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The Messiah’s Crucifixion Tree 81

The Messiah’s Crucifixion

Tree

Most Christians have it firmly implanted in their minds that there
were three crosses at Calvary -- the center one holding the cruci-
fied Messiah while the crosses on either side contained the two
thieves. It may come as a surprise to realize that the Bible no-
where states that the Messiah was crucified on a Roman cross! In
fact, the Bible clearly reveals that the Messiah and the two
thieves were crucified together on a living, growing tree -- ful-
filling detailed prophecy and symbolism found in the Old Testa-
ment.!

John D. Keyser

“And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the
tree...” (Acts 13:29, KJV).

W e all know the traditional crucifixion scene that depicts three Roman crosses -- the Messiah
in the middle and a criminal on either side. However, if you examine the Bible you will soon
realize that it nowhere states that there were three Roman crosses. In fact, there is plenty of
evidence to the contrary. You might ask: What difference does it make? The answer is that
YEHOVAH God’s plan is supremely detailed down to the smallest prophetic point for one very im-
portant reason -- to point unequivocally to the only true Messiah.

As YEHOVAH God wove prophetic pictures and patterns into the Bible to reveal His Mes-
siah, He provided His holy spirit to enable man to understand their meaning and spiritual signifi-
cance. A deep study of the Bible, coupled with YEHOVAH’s spirit of truth to bring understanding,
reveals YEHOVAH’s beautiful and precise plan. Knowing who our Creator is -- and what our Sav-
ior has done for us -- is a solid foundation of truth, not blind faith. Total trust in YEHOVAH God co-
mes from knowing who He is and what He has done for us. The greater our understanding, the
greater will be our trust -- and the closer our personal relationship with Him will be.

Therefore, as we strive to gain a deeper understanding of the prophetic fulfillment of the
crucifixion, an accurate picture is essential. One of the fundamental elements is the means of re-
demption. What light does the Bible shed on the actual scene of the crucifixion as it occurred nearly
2,000 years ago? And how does the Biblical/Hebraic picture enhance our understanding of the ful-
fillment of Messianic prophecy?

The Berean Voice March-April 2003