DARK LIGHT SERIES

EIGHT

KINSMEN-REDEEMER

THE PURCHASE OF THE HUMAN RACE

We are going to now search out the very visible and historical Christ, to find out exactly what He did, and why He did it. That will then answer many questions we might have as to the true nature of regeneration, and how we may obtain it. Modern Christian theology claims that Christ destroyed all the barriers between man and God, and that Christ brought about a total reconciliation between man and God by the work of the Cross, and that all man must do is RECOGNIZE IT, AND ACCEPT IT AS AN ACT OF FAITH, AND HE IS THEN SWEPT INTO HEAVEN.

If this is true, then what happened to the many? They certainly accepted the work of Christ on the cross, and they put all of their faith and belief in that work. Yet it availed them nothing. When they arrived in heaven they found out that THEY WERE NOT RECONCILED TO CHRIST WHATEVER. The Christ they thought they knew, this gentle meek Lamb full of love, mercy, grace and compassion turned into something quite different. He turned upon them and with the sweep of His hand He forces them to eternal ruin WITH NO LOVE, NO HOPE, NO MERCY OR COMPASSION. Wherein, then, is THIS SO CALLED COMPLETE RECONCILIATION? It is a pipe dream of apostates, of false prophets and teachers who have invaded the Body of Christ to deceive the elect and sweep them away into ruin.

The claim of modern Christian theology is that there is ONE BARRIER BETWEEN MAN AND GOD. It looks like this:

The one barrier of modern Christian theology is called the SIN BARRIER. According to this theology it was SWEPT AWAY BY THE WORK OF CHRIST UPON THE CROSS. Therefore all we need to do is ACCEPT THAT FACT BY AN ACT OF FAITH, ALONG WITH CHRIST, WE ARE THEN HEAVEN BOUND.

In truth, there are two barriers, and Christ destroyed one, and we must, by walking the narrow way, destroy the other. The first barrier was destroyed by the work of Christ upon the cross, and that RECONCILES GOD UNTO MAN. The remaining barrier is the hostility barrier that natural man has within his own heart. No amount of religious theology, no amount of philosophy, no amount of works, no amount of righteousness upon earth is going to break down this barrier. There is only one way through it: STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY.

The Bible is very clear that God reconciled Himself to the world, via accepting the work that Christ did upon the cross. What about us? Are we RECONCILED?

“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross,

BY HIM TO RECONCILE ALL THINGS UNTO HIMSELF;

BY HIM, I SAY,

WHETHER THEY BE THINGS IN EARTH, OR THINGS IN HEAVEN.

And you, that were sometime ALIENATED AND ENEMIES

IN YOUR MIND BY WICKED WORKS, YET NOW HATH HE RECONCILED

IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH THROUGH DEATH,

TO PRESENT YOU HOLY AND UNBLAMEABLE AND

UNREPROVEABLE IN HIS SIGHT:

IF (THE HUGE CONDITIONAL IF)

YE CONTINUE

IN THE FAITH GROUNDED AND SETTLED,

AND BE NOT MOVED AWAY FROM THE HOPE OF THE GOSPEL,

WHICH YE HAVE HEARD, AND WHICH WAS PREACHED

TO EVERY CREATURE WHICH IS UNDER HEAVEN…”

(Colossians 1:20-23)

Please pay close attention to the HUGE CONDITIONAL “IF”. False prophets and false teachers DROP OFF ALL THE QUALIFIERS TO SOFTEN THE GOSPEL, TO MAKE IT POPULAR TO CARNAL MAN. This conditional if sounds very much like the CONDITIONAL IF OF CHRIST THAT WE CONTINUE IN HIS DOCTRINE, or the huge conditional CALLING UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD IN TRUTH (Psalm 145:18).

This verse alone should prove to anyone that MAN MUST, IF HE IS TO RECONCILE HIMSELF TO GOD, DO AS COMMANDED. Jesus only gave us one way to accomplish our reconciliation to God. There is no other way. Thus:

CONTINUE IN THE DOCTRINE = FINDING THE TRUTH

CONTINUE IN THE FAITH = BEING RECONCILED

In graphic form, we could lay out this verse of Scripture like this:

The reconciliation does not TAKE PLACE until we find Christ, KISS THE SON, and enter into UNION WITH HIM. You cannot enter into UNION unless you are reconciled. Obviously, then, the process of reconciliation IS THE WALK OF THE NARROW WAY. Because we can prove that God has reconciled Himself to man, there is only one reconciliation left, and that must be, has to be MAN TO GOD. That means that the strait gate and the narrow way is the reconciliation process, and it is the only way by which we may BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS THAT OUR INNER HEARTS HAVE ERECTED TOWARDS GOD. That is why the Bible says that our carnal minds, our carnal hearts are HOSTILE TOWARDS GOD. Natural man does not perceive this to be the case, and he is UNAWARE of the true nature of his inner heart. That was the deception of the many; they refused to face the REAL REALITY OF THE AWFULNESS OF HUMAN NATURE.

They would not face the BLACKNESS OF DEPRAVITY. You see, this is the REPROOF OF GOD; THIS IS THE REBUKE OF GOD. Ever notice how a little child will confess he did something wrong, but it is almost impossible to get him to tell you what HE DID? He will wail and cry and carry on and confess he was naughty, and yell that he was sorry, but NEVER WILL TELL YOU FOR WHAT! You have to drag it out of them. Likewise does God have to DRAG IT OUT OF US.

Mankind will CONFESS his multitude of sins. He knows he rapes, steals, murders and commits gross violence. All the primary religions of the world focus on the multitude of sins, and most of them claim that if man would JUST CLEAN UP HIS ACT, AND GET RIGHT WITH GOD, he would be in fine shape. Modern Christianity is no different, for the ‘many’ DUTIFULLY CONFESS TO GOD THEIR MULTITUDE OF SINS. Our altars are stained with the tears of sincere and dedicated people who have admitted to God their deepest and darkest secrets. BUT NEVER WILL THEY ADMIT TO THEIR ONE SIN. They simply refuse to face the issue, they refuse to be exposed to the REAL DARKNESS, THE REAL PROBLEM WITH MAN: NO AGAPE LOVE.

