Bearing the Cross

Could Bearing the Cross be spiritually pointing to the church in tribulation? Let's examine.

JUDGMENT: CHURCH BODY ON A TREE (CURSED OF GOD) IN TRIBULATION?

De 21:22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:

De 21:23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that DAY; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Mr 11:21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

Ge 40:19 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. (chief baker being a type of church)

JUDGMENT: CHRIST HANGING ON A TREE AS HE ENDURED THE CROSS

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured <5278> the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Ac 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

Nu 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Ga 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Notice how God is tying blood to the cross. This may not be focusing on literal blood but rather the CROSS itself and showing how, spiritually, one is slain under a curse which brings about blood and death. This might explain why God speaks of no remission without the shedding of blood (Heb 9:22).

Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

<it is finished> seems to indicate He’d made payment for sin at that time even BEFORE His actual death). The cross was showing He was under a curse, which appears to be an integral part of the atonement.

TRIBULATION: ELECT BORE THEIR CROSS AS THEY ENDURED UNTO THE END

Mt 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mt 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Mt 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Lu 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Lu 23:26 And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.

Mt 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth <5278> to the end shall be saved.

Ro 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient <5278> in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

2Ti 2:12 If we suffer <5278>, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

Heb 10:32 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured <5278> a great fight of afflictions;

Heb 12:7 If ye endure <5278> chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth <5278> temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1Pe 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently <5278>, this is acceptable with God.

Jas 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure <5278>. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

SALVATION: THE BODY DOES NOT REMAIN ON THE CROSS (under a curse) ALL NIGHT (entire tribulation).

De 21:22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:

De 21:23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that DAY; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. (Night is often associated with tribulation. Death and Burial depending on the context would to point to SALVATION when GOD does the burial). The unsaved in the body bury their own and provide a false assurance of salvation (Mt 8:22).

Ro 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Ge 47:30 But I (Jacob) will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.

Joh 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high <GREAT> DAY,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. (Sabbath again seems to point to SALVATION because it is the time when the elect find rest in Christ as they come out of tribulation). This takes place on the GREAT DAY of the LORD.

Ps 16:10 For thou wilt NOT leave my soul in HELL; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Mt 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS:

Mt 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Mt 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Mt 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

SUMMARY CONCLUSION:

The Bible appears to be equating bearing one’s cross to the chastening of the elect in tribulation. To be hung on a tree is to be cursed of God. The church was spiritually on a cross in tribulation. The elect endured in that they went through the fire. However their bodies woud not remain all night on the cross (endure the second death). Christ having endured the cross had already made payment for their sins.