Why Yahushua the Messiah Had to Die
Why did the Messiah have to die for our sins so that we could attain salvation and eternal life?
Many believe they know the answer and point to various passages in Scriptures to demonstrate their understanding of Yahweh’s truth.
For instance, a common answer is that Yahushua forgives and redeems us from our sins by shedding his blood as the perfect sacrifice. The Messiah now gives us grace or the free gift of salvation and eternal life.
The frequently referenced passage of Scriptures is from the book of John, which states:
For the deity so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
So, it would seem that having only faith to be saved is sufficient.
At this point, we still do not have an answer to why the Messiah had to die for our personal sins. This prompts us to engage in a deeper exploration of our trust and the Scriptures.
This particular study will concentrate on one of the crucial reasons for the Messiah’s death and how it benefits all mankind.
One may ask, Is it not possible for one to confess and repent of their sins directly to the Father?
• Would he not know what is in our hearts and forgive us?
• Would he not want us to be saved?
• Why would it be required that someone else be responsible for the error of our ways?
• Even though one can be forgiven, does not everyone pay for their sins by undergoing death?
All Have Sinned
Scriptures are clear regarding the consequences for a person who sins regardless of any forgiveness per the following verse:
The person that sins shall die. (Ezek. 18:20)
The book of Romans makes it very clear:
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. (Rom. 5:12)
For as in Adam all die, even so in Messiah shall all be made alive. (1 Cor. 15:22)
It is revealed that through one man, Adam, the curse of death passed down to all people, including Yahushua the Messiah, who must undergo death at least once, even though He never personally sinned.
According to the Law of Moses, unless one sheds their blood, there is no remission of sins.
Indeed, under the Law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Heb. 9:22)
Therefore, the logic gleaned from the Law would seem to dictate that all mankind must pay the price for their sins by shedding their own blood, thereby obtaining forgiveness of sins, salvation and eternal life without a third party intervening.
It is essential to acknowledge, under the Law, that Yahushua the Messiah did not need to shed his blood for the forgiveness of any sins committed, as he was sinless.
You know that he (Yahushua) appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. (1 John 3:5)
However, if you were to consult the words of Yahushua himself, you would find that the notion of people dying for their own sins to obtain forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life is fundamentally flawed. The Messiah explicitly stated:
I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through me. (John 14:6)
We must now consider: if it were true that we pay the price for our sins by personally dying and that this automatically grants us eternal life in the Resurrection, why do we still require the Messiah to die for us? This paradoxical logic, however, is not without its challenges.
The Garden of Eden
We will begin to find the answer by addressing the topic of Adam in the Garden of Eden.
After Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden, Yahweh instructed him not to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and that if he did, he would die. In other words, if Adam waited for the Tree of Life to bear fruit and only partook of this tree, he would not die.
An Eternal Covenant
Therefore, Yahweh’s agreement or Covenant with Adam was eternal because if Adam obeyed, he would never die. This eternal agreement we will call the Adamic Covenant.
Scriptural logic also dictates that if Yahweh made the eternal Adamic Covenant, he would expect that it be kept eternally. Of course, we know that Adam and his wife, Eve, broke the Covenant by sinning.
Now, another situation has arisen. On the surface, it seems that Yahweh may have made a mistake, the reason being that he established an Eternal Covenant with Adam, expecting him to keep it eternally.
In reality, this was no mistake at all. There will be those of mankind who will, in fact, keep the eternal Adamic Covenant. Father Yahweh would have to provide the avenue for Adam and the rest of mankind to reenter the Adamic Covenant.
The Covenant-Will
This prompts the question, Where can we find the avenue or mechanism to enable mankind to reenter the Adamic Covenant?
The answer is found in the NT book of Hebrews, where it states:
For where there is a TESTAMENT (COVENANT-WILL) it is necessary for the DEATH OF THE TESTATOR to come about. FOR A TESTAMENT (COVENANT-WILL) IS AFFIRMED UPON DEATH, since in NO WAY IS IT OF FORCE WHEN THE TESTATOR IS LIVING. (Heb. 9:16-17).
The Testator
Scriptures explicitly state that there is a legal necessity for the one who made this Covenant-Will, the testator, to die in order to pass on the contents.
It is without question that the testator being referenced is Yahushua the Messiah. Also, it is apparent that whatever the Covenant-Will contains has to be extremely important!
Where In Scriptures?
Another question is now prompted: Where is this Covenant-Will found in Scriptures, and what is in it?
The book of Genesis provides an answer:
Now lift up your (Abram’s) eyes and look from this place where you are, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward, because all of this land which you see, BELONGING TO YOU I (YAHWEH) WILL GIVE IT AND BELONGING TO YOUR SINGLE SEED, FOREVER. And I will make YOUR PLURAL SEED as the dust of the earth, so that if a male could number the dust of the earth, so shall YOUR PLURAL SEED be numbered. Rise up, walk through the land belonging to its length and belonging to its breadth, because belonging TO YOU I WILL GIVE IT. (Gen. 13:14-17)
It’s essential to remember that the book of Hebrews refers to the obtaining of the land as something that is received by a Covenant-Will. This Covenant-Will, which necessitates the death of the testator to pass on the land, is the key to the Eternal Inheritance!