The multitudinous sins of mankind were forever settled by Christ upon the cross. He took the sins of mankind into Himself and that work was accepted by God because Christ was innocent of all charges. The only hitch in this transaction is that mankind can only avail himself of this work by WALKING THE NARROW WAY. If he refused, the sins remain. If he accepts, the sins are blotted out forever. To settle the sin issue, after a soul has come to the living Christ, Jesus now sits upon the throne of God as our HIGH PRIEST, AND EVER LIVES TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR US. That part of His intercession IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO THE REGENERATED. It does not cover anyone else. We will cover this in detail.

The work of Christ on earth was accomplished by Christ being a substitute for us under what is known as KINSMAN-REDEEMER LAW. Under kinsman-redeemer law, CHRIST CAME TO EARTH AND PURCHASED THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE BY HIS BLOOD ATONEMENT. He now owns everyone, lock, stock and barrel. By this act of purchase, ALL THE BARRIERS ERECTED BY GOD AGAINST MAN WERE TOTALLY DESTROYED. EVEN THOSE SUPERNATURAL POWERS AND THE DOMINION OF SATAN WAS UTTERLY DESTROYED. Satan’s power and dominion over the minds of man is a dominion of fraud and deception. He was totally dethroned by Christ and has no real claims over anyone. He gets his power by DEFAULT, BY DECEPTION, BY SECRECY, BY CUNNING.

“And HAVING SPOILED PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS,

he made a shew of them OPENLY,

TRIUMPHING OVER THEM IN IT.”

(Colossians 2:15)

The word “spoiled” is ‘apekduomai’ and it means TO DIVEST WHOLLY, TO DETHRONE, TO REMOVE TOTALLY, TO ELIMINATE COMPLETELY. The root is ‘ekduo’ and it means TO DIVEST, TO STRIP. Christ utterly destroyed Satan’s power and his dominion, yet Satan still retains it by default. It is the self on the throne of the great “I AM”, aided and abetted by Satan and his demons that raise up a formidable barrier that EVERY SOUL MUST FIRST OF ALL REALIZE IS THERE, and second of all, FIGHT A MAJOR BATTLE TO PENETRATE IT. The narrow way is the only way we can penetrate it, and then only with God’s power.

Modern Christian theology ignores this barrier, and most evangelists today claim there is no barrier at all, that all we need to do is accept Christ by a simple act of faith, and PRESTO! We become INSTANT CHRISTIANS, FULLY REGENERATED, WRITTEN IN THE LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE, AND HEAVEN IS AN ASSURED VICTORY. They ignore such words as STRIVE, LABOR, FIGHT AND THE WORD OVERCOME. They smoothly tuck them away, fold them into their false theology and keep them out of sight. If what they say is true, then why did Christ say the opposite? Who are you going to believe, JESUS CHRIST OR A CARNAL THEOLOGY?

Why did Paul say in Colossians that we HAD TO CONTINUE IF WE WANTED TO BE RECONCILED. Why does He insist that there is a CONTINUANCE OF FAITH, AND THAT WE MUST BE GROUNDED AND SETTLED? If we are saved by an instant decision, regenerated, and heaven is assured, as all major evangelists and most denominations tell us, THEN WHY SHOULD WE CONTINUE? If heaven is such an established fact, we might as well enjoy ourselves! And what is it we hope to find by this CONSTANT CONTINUOUS FAITH? If we be saved immediately, we are reconciled immediately. Yet Paul says we are to continue in the faith, or we WILL NOT BE RECONCILED.

How long must we CONTINUE? Until we be reconciled. How do we know we have been reconciled? When God and Christ come, and when they show us AGAPE LOVE. When they show us by SUPERNATURAL REVELATION WHAT THE MYSTERY OF GOD IS, AND WE KNOW AND ACCEPT THE CONDITION OF AGAPE LOVE.

“To whom (the saints that continue grounded and settled)

GOD WOULD MAKE

KNOWN

WHAT IS THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF

THIS MYSTERY

AMONG THE GENTILES;

WHICH IS CHRIST IN YOU,

THE HOPE OF GLORY.”

(Colossians 1:27)

The riches of His glory is AGAPE LOVE AND ITS BESTOWMENT. The MYSTERY OF CHRIST is the HIDDEN ESSENCE OF CHRIST, HIS AGAPE LOVE. And please notice how Paul words it: CHRIST IN YOU. Remember that, IT IS CHRIST IN YOU. He did not say YOU IN CHRIST, BUT RATHER CHRIST IN YOU. The many were in the BODY OF CHRIST. We have proved that Christ considered them a part of HIS CHURCH, HIS BODY ON EARTH. Yet the many did not have CHRIST IN THEM. SO THEN:

YOU IN CHRIST vs. CHRIST IN YOU

So then:

1. YOU IN CHRIST = CONVERSION – IN THE SHEEPFOLD/CHURCH

2. CHRIST IN YOU = REGENERATION – AGAPE LOVE BESTOWED

The distance between conversion and regeneration is the narrow way. That is why Paul said WE MUST CONTINUE. CHRIST IN YOU IS RECONCILIATION TO GOD, IS UNION, IS SALVATION. If Christ is IN YOU, then Christ can say of a truth, I KNOW THEM. If Christ is NOT IN THEM, BECAUSE THEY FAILED TO BECOME REGENERATED, THEN CHRIST CAN SAY IN TRUTH, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU’. We have come full circle. This is why Christ said His sheep knew His voice.

KINSMAN-REDEEMER

God has a plan worked out from eternity past in which He was going to rescue men from the deceptions of Satan and bring man back into fellowship and union with Him again. This plan is flawless in detail, in every respect. HE HIMSELF WOULD STEP DOWN INTO TIME SPACE FROM ETERNITY, LEAVE HIS THRONE IN HEAVEN AND BECOME A HUMAN BEING, TAKE THE SINS OF THE WORLD UNTO HIMSELF, AND BY SO DOING FULFILL ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF UNIVERSE LAW. His right to do so is under a little known Mosaic Law know as “kinsman-redeemer”.

