Divine Exchange

1.                       A BRIEF NOTE ON “OUR NEEDS AND GOD’S SOLUTION”

Our total needs and God’s solution for us is entirely available only at the crucifixion of Jesus on the Cross. We need to look at the crucifixion of Christ as if it just happened yesterday. Nothing is more important than Christ’s crucifixion. The death of Jesus Christ is sufficient for every sinner-every sins. The entire message of the gospel revolves around one unique historical event: the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. Its effects extend throughout time and onto eternity. (See Hebrews 10:14)

Thus Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”All our need covers every area of our lives-our body, our soul, our mind, our emotion, as well as our material and financial needs. Nothing is either so large or so small that it is excluded from God’s provision. By a single, sovereign act, God brought together all the need and all the suffering of humanity in one climactic moment of time. God has not provided many different solution for the multitudinous problems of mankind-us. Instead, He offers us one all-sufficient solution which is His answer to every problem.

We may come from many different backgrounds, each of us burdened with our own special need, but to receive God’s solution we must all make our way to the same place that is the cross of Jesus. The most complete account of what was accomplished at the cross was given through the prophet Isaiah, 700 years before it actually took place. We read thus follow: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand” (Isaiah 53:10). Here the unnamed “He” is Jesus, whose soul was to be offered to God as a sin offering. The divine purpose accomplished by His sacrifice is summed up in Isaiah 53:6 as follow: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

There are various specific sins that many of us have never committed, such as murder, adultery, theft and so on. But the basic universal problem of all humanity is “we have turned, each of us, to our own way.” Sheep tend to travel together, so if the leading sheep turns aside from the path for grass or some other purpose, usually all the sheep do so. They tend to follow the lead sheep which is often dangerous. Similarly all we had turned aside (cf. 1 Peter 2:25) from following the Lord, from keeping His commandments. The essence of sin is going one’s own way, rather than God’s way. That iniquity had to be punished, so the Lord . . . laid the punishment for that iniquity (cf. Isa. 53:11) not on the “sheep“ (we) that deserved it, but on the Servant (Jesus) who died in our place. Our account about the Servant’s death (Isaiah 53:7-9). The Servant died willingly (v. 7) and for others’ (we) transgressions (v. 8), even though He is righteous (v. 9).

Christ was the perfect example of patient submission to unjust suffering. He did not retaliate . . . He made no threats (cf. Rom. 12:19-20). Humanly speaking, the provocation to retaliate during Christ’s arrest, trial, and crucifixion was extreme. Yet He suffered in silence, committing Himself to God. Peter explained (1 Peter 2:24) why the One who could have destroyed His enemies with a word patiently endured the pain and humiliation of the Cross. God was justly judging our sins which His Son bore (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21). His death makes it possible for believers to be free from both the penalty and the power of sin and to live for Him: so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness (cf. Rom. 6:2, 13). Christ suffered so it would be possible for Christians to follow His example, both in suffering and in righteous living. Christ not only set the example and provides salvation, but He also gives guidance and protection to those who were headed away (like sheep going astray) from Him, but who then “turned about” (rather than returned) to the Shepherd and Overseer (episkopon) of their souls. “Shepherd” and “Overseer” stress Christ’s matchless guidance and management of those who commit themselves to His care (cf. Ezek. 34:11-16).

2.                                          A BRIEF NOTE ON “AVON”

Rebellion or iniquity against God can be defined as “avon”. In its biblical use, the word avon describes not merely rebellion or iniquity but also the punishment or the evil consequences-which iniquity brings in its rain. For instance, in Genesis 4:13, after God had pronounced judgement on Cain for the murder of his brother, Cain said, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.” The word translated “punishment” is avon. It covered not merely Cain’s “iniquity,” but also the “punishment” it brought upon him. In Leviticus 16:22, concerning the scapegoat released on the Day of Atonement, the Lord said, “The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land …” in this symbolism, the goat bore not merely the iniquities of the Israelites, but also all the consequences of their iniquities as well.

