim’s shoulders would often be dislocated, increasing the suffering and torture. Isa 53:6 Rom 8:31 Heb 11 Heb 12 Psa 22:14 “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.” Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
2. The Foreshadowings of the Cross in Abel’s Lamb, Gen 4.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 2 The victim was given thirteen stripes on the left shoulder, thirteen stripes on the right shoulder, and thirteen stripes across the thighs. The Roman scourging was much more severe and was known as “halfway death.” This trained man used a whip called a flagellum, with a stubby wooden handle to which was attached a bundle of leather whips. At the tip of the whips, bits of bone or chain or lead weights shaped like small dumbbells were fastened. As each whip hit, the bits of bone, chain, or the dumbbells would dig in deeply into the flesh and even into the muscle. This veil has to do with the glory of the cross of Christ throughout the Scriptures. The cross was a shock to Satan - it was God’s masterpiece in the universe. “Calvary marked the greatest hour in the entire meritorious history of Deity.” Gal 6:14 But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. At the cross, God found a way to justify the ungodly, and yet remain just, Rom 3:26. The central theme of the Bible is the cross. At the cross, God found a way justify the ungodly, and yet not compromise with sin, Rom 3:26, Hab 1:13. Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; Rom 3:26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Rom 5 - At the cross, God declares the wicked, righteous, without a shadow of blame or unrighteousness falling upon His righteous character. At the cross He provided a forgiveness which satisfies all the demands of the Law and has power to transform the wicked into saints. 1. The Cross Appears. Gen 3:15 The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world, Rev 13:8. Act 2:23 this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. Eph 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, 1Pe 1:20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world. Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
3. The Flood Is a Type of the Cross, Gen 6-8.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 3 John 19:1 Pilate took Jesus, and scourged Him. The victim was severely beaten about the back, shoulders, and sides of the chest until he was raw and bleeding profusely from thousands of small gashes. After this happened to our Lord and Savior, He was punched and beaten in the face, spit upon, had a crown of thorns forced upon His head and then mocked. Mar 15:19 And they kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting at Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. He was paraded through Jerusalem with a crossbeam tied to His back to face one of the cruelest and most humiliating forms of punishment in the ancient world, crucifixion. Only one word can describe death by crucifixion: agony. It was humiliating, tormenting, slow, and public. Psa 22:14 “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.” “Calvary marked the greatest hour in the entire meritorious history of Deity.” Gal 6:14 But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. At the cross, the meritorious attributes of God come to their most majestic expression. Rom 5 - At the cross, God declares the wicked, righteous, without a shadow of blame or unrighteousness falling upon His righteous character. It is only when the believer discovers the glory of the cross that he first comes to see the Bible in its truest light. 1. The Cross Appears. Gen 3:15 The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world, Rev 13:8. Act 2:23 this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. Eph 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, 1Pe 1:20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you. Ecc 12:7 then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. Could it be that God’s original plan in the creation of man should fail? Was Satan to be permitted to lord it over man, having deceived him and having brought him under his bondage? Was there no hope of forgiveness and liberation for Adam’s race? Could a reconciliation be effected and man be brought back to God, freed from Satanic oppression? Would God forever be dishonored, His Fatherhood denied, and His purposes unfulfilled? Was it in God’s power to undo what the wicked one, under whose power the whole world lies in, had done? 1Jo 5:19. Was God to be frustrated eternally because man was made in His image and for the satisfaction of His heart but man sinned? 2Pe 3:8 Though the immediate result was rebellion and sin, the final outcome of it all would be restoration. The Lord God turned the curse into a blessing, Deu 23:5. What Satan meant for evil, God would turn into good, Gen 50:20. Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 1Jo 3:8 The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Man could not be restored by a divine command. Man had chosen to follow the ways of Satan in the same way: to use his own free will against the will of God. Without freedom of choice, man would not be man, nor would he ever be able to satisfy the desires of God’s heart. Rev 12:9 Satan deceives the whole world; The mere exercise of divine authority and divine power could not fulfill the demands of the case. Man must learn to hate “self,” Satan’s agent within man as the governing principle of his life. He could undo the First Adam’s rebellion and sin by refusing Satan’s claims upon man, in the full and free exercise of His own free will, and shatter the alliance. The Seed of the woman, Christ our Lord, would bruise the serpent’s head. Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