When you understand “kinsman-redeemer” requirements, you will understand why GOD PLACED ALL OF THE SIN NATURE UPON THE SPERM OF THE MALE. IT WILL BECOME CRYSTAL CLEAR WHY CHRIST HAD TO BE BORN OF A REAL LITERAL VIRGIN, BORN OF A SUPERNATURAL MIRACLE, BORN OF GOD HIMSELF. IT PUTS THE LIE TO ALL FORMS OF FALSE DOCTRINE THAT DENY THE VIRGIN BIRTH.

The penalty for sin is death, first spiritual and then physical, then complete and eternal separation from God for all eternity, which happens at the second death. Because of the fall, we are born spiritually dead to God. We are born without divine agape love; it is utterly missing. This makes us spiritually dead to God but very much alive unto Satan. At the fall, we were transferred over to the dominion of Satan. He won the human race:

“Again, the devil taketh him up to an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth

him

ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD, AND THE GLORY OF THEM;

And saith unto him

ALL THESE THINGS WILL I GIVE THEE,

IF THOU WILT FALL DOWN AND WORSHIP ME.”

(Matthew 4:8-9)

Jesus never refuted Satan’s claim to the world. He did not refute it because Satan had a legal claim to it. In Luke, Satan claims it is his to give to whomever he wishes:

“And the devil said unto him, ALL THIS POWER WILL I GIVE THEE,

AND THE GLORY OF THEM:

FOR THAT IS DELIVERED UNTO ME;

AND TO WHOMSOEVER I WILL I GIVE IT.”

(Luke 4:6)

Christ’s silence on the matter and the fall of man, prove that SATAN TOOK DOMINION OVER MAN, AND HAD THE POWER OF DEATH OVER THEM AS WELL. All unregenerate men upon earth ARE UNDER THE DOMINION OF SATAN, EVEN IF THEY ARE OWNED NOW BY JESUS CHRIST. Because all men are under the dominion of Satan, they are slaves to Satan, held in bondage and chains. What is worse, they are not aware of it. Man is born into the condition of spiritual darkness; he knows nothing different. To him, darkness is light! To him, slavery is freedom. Good is evil, and evil is good. Because of this, Satan can work his work in the background, undetected.

It is only when a person enters the strait gate and walks the narrow way that the dominion of Satan and his demons become manifested to the believer. It is only near the end of the narrow way that the soul knows that it is dead unto God. It is only then that the inner nature of man is revealed. Because the vast majority of men refuse to enter in, they do not know where they are going when they die. They have no concept of the horrible fate that awaits them. Such is the nature of deception.

It is like a killer who first becomes your friend. He moves right in and you learn to trust him. Then, when you least expect it, HE TURNS, and in those awful last moments of your life, you RECOGNIZE your terrible mistake. BUT IT IS TOO LATE. You let your guard down and you will now die. As you slip into death the awfulness of life and the deceptions of life BECOME MANIFEST. But it is too late to change anything, for your fate is now sealed for eternity. If you die LOST, you remain FOREVER LOST. If you die REGENERATED, you are forever safe in the arms of Christ.

Because man was sold into slavery to Satan, and has no way to extricate himself from his bondage, man is totally lost forever unless some way can be found to extricate him from the clutches of eternal death. This is done via kinsman-redeemer law. Christ enters the human race through the kinsman-redeemer laws of ancient Israel. Under this law, the kinsman-redeemer must be READY, WILLING AND ABLE TO PAY FULL PRICE REQUIRED BY THE LAW. He must pay it by BEING A ‘DOER’ OF THE WORD, AND NOT A HEARER ONLY. The price has to be paid for in full, TOTALLY, or the transaction will fail.

“After that he is sold, HE MAY BE REDEEMED AGAIN;

ONE OF HIS BRETHREN MAY REDEEM HIM:

Either his uncles, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, OR ANY THAT

IS NIGH OF KIN UNTO HIM

OF HIS FAMILY MAY REDEEM HIM;

OR IF HE IS ABLE, HE MAY REDEEM HIMSELF.”

(Leviticus 25:48-49)

Under the law, THE REDEEMER MUST BE A KINSMAN, A BROTHER, A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. It also says that a person could redeem himself if he was able. The human race is not able to redeem itself. It cannot shed innocent blood. It cannot die an innocent death. The entire race of man could sign a suicide pact and exterminate itself to no avail. It would not solve anything. THE HUMAN RACE IS FOREVER TRAPPED, SAVE FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. Notice what it says:

1. A CLOSE RELATIVE.

2. ANYONE ‘NIGH OF KIN’.

3. ANYONE IN THE FAMILY.

4. HIMSELF IF ABLE.

The word “redeem” is ‘ga’al’ and it means TO BUY BACK, TO PURCHASE BACK, TO REDEEM. There is always a price involved in the act of redemption. Therefore the redeemer must be able to PAY THE PRICE IN FULL, OTHERWISE HE CANNOT REDEEM. I would suggest you read the entire subject on redemption to grasp the essentials of the transaction. The first requirement is that the redeemer be NIGH OF KIN, A BROTHER, A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. In order to accomplish that aspect of the law, AND THE LAW MUST BE TOTALLY FULFILLED. If any portion of the law is not kept totally, the entire mission will fail. We are not speaking of the laws of man, but the laws of God.

Now it may seem obvious, but mankind is human. He has human blood and human flesh. He is of the Homo-Sapien race. If Christ is going to purchase the human race, then HE MUST BECOME A HUMAN BEING IN ORDER TO BE A NEAR KINSMAN. He must be a member of the family, with human blood running through His veins. Because all people are BORN INTO THE HUMAM RACE VIA THE WOMAN, then it becomes obvious that Christ must USE THE WOMB OF THE WOMAN TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE HUMAN FAMILY. He is then a NEAR KINSMAN, A BROTHER, FLESH OF OUR FLESH, BONE OF OUR BONE, AND BLOOD OF OUR BLOOD.

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,

HE ALSO HIMSELF LIKEWISE TOOK PART OF THE SAME;

THAT THROUGH DEATH HE MIGHT DESTROY HIM THAT HAD

THE POWER OF DEATH, THAT IS, THE DEVIL.”