Further in Lamentations 4, the word avon occurs twice with the same meaning. In verse 6 it is translated as “The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people….” Again, in verse 22 as “The punishment of your iniquity … O daughter of Zion …” in each case, the single word avon is translated by a complete phrase “the punishment of iniquity.” In other words, in its fullest sense avon means not simply “iniquity” but also includes all the evil consequences which God’s judgement brings upon iniquity. This applies to the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Jesus Himself was not guilty of any sin. In Isaiah 53:9 the prophet says, “He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.” But in verse 6 he says, “the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity [avon] of us all.” Not merely was Jesus identified with our iniquity. He also endured all the evil consequences of that iniquity. Like the scapegoat that had prefigured Him, He carried them away, so that they might never return again upon us.

Then, the true meaning and purpose of the cross can be defined as on it a divinely ordained exchange took place. Jesus endured in our place all the evil consequences that were due by divine justice to our iniquity. Now, in exchange, God offers us all the good that was due to the sinless obedience of Jesus. All of these proceeds solely out of the unfathomable grace of God, and it is received solely by faith. There is no logical explanation in terms of cause and effect. None of us has ever done anything to deserve such an offer, and none of us can ever do anything to earn it. The evil due to us came upon Jesus, that, in return, the good due to Jesus might be offered to us. God is able to offer this to us without compromising His own eternal justice, because Jesus has already endured on our behalf all the just punishment due to our iniquities.

However, Scripture reveals many different aspects of the exchange, and many different areas in which it applies: the evil came upon Jesus that the corresponding good might be offered to us. The extent of our malady, and our urgent need of cure, are next set forth. All we like sheep have gone astray - (Ps 119:176; 1 Peter 2:25). The antithesis is, 'In ourselves we were scattered; in Christ we are collected together: by nature we wander, driven headlong to destruction; in Christ we find the way to the gate of life' We have turned every one to his own way-implying that the apostasy of men is both universal and individual: of the race in general, and of each one in particular: one in guilt, diverse in its several manifestations. The iniquity of us all-i.e., its penalty: or rather its guilt, as in 2 Cor 5:21, "He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." He was not merely a sin offering (which would destroy the antithesis to "righteousness"), but "sin for us:" sin itself vicariously; the representative of the aggregate sin of all mankind; not sins in the plural, but "sin," and here, in Isaiah 53:6, "iniquity" for the "sin" of the world is one (Rom 5:16-17); thus we are made not merely righteous, but righteousness, even "the righteousness of God." The innocent [Jesus] was punished as if guilty, that the guilty might be rewarded as if innocent.

3.      THE EXPOSITION ON : “LORD JESUS WAS PUNISHED THAT WE MIGHT BE FORGIVEN” AND “LORD JESUS WAS WOUNDED THAT WE MIGHT BE HEALED”

These two aspects of the divine exchange are revealed in Isaiah 53:4-5 as follow: “⁴Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.⁵But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”

Two truths are here interwoven that cannot be elaborated varyingly. The application of one is spiritual while the other is physical. In the spiritual plane, Jesus received the punishment due to our transgression and iniquities that we, in turn, might be forgiven and so have peace with God (Rom. 5:1). On the physical plane, Jesus bore our sicknesses and pains that we through His wounds might be healed.

Here follows the explanation of the sorrows and contempt which Jesus endured, as has been just described-namely, His being our Sin-bearer, and so suffering the penalty of our sins. He had taken our sickness-i.e., they who despised Him because of His human infirmities ought rather to have esteemed Him on account of them: for thereby "Himself took our infirmities" (Matthew 8:17) (bodily diseases). The word “Himself” in Matthew implies a personal bearing on Himself of our maladies, spiritual and physical, which included as a consequence His ministration to our bodily ailments. These latter are the reverse side of sin. His bearing on Him our spiritual malady involved with it His bearing sympathetically, and healing, the outward, which is its fruit and its type.

The physical application of the exchange is confirmed also in 1 Peter 2:24 that the apostle refers back to Isaiah 53:5-6 and says of Jesus: “Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.”

Christ also suffered. Here, of course, is the personification of divine love. Here is our pattern. Who did no sin. Hence all punishment and indignity to Him was without reason. Who . . . reviled not again . . . but committed Himself. Here is the perfect fulfillment of the principle seen in Rom 12:19-20; "Vengeance is mine . . . saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him." Here is perfect love for God and man. Who . . . bare our sins in His own body. Peter reminds us that this was done for us. That we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness. He implies that Christ's death was more than an example. By sharing His cross we will share His triumphant life.

