Daily devotion – Death could not hold Him!
Why did Jesus suffer and die on the Cross for us…?
Hebrews 13:20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
The death of Jesus Christ, the Son of God on the Cross, did not merely precede His resurrection – it was the price that obtained it!
This is why Hebrews 13:20, says that God brought Him from the dead…….by the blood of the eternal covenant. “This is My blood of the covenant”, Matthew 26:28. When the Bible speaks of the blood of Jesus, it refers to His death. No salvation would be accomplished by the mere bleeding of Jesus.
What is the relationship between this shedding of Jesus blood and the resurrection? The Bible says Jesus was raised not just after the blood shedding, but by it. This means that what Jesus death accomplished was so full and so perfect that the resurrection was the reward and vindication of Jesus Christ’s achievement in death.
In other words, the wrath of God was satisfied completely and fully with His suffering and death:
– The holy curse against sin was fully absorbed!
– The price of forgiveness was totally paid.
– The righteousness of God was completely vindicated.
All that was left to accomplish was the public declaration of God’s endorsement. This He gave by raising Jesus from the dead!
When the Bible says, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” – 1 Corinthians 15:17, Paul is telling us that not that the resurrection is the price paid for our sins, but that the resurrection proves that the death of Jesus was an all-sufficient price. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then His death was a failure, God did not vindicate His sin-bearing achievement, and we are still in our sins.
BUT…in fact, “Christ WAS raised from the dead by the glory of the Father.” – Romans 6:4.
The success of Christ’s suffering and death was vindicated, and if we put our trust in Jesus Christ, we are not still in our sins! Praise the Lord!
For “by the blood of the eternal covenant,” the sacrifice to end all sacrifices, has been raised and lives forever!
Death could not hold Him!