(Hebrews 2:14)

“But when the fullness of the time was come, GOD SENT FORTH

HIS SON, MADE OF A WOMAN, MADE UNDER THE LAW,

TO REDEEM THEM THAT WERE UNDER THE LAW,

THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE ADOPTION OF SONS.”

(Galatians 4:4-5)

Jesus Christ must pay the IDENTICAL PRICE THAT MANKIND HAS TO PAY. He must shed human blood; He must suffer a spiritual death just as we suffered a spiritual death. He must face physical death and the second death. All of this is required of the human race under the law. Jesus must first of all BE WILLING, THEN BE ABLE, AND THEN ACTUALLY DO IT. The arrival of Christ upon earth through Mary proves HE WAS WILLING, AND THAT HE PLANNED TO DO IT. The arrival of Christ through the womb of Mary makes him a NEAR KINSMAN, A BROTHER, A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. This fulfills that aspect of the law. But what about the ability to pay all of the prices? What about that? What are the prices?

1. SPIRITUAL DEATH

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the

day that thou eatest thereof

THOU SHALT SURE DIE.”

(Genesis 2:17)

2. PHYSICAL DEATH

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, AND DEATH BY SIN; AND SO DEATH

PASSED UPON ALL MEN, FOR THAT ALL HAVE SINNED.”

(Romans 5:12)

3. THE SHEDDING OF HUMAN BLOOD

“AND ALMOST ALL THINGS ARE BY THE LAW PURGED WITH BLOOD:

AND WITHOUT SHEDDING OF BLOOD IS NO REMISSION.”

(Hebrews 9:22)

4. FACING THE SECOND DEATH, ENTERING THE PLACE OF THE DEAD.

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such

THE SECOND DEATH HATH NO POWER…”

(Revelation 20:6)

These are the four penalties that man faces, that man must pay because of the fall, because of the loss of AGAPE LOVE. All men are born into spiritual death, and because of that, they die a physical death, and then they must await the judgment and go into the second death. MANKIND MUST PAY THESE PRICES. Under kinsman-redeemer law, MESSIAH MUST PAY THESE PRICES TO COMPLETE THE PURCHASE. He must be innocent of all charges, He must be ABLE TO PAY ALL PRICES, and therefore must have the following:

1. He must have a LIVE AGAPE LOVE SPIRIT THAT CAN BE REMOVED FROM HIM AND BRING HIM INTO SPIRITUAL DEATH, for that is what the price of spiritual death is: LOSS OF AGAPE LOVE, LOSS OF COMMUNION AND UNION WITH GOD.

2. He must have human blood in his veins so that he can shed HUMAN BLOOD IN FULFILLMENT OF THE LAWS OF REMISSION OF SIN.

3. He must face physical death as a human being, in order to pay the price of a HUMAN DEATH. If He was not fully human, he could not shed HUMAN BLOOD, NOR DIE A HUMAN DEATH.

4. He must descend into the place of the wicked dead and face the second death of fire to pay the whole ransom price. It should be made clear that Christ does not have to actually go through the second death, but only descend into the place of the wicked dead, because that is where we all have to go.

Many claim it a total heresy to claim that Christ suffered a spiritual death, or that He went into hellfire to pay that price as well. They claim there is no Scripture anywhere to prove such a thing. They are utterly wrong on all counts, and it comes from a lack of understanding as to how kinsman-redeemer actually works. There is much Scripture to prove it, and I will present it to prove it to you. It is the requirements of kinsman-redeemer that the TOTAL PRICE BE PAID, NOT PART OF IT. Either Christ paid it all, to the last penny, or WE ARE NOT REDEEMED, AND HIS MISSION FAILED. I can assure you it did not fail; His resurrection proves it!

Scripture proves that Christ paid each and every penalty in full. There is no such thing as a partial payment. His sweating literal blood in the garden was not because of the cross, it was because of what lay beyond it. He knew he was going to be CUT OFF FROM GOD, SEPARATED, ALONE AND KNEW HE HAD TO RELY FULLY UPON GOD THE FATHER TO GET HIM OUT. He was going to go to the place of torments, and the Psalms prove it.

These are the requirements of kinsman-redeemer. We can fully appreciate why Jesus had to come through the womb of a woman, which made Him a human being. But how is He able to pay? It becomes obvious that Jesus will not be able to pay some of those prices unless something very special is done. JESUS MUST BE INNOCENT OF ALL CHARGES. HE MUST BE GUILTLESS. If what caused the problem is the knowledge of good and evil, then Jesus must not be guilty of that. HOW CAN GOD DO THIS? HOW CAN HE BRING INTO THE WORLD A HUMAN BEING AND YET STILL HAVE THAT HUMAN BEING NOT POSSESS THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL? If Jesus did possess the knowledge of good and evil, He would be as guilty as we are, and could not redeem anyone!

We proved earlier that God placed the knowledge of good and evil upon the male sperm, and left the egg of the woman free of that trait. He did it for a real good reason: HE WOULD LATER ENTER THE HUMAN RACE VIA THE EGG OF THE WOMAN, AND BYPASS THE MALE SPERM. He would cut off the male altogether. He had to, for the sperm carries with it the deadly knowledge.

“And I will put enmity between THEE (SATAN) and the WOMAN,

AND BETWEEN THY SEED (THE MALE SPERM)

and HER SEED (THE EGG);

it shall bruise thy head,

and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

(Genesis 3:15)

Here is the first reference to Messiah and to the VIRGIN BIRTH. It is a promise to Satan and to the human race that there is coming, in the fullness of time, A MESSIAH, BORN FROM THE SEED OF THE WOMAN. Please take note of the division between her seed and his seed. The seed of man is the sperm. The seed of the woman is the egg. Because all human procreate by breeding, and because the male sperm is required to fertilize the egg, then THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL IS PASSED UPON ALL MEN. God then must place this knowledge upon the man if He plans to later enter the human race, for He has no other options. If the woman carries this knowledge as well, NO ONE BORN THROUGH A WOMAN WOULD BE INNOCENT, BUT A TRANSGRESSOR. It looks like this in graphic form:

Notice how union of sperm and egg produce a child that has the same knowledge of good and evil, regardless of whether male or female. Now what happens if we cut off the male sperm and fertilize the egg by the supernatural miracle of God Himself causing fertilization of the egg of Mary:

You now know why the Scripture is so adamant that Jesus was born of a VIRGIN. It was prophesied long before, back in Genesis, and again in Isaiah:

“Therefore the LORD HIMSELF SHALL GIVE YOU A SIGN;

BEHOLD,

A VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE,

AND BEAR A SON,

AND SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL.”

