Calvary: The Greatest Victory.

Was Calvary the greatest victory ever? Brian thinks it was and explains why in this last post in his Easter series. ”

Battles in Human History

There have been over 10,000 battles in human history. Only one made it possible for the heart of man to be transformed. It was not fought on the fields of Gettysburg or the plains of Abraham.  It was not fought on Hannibal’s snowy Alps or at Napoleon’s Waterloo.  It was fought on a small hill outside Jerusalem, on a human garbage heap. Israel fought and won a war in 6 days – this battle lasted 6 hours, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

A Spiritual Battle at Calvary

It was a spiritual battle: God on one side, represented by the Captain of our Salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ; Sin and all the forces of evil on the other side, represented by Satan himself. 

The battle lines had been drawn before the creation of the world. From the time Satan was cast out of heaven, down through time to these 6 climactic hours on Calvary, there were countless strategies by Satan to prevent this showdown.

Satan spoiled an earthly paradise by tempting the first human couple with sin, but even at that moment he is personally cursed by God and told that Jesus would

“bruise his head”. (Genesis 3:15). 

Satan used Herod to try to kill the baby Jesus. He tried to get Jesus to sin for forty days in the wilderness. When Peter spoke against Jesus’ suffering and death, Jesus said to him,

“Get behind me, Satan.”  (Matthew 16:23)

Jesus Launched Campaigns

Jesus launched campaigns of his own:  He marched against disease and disability. He brought individuals back from death. He put demons and the devil himself to flight. 

Then came the battle on Calvary. On the left flank is Lucifer, the accuser, the adversary, the deceiver of the whole world. On the right flank are the human adversaries: the band of Roman soldiers, the chief priests, scribes and elders, the jeering mob, even the thieves pinned to nearby crosses. The rear is brought up by the last enemy, Death itself, but Jesus,

“through death (destroys) him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.”  (Hebrews 2:14)

The whole attack is led by Sin and the Law against sin.  Both the law and sin have faces familiar to us, but we are shocked to see these faces here on Calvary, directed against the Son of God. The Law has the face of God himself.  Isaiah tells us,

“It pleased the Lord to bruise him.” (Isaiah 53:10)

Sin has a face – It is your face, it is my face. The hymn says, “O Lord, what Thee tormented, was our sin’s heavy load.”

Christ’s Plan Was Shocking

Christ’s Battle Plan is shocking.  He is going to win by dying:

“Now once, in the end of the ages, hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”  (Hebrews 9:26).

He will win without violence:

“Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter … so he opened not his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)

He dies alone, as a “Champion”, not against a single, other champion, like David against Goliath, but against the most powerful battle force ever assembled. He is unarmed:  He has no shield: None of his supernatural power protects his body. His head is unprotected.

The Captain of our Salvation goes forth to battle, as a lamb.  Actually, he is The Lamb.

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

Is Calvary the greatest victory? What do you think? Contact us at HopeStreamRadio,  or comment below.