4. Mount Moriah Points to Calvary, Gen 22.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 4 2. The Foreshadowings of the Cross in Abel’s Lamb. Heb 11:4 By means of doctrine Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. Abel’s offering pointed to the cross, Cain’s offering pointed to man’s works. Once “self” is set up as god and becomes the “almighty” force ruling the heart, evil battles of this kind become the order of the day. Mat 16:24 “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” 1Jo 3:15 Everyone who hates his fellow-believer is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding [alive] in him. Was it the nature of the offerings, the blood of a lamb, or the fruit of the ground, which determined God’s approval or His disapproval? Was the divine reaction motivated by the difference between the two men, one proud and given to anger, the other meek and humble? True faith in God’s Lamb, TLJC, is not just the only ground of acceptance for the sinner, but also the source of his transformation. Where “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” is rejected, pride is the inevitable result. Heb 9:22 without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Mat 26:28 “For this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.” The question of the ground of man’s acceptance with God. Heb 12:24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. 3. The Flood Is a Type of the Cross. 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. Joh 3:17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.” Just like the world could be saved by being on the ark, the world can now be saved by being “in Him.” Joh 12:31 Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out. Joh 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” Joh 12:33 But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die. He who was made sin on our behalf, destroyed the power of sin by taking it all down into death. 2Co 5:14 having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; Col 3:3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Rom 6:6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, ark = kibotou = a treasure chest or a wooden ship constructed of gopher or Cyprus wood, used because it is a light but tough wood. It was 450 feet long, seventy-five feet wide, and forty-five feet high. It had one material, gopher wood, representing the humanity of Christ. Jesus Christ is the ark - He is the treasure chest. Col 2:3 In Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The pitch used to secured the bulkheads = the work of Christ on the cross; it keeps out the waters of divine judgment. Only one set of plans were used. Only the plan of God has stability. Only one door in the ark, = only one way to adjust to the justice of God - through TLJC. Joh 10:9 “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved.” One window = only one objective after salvation, to reach spiritual maturity, and only one perspective, divine viewpoint, Bible doctrine. Three floors to the ark = the concept of progress after salvation, S.S.E., S.A., S.M. The ark represents the principle of eternal security, being in union with Christ because of His work on the cross. There was no judgment to those in the ark - Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. “corresponding to that” = antitupon, a copy or a representation, a representation of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism which now saves us is the baptism of the Spirit, not water baptism. Eph 4:5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Each member of Noah’s family in the ark is analogous to the believer who is union with the person of Jesus Christ. They were delivered from the catastrophe of the flood by being inside the ark, just as we are delivered from the lake of fire by being in union with Christ, due to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
5. EXODUS 12 - The Lamb Without Blemish.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 5 4. Mount Moriah Points to Calvary. Heb 11:11 By means of doctrine resident in the soul even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised; Rom 4:18 In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” Rom 4:19 And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; Rom 4:20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, Rom 4:21 and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform. Moriah is later called Zion; on the mountain of Moriah Solomon built the Temple, 2Ch 3:1. Moriah = “chosen by the Lord” Luk 23:33 And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. burnt offering = olah = an offering in which the smoke goes upward. burnt offering = propitiation, the sacrifice of TLJC, and the impeccability of the humanity of Christ being offered up to God the Father for all of our sins. Joh 8:56 “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” The sacrifice on the mountain was to take place between the father and the son only! The two slaves represent the two thieves on the cross who were not permitted to see the transaction that took place between God the Father and TLJC. Luk 23:44-45 And it was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, the sun being obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. Just as the father, Abraham, laid the wood on his son, so TLJC would carry the burden of our sins. wood = humanity, 1Co 3:12 fire = wrath and judgment, Num 11:1 knife = crucifixion of fleshly desires, Pro 23:2 Abraham has the knife and the fire because he is the father, and he has the tools needed to execute judgment of an innocent sacrifice. The “lamb” was not only provided by God but it was for God. Before blessing could ever flow forth to men, Divine holiness and justice must be satisfied. Rom 3:26 - “to demonstrate His righteousness that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” It is not “God Himself will provide a lamb,” but “God will provide for Himself a lamb.” Psa 23:3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Psa 25:11 For Thy name’s sake, O Lord, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. Psa 143:11 For the sake of Thy name, O Lord, revive me. In Thy righteousness bring my soul out of trouble. Isa 43:25 “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.” Isa 48:9 “For the sake of My name I delay My wrath, And for My