Hereby, we summed up these two exchanges in the wonderful manner as follow:

Ø  Our forgiveness comes only through by Jesus’ punishment,

Ø  Our healing comes only through by Jesus’ wound.

4.      AN EXPLANATION ON LORD JESUS WAS MADE SIN THAT WE MIGHT BE  

                                             MADE RIGHTEOUS

The divine exchange of this is revealed in Isaiah 53:10, which states that the Lord made the soul of Jesus “an offering for sin.” This must be understood in the light of the Mosaic ordinances for various forms of sin offering. The person who had sinned was required to bring his sacrificial offering: a sheep, a goat, a bull, or some other animal to the priest. He would confess his sin over the offering, and the priest would symbolically transfer the sin he had confessed from the person to the animal. Then the animal would be killed, thus paying the penalty for the sin that had been transferred to it.

God sees Messiah's suffering as the redemption of sinners and triumph over death. When thou shalt make his soul an offering. Addressed to God directly, as the One who alone has the prerogative of appointing Christ's life an offering for sin (Isaiah uses the word for trespass offering - 'asham’ - which involved the payment of 120 per cent damages as well as the presentation of the sacrificial animal itself).

Yet in the foreknowledge of God, all this was designed to foreshadow what was to be accomplished by the final, all-sufficient sacrifice of Jesus. On the cross, the sin of the whole world was transferred to the soul of Jesus. The outcome was described in Isaiah 53:12: “Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” By His sacrificial, substitutionary death, Jesus made atonement for the sin of the whole human race. This great passage gives a tremendously complete picture of what the death of Jesus Christ accomplished on behalf of Israel (John 11:49-51) and the whole world (1 John 2:2). His death satisfied God’s righteous demands for judgment against sin, thus opening the way for everyone to come to God in faith for salvation from sin.

Furthermore, in 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul refers to Isaiah 53:10 and, at the same time, he also presents the positive aspect of the exchange: “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Apostle Paul does not speak here about any kind of righteousness that we can achieve by our own efforts, but about God’s own righteousness-a righteousness that has never known sin. None of us can ever earn this. It is as high above our own righteousness as heaven is above earth. It can be received solely only by faith. The righteousness of God signifies here the salvation of God, as comprehending justification through the blood of Christ, and sanctification through His Spirit; or, as the mountains of God, the hail of God, the wind of God, mean exceeding high mountains, extraordinary hail, and most tempestuous wind; so, here, the righteousness of God may mean a thorough righteousness, complete justification, complete sanctification; such as none but God can give, such as the sinful nature and guilty conscience of man require, and such as is worthy of God to impart. And all this righteousness, justification, and holiness, we receive in, by, for, and through HIM, as the grand, sacrificial, procuring, and meritorious cause of these, and every other blessing.

5.      AN EXPLANATION ON LORD JESUS DIED OUR DEATH THAT WE MIGHT

                                                    RECEIVE HIS LIFE

The entire Bible, in both Old Testament and New Testament emphasizes that the  final outcome of sin is death. In Ezekiel 18:4 the Lord says, “The soul who sins shall die.” And in James 1:15 the apostle says, “Sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” Accordingly, when Jesus became identified with our sin, it was inevitable that he should also experience the death which is the outcome of sin.

Sin is a small matter in its commencement; but by indulgence it grows great, and multiplies itself beyond all calculation. To use the rabbinical metaphor lately adduced, it is, in the commencement, like the thread of a spider's web-almost imperceptible through its extreme tenuity or fineness, and as easily broken, for it is as yet but a simple irregular imagination; afterwards it becomes like a cart rope-it has, by being indulged produced strong desire and delight; next consent; then, time, place, and opportunity serving, that which was conceived in the mind, and finished in the purpose, is consummated by act. Sin, being brought forth, immediately acts, and is nourished by frequent repetition, until at length it gains such strength that in its turn it begets death. This is the true genealogy of sin and death.

In confirmation of this, in Hebrews 2:9, the writer says that “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.” The death that He died was the inevitable outcome of human sin which He had taken upon Himself. He bore the sin of all men, and so died the death due to all men. In consequence of the fall of Adam, the whole human race became sinful in their natures and in their practice added transgression to sinfulness of disposition, and thus became exposed to endless perdition. To redeem them all Jesus Christ took on Him the nature of man, and suffered the penalty due to their sin.

