Let us pause in the history of Christ’s earthly life, and briefly notice the events prior to his advent in a world of sin. Satan, after compassing the fall of Adam and Eve, had boasted that he was monarch of the earth, and it was true that in all ages of the world he had found many followers. But he had failed to unite fallen man with him as he had hoped to do, and thus reign supreme over the whole earth. Though man in his fallen state was suffering the consequence of his disobedience, yet he was not without hope. He was unable, because of his guilt, to come directly before God with his supplications, but the plan of redemption, devised in Heaven, transferred the sentence of death from the obedient and faithful, to a substitute. There must be the shedding of blood, for death was the consequence of man’s sin. In the slain victim, man was to see for the time being the fulfillment of God’s word: “Ye shall surely die.” The flowing blood also signified an atonement, and pointed forward to a Redeemer who would one day come to the world and die for the sins of man, thus fully vindicating his Father’s law. {2SP 85.3}

Lad os standse i beretningen om Kristi jordiske (85) liv, og kort lægge mærke til begivenhederne lige før hans komme til en syndig verden. Efter at Satan havde bevirket Adams og Evas fald, pralede han af, at han var jordens konge, og det er sandt, at han til alle tider har fundet mange tilhængere. Men det mislykkedes for dem at bringe mennesket i en sådan forening med sig selv, som han havde håbet, for således at herske som den ypperste regent over hele jorden. Selv om mennesket i sin faldne tilstand led under følgerne af sin ulykkelighed, så var det dog ikke uden håb. Mennesket kunne ikke henvende sig umiddelbart til Gud med sin bør på grund af synden, men frelsens plan blev langt i himlen, og ifølge denne blev dødsdommen overført fra den som troede og adlød Gud, til en stedfortræder. Der måtte udgydes blod, fordi døden var en følge af menneskets synd. Når offeret blev slagtet, skulle mennesket for nærværende deri se en opfyldelse af Guds ord: "Du skal dø døden." Blodet, som randt af offeret, afbildede også forsoningen og viste fremad til en forløser, som engang skulle komme til verden og dø for menneskets synder og således til fulde hævde lovens retfærdighed og hellighed.