praise I restrain it for you, In order not to cut you off.” Isa 48:11 “For My own sake, for My own sake I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another.” Mat 27:2 and they bound Him, and led Him away, and delivered Him up to Pilate the governor. Luk 2:7 And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, Luk 23:53 And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain. The ram is a type of TLJC, who is available for the sinner as his substitute, Exo 22:5, 29:22, Lev 8:21, 9:2. Isaac was on the altar ready to die as all of us were on our way to eternal death, but the Savior takes our place and dies in our stead. Horns in the Bible represent power, strength, and grandeur, 2Sa 22:3, 1Ki 22:11, Luk 1:69. “Jehovah Jireh” = “The Lord will provide.” Later this place will be called Mount Zion. Mount Zion, where Abraham offered Isaac, where Christ was crucified and will return, the location of the Temple = “God’s holy mountain.” Heb 11:17 “By means of doctrine Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;” His father was 100 years old. His mother was beyond menopause at age 90. Isa 53:10 “But the Lord [God the Father] was pleased To crush Him [Jesus Christ], putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering.” Rom 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
6. The Red Sea Which Is a Type of the Cross.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 6 5. The Lamb Without Blemish - Exo 12 Act 3:18 “But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ should suffer, He has thus fulfilled.” The conflict with Pharaoh came to a climax in the death of all the first-born throughout Egypt including the heir to the throne. The last time it was to be Himself, the sacrificial Lamb, slain, not to celebrate Israel’s freedom from the tyranny of Egypt, but to liberate all mankind from the bondage of sin. 1Co 5:7 For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Emancipation, deliverance, freedom and liberation. Sprinkled upon the doorposts = open profession of our faith in Christ, and obedience to Him as those not ashamed of our dependence upon Him. It was sprinkled upon the lintel and sideposts, but not upon the threshold, which cautions us to beware of trampling under foot the blood of the covenant, Heb 10:29. Heb 10:29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? Joh 6:54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Joh 6:55 “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.” Joh 6:56 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” Exo 12:6-9 - the lamb was to be slain and roasted with fire representing the sufferings of the Lord Jesus even unto death, the death of the cross. Jewish bondage in Egypt was a shadow of the universal bondage of man in sin. Pharaoh’s oppressive tyranny was a representation of the awful bondage that the man is in to the prince of the darkness of this world, Satan. Luk 22:15 “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;” Joh 19:33 but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs; Joh 19:36 For these things came to pass, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “Not a bone of Him shall be broken.” 6. The Red Sea Is a Type of the Cross. The song of Moses and the children of Israel is contrasted in Revelation with the song of the Lamb, a new song. Rev 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” Rev 5:12 singing with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” 1Co 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. The Red Sea, divided for the Jews by an act of God, signified deliverance from fearful bondage. Exo 14:17 “I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen” Exo 14:13 for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. Joh 12:31 “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out.” Joh 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” Heb 2:14 that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; Gal 6:14 But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
7. The Bitter Waters of Marah Sweetened by the Tree, Exo 15.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 7 7. The Bitter Waters of Marah Sweetened by the Tree. Exo 15 At the red sea, Exo 14, they had too much water; at Marah, Exo 15:23, they had the wrong kind of water. Marah (bitter water) = a bitter disappointment for a people whose lips were dry with thirst and who were fainting in the desert. If your life is governed by emotions, you will fail when the Lord brings in different tests for the purpose of spiritual advance. The wilderness experience will make manifest the weakness of God’s people and their failure under pressure. To magnify the power and the mercy of the One who brought us to the place of testing. The wilderness not only gives us a revelation of ourselves, but it also makes manifest the ways of God. They thought they found what they were looking for, but suddenly it became a source of bitterness to them. Grumbled = luwn = to murmur, complain, be malcontent, express dissatisfaction. It was his obedience to the Lord’s command. Their entire history would find its deepest meaning at Calvary’s cross - cast into the bitter waters of life for the healing of the world. Joh 5:39 “Search the Scriptures, it is these that bear witness of Me;” The waters of Marah point to the doctrine of redemption. Redemption views mankind as born into the slave market of sin through the imputation of Adam’s original sin at birth. The coin of the realm for this purchase is called the “blood of Christ,” Eph 1:7; Col 1:14. 1Co 15:19 “If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most miserable.” “First, there’s an advance in fullness and clearness of revelation; then a gradual spirit of declension, then conformity to the world, ending with amalgamation with the world; then a gigantic civilization, brilliant but godless; then parallel development of evil and good; then an apostasy and finally a catastrophe.” Gen 6:5 The wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Gen 6:11-12 Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. 1Th 5:3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