Therefore, in return, to all who accept His (Jesus) substitutionary sacrifice, Jesus now offers the gift of eternal life. In Romans 6:23 Paul sets the two alternatives side by side as follow: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Here is the second death everlasting perdition. Every sinner earns this by long, severe, and painful service. Oh, what pains people take to get to hell! Early and late they toil at sin; and would not divine justice be in their debt, if it did not pay them their due wages? But the price requests for this sin had been paid by Jesus Christ at the cross with His death. Now, then anyone who comes to Him might be made righteous or right to inherit heaven through Him.

6.      AN EXPLANATION ON ‘LORD JESUS ENDURED OUR POVERTY THAT WE

                                     MIGHT SHARE HIS ABUNDANCE

“The Scripture says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). This exchange means from poverty to riches. Jesus became poor that we in return might become rich. People may picture Jesus as poor throughout His earthly ministry, but this is not accurate. Yea, He Himself did not carry a lot of cash, but at no time did He lack anything He needed. When He sent His disciples out on their own, they likewise lacked nothing. [For example Luke 22:35]. So, far from being poor, He and His disciples made a regular practice of giving to the poor (John 12:4-8; 13:29).

Jesus’ methods of obtaining money were sometimes unconventional, but money has the same value, whether withdrawn from a bank or the mouth of a fish (Matthew 17:27). His methods of providing food were also at times unconventional, but a man who can provide a substantial meal for 5,000 men plus women and children certainly would not be considered poor by normal standards! [Matthew 14:15-21.] Actually, throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus exactly exemplified “abundance,” as defined in the Bible. He always had all that He needed to do the will of God in His own life. Over and above this, He was continually giving out to others, and His supply was never exhausted.

Though Jesus was rich, He became poor for our sakes on the cross. When we look in Deuteronomy 28:48 Moses summed up absolute poverty in four expressions: hunger, thirst, nakedness, and need of all things. Indeed, Jesus experienced all this in its fullness on the cross. He was hungry. He had not eaten for nearly 24 hours. He was thirsty. One of His last utterances was: “I thirst!” (John 19:28). He was naked. The soldiers had taken all His clothes from Him (John 19:23). He was in need of all things. He no longer owned anything whatever. After His death He was buried in a borrowed robe and in a borrowed tomb (Luke 23:50-53). Thus, Jesus, exactly and completely, endured absolute poverty for our sakes.

The only basis for this exchange: “from poverty to riches” is God’s grace alone. It can never be earned. It can be received by faith alone.

Our abundance will be trued that of Jesus while He was on earth. We shall not carry large amounts of cash, or have large deposits in a bank. But from day to day we shall have enough for our own needs, and something over for the needs of others. One important reason for this level of provision is indicated by the words of Jesus quoted in Acts 20:35: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” God’s purpose is that all His children should be able to enjoy the greater blessing. Therefore, He provides us with enough to cover our own needs and also give to others.

Those who give from a pure motive God will bless. They will be rewarded, not only in the peace which they shall experience in this life, but in the higher bliss of heaven, Matt 25:34-36. We may also remark that this is a sentiment truly great and noble. It is worthy of the Son of God. It is that on which He Himself acted when He came to give pardon to the guilty, comfort to the disconsolate and the mourner, peace to the anxious sinner, sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, life to the dead, and heaven to the guilty and the lost. Acting on this, He gave His own tears to weep over human sorrows and human guilt; His own labors and toils to instruct and save man; His own life a sacrifice for sin on the cross. Loving to give, He has freely given us all things.

There is pleasure in the act of giving when it is done with pure motives. It promotes our own peace; is followed by happiness in the recollection of it; and will be followed by happiness forever.

