Seriously, think about this. Was there really even a crucifixion or is this all a myth? Did Jesus really die?

Is there any evidence to support the Bible about the death and resurrection of Jesus? I honestly believe that many people still question the reliability of the resurrection, even Christians.

These questions at some point in time may have entered your thoughts. There is no need to feel guilty about them because as the years go by more and more people, especially the younger generation is going to question the resurrection story. 

The young people will become doubtful because many scholars are doing intense research to prove to you that the resurrection did not happen.

Therefore, as Christians, we need to carefully examine and study the Word of God to gain strength.

To understand whether or not the crucifixion happened, you need to understand why it happened according to the bible.

Hence, you will need to start at the beginning of the book Genesis.

God created man and woman and gave them a perfect home which was God’s kingdom on earth. He told them to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.

However, they were deceived by the serpent and sin came into the world. The couple was punished and the serpent cursed (Genesis 1-3).

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 3:15NKJV)

This Seed was the promised Messiah – Jesus Christ.

God had already ordained a Savior for the sins of mankind even before He established the foundation of the world.

The bloodline of man was corrupted with sin and this sinful nature was passed on from generation to generation.

Sin separated mankind from God and so the couple was driven from the Garden of Eden. 

Due to man’s corruptible flesh, he could no longer partake of the Tree of Life. Thus, God placed Cherubim with flaming sword to guard the pathway to the Tree of Life until the designated time when God will return it to earth.

Note that this Tree of Life and the Word were representations of the Son of God (John 1). 

How does God deal with sin in the Old Testament period?

Men began to multiply on earth and daughters were born unto them (Genesis 6:1).

Does this mean that limited males were born on earth during that time? It is quite possible!

The Bible did not specify the reason, but it Is possible that due to the contamination of sin in the bloodline of man, more females than males were born. Thus causing a disproportion between the man and women.

The sons of God (angelic beings) may have thought that the reproduction of human beings was in jeopardy, so they decided to intervene and selected the women on earth to produce children.   

There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown (Genesis 6:4)

‘Mighty men’ means powerful, strong and bulky men. They were, therefore, giants.

‘Of old’ means advanced in age. In other words, they appeared older in terms of their DNA structure than humans. 

It should be noted also that angels were made immortal so they cannot die while men’s body is mortal.

‘Men of renown’ means that they were famous and regarded highly by other normal human beings.

Why were the Nephilim (Giants) regarded so highly?

Humans on earth held them in high esteem because of their exceptional knowledge. Their fathers were angels, so they were privy to many of God’s secrets, which they taught their children.

Unfortunately, these fallen angels taught men on earth witchcraft, evil and spiritual wickedness in high places.

The wickedness of man was great on the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart were evil continually. (Genesis 6:5NKJV).

The wickedness of humanity was so excessive that God grieved in His heart, and repented that He had made men on earth (Genesis 6:5-6).

Note that God repented in His heart. If He had spoken how He felt, every single person on earth and future generations would immediately become extinct because the spoken Word of God must come to pass.

So shall my word be that goes out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing where to I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11NKJV).

The mercy of God prevailed and Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Noah was the only perfect man in his generation. Consequently, God chose to save his family and a pair of every animal from the massive flood that would cleanse the earth (Genesis 6-9).

And the Lord said, “My spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty (120). (Genesis 6:3NKJV). 

The fallen angels who disobeyed God did not remain unpunished.

The Bible tells us that God did not spare the angels that sinned but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.

In a similar manner, He punished the people by flood and sent them to hell, except Noah and his family. (2 Peter 2: 4-5)

After the flood, Noah made a sacrifice unto God of every clean beast and fowl for the sins of the world.

The Lord decided that He would no longer curse the earth because of man and neither will He smite every living thing. As long as the earth last there will be a revolving season and time (Genesis 8:21-22).

The Lord made a covenant with Noah that He would never destroy the earth with a flood.

The evidence of this covenant is the rainbow in the sky, and this agreement will last from one generation to the next.

The significant of these promises is that:
1. God will never again curse the earth due to the sins of men.
2. God will never destroy all men on earth.
3. God will never use a flood to destroy the earth (Genesis 9).

God had another method that He would use to cleanse the earth of sin.

As we continue to examine the book of Genesis, we will find that men continue to sin and whenever a particular nation’s sin became excessive, God immediately intervened in judgment. 

Note that in the past, God punished sin immediately and excessively. 

However, it does not appear as if God is using these drastic measures to punish sin in our dispensation. So there must be a reason why He is extending abundant mercy to us in our dispensation. 

Part two will continue to examine how God dealt with sin in the past so that we can identify the reason for His compassion to us.

Was there a Resurrection and a Crucifixion Part two?