8. The Stricken Rock of Horeb, Exo 17.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 8 1. The Cross Appears, Gen 3:15. 2. The Foreshadowings of the Cross in Abel’s Lamb, Gen 4. 3. The Flood Is a Type of the Cross, Gen 6-8. 4. Mount Moriah Points to the Cross, Gen 22. 5. The Lamb Without Blemish, Exo 12. 6. The Red Sea Is a Type of the Cross, Exo 14. 7. The Bitter Waters of Marah Sweetened by the Tree, Exo 15. 8. The Stricken Rock of Horeb, Exo 17. The too much water test at the Red Sea, Exo 14:9. The wrong kind of water test - the waters of Marah = bitterness, Exo 15:23. The “no water test,” Exo 17:1. Every test is a glorious opportunity to trust the Lord in a hopeless situation and to recognize once again that we are really helpless. They rejected the authority of their leader, but they demanded that he give them water. If the Jews reject the authority of Moses, why do they ascribe to him the supernatural power of providing water for 2,000,000 people and their children? They ascribe to Moses a power that he does not possess, while rejecting the authority he does possess. Mat 26:45 Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Luk 22:14 And when the hour had come He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. Joh 12:23 “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” kal imperative - nathan = they demanded it. Fear, worry, anxiety, anger, hatred, violence and murder. Grumbled = kal imperfect - luwn = to grumble, to complain, to criticize. In their irrationality from emotional sins and hysteria, they assign to Moses their very own motivation and flaws. Leadership cannot afford to be frightened in a pressure situation. He does not try to justify himself before the people. Locked-in arrogance causes this great flaw, self justification. Moses is not responsible to the people; he is responsible to the Lord. In leadership, if you are afraid of anyone under your command, you have failed as a leader. He was to take the very staff he struck the Nile river with - to remind them of all the Lord had already done, but they forgot. Deu 32:18 “You neglected the Rock who begot you, and forgot the God who gave you birth.” Psa 78:11 And they forgot His deeds, and His miracles that He had shown them. Psa 106:13 They quickly forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel. Psa 106:21 They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt, Hos 13:6 As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore, they forgot Me. Horeb is the place where Moses saw the burning bush, so he is right back on old ground. The staff = the judgment of God. The striking of the rock = TLJC being struck on the cross. 1Co 10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. Why was it used on this particular occasion at Meribah, which means to murmur, complain, rebel etc.? To remind the Jews that their sins and failures had been judged on the Cross, and they could recover from their murmuring and complaining if they chose to. Isa 55:1 Ho! every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “come.” and let the one who hears say, “come.” and let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. Psa 78:20 Behold, He struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams were overflowing; Joh 7:37 “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” Luk 20:17 What then is this that is written, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief corner stone”? Zec 13:7 “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, And against the man, My Associate,” Declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered;” Mar 14:27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, because it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.’” It all points to the same astounding fact: in the cross of Christ healing streams of eternal life flow forth for all mankind. Joh 19:34 but one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water. Joh 19:36 For these things came to pass, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, We all have some thirst and are consumed by it, Ecc 3:11. 9. The Rock Stricken Again - A Mistake on the Part of Moses, Num 20. The efficacy of the work of Christ on the cross. Moses had done a terrible thing in giving an erroneous view of the Cross with its once and for all consummation of the infinitely glorious work of redemption. Rom 6:10 For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Heb 10:10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
9. The Rock Stricken Again - A Mistake on the Part of Moses, Num 20.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 9 10. The Book of Leviticus Is Filled with the Foreshadowings of the Cross. Heb 10:8 “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast not desired, nor hast Thou taken pleasure in them” Isa 1:11 “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams, And the fat of fed cattle. And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.” Psa 51:16 For Thou dost not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; Thou art not pleased with burnt offering. The Jews needed to have before them the constant fact that sin is no insignificant matter which God could lightly pass over. If the blow does not fall on the guilty, it must fall on one who makes himself responsible and accepts the punishment for the wrong involved. Heb 10:17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” He tasted death for every man in order that the just demands of the Law might be fully fulfilled in our behalf, Heb 2:9. a. The burnt offering - propitiation or expiation with emphasis on the work of Christ, so animal blood was used, Lev 1:3. b. The food offering - propitiation with emphasis on the unique person of Christ, so animal blood was not used, Lev 3:11. c. The peace offering - reconciliation based on the work of Christ on the cross, so animal blood was shed at the altar, Lev 7:11. d. The sin offering - rebound, emphasizing the forgiveness of unknown sins in the life, Lev 4:3. e. The trespass offering - rebound, emphasizing the forgiveness of known sins and confessed sins. 11. Moses Lifted up the Serpent. Num 21 Joh 3:14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;” Israel should have known by now that Jehovah-jireh, “the Lord will provide,” would not fail his people. Sin is a fiery serpent and its sting is the sting of death - 1Co 15:6 The sting of death is sin, Rom 5:20 where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, Gen 3:15 - the serpent’s seed are said to be unregenerate sinners. 