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