"All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."{Revelation 13:8} What does "slain from the foundation of the earth" mean? A close examination tells us that God prepared the cross before He created this world.

When Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden, they had access to and fellowship with God. He gave them a law and the ability to choose whether to obey it. When they fell, by their own choice, they sinned. Sin separates men from God. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear."{Isaiah 59:1,2} How would mankind ever regain this fellowship with God? Only by doing something about the sin problem. The debt of sin had to be paid in order for this relationship to be regained. Who would pay?

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."{Genesis 3:15} God's Son would be the payment for sin. Why? Only His Son could be offered as a sacrifice free from the ugly disease called sin. A pure sacrifice, without spot, without blemish, and one not guilty of sin. All men are guilty of sin. (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8) Yet, He would be tempted, but never succumb, to commit sin. (Hebrews 4:15) He would ascend back to the Father and offer His own blood on our behalf (Hebrews 9:14-28). God loved us enough to send His Son, and His Son was willing to die to free us from the bondage of sin. (John 3:16; Romans 5:6-8; Hebrews 2:9-15) When man sinned, which God knew he would choose to do, it made the death of Christ a necessity. Yes, Jesus knew that His journey here would end at the cross. He knew from the beginning of time!