2Co 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. “The serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan,” is the author of sin. Rev 12:11 “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death.” 1Jo 3:8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. It would have pictured God’s judgment on the sinner himself and misrepresented our sinless substitute, Heb 7:26. The one who is the sinner’s Savior was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, Rom 8:3. The serpent was a reminder and emblem of the curse. Brass symbolizes divine judgment. On the Brazen altar the sacrificial animals were slain. Rev 1 - Christ is seen as judge inspecting the seven churches, His feet were like fine brass. Brass is harder than iron, or silver, or gold; it told of Christ’s mighty strength. a. They were not told to manufacture some ointment to heal their wounds. b. They were not told to minister to others who were wounded and help each other out. c. They were not told to fight the serpents. d. They were not told to make an offering to the serpent on the pole. e. They were told not to look at Moses. f. They were not told to look at their wounds. 1. Moses was commanded by God to make a serpent of brass; it was something the Lord provided. 2. Moses was commanded to fix this brazen serpent upon a pole - the divine remedy was publicly exhibited so all Israel might look and be healed. 3. He was to look away from himself to the divinely appointed object of faith. Isa 45:22 “Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.” Heb 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, Phi 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly look for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 4. The brazen serpent was lifted up so those who were too weak to crawl up to the pole simply could look and be healed. Gen 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, Life could only come out of death. When our Lord died on the cross He put an end to the Adamic race and began a new one. Our Lord referred to His sacrificial death as a lifting up because the Jews were looking for a Messiah who should be lifted up. Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
10. The Book of Leviticus Is Filled with the Foreshadowings of the Cross.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 10 12. Deu 21:23 Unveils the Horrors of the Infamous Cross. Heb 12:2 Be concentrating on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us - for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” To arise from the dead that we might be identified with Him, freed from guilt and shame, share the riches of His grace and the victories of His Ascension as one seated with Him in heavenly places. 2Co 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. 1Jo 2:28 And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. Rev 3:18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and {that} the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; Rev 16:15 Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, lest he walk about naked and men see his shame. Joh 15:20 Remember the word that I said to you, “A slave is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; Act 5:41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, Phi 1:20 On the basis of my intense concentration and confident expectation that I shall not be put to shame in anything, 2Ti 1:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with {me} in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, Isa 53:3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Isa 53:4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. Isa 53:5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being {fell} upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. Isa 53:6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. Isa 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. 13. The Psalm of the Crucifixion. Psa 22 “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” kiy asah = “It is finished” = He has performed it. Many of the O. T. foreshadowings of TLJC have their roots in the historical circumstances of the Jewish people. TLJC knew that however things may look, there is no injustice and unfairness with God. Heb 13:5 “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” Our Lord felt comparable to a helpless, powerless, downtrodden worm, passive while crushed, and unnoticed and despised by those who walk upon Him. Mat 27:39 And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, Mat 27:40 and saying, “You who {are going to} destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
