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 forever 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, 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

in 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?'

'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 Ascend to my father, and the lad be not with me?' (Gen.

Further, let us not miss the emphasis upon 'Himself'.  Reuben offered

his two sons.  Judah offered himself.  Paul, in Galatians 2:20 just quoted,

glories in the fact that 'the Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me'.

The innocent lamb or the splendid bull died as sacrifices, but it could never

be said of such, 'It loved me and gave itself for me'.  That is where

sacrifice and offering fail, and that is why the Surety said, 'Lo, I come'.

It is 'His own blood', not the blood of others (Acts 20:28; Heb. 9:12).

It is 'His own body' (Heb. 10:10; 1 Pet. 2:24).  It is 'His own self' (1 Pet.

2:24).  Christ gave 'Himself' for our sins (Gal. 1:4).  'He loved me and gave

Himself for me' (Gal. 2:20).  'He gave Himself for the church' (Eph. 5:25).

'He gave Himself a ransom for all' (1 Tim. 2:6).  He offered up Himself (Heb.

7:27; 9:14).  We therefore glory in the fact that, while Christ exhausted all

the meaning of the sacrifices and offerings in His own once-offered

Sacrifice, He did something infinitely more -- He became not only Substitute

and Sacrifice, but Surety, and this identification with Himself is our great

pledge of life; 'Because I live, ye shall live also'.

Reuben's sons, though slain as promised, would not have brought

Benjamin back, or satisfied the father's heart for the loss of his son.