(Isaiah 7:14)

“But when the fulness of time was come,

GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON,

MADE OF A WOMAN,

MADE UNDER THE LAW.”

(Galatians 4:4)

This is pretty blunt, and pretty clear, is it not? Christ was born of a real virgin, and the male sperm was bypassed because Joseph was a fallen creature, he had the knowledge of good and evil, and his sperm carried that knowledge. That is why Joseph was commanded to stay away from Mary for the duration. Joseph had no role to play in this MIRACLE EVENT:

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was

espoused to Joseph, BEFORE THEY CAME TOGETHER (SEXUAL UNION), SHE WAS

FOUND WITH CHILD

OF THE HOLY GHOST.”

(Matthew 1:18)

“…Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife:

FOR THAT WHICH IS CONCEIVED IN HER

IS OF THE HOLY GHOST.

And she shall bring forth a SON, AND THOU SHALT CALL HIS NAME JESUS:

FOR HE SHALL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.”

(Matthew 1:20-21)

She was found with child BEFORE THE MARRIAGE WAS CONSUMMATED. Back in those days that was bad news. The Scripture blatantly says that the Holy Ghost was responsible, and that GOD HAD FERTILIZED THE EGG OF MARY AND WOULD BRING FORTH A SON. God is going to BYPASS THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, AND BRING FORTH A NEW CREATION, MADE BY HIM, BY THE WOMAN, AND UNDER THE LAW TO BE A KINSMAN-REDEEMER. Notice also that Joseph was told not to fear Mary, for she was pure, she was a VIRGIN. Do you think God knew if Mary “fooled around” or not?

“And the angel answered and said unto her (Mary),

THE HOLY GHOST SHALL COME UPON THEE,

AND THE POWER OF THE HIGHEST SHALL OVERSHADOW THEE:

THEREFORE ALSO THAT

HOLY THING WHICH SHALL BE BORN OF

THEE

SHALL BE CALLED THE SON OF GOD.”

(Luke 1:35)

This verse totally supports Isaiah and Genesis. THE MALE SPERM WAS BYPASSED AND THE RESULTS OF THAT BYPASSING OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL BROUGHT INTO BEING A “SON OF GOD” AND THAT “HOLY THING”. Whenever you read the term “son of God”, it means a being CREATED DIRECT FROM THE HAND OF GOD, A SUPERNATURAL ACT OF CREATION. There are no exceptions to this in Scripture. Even the FALLEN ANGELS OF GENESIS SIX ARE CALLED THE “SONS OF GOD”, because they were CREATED DIRECT FROM THE HAND OF GOD. The regenerated Christian is called a Son of God because God supernaturally intervenes into human affairs and REGENERATES THE DEAD HUMAN SPIRIT INTO A SPIRIT OF PURE AGAPE LOVE. Remember that John said that REGENERATION IS AN ACT OF GOD, UNDER THE WILL OF GOD. THEREFORE WE CAN PROVE TWO THINGS:

1. JESUS WAS BORN OF A WOMAN, HE IS THE SON OF MAN.

2. JESUS WAS BORN OF GOD, HE IS THE SON OF GOD.

Jesus Christ is literally the GODMAN. By bypassing the male sperm, He bypassed the knowledge of good and evil, and therefore CHRIST WAS BORN WITH A PURE AGAPE LOVE ESSENCE. Therefore Christ had a LIVE AGAPE LOVE SPIRIT FROM CONCEPTION, AND HAD UNION WITH GOD FROM CONCEPTION. His inner essence, His inner nature was totally hidden from the view of man, who looks upon the OUTWARD APPEARANCE. Even His disciples could not understand Jesus, and He was always calling them up short for their inability to comprehend the most basic of concepts. He was not like other men, but radically different. Now you know why.

With His pure agape love essence, Christ was in total union with God the Father. They were in each other; they knew each other, THEY WERE ONE. The point of all of this is this: KINSMAN-REDEEMER LAW REQUIRES THE PAYMENT OF SPIRITUAL DEATH. In order to pay that price, our redeemer MUST HAVE A LIVE SPIRIT. You cannot pay the price of a dead spirit unless you have a live one to DIE. You must have it within you in order to give it up as a price to pay. Again, some of the top Christian writers claim it is a heresy to say that Christ died a spiritual death. HE EITHER DID OR WE ARE STILL LOST. They claim that anyone who claims He did are heretics, and I suppose, fit only for the fires of hell and damnation. But what saith the Scripture?

We can prove that man lost his agape love essence at the fall, and that he lies in spiritual darkness as a result. He has no agape love within him. He went from divine agape love to a self centered, self serving form of phileo love. He went from submission to God to full rebellion against God. The price was spiritual death. Christ must, under kinsman-redeemer law, pay THAT PRICE. He also must be ABLE TO PAY IT. THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF CHRIST IS WHAT ENABLES HIM TO PAY. I suggest we accept what the Scriptures have to say as our final authority:

“For HE HATH MADE HIM (CHRIST)

TO BE SIN FOR US,

WHO KNEW NO SIN;

that we might be made THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM.”

(2 Corinthians 5:21)

You would have to deny a whole lot of Scripture to claim that Christ was not made SIN FOR US. The question is this: did Christ in a literal way have the SINS OF THE WORLD DUMPED INTO HIS SOUL BY A SUPERNATURAL ACT OF GOD? WAS IT JUST SYMBOLIC OF SOMETHING ELSE? It is a crucial question, for under kinsman-redeemer law, Christ HAS TO BE MADE IN A MOST LITERAL MANNER, THE SINNER OF ALL SINNERS. If we say that kinsman-redeemer law does not require full payment in all aspects, then which aspects have to paid, and which do not? And who decides? Man or God? God has already decided. CHRIST BECAME SIN FOR US. He was MADE SIN. The word “made” here is ‘poieo’ and it means TO MAKE, TO DO, TO EXECUTE OR TO CAUSE. In other words, God made CHRIST INTO SIN. I do not propose to know how He did it; the fact is HE DID DO IT.