7.      ELABORATION ON “LORD JESUS BORE OUR SHAME THAT WE MIGHT SHARE HIS GLORY” AND “LORD JESUS ENDURED OUR REJECTION THAT WE MIGHT

                                            HAVE HIS ACCEPTANCE”

The exchange at the cross covers also the emotional forms of suffering that follow from man’s iniquity. Here again, Jesus endured the evil that we in turn might enjoy the good. Two of the cruelest wounds brought upon us by our iniquities are shame and rejection. Both these came upon Jesus on the cross. Shame can vary in intensity from acute embarrassment to a cringing sense of unworthiness that cuts a person off from meaningful fellowship with God or with man. One of the commonest causes becoming more and more prevalent in our contemporary society is some form of sexual abuse or molestation in childhood. Often this leaves scars that can only be healed by the grace of God.

7.1. Jesus bore our shame that we might share His glory: The writer of Hebrews says, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The execution on the cross was the most shameful of all forms of death, reserved for the lowest class of criminals. The person to be executed was stripped of all his clothing and exposed naked to the gaze of passengers-by, who jeered and mocked. This was the degree of shame which Jesus endured as He hung on the cross (Matthew 27:35-44). A Saviour Who dies only to be the victim of salvation; and the Son of God Who confines His power within the bounds of the cross to establish the righteousness of faith: this is what we Christians adore; this is the foundation of our hope, and the fountain of our present comfort and final blessedness as well.

Accordingly, in the place of the shame which Jesus bore, God’s purpose is to bring those who trust in Him to share His eternal glory. In Hebrews 2:10 the writer says, “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” The shame which Jesus endured on the cross has opened the way for all who trust in Him to be released from their own shame. Not only that, but He then shares with us the glory which belongs to Him by eternal light!

7.2. Jesus endured our rejection that we might have His acceptance with the Father: Which is more often agonizing than shame it is “rejection.” Usually this stems from some form of broken relationship. In its earliest form, it is caused by parents who reject their own children. The rejection may be active, expressed in harsh, negative ways; or it may be merely a failure to show love and acceptance. If a pregnant woman entertains negative feelings toward the infant in her womb, the child will probably be born with a sense of rejection-which may continue into adulthood, and even to the grave. This is very important issue for parents toward their children-infants, not to reject but with love and care for. And the breakup of a marriage is another frequent cause of rejection (Isaiah 54:6).

God’s provision for healing the wound of rejection is recorded in Matthew 27:46 and 50, which describe the culmination of the agony of Jesus as follow: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.” For the first time in the history of the universe, the Son of God called out to His Father and received no response. So fully was Jesus identified with man’s iniquity that the uncompromising holiness of God caused Him to reject even His own Son. In this way Jesus endured rejection in its most agonizing form: rejection by a Father.

Accordingly, the record of Matthew continues immediately: “And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two form top to bottom…” symbolically this demonstrated that the way had been opened for sinful man to enter into direct fellowship with a holy God. The rejection of Jesus had opened the way for us to be accepted by God as His children (Ephesians 1:5-6). Hence, the rejection of Jesus resulted in our acceptance. God has chosen us in Christ, and it is through him that these mercies have been conferred on us.

8.      AN EXPLANATON ON LORD JESUS BECAME A CURSE THAT WE MIGHT

                                         ENTER INTO THE BLESSING

This is one final, climactic aspect of the exchange, it is described by Apostle Paul in Galatians 3:13-14: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

Here, Paul applies to Jesus on the cross n enactment of the law of Moses, stated in Deuteronomy 21:23, according to which a person executed by hanging on a “tree” (a wooden gibbet) thereby came under the curse of God. Then the points to the resulting opposite: the blessing. The curse that came upon Jesus is defined as “the curse of the law” which Moses had stated an exhaustive list of both the blessings that result from obeying the law and the curses that result from breaking it in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.

 However, Jesus had been rejected by His own countrymen, betrayed by one of His disciples. And abandoned by the rest (though some later returned to follow His final agony). He was suspended naked between earth and heaven. His body was wracked by the pain of innumerable wounds. His soul weighed down by the guilt of all humanity. Earth had rejected Him, and heaven would not respond to His cry. As the sun withdrew its light and darkness covered Him, His lifeblood ebbed out onto the dusty, stony soil. Yet out of the darkness, just before He expired, there came one final, triumphant cry: “It is finished!” all these show that He was fully under curse due to ours.

On the cross of Calvary, Jesus had taken upon Himself every evil consequence that rebellion had brought upon humanity. He had exhausted every curse of God’s broken law. All this, that we in turn might receive every blessing due to His obedience. Such a sacrifice is really stupendous in its scope, yet marvelous in its simplicity. We now, have to accept all that Jesus had done due to us by faith. So that we might enter into God’s provision-blessing.