11. Moses Lifted up the Serpent, Num 21.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 11 13. The Psalm of the Crucifixion. Psa 22 “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” kiy asah = “It is finished” = He has performed it. Many of the O. T. foreshadowings of TLJC have their roots in the historical circumstances of the Jewish people. TLJC knew that however things may look, there is no injustice and unfairness with God. Heb 13:5 “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” Our Lord felt Himself to be a helpless, powerless, downtrodden worm, passive while crushed, and unnoticed and despised by those who walk upon Him. Mat 27:39 And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, Mat 27:40 and saying, “You who {are going to} destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Mat 27:41 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking {Him,} and saying, Mat 27:42 “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we shall believe in Him.” Mat 27:43 “He trusts in God; let Him deliver {Him} now, if He takes pleasure in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” Heb 12:3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. Mat 27:1 Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death; Mat 26:59 Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, in order that they might put Him to death; Mat 26:60 and they did not find {any,} even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, Luk 22:44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. Joh 19:36 For these things came to pass, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “Not a bone of Him shall be broken.” Mar 14:33-34 And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. And He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death;” Luk 23:10 And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently. Luk 23:11 And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate. Isa 52:14 Just as many were astonished at you, My people, So His appearance was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men. Mat 27:36 And when they had crucified Him, they sat down and they began to keep watch over Him there. Mat 27:35 And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots; Zec 13:7 “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, And against the man, My Associate,” Declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered;” The power of the dog = the Romans who were Gentiles. 1Pe 5:8 Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Act 4:27 “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Thy holy servant Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,” Luk 22:53 “While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.” Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come,” “for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night.” Rev 12:11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death. Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
12. Deu 21:23 Unveils the Horrors of the Infamous Cross.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 12 14. Psalm 2 Takes Us to Calvary. He opened their minds so that they might understand the Scriptures, how that what was written of Him in the law, the Psalms, and the Prophets must be fulfilled, Luke 24:44-45. Act 13:33 that God has fulfilled this {promise} to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, “Thou art My Son; today I have begotten Thee.” Centuries later their cry would be, “Crucify Him, crucify Him” and “Let his blood be upon us and upon our children,” nashquw = to kiss, to touch gently, to fasten up together, to be equipped together. 1Pe 1:8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with a happiness inexpressible and full of glory, The kiss of pardon and reconciliation offered to all men through the Cross gave the early Christians the ability to turn despair into joy. - ASV, KJV, NIV, NKJ - Psa 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, Psa 2:12 kiss His feet, lest He be angry (RSV) Psa 2:12 Fall down before His Son and kiss His feet (TLB) The Cross is not only the fountainhead of forgiveness, peace, reconciliation, and eternal life, but also of judgment and eternal loss. Isa 5:4 “What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done for it?” 15. Isaiah 53. “He will be high” high = Gabah = being seated in heavenly places. lifted up - nasah = He will receive a lifting up - the ascension into heaven. greatly exalted - ruwm = to rise up = the resurrection, the first stage of glory for the humanity of Christ. marred = mishchath = to be completely disfigured. “He will sprinkle many nations” = unlimited atonement, Christ dying for the sins of the world! The first human king of Israel, Saul, came as a dazzling person; the last king of Israel, TLJC, first appeared without the associated glamour and majesty of a king. should be attracted = chamadh = to take pleasure in someone, to treasure someone, to delight in one. Joh 1:11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. despised = bazah = to spit out hatred. forsaken = chadel = to be rejected verbally. In His humanity He was a genius, and He was also a tender plant meaning very sensitive. sorrows = many sorrows makob = pains in the soul. grief = chouy = disease, sickness, sadness, mistreatment. “To hide the face” = sathath = to cover the face in rejection and to discredit while covering it. Esteem = chashab = to put all the facts together. griefs = choliy = disease, sickness, eternal afflictions, which we will never have in the eternal state because of Him. carried = cabal = to carry a heavy burden - the moment our sins were poured on Him and judged He died spiritually. Stricken = naga = to be struck down with sin violently. smitten = nakah = to violently strike; severely. pierced = chalal = to be stabbed. Every sin was like a point of a spear and stabbed His soul. Crushed = dakah = He was crushed by the weight of our sins. scourging = chabbuwrah = bruises, wounds, and black and blue marks. healed = rapha = to be sewn together, or drawn together because of what Christ did on the Cross. gone astray = taah = to wander, in this case the wandering of stupidity. have turned = panah = to do it from your own free will. iniquity = anon = all of our perversity, punishment, and faults fell on Him. oppressed = nagas = to be harassed and abused. afflicted = anah = to be humiliated. Luk 23:34 He uttered “Father forgive them,” under great pain He asked for forgiveness for those who were giving Him the pain. Luk 23:43 - He gives a promise to the dying thief. Joh 19:26-27 - He wanted to take care of His mother. taken = laqach = to be violently seized by the authorities. Two of the richest men in the country were Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea, Joh 19:38-42; Mat 27:60. Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
