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"SIGNIFYING WHAT DEATH HE SHOULD DIE" "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.This he said, signifying what death he should die." (John 12:31-33)In these verses, Jesus was responding to the Greeks who had just approached Philip saying, "...Sir, we would see Jesus." (John 12:21) The ancients had a fable that spoke of a chain that Jupiter could let down to the earth, then draw it up with all its inhabitants to himself. It may have been this image, in the mind of those Greeks, that Jesus spoke of when He indicated the form of His death.Jesus' death wasn't going to be some meaningless little Hollywood movie production that He would act out at Calvary, but of His ever-faithful obedience to the will of His Father. Jesus said in John 8:29, "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him."It was God's sacrifice of His only begotten Son on that Cross that the world would be drawn to Him. Even today, that drawing power of the Cross of Christ reaches into the loneliest of hearts and speaks of love showing grace that is greater than any lost soul could ever receive.Jesus knew that death awaited Him. He understood what the Scriptures foretold in Isaiah 53, and He was aware of how agonizing it would be. He also knew what manner of death He would face, and He declared it to His disciples (Matthew 26:1-2). How could they understand? How can any of us understand the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God that could show Heaven's expression of love that would draw all men to Christ for the forgiveness of sin? But that ole camel hair wearin', locusts and wild honey eatin" Baptizer knew what Jesus' death would mean when he said, "...Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)Friends, the Scriptures declare, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13) And the sooner any whosoever places their faith and trust in God's grace toward them, as seen in the Christ of Calvary, the sooner they will rest in the peace that He made through the blood of His Cross.