“If anyone is found guilty of an offense deserving the death penalty and is executed, and you hang his body on a tree, you are not to leave his corpse on the tree overnight but are to bury him that day; for anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not defile the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.” Deuteronomy 21:22-23 Holman Christian Standard Bible.

Though written in the Old Testament to show God's extreme displeasure with terrible crimes, these solemn verses take us to the centre of the gospel and what happened at Calvary! Moses had instructed the people that if a man was guilty of such evil that deserved the death penalty – his body could be hung upon a tree to show others he was cursed even in the sight of God. But the body was not to be left overnight as that would be a blot on the land.

When Jesus Christ was arrested He was put on trial before the Jewish leaders and the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate, and questioned intently. Pilate told the Jews: “I find no guilt in him.”  (John 18:38) After further interrogation, Pilate said: “See, I’m bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” (John 19:4) When they still insisted that Jesus 'deserved to die', Pilate said: “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” (John 19:6) After the crucifixion took place and before the sun had set, John tells us that “It was the day of Preparation and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.” (John 19:31-32) Those Jewish leaders were well aware of the verses in Deuteronomy which we are looking at today. As far as they were concerned Jesus was indeed under God's curse! They saw Him as an evildoer deserving such death.

But the wonderful truth and implication of what took place at Calvary is what the apostle Paul brings out in his letter called Galatians. In Chapter 3 vs 10 he tells his readers that “all who rely on the works of the law - are under a curse, because it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the law.'” Paul was referring to Deuteronomy 27 which gives a list of deeds that led to being cursed in God's sight, and then, in vs 26, says: ‘Anyone who does not put the words of this law into practice is cursed.’ In other words – anyone who fails in any part of God's laws, is under judgement. A prisoner in the dock doesn't escape punishment for a serious crime if he says that he has managed to do some other things which were good!

Paul goes on to tell the Galatians that: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - because it is written 'Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed'. The purpose was that God's blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles by Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:10-14)

Pontius Pilate said again and again that he found nothing in Jesus Christ deserving punishment. The Jewish Pharisees and Lawyers had not even found ANY sin in him, let alone prove their point. Even the man who led those seeking to capture Jesus to where He was said later “I have sinned by betraying innocent  blood.” (Matthew 27:4)

Jesus Christ became a curse for OUR sins – He took the Father's displeasure for all of our wrongdoing - and He did this so that the promises given to Abraham thousands of years ago could be fulfilled in the world. 'Redeemed' must be one of the most wonderful words in any language. It implies to be bought back through the payment of a price. A poor example would be someone who pawns a very precious family heirloom because of desperate need – but a kindly benefactor buys it back and freely gives it to him. But that was with just money. Jesus Christ bought us back by shedding His blood and giving His life. May we love and serve Him with all we have - who gave all of Himself to be a curse for us.