Why did Jesus Come?

   At Christmas time Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is often sung and it contains these lyrics:

Mild, he lays his glory by;
Born, that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

  I would like to draw on these wonderful words for this post's discussion. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans says, 'Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.' (Romans 5:12-14, NKJV). A link here is made between sin and death: death is the consequence of sin. Paul earlier emphasizes the Biblical line that, 'all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23, NKJV).  Therefore, just as all have sinned, so all are subject to death. But wait, there's more: the Epistle to the Hebrews states that 'it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment' (Hebrews 9:27, NKJV). The question that arises from this is the nature of the judgement and the potential results of the decision made. 

   Revelation 20:11-15 (NKJV) says, 'Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.'

   From this it emerges that the way to escape the judgement is to be written in the Book of Life. Earlier the Book of Life is related to 'the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world ' (Revelation 13:8, NKJV). John the Baptist described Jesus as the 'Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world' (John 1:29, NKJV). This is a reference to the sacrificial system found in the Law of Moses (sidenote: animal sacrifices were carried out before Moses' time; see Genesis 4:1-5, 8:20-22, 46:1). 

   In the Mosaic sacrificial system several important concepts are present. The Passover (Pesach) sacrifice, a lamb, protected the Israelites from Death, when they applied the blood of the sacrifice to the lintel and jambs of their doorways (Exodus 12:1-13). The Lamb in the sacrificial system was especially celebrated with Passover. By referring to Jesus as the 'Lamb of God', John was pointing to Passover, and Passover was the time of year when Jesus was crucified (Luke 22:7-23:56; John 18:39-19:16). 

  Secondly, the sacrifices were meant to take away the sin of those who offered them: that is, they served as substitutes - the innocent died in place of the wicked. Leviticus 17:11 (NKJV) reads, 'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’ This is particularly emphasized in the Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) ceremony, which can be found at Leviticus 16, while a New Testament commentary on it may be found at Hebrews 10:1-22.  

  Thirdly, the sacrifices were meant to restore fellowship between God and Man. That is, sin caused separation of Man from God, because God is righteous and holy and will not tolerate sin (Habbakuk 1:13). Once the sacrifice had taken away the sin of the offender, he was no longer viewed by God as unrighteous, and therefore the two could commune together. This is the desire of God's heart - before Adam sinned, God would walk in the Garden of Eden and talk with Adam (Genesis 2-3). When Jesus offered Himself up to take away sin and restore fellowship between God and Man, God tore the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:37-38; Luke 23:45-46 ). This is commented on in Hebrews 10:19-22. The meaning is that Jesus made the way open for Man and God to come together and be one.

  Much more could be said about why Jesus came. He came to destroy the works of Satan - that is, death and evil (1 John 3:8). He came to bear witness to the Truth (John 18:37). He came to fulfill the Law (Matthew 5:17-20).

  I would like to end with this quotation: 'For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit' (1 Peter 3:18, NKJV).

May you know the Lord Jesus Christ. God bless.