Plan B

by Jose Morrelos
(Idaho)

I don't agree with your plan A and then B for Jesus' death. There's nothing in prophecy that says he'd be sacrificed on the temple altar by a priest. Jesus told Nicodemus how he would die and told the disciples he would be crucified. The Old Testament prophecies point to his humiliation-being whipped, beard plucked out and crucified with the "engraven on the palms of my hands" for one example from Isaiah. I have to say that God's plan A was for all the people to accept him as Messiah; that is clear from the Bible and because of His foreknowledge he knew what they would do. As far as God's plan A to make Him a sacrifice on the altar with a high priest officiating is nothing other than speculation.

My response:

Thank you for your comments. When others contribute thoughts it brings fresh thinking to the subject and helps us progress towards the best understanding.

You may be correct. Certainly God did not foreordain that people should sin and reject the Messiah. It seems that He adapts His ways to man's actions which He would do if He is honoring man's free will.

Here are a few thoughts. The reasons (and I think they are reasonable) that I suggest that plan A for Jesus' death was not crucifixion are:

* "The wages of sin is death ..." (Rom 6:23) not crucifixion.
* God did not invent crucifixion, the Romans did. To say God did would totally distort the truth of God's character.
* No sacrificial lamb (all of which pointed to Jesus' death) was ever nailed to a cross. They were all killed in a humane manner.
* Abraham laid his son Isaac on an altar for the sacrifice. This was the clearest picture we have of what the Divine Father and Son would go through.

Here are some related thoughts. The sanctuaries on earth including the temple at the time of Jesus' death were models of the true sanctuary in heaven. (Heb 8:2). The sacrifices in the earthly tabernacle were pointing to the true sacrifice of the heavenly system which it would seem should take place on a corresponding altar of sacrifice in the heavenly sanctuary. Actually, the cross of Calvary on earth ended up being the altar of sacrifice of the heavenly sanctuary.

"Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?" (Acts 7:49)