Imagine the following scenes:Scene #1
A Christian youth is talking to his non-Christian friend about Jesus Christ:
Non-Christian Friend: Why must Jesus Christ die on the cross?
Christian: Oh! Let me give you a hypothetical analogy.
NC Friend: Like what?
Christian: It is like God and Satan are playing a game of chess.
NC Friend: God and Satan playing chess?
Christian: Yah! You know, sometime in a chess game, you need to make a strategic move and sacrifice the most precious and important piece in order to checkmate you opponent. So God sacrifice Jesus Christ to die on the cross and checkmate Satan!! Brilliant move!?
NC Friend: What the !!@%#????
Christian: Actually, I heard that in last Sunday Sermon in Church.
Scene #2
Two angels are in the church service and listening to the sermon on Palm Sunday.
Angel #1: These theologians think that God is playing chess with Satan.
Angel #2: If it is just a game of chess, God would rather lose the game than sacrifice His Son. It is the whole world’s sin and doom to hell that is at stake.
Angel #1: Yah! Don’t play play ok!
I am not poking fun at the analogy used in the sermon last Sunday. The analogy is used because of the word “triumphant” used in Zechariah 9:9. So triumphant is seen as “victorious” over someone. Who is that someone? Hence, the analogy is used to explain that God triumphant over Satan in a chess game. But, can someone triumph without another loosing? Like running in a marathon race? Everyone who complete the run "triumph". (Not sure, leh!)
The two imaginary scenes described above just flashes through my mind during the sermon as I think theologians use such analogy to explain Christ triumphant entry and death on the cross.
Actually the explanation is already given in the Bible. There is no need of such dilution of analogy to the most important event in God’s work. It is found in Leviticus 16:5-22. The Daily bread on today devotional text explains it all.
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2009/04/08/devotion.aspx
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