In reiterating the statutes of the law of God in Deuteronomy 21:22, Moses said, “If in a man there is a sin, a cause worthy of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree.” Hanging on a tree was punishment for one who committed a crime worthy of death.
In the same chapter Moses said that a person who committed a crime worthy of death and was hanged on a tree was accursed of God (v. 23).
A person who was cursed and hanged on a tree to die is a type of the crucified Christ.
First Peter 2:24 speaks of Christ, who “bore up our sins in His body on the tree.” As prophesied in the Old Testament, when Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins (Heb. 7:27), it was in His body that He was hanged on the tree for us, who have sinned and who deserve death; He bore up our sins on the cross, the true altar for propitiation, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness.
After the fall of Adam, sin entered into the world through one man (Rom. 5:12). Furthermore, through the disobedience of one man all were constituted sinners (v. 19). Hence, before God we all are sinners who deserve death and the curse of death. Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ has redeemed us out of the curse of the law, having become a curse on our behalf; because it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone hanging on a tree’.” As our Substitute on the cross, Christ not only bore the curse for us but also became a curse for us. The curse of the law issued from the sin of man (Gen. 3:17). When Christ suffered the curse of death on the cross for us sinners, who deserve death, He redeemed us out of the curse of the law.
Galatians 3:14 goes on to say, “In order that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” When Christ suffered the curse of death before God for us sinners, who deserve death, He delivered us out of the curse of the law so that we might receive the life-giving Spirit with the eternal life of God. In the gospel we have received not only the blessing of forgiveness, washing, and cleansing; we have received the greatest blessing, which is the Triune God—the Father, Son, and Spirit—as the processed, all-inclusive life-giving Spirit dwelling in us in a most subjective way for our enjoyment. What a blessing that we can enjoy such an all-inclusive One as our daily portion!
Psalm 22:1-21 speaks of Christ standing for God and being put to shame by people in His crucifixion. Then it speaks concerning His coming in resurrection to declare the name of God the Father to His brothers, whom He produced in resurrection, as the church (v. 22; Heb. 2:12). The title of Psalm 22 refers to “the hind of the dawn.” According to the contents of this psalm, the hind of the dawn refers to the resurrected Christ.
The dawn, referring to the morning, is the new beginning of a day, denoting the freshness of resurrection. The life of Christ in His resurrection is fresh. The hind usually runs on the mountaintop and is very active and full of energy. This denotes Christ in His resurrection as the One who is active, lively, and powerful. With the moving strength of His resurrection life, He is able to walk steadily in high places. There is nothing that can hinder Him.
Song of Songs 2:8-9 speaks of Christ as the Bridegroom who is like a young hart, leaping upon the mountains and skipping upon the hills, denoting His freshness and vigor. Leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills indicates being full of liveliness and full of power. A young hart has a lowly appearance and is lovable and endearing. The Lord is full of liveliness and power, yet He is neither dreadful nor fearsome but endearing and desirable. He seeks us in this way to have fellowship with us; He does not want to be separated from us (v. 17).
Song of Songs 8 ends with Christ as the Bridegroom who is like a young hart upon the mountains of spices (v. 14). This typifies that Christ in His coming back will descend in His kingdom as the resurrected One and will receive us into the kingdom of God to enjoy His presence. This kingdom is brought in through the lovers and pursuers of the Lord in their fellowship and union with Him.