God cannot reside where sin is. Where sin resides, no AGAPE LOVE RESIDES, FOR THERE IS NO SIN IN AGAPE LOVE. If Christ was literally made sin for us, as the Bible claims He was, then CHRIST LOST HIS AGAPE LOVE ESSENCE AS SOON AS SIN ENTERED THE PICTURE. If agape love goes, UNION WITH GOD GOES. THERE IS NO LONGER ANY COMMUNION, NO LONGER ANY UNION, BUT INSTEAD, A SEVERANCE, A ‘CUTTING OFF’. To fulfill the requirements of kinsman-redeemer law, to fulfill the requirements of taking the Scripture at their most literal meaning, I conclude Christ lost His agape love essence on the cross, suffered spiritual death, and was cut off from God. If this is true, we should find some Scripture to prove it:

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a LOUD VOICE, SAYING,

EL΄I, EL΄I, LA΄MA SA-BACH΄THA-NI? That is to say,

MY GOD, MY GOD,

WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?”

(Matthew 27:46)

Why would Jesus cry with a loud voice that God has FORSAKEN HIM? Was Jesus a liar, or are we liars? The word “forsaken” is ‘egkataleipo’ and it means TO LEAVE BEHIND, TO DESERT, TO SEPARATE FROM. The root of the word is ‘kataleipo’ and it means TO ABANDON, TO LEAVE, TO LEAVE BEHIND, TO SEPARATE OR CUT OFF. It conveys the idea of a total severance, of a total CUTTING OFF FROM. If this is true, then what is the opposite of being cut off? UNION. If Christ had union with God the Father through His agape love essence, and then God pours sin into Christ, HIS AGAPE LOVE ESSENCE WAS INSTANTLY SEVERED, AND THAT SEVERED ALL UNION WITH GOD THE FATHER.

The question we must ask is then simple: WHY WOULD CHRIST HAVE UTTERED SUCH A CRY IF GOD THE FATHER WAS STILL IN UNION WITH HIM? Jesus cried out with a loud voice asking why had GOD SEVERED HIMSELF FROM CHRIST. We cannot imagine the awfulness of this moment, for we have never had union with God in this manner. Christ sounded very confused, very bewildered by it. He asked God a question, a question that rumbles yet down the corridors of time and space. WHY DID GOD CUT HIMSELF OFF FROM CHRIST? What is SPIRITUAL DEATH?

We know the answers to these questions. Spiritual death is the loss of agape love essence, and the loss of agape love essence brings with it instant severance from union with God:

“And at the ninth hour Jesus CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, SAYING,

E-LO΄I, E-LO΄I, LA΄MA SA-BACH΄THA-NI? Which is, being interpreted,

MY GOD, MY GOD,

WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?”

(Mark 15:34)

If union with Christ had remained, if Christ and God the Father were in total communion as is claimed by these popular modern teachers, then WHY WOULD CHRIST UTTER SUCH A CRY? For the fun of it? To mock? This cry is interpreted for us TWO TIMES, BY TWO PEOPLE, MATTHEW AND MARK. By two or more witnesses is a thing ESTABLISHED. For you modern teachers to claim that teaching Christ died a spiritual death is a heresy, you have to deny Scripture, you must cheapen the price Christ paid for us, it utterly negates the concept of kinsman-redeemer, and it calls Christ a liar to boot. I WOULD SUGGEST YOU STRONGLY REVIEW YOUR BIBLE, AND FURTHER YOUR TEACHINGS ON HOW ONE GETS SAVED. BOTH ARE IN GRAVE ERROR.

The argument that Christ could not have fallen under the dominion of Satan is a mute argument. GOD IS SOVEREIGN, HE CAN DO WHAT HE WANTS. HE CAN AND WILL DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO HELP HIS SON PAY THE FULL PRICE. If it is not paid in full, the mission fails; Christ loses everything, including heaven itself. A Holy God cannot fellowship with sin, and to say He could violates every precept laid down in Scripture. If sin entered into Christ, as Scripture clearly states, then GOD WOULD HAVE NO OPTION BUT TO SEVER HIMSELF FROM CHRIST. That is SPIRITUAL DEATH. Christ hung on that cross utterly alone. He was rejected of God, rejected of man, and Satan was dancing with glee.

A literal translation of the word “forsaken” forces the above conclusion, for if God had still be in Christ, in union and in communion with Him, no such cry would have or could have been uttered. The Old Testament prophecies about Christ confirm that CHRIST SUFFERED A COMPLETE AND TOTAL SPIRITUAL DEATH. HE WAS SEVERED FROM HIS GOD.

“My God, my God, why hast thou FORSAKEN ME?

WHY ART THOU SO FAR FROM HELPING ME, AND FROM THE

WORDS OF MY ROARING?

O MY GOD, I CRY IN THE DAYTIME, BUT THOU HEAREST NOT;

AND IN THE NIGHT SEASON, AND AM NOT SILENT.”

(Psalm 22:1-2)

The word for “forsaken” in Hebrew is ‘azab’ and it means TO RELINQUISH, TO FORSAKE, TO LEAVE BEHIND, TO LOOSEN OR TO SEPARATE. It means to cut off all fellowship, all communion, all UNION. Because the ingredient of union with God is AGAPE LOVE, then we know that Christ lost it, and suffered as we suffer. It is confirmed by verse two. “THOU HEAREST NOT”. Indeed, Christ did suffer spiritual death, and He was alone, utterly rejected by His father. Satan was positive that he had destroyed his worst enemy.

BUT THEN SUNDAY CAME!

“Our fathers TRUSTED IN THEE: THEY TRUSTED, AND THOU

DIDST DELIVER THEM.

THEY CRIED UNTO THEE,

AND WERE DELIVERED:

THEY TRUSTED IN THEE, AND WERE NOT CONFOUNDED.