Therefore, we should have a clear assurance that our sins have been forgiven because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. We are to share God’s blessing in day to day life since Christ had delivered us from every curse. But, if  there is the barrier of unforgiven sin in our life, then we must confess it by offering a simple prayer unto God to forgive us in Jesus’ name. God is faithful to forgive all of our sins if we really confess with broken heart (1 John 1:9).

As soon as the barrier of sin had been removed, the way is opened for us to enter into all the other provisions God had made through the cross in Jesus Christ. How wonderful it is! When Jesus breathed His last breath, the Bible says this tapestry split from the top to the bottom. That which had been a barrier now enabled us to come boldly into the throne room by the blood. Thank you, Jesus, for the divine exchange.

9.      AN EXPLANATION ON WHERE DID THE DIVINE EXCHANGE TAKE PLACE

                                                        AND HOW?

Even before the foundation of the world, the plan of salvation was in God’s thoughts. The center point of the plan devised by God, before time began, was the cross. The plan culminated in a divinely ordained exchange which would take place at Calvary. We deserve hell because we have broken God’s laws. You can break man’s law and get by with it. You can get a good lawyer or pay somebody off, but you won’t get by when you break God’s laws. God is a holy God, a just God, and He DEMANDS retribution for sin. So, the entire gospel is centered around the cross.

The work of Calvary is a perfect work. It is perfect in every aspect, and it is perfect in every respect. We cannot change the perfection of the plan of salvation. Man has tried to add to it, take away from it, take the blood out, take the cross out, We can talk about God but don’t talk about Jesus, but we cannot change the perfect plan of God.

We have identified nine aspects of what is called The Divine Exchange, the exchange that took place on the cross. Namely:  

Ø  Jesus was punished that we might be forgiven.

Ø  Jesus was wounded that we might be healed.

Ø  Jesus was made sin with our sinfulness that we might be made righteous with His   

                  righteousness.

Ø  Jesus died our death that we might share His life.

Ø  Jesus was made a curse that we might receive His blessing.

Ø  Jesus endured our poverty that we might share His abundance.

Ø  Jesus bore our shame that we might share His glory.

Ø  Jesus endured our rejection that we might enjoy His acceptance.

Ø  Our old man died in Jesus that the new man might live in us.

The list mentioned above may be incomplete. There may be other aspects of the exchange that could be added. But all of them are different facets of the provision which God has made through the sacrifice of Jesus. The Bible sums them up in one grand, all-inclusive word: “salvation.” Christians often limit salvation to the experience of having one’s sins forgiven and being born again. Wonderful though this is, however, it is only the first part of the total salvation revealed in the New Testament.

This exchange was conceived in the heart and mind of God from eternity and brought to completeness in Jesus on the cross.  The cross was no accident.  It was not a dismal mishap forced on Jesus.  This did not catch God by surprise, but was ordained by Him. Thus, we could have clear evidence that the divine exchange, made by Jesus for ours took place on the cross in the place of Calvary. The cross was a marvel ordained by God from the beginning of time.  The plan was to have Jesus to be the Priest, who would offer Himself to God as the sacrifice.  By this one sacrifice He made provision for all the needs of the whole human race in every area of our lives for time and for eternity. This is how the wonderful plan of God for us had taken place on the cross.

10.  LISTING OUT THE CURSES FROM THE WRITINGS OF MOSES AND GIVING BRIEF NOTES ON BARRENNESS OR UNFRUITFULNESS, FAMILY BREAKDOWN AND POVERTY

In this article on different curses and blessing based on (Deuteronomy 28:15-68), we will talk some specifically about how they are passed down through the generational lines. We will also share revelation on the curse of the law, what it is and how to be free from it. These points are a must for everybody whosoever needs deliverance in life, finances or family from the curse of sin, sickness, disease, death and poverty. If we are not experience the full blessings and promise of God this short article will share with us what to do and how to be free to experience the full manifestation of blessing in our life. In Deut. 28 the Bible describes the blessings and curses in scripture. Almost all blessings and curses in this chapter can be categorized in three major areas of our life that affect body, soul and spirit. It is important if we feel that an area in our life or ministry is being affected by a curse that we ask the Lord for the open door and what place the enemy has to legally torment us.
The curses affect our lives in the areas of:

Ø  Humiliation

Ø  Barrenness, unfruitfulness

Ø  Mental and physical sickness

Ø  Family breakdown

Ø  Poverty

Ø  Defeat

Ø  Oppression

Ø  Failure, and

Ø  God’s disfavor

We will share three of them how they may have access in our lives and how to be delivered from them.

