Galatians 3:13 says, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree")."
Have you ever wondered why was it necessary for Jesus to die on a 'tree' (i.e. cross)? Was it needful for Him to die on the cross? It seemed the capital punishment (i.e. punishment by death) then was more 'popularly' by 'stoning' (for example, the stoning of Stephen consented by Saul). So, why didn't Jesus just get 'stoned' instead? His blood would have been shed, and His body would have been broken anyway.
Here's the answer: Curse began at a tree (in Adam's time in Genesis 3), and therefore curse had to end at (another) tree (at the cross in Calvary).
Jesus had to die on a tree because it was at a tree (see Genesis 3) that the curse began! He went back to where 'it' all started, so that you and I can be redeemed! Let's now look at Deuteronomy 21:22-23. One of the laws given to Moses sounds like this: "If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on a tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God." See? Dying on the tree - they were not just criminals, they were accursed! And Jesus became exactly that for you!
Note: The law also stated that the dead body 'shall not remain overnight on a tree'. That's why Jesus' body at Mount Calvary had to be taken down right after He 'gave up His spirit' (see John 19:30-31).
After 6 hours on the cross, He 'gathered' all that He had left, and gave a final shout, "It is finished!" (see John 19:30 & cross-references in Matthew 27:50-54, Mark 15:37-39, Luke 23:46-47), With this, He fulfilled the law once for all (see Hebrews 10:10-14). The curse was broken, and liberty was proclaimed! (refer Luke 4:18-19). The Bible also says in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "He who knew no sin became sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God (in right standing with God) through Him (Christ)."
And at that very stroke of time, the veil of the temple was torn, the earth quaked, the rocks split (Matthew 27:51), the graves were opened, & the captives were set free! (Matthew 27:52) Hallelujah! And you know what? Right then, in the ninth hour (i.e. 3pm), it also happened that the ram's horn (trumpet) was blown from the temple! Because it was supposedly the hour of prayer (see Acts 3:1), i.e. the evening sacrifice! Any Hebrew scholar would tell you the ram's horn would be blown at the beginning of the evening sacrifice!
So, in short, Jesus was 'taken up' the cross in the third hour (i.e. 9 am), the morning sacrifice & 'taken down' the cross in the ninth hour (i.e