Tomorrow we observe greatest act of love in creation. It is known throughout Christendom as Good Friday. Some would say killing anyone on a cross, let alone One who is perfectly innocent, is the opposite of good. These selections of scripture help me explain it. Perhaps they will help you as well.

God will provide Himself a lamb

Let’s start with Abraham, who had been commanded by God as a demonstration of his faith to sacrifice his son Isaac on the holy place, Mariah, in Genesis 22:7-13.

And Isaac spoke unto Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” And he said, “Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering.”  So they went both of them together.

And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” And He said, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from Me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked; and behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

The Passover: . . . when He seeth the blood upon the lintel and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over . . .

The children of Israel, following God’s command, are spared from the visit to Egypt from the Angel of death to be delivered from Egypt. This is the account from Exodus 12:5-7, 21-32.

Your lamb shall be without blemish . . . and shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses . . .

Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said unto them, “Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the Passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out from the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He seeth the blood upon the lintel and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. And ye shall observe this thing as an ordinance to thee and to thy sons forever. And it shall come to pass, when ye come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as He hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, ‘What mean ye by this service?’ that ye shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron; so did they.

And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne, unto the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel! And go, serve the Lord, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said; and be gone, and bless me also.”

A new testament of new Passover Blood

We are about to observe a remembrance of the blood of the Lamb of God shed for you and for many. “This is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Jesus Christ— Matthew 26:17-30

Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto Him, “Where wilt Thou that we prepare for Thee to eat the Passover?”

And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say unto him, The Master saith, ‘My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at thy house with My disciples.’”

And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them, and they made ready the Passover.

Now when the evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. . .

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And He took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of it; for this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s Kingdom.”