10.1. Barrenness, Unfruitfulness (Deut. 28:18) "Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.”
In Israel and among oriental peoples generally barrenness was a woman's and a family's greatest misfortune. These curses can affect female problems in reproduction such as conceiving, carrying to term, menstrual conditions, cramping issues of blood, tumors, fibroids, cysts and structural damages and defects to the ovaries or cervices. Many of these conditions can be a result of sexual uncleanness or a soul tie never broken that formed through a sexual encounter. Maybe there is a curse of death because of an ungodly conception, abortion or even the mother’s sin in conception.

10.2. Family or Marriage Breakdown (Deut. 28:41): "You shall beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity". These curses can affect salvation in the family, drugs, rebellion, divorce, family strife and breakdown of relationships.
Further, Malachi 4:6 thus says, "And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

10.3. Poverty: “Therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the LORD sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you” (Deut. 28:48). Poverty mentioned in Deuteronomy chapter 28 includes crop failure, livestock shortages, infertility, slumping production, spoilation, vandalism, fungus, disease, pests, sickness, drought, hemorrhoids, eczema, mental illness, broken marriages, eminent domain, confiscation, military drafts, centralized government, debt.

We can readily see that the verses are talking about poverty and lack. God said poverty and lack was a curse which was to come upon the people of God because they failed to keep His commandments and His statutes (Deuteronomy 28:15). The curse of poverty should come upon all of us - Gentiles and Jews alike - because all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

But Galatians 3:13 tells us that instead of the curse coming upon us, Jesus was made to be a curse for us. Jesus became our substitute and paid the debt for our sins through His death on the Cross. And God wrote it down as though we had paid the debt for sin ourselves! Now because of Jesus, we are free from the curse of the Law - and that includes the curse of poverty!

11.             MY COMMENTS REGARDING THE BOOK “DIVINE EXCHANGE”

 The doctrine of Christ’s Substitutionary sacrifice is one of the most profound and far reaching in the whole of Scripture. We are taught that an exchange took place at Calvary. We simplified the divine exchange that took place on the cross as “The Son of God became the son of man that the sons of men might become the sons of God.”

Indeed, the book written by Derek Prince “DIVINE EXCHANGE” classified about the power of the Jesus crucifixion act on the cross as our whole-complete needs for both for our physical and spiritual. That means Jesus died so that those who believe in Jesus Christ can be declared to be holy and spend eternity with God. All that God asks is that we believe in Jesus Christ and want our lives to be changed.

Yes, the cross is a “big deal.” It represents a tortuous and painful death sentence to the bearer of it. Why did Christ have to shed his blood for me? What is so significant about blood? Well, blood represents life. Without blood, a person will die. The offering of blood is better viewed as the offering and enabling of life, not death.

When Christ offers His life for us, we are exchanging the death that we are naturally born into for the “abundant life” that relationship with Him can bring. The “life” that we have apart from relationship with God appears to be life, but truly it is death. Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice of His life paid the debt that we owed as a result of our sin. Yes, it is horrific, but that is part of the beauty of the cross. The cross becomes a beautiful sight rather than ugly. If God can redeem an instrument used for death, He can certainly redeem sinful humanity. Through the horrible death of Christ, we are able to be reconciled to God and redeemed from what was certain death for us as well.

Jesus invites us to put our trust in God, even in the face of horror, oppression, cruelty and death. God is with us. God feels and suffers deeply with us. And, what God does best is to bring life out of death.

Therefore, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great Priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

For me, the suffering of Jesus is a sacrament of the love of God. The story tells me that God willingly soaks up all of my systemic injustice, personal evil and violence and returns only love. In Christ alone I have forgiveness from all my sins and I have right to enter into God’s full provision-blessing from now unto eternity.