BUT I AM A WORM, AND NO MAN; A REPROACH OF MEN,

AND DESPISED OF THE PEOPLE.”

(Psalm 22:4-6)

Psalm 22 describes in intimate detail the death of Christ upon the cross. After severance of Christ from God BECAUSE of spiritual death, the only thing Christ has left IS FAITH AND TRUST IN GOD. He must place all of His faith, all of His trust in the promises that God will deliver His own. Christ went from a union that requires no faith, because faith is for that which is not known, not seen. Union does not require faith, because union is based upon an experiential knowing, a seeing.

“Be not far from me, for trouble is near;

FOR THERE IS NONE TO HELP.”

(Psalm 22:11)

Again I would ask why Christ would make such a statement if God were in fact still in union with Him. This is a statement of aloneness, of separation, or hope that God, while now severed, is still near. If union were still a fact, God would BE IN CHRIST, AND CHRIST WOULD KNOW IT. The statement to be not far away is a statement that God is gone, and Christ is pleading that He not move FAR, FAR AWAY. There are many such proofs in Scripture, all which prove that Christ did indeed die a spiritual death upon the cross, and payment number one in the most awesome purchase ever made in the history of the Universe.

PHYSICAL DEATH

The sequence that Christ went through on the cross follows exactly the sequence laid down in Genesis, for the creation and fall of man:

1. CREATION WITH A LIVE SPIRIT.

2. SIN ENTERS IN, AND SPIRITUAL DEATH FOLLOWS INSTANTLY.

3. PHYSICAL DEATH WILL NOW FOLLOW BECAUSE OF SPIRITUAL DEATH.

4. AFTER PHYSICAL DEATH, DESCENT TO THE PIT TO AWAIT THE SECOND DEATH.

To the unbeliever and the scoffer, no amount of evidence will be accepted, because the HEART IS NOT RIGHT TO ACCEPT ANY EVIDENCE. You could transport the mocker and scoffer back through time and let him watch the entire event and he would come up with some reason to reject it. The next payment due from Jesus Christ is physical death, because man must die a physical death.

“Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice,

YIELDED UP THE GHOST.”

(Matthew 27:50)

“And Jesus cried with a loud voice, AND

GAVE UP THE GHOST.”

(Mark 15:37)

“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said,

FATHER, INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT:

and having said thus, HE

GAVE UP THE GHOST.”

(Luke 23:46)

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said,

IT IS FINISHED: AND HE BOWED HIS HEAD,

AND

GAVE UP THE GHOST.”

(John 19:30)

All of the Gospels claim that Jesus died. Even Pilate was astounded at how fast Christ had died, this is IN SIX HOURS. He was the Son of Man. Man has 6000 years of probation upon planet Earth. Does the six hours on the cross represent the span of man on Earth? Pilate sent centurions over to VERIFY THAT CHRIST WAS DEAD, AND TO FINISH HIM IF HE WASN’T. Pilate knew all about the RESURRECTION PROPHECY:

“But when they came to Jesus, and saw that

HE WAS DEAD ALREADY,

they brake not his legs:

But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side,

and forthwith there came out

BLOOD AND WATER.”

(John 19:33-34)

We then have verification of the actual death of Christ, and we have the gainsaying Jews who had this thrown in their faces:

“Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel,

that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,

WHOM YE CRUCIFIED,

WHOM GOD RAISED

FROM THE DEAD,

EVEN BY HIM DOTH THIS MAN STAND HERE BEFORE YOU WHOLE.”

(Acts 4:10)

Peter was under the impression that Christ had died. He was also under the impression that God has raised him from the dead; PROOF POSITIVE THAT ALL ASPECTS OF THE KINSMAN-REDEEMER LAW WERE FULFILLED AND ACCEPTED AS FULL RANSOM PRICE. We should also note that Christ was also under the impression that He had died, and He ought to know, being the primary witness to it all:

“I am he that liveth, AND WAS DEAD; and, behold, I am

ALIVE FOR EVERMORE, Amen; and have the keys of hell

and of death.”

(Revelation 1:18)

“And unto the angel of the Church in Smyrna write: these things saith the

first and the last,

WHICH WAS DEAD, AND IS ALIVE…”

(Revelation 2:8)

The evidence is conclusive, and if you need more proof than this, your problem is not the evidence; it is with your heart.

DID CHRIST SHED BLOOD?

It is the requirement of the law that for the remission of sins there has to be the shedding of innocent blood. This is not a SYMBOLIC SHEDDING, as some apostates suggest, but a REAL AND LITERAL SHEDDING OF REAL AND LITERAL BLOOD. By the virgin birth Christ is innocent of the knowledge of good and evil. By His life, He remained sinless. Thus He is guiltless, and is able to pay all prices. Did He actually shed His own blood, the blood of a human being, a near kinsman, in this transaction?

“But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and

forthwith came there out

BLOOD AND WATER.”

(John 19:34)

We must not forget that the act of SCOURGING, WHICH PILATE ORDERED BE DONE UPON CHRIST, RIPS THE SKIN ASUNDER AND CAUSES VAST AMOUNTS OF BLEEDING (Matthew 27:26). The act of spiking Christ to the cross would also draw blood. We can thus conclude that CHRIST FULFILLED THAT REQUIREMENT IN FULL.

DID CHRIST FACE THE SECOND DEATH?

It is a requirement for sinners that they face the second death, and must be assigned their place in Hades to await this event. The question to ask is this: did Christ descend into the holding place for sinners, and taste of the torments and the agony of hell in our place? Based upon the completion of all other requirements, the evidence would suggest that He did, and that He was active in that region while His body was in the tomb awaiting the resurrection.

“(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he ALSO DESCENDED FIRST INTO

THE LOWER PARTS OF THE EARTH?

HE THAT DESCENDED is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens,

that he might

FILL ALL THINGS.”

(Ephesians 4:9-10)

We might ask why would Christ descend to the pits of Hades itself unless, as the Scripture plainly states, it was TO FILL ALL THINGS? What requirement could there be that Christ has to fulfill unless it is the requirement of kinsman-redeemer? What other reason could there be? We know that Christ did in fact descend to the lower regions of the earth, which is the holding place of all souls that do not come to a knowledge of agape love. We also know that Christ termed it a place of torments and real, literal fire. There was, at that point in time, another compartment called paradise, which, when Christ ascended, took all those there up to heaven with him. The only ones in the lower regions of the earth are the wicked dead, those that did not come to Christ as He commanded.