The Single Seed
Just who is Abraham’s single seed that will receive the allotted land as an Inheritance FOREVER?
The book of Galatians answers this profound question:
But to Abraham were spoken the promises, and to his σπέρματι (SPERMATI; SINGLE SEED). He does not say, And to spermasin (σπέρμασιν; seeds), as of many, but as of one, and to your σπέρματί (SPERMATI; SINGLE SEED), WHICH IS THE MESSIAH. (Gal. 3:16)
What an amazing passage from Scriptures. The single seed who will receive the land forever via an Inheritance found in Genesis is Yahushua the Messiah!
The Septuagint Solution
What is even more amazing is that when one consults the Greek Septuagint (LXX) of Genesis 13:15-16, it confirms that the land is given to the singular seed as stated in Galatians:
For all the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your σπέρματί (SPERMATI; SINGLE SEED) forever. And I will make your σπέρμα (sperma; plural seed) as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall your σπέρμα (sperma; plural seed) also be numbered. (LXX Gen. 13:15-16)
The Preexistent Yahushua
The evidence confirms that the preexistent Yahushua, who appeared as Yahweh of the Old Testament, spoke to Abraham, giving the Eternal Inheritance to his single seed, which later was Yahushua himself.
We know that it had to be someone other than Father Yahweh who spoke to Abraham because it is impossible for Father Yahweh to interact directly with mankind. The Book of John states:
And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness to me. HIS VOICE YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD, HIS FORM YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN. (John 5:37)
Yahushua makes a plain statement to the Jews concerning his preexistence and appearance to Abraham. He said:
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Yahushua said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am (I existed). (John 8:56-58)
There is a unique twist to the arrangement of the Eternal Inheritance. The testator of this Inheritance had to remain sinless unto death; otherwise, he would break the Covenant as Adam did and would disqualify himself, the single seed of Abraham, from receiving anything.
Mankind’s Benefit
The next question would be, How does mankind benefit from Yahushua dying and passing on the Eternal Inheritance to himself?
Here, we delve into the intriguing complexities of this topic.
If the preexistent Yahushua had to die as a human, what good are the eternal promises made to him by father Yahweh, for the dead own nothing?
The Process
To accommodate this process, father Yahweh had the preexistent Yahushua make a Covenant-Will which left the eternal promises that he offered to him—which included the eternal ownership of the Promised Land and other eternal promises—to a future single seed of Abraham.
This single seed is defined as Yahushua the Messiah.
Father Yahweh then promised to raise this single seed of Abraham from the dead if he remained sinless, which feat, by means of his sacred ruach, he accomplished.
Once back alive, Yahushua could now receive all of those eternal promises he left to himself, with each promise destined to be fulfilled in its proper order.
Therefore, YAHUSHUA BECAME BOTH THE TESTATOR AND THE HEIR of all of the promises left to the single seed of Abraham in the eternal Covenant-Will.
Joint-Heirs
According to these important legal details, those declared justified will be adopted and made joint-heirs with the Messiah. Regarding adoption, the book of Romans states:
For you have not received the ruach of bondage again to fear; but you have received the ruach of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Rom. 8:15)
Regarding joint-heirs:
THAT THE NATIONS SHOULD BE JOINT-HEIRS, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Messiah by the gospel. (Ephesians 3:6)
And if you be Messiah’s, THEN ARE YOU ABRAHAM’S SEED, AND HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE. (Gal. 3:29)
Other Reasons
Besides the necessity for Yahushua the Messiah to die as the testator of a Covenant-Will, what other reasons are given for requiring the Messiah to endure death?
We have already mentioned two reasons:
(1) As a descendant of Adam, all humans must undergo death at least once.
FOR AS IN ADAM ALL DIE, even so in Messiah shall all be made alive. (1 Cor. 15:22)
(2) Because as the testator of the Eternal Inheritance, which contained the promises of eternal life, Yahushua had to die in order to pass it on.
For where a testament is, THERE MUST ALSO OF NECESSITY BE THE DEATH OF THE TESTATOR. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator lives. (Heb. 9:16-17)
Scriptures also reveal another purpose:
(3) For Yahushua to become a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek and entering the Holy of Holies of the Heavenly Tabernacle, he had to become the sinless and perfect inauguration/dedication sacrifice, also being necessary for the eternal New Covenant.
This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not according to a legal requirement concerning bodily descent but by the power of an indestructible life For it is witnessed of him, “THOU ART A PRIEST FOREVER, AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.” (Heb. 7:15-17)
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, BUT BY HIS OWN BLOOD HE ENTERED IN ONCE INTO THE MOST HOLY PLACE, having secured eternal redemption. (Heb. 9:12)
Conclusion
We should note that Yahushua the Messiah will honor his promises of the Eternal Inheritance to Abraham upon his resurrection.
Those who become the children of Abraham via adoption will also be made joint-heirs with the Messiah in the Eternal Inheritance, which not only includes the promise of eternal land ownership of the Promised Land and eternal life itself.
For a complete discussion regarding our discussion concerning the doctrinal issues of the Eternal Inheritance, please refer to our 2-part article, The Eternal Inheritance & Salvation – Pt. 1 & 2.