Good Friday and Beyond: God's Purposes

In his book, Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die, John Piper writes the following:

The central issue of Jesus' death is not the cause, but the purpose--the
meaning. Human beings may have their reasons for wanting Jesus out of the way.
But only God can design it for the good of the world.

Although sinful man is always trying to thwart God's plan, he will never be able to derail God's soveriegn will. In Acts 4:27,28 Luke writes,

for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan predestined to take place.

With the torture, death and crucifixion of Christ, Pilate sought to silence and appease the Jews. In His death, many of the Jews wanted to silence a man whom they considered to be a blasphemer--one who not only claimed to speak for God, but who also claimed to be God. For many of the Gentiles, the death of Christ meant that one more madman was off the streets. Yet, the only purpose that suceeded was God's purpose. As we read in Isaiah 53:10, "Yet, it was the will of the Lord to crush him." And by crushing His own Son--laying His holy wrath upon Him-He redeemed us.

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us--for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree'" (Galatians 3:13).