The question becomes this: did Christ actually go into the holding place for the wicked spirits, and was He actually taken there, as a wicked person to PAY THE FINAL PAYMENT THAT MANKIND MUST PAY? I believe He did, and I base it upon PSALM 88. I believe that this is the cry of Christ in the place of torments while He is totally severed from God, while He is cut off, and is alone and under torment that the living cannot even begin to comprehend.

It should be noted that there are 66 books in the bible. These 66 books are the testimony and the witness of Jesus Christ to man. The number of man in Scripture is 6. The number of the antichrist is 666. Christ is our INTERMEDIARY, OUR GO BETWEEN. As a Son of Man is His number 66? It is interesting to note that THE DEATH of Christ is recorded in Psalm 22. 66 chapters later we find HIS RESURRECTION. Psalm 88 is about the place of torments and THE RESURRECTION TO NEW LIFE. 66 chapters later we find His FINAL PAYMENT PAID IN FULL. Is it all coincidence? I think not. Many of the same phrases are used over again as were used in Psalm 22. It is clearly the cry of Messiah in torment. Verses 1-5 are Christ again on the cross, in the process of death. We pick up with verse six:

“Thou HAST LAID ME IN

THE LOWEST PIT, IN DARKNESS,

IN THE DEEP.

THY WRATH

LIETH HARD UPON ME, AND THOU HAST

AFFLICTED ME WITH ALL THY WAVES.

SELAH.”

(Psalm 88:6-7)

These verses verify those in Ephesians. Christ is AFFLICTED, IS TAKING THE FULL SPECTRUM PAYMENTS THAT ARE DUE TO ALL THE WICKED THAT DESCEND INTO THIS PLACE OF TORMENTS. HE IS SHUT UP, AND CANNOT COME FORTH. HE HAS BEEN MADE AN ABOMINATION TO HIS FRIENDS AND TO ISRAEL.

“Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou

hast made me an abomination unto them:

I AM SHUT UP,

AND I CANNOT COME FORTH.

MINE EYE MOURNETH BY REASON OF AFFLICTION: LORD,

I HAVE CALLED DAILY UPON THEE,

I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS UNTO THEE.”

(Psalm 88:8-9)

God has removed Him from His disciples, from Israel, from His family, and from LIFE ITSELF. He is in the place of afflictions and torments and He cannot come forth. God has severed all contact, and Christ is suffering the full brunt of what we all deserve. He is crying out to God for mercy, as do all the prisoners of this place cry out, but no mercy comes forth. Will God answer His cry? Will God allow His Son to go free?

It is right after this that Christ begins to speak of being RESURRECTED! He is the FIRST FRUITS OF THIS PROCESS. Faith and trust are all that Christ has, and that is all we have! Verses 10-13 are the questions that Christ has. Will it happen? WE GO BACK TO PSALM 22: THE FATHERS OF ISRAEL TRUSTED, AND THEY WERE DELIVERED. I believe the evidence is strong indeed that Christ did go down and taste of the place of torments so that NO ONE COULD SAY HE HAD NOT PURCHASED THE HUMAN RACE WITH A FULL RANSOM PRICE.

Satan was not going to be allowed to stand before the throne of God and make up some technical argument that Christ had failed to pay all the requirements in full. The Church has a tendency to forget that this was A LEGAL TRANSACTION, DONE UNDER THE LAW. No stone was left unturned; no part of the law was not fully paid for.

WAS CHRIST WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE?

This question is a crucial question, because under kinsman-redeemer law, the near kinsman had to be WILLING AND ABLE. We have proved Christ was able; we have proved that HE DID EXECUTE THE PLAN IN FLAWLESS DETAIL. But was He in reality WILLING? To force Him into it would undo the whole process. To force Him to pay would be high treason in the heavenly courts.

“Then saith he to them, MY SOUL IS EXCEEDING

SORROWFUL, EVEN UNTO DEATH: TARRY YE HERE,

AND WATCH WITH ME.”

(Matthew 26:38)

“And he went a little farther, and fell upon his face, and prayed, saying,

O MY FATHER,

IF IT BE POSSIBLE,

LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME…”

(Matthew 26:39)

Christ is in agony that we cannot begin to comprehend. He knows what is coming, for He knows from the law what is required to purchase the human race. He knows what must be done, and now the time has arrived. He will leave behind His mother, His father, His brothers, His friends, and the world. He is at the end of His life in a mere 33 years. He has a friend in heaven whom He has known from the time He had conscious thought. He has never experienced a moment when they were not in full union, with one another. He knows that now that union will be broken, but He does not know what it means, for He has never experienced it.

He knows that He must face the full wrath of God. He faces total severance from God the Father. He knows that AGAPE LOVE WILL DO WHATEVER MUST BE DONE TO FULFILL ITS REQUIREMENTS. He does not want to face the torments of the dammed. He can turn back. He can call the whole thing off. He could go to the Jews and seek forgiveness. He could smooth the whole thing over. He could make a bargain with Satan now and decide the human race was simply not worth the price. His torment is so great that He sweats literal blood. Is He going to be willing? There is a last moment it seems when we must decide to either go through with our plan, or call it off. It is the moment of decision, the moment of final reassessment.

What is Jesus going to do? He does have options open to Him. What will He decide?

“NEVERTHELESS

NOT AS I WILL,

BUT AS THOU WILT.”

(Matthew 26:39)

Yes, Christ is willing. He decided to submit to His Father’s will. The die is cast; the plan will be finally completed. It is His submission to the will of the Father that makes Christ willing. The very presentation of it in Scripture proves Christ DID NOT HAVE TO SUBMIT. HE COULD HAVE SAID NO. He elects to go on, in spite of what is coming. He sets His face as flint, and looks beyond the cross, beyond the suffering, to the final result. His soul is now calm. The greatest purchase ever made in the history of the universe is about to go down on a lonely hill outside of Jerusalem