If I could paint, then I would paint the following canvas that was at least 500 feet x 20 feet. It would be hung on a massive wall inside a corridor where a lot of people traveled. The ceiling height would have to be at least 30 feet to give it dimension, and it would the most detailed and intricate painting you had ever seen. Think something like a fresco from Michelangelo’s era. It would be viewed from left to right, and it would capture time in sequence.
This painting would begin with a most vivid and beautiful color scheme. You would see trees, and animals, and colors. Yes, myriad colors. There would be glorious scenes of sunrises and sunsets as you slowly moved your eyes across the painting. There would be water falls, and rivers, brooks, and streams. There would be snow capped mountains with valleys, and scenes of the seasons with radiant colors of fall–crimson red, vibrant yellow, orange, pink, purple, and touches of brown. There would be the detail of humans–two of them. They would be happy and there would be smiles on their faces. You would see laughter and joy. There would be a playfulness about them, and the animals and birds would be teeming around them. There would be a glow in the color; you would almost feel grabbed by it. There would be so much detail that you could look at it for hours and still not be able to take in just a tiny area. Then as your eyes moved across from left to right you would see a tree. You would see a couple standing next to this tree. You would then see something come from the tree. As you got closer and saw the next scene on the canvas, you would see something in the hand of one of them, then the other. You would see their smiles leave and darkness take over the painting. All the color would instantly vanish from the canvas from top to bottom, but there would still be all the figures, the animals, the trees and mountains, however, now in black and white. You would look and see animals gnarling, and you would see lifeless bodies on the ground. There would be death. There would be animals standing over other animals, and you would see pain. Then you would see a smile appear on the two human’s faces as they brought forth another smaller human, but it would quickly fade when the other human they brought forth killed him. You would see tree limbs falling, tornadoes sweeping across open plains, and you would see death. So much death. So much pain. There would be hurt and heartache.
This is a glimpse of the painting I would paint, and it would be the most detailed painting. It would capture the color and the glories of creation, and then it would instantly turn to black and white after the scene of eating the forbidden fruit. This painting would capture the death and decay that entered the moment that fruit was eaten. It would capture the pride and the arrogance of man. It would capture the hatred and evil that rises out of his cursed heart. It would display the ferociousness of the animal kingdom and its will to survive–at all costs. It would capture man’s self-love, self-preservation, and self-will. It would be dark and it would be painful to look at. But it would not relent from showing the detailed and dark moments in history that have been and continue to be.
However, as you look at this painting, you would see a glimpses of color. It would begin with a man leaving his family with a small caravan. Then you would see another color scene with a man on a mountain holding two stone tablets. You would see light, yes glorious light appear over a tent. There would be dancing and singing around this tent once a year, and there would be color in various pockets along these human’s journey. You would see a building getting built, and the glory of the Lord around it. The glory of the Lord would be seen in white-hot light. Then there would be more death, more pain, and fires. Yes, so many fires burning the landscape and buildings, there would be hatred on men and women’s faces, and they would be scheming in scene after scene. You would see these humans burning things on altars to things they built with their hands. They would be bowing down with their faces. There would be more pockets of color, but not really until…
…you notice one particular scene that grabs your attention. As you drew close to this scene you would see a star–the most glorious star in the sky above. It would be in color, yes full color. Shining so bright and casting a beam of light on a feeding stall–a barn. There would be a lowly couple inside this barn, and you would see agony on the face of a young woman. You would see her wincing in pain, and the husband looking on in endearment. The next scene would be in brilliant white, yes, it would be the most glorious white-hot light you have ever seen on a canvas painting, and it would be hovering around a little baby. You would look up and see myriad upon myriad of glorious angelic beings hovering over with their eyes looking down and opened wide in astonishment. They would be singing and clapping and lifting up a unified song. You would look again at the painting, and you would see the sky opening up and more heavenly beings looking down at this little baby shining in such splendid light. They would be amazed and confounded, but they would be singing and weeping with joy. Their faces would be lifted up in worship. They would be falling down, and getting up, and falling down, and getting up. They would be dancing, and they would be shouting praises upon praises. There would be a choir forming in one scene and they would be rejoicing and lifting their hands in praise. Yes, this would be a scene full of color, though small.
Then you would look again, and let your eyes gaze far down the painting. You would see the black and white turn abruptly to color–the most glorious color. But that’s way down the canvas–almost at the end, and there is so much more black and white before then…
This is just the beginning of considering why Christ Had to Die…until the next installment in this series…let this painting percolate in your imagination. Let it sink in a little.
— May 6, 2016