13. The Psalm of the Crucifixion, Psa 22.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 13 16. What Are These Wounds? Zec 13:6-7. Mat 26:31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.’” They have concluded that our Lord through His bitter sufferings and death appeased the wrath of God the Father and thereby brought deliverance and salvation for sinful man. Joh 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,” Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, Heb 9:26 but now once and for all at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Rom 8:3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, Rev 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Psa 34:20 “He keeps all His bones; not one of them is broken.” Joh 19:34-36. Psa 35:11 “Malicious witnesses rose up; they ask Me of things that I do not know.” Mar 14:57-58. Psa 41:9 Even My close friend, in whom I trusted, who ate My bread, has lifted up his heel against Me. Luk 22:47-48. Psa 69:21 “They also gave Me gall for My food, and for My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink.” Mat 27:34. Isa 50:6 “I gave My back to those who strike Me, and My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.” Mat 26:67. 17. Behold the Lamb of God, Joh 1:29. Luk 7:28 “I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” John the Baptist - “Behold the Lamb of God!” God’s plan to point out sin in their lives, so they would see their need for the Lamb of God who would take away their sin. Rom 5:20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, He might now declare His oneness with sinful men, and reveal in the Jordan, signifying death, absolute identification with the sins of the world on the Cross. Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
14. Psalm 2 - Takes Us to Calvary.
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 14 17. Behold the Lamb of God, Joh 1:29. Luk 7:28 “I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” John the Baptist - “Behold the Lamb of God!” God’s plan to point out sin in their lives, so they would see their need for the Lamb of God who would take away their sin. Rom 5:20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, He might now declare His oneness with sinful men, and reveal in the Jordan, signifying death, absolute identification with the sins of the world on the Cross. Gen 22:7 “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Gen 22:8 “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Phi 3:18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, {that they are} enemies of the cross of Christ, Gal 6:12 Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. Col 1:20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. Col 2:14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Col 2:15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. 18. Destroy this Temple. Joh 2:19 Men are born to live, while Jesus came into the world that He might die. The Lamb of God was slain from the foundation of the world, Rev 13:8. “And having made a lash or a whip of cords He drove them all out of the Temple, both the sheep and the oxen spilling and scattering the brokers money and upsetting and tossing around their trays,” He was giving them an indication that unless they change and do what He has come to tell them, they were finished (in 70 AD)! 1Pe 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; The first and the supreme matter in the life of an individual or a nation is our relationship with God. The trouble with the Jews = they were misusing and misappropriating what God had given to them. The apostle Paul warns the church of the same thing, Rom 11:13-23. The Temple needs to be cleansed from the misappropriation of the things God has given us and using them for our own unworthy and selfish ends. 2Co 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. Joh 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. There is nothing more terrible for an individual or a nation than a formal religion. The formalizing and externalizing of religion is the greatest of all curses. 1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? It was the misuse of that which was right and appropriate. The danger is taking things that God has appointed and using them for our own ends. It was the manifestation of His glory, His authority, His zeal, and His power. Joh 8:9 And when they heard it, they {began} to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, The temple in Jerusalem was ordained by God to celebrate His person and His commands. Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002
15. Isaiah 53
Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
The Cross Throughout the Scriptures - Part 15 18. Destroy this Temple. Joh 2:19 Merchandise = emporion = a commercialized center, a place of business, a place of trade (your body and soul). The Temple was prefigured and pointed to the body the Son of God was to live in. Religion, ceremonialism, and ritual must be replaced by understanding His death on the Cross and the resultant resurrection. Mic 3:11 Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests instruct for a price, And her prophets divine for money. Mat 10:8b “freely you received, freely give.” Isa 55:1 “Come there, every one who is thirsty, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost.” 19. Jesus Points Nicodemus to the Cross. Joh 3 Without a rebirth through the Spirit, Nicodemus could not even see the Kingdom much less enter in. The new birth is the direct consequence of the cross. When the Holy Spirit unveils the cross, hard hearts begin to see their need for the Savior. 20. Following TLJC Means Bearing Your Cross. Mat 16:13-27 The cross is still a stone of stumbling to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians. If we are unwilling to forsake “self” and take up our cross in identification with the Crucified-Risen Son of God, we are on the road that leads to death. If we are willing to bear in the body the marks of the Lord and go forth from “self” in the service of others, all is ours. Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries 2002