sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all'

(Heb. 10:7 -10).  Here is not the thought of a hostage, nor merely of

substitution, but of suretyship involving identification.  'Forasmuch then as

the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took

part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power

of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were

all their lifetime subject to bondage' (Heb. 2:14,15).

When Jacob's sons journeyed again to Egypt, taking Benjamin with them,

Joseph arranged that Benjamin should be suspected and detained.  This led

Judah to step forward and make that moving speech, which, when Joseph heard

'he wept aloud' (Gen. 45:2).

Judah rehearsed the history of their movements, told of Jacob's

reluctance to part with Benjamin, and how Jacob would certainly die if

Benjamin did not return with his brethren.  Judah is the true intercessor,

and his pleading reaches its climax in the words: 'For how shall I go up to

my father, and the lad be not with me?' (Gen. 44:34).  Judah's word 'blame'

in the phrase, 'Then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever' (verse

32), is the word translated 'sin' in Reuben's statement in Genesis 42:22, 'Do

not sin against the child'.

It is surely something to ponder that this word chata ('sin' and

'blame') occurs in this narrative in but these two references.  There was the

sin of Israel's sons, and Judah in his suretyship seems to suggest that he

would bear that sin for ever if he failed.  While this is but faintly

foreshadowed in the type, it is wondrously true in the reality; 'Who His own

self bare our sins in His own body on the tree' (1 Pet. 2:24).

Judah as a type, like Aaron, breaks down, as types always must, for

Judah had sinned equally with his brethren, but of the true Surety it is

written; 'He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin, that we might

be made the righteousness of God in Him' (2 Cor. 5:21).  Christ is more than

hostage, more than Substitute, He is Surety.  As such He has so identified

Himself with us, and with our need, that when He died, we died (Rom. 6:8);

when He was crucified, we were crucified (Gal. 2:20); when He was buried, we

were buried (Col. 2:12); when He was raised from the dead, we were raised

(Col. 3:1); when He was seated in the heavenlies, we were seated in the

heavenlies with Him (Eph. 2:6).  This is suretyship. Its essential element is

more than substitution; it is interweaving, mingling, identification.  As we

read Colossians 3:1 and Ephesians 2:6, can we not hear our Surety saying:

'How shall I ascend to My Father, and the child Benjamin (the son of my

right hand) be not with Me?' (see 'ascend' in Gen. 28:12 and Psa.

'With me' -- there lies the secret of suretyship, and the reason why it

transcends all the offerings of bulls and goats.

What was the first message sent by the risen Christ to His disciples?

The message that echoed the words of Judah the surety:

'Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I Ascend unto My Father, and

your Father' (John 20:17).

'How shall I go up (Ascend) to my father, and the lad be not with me?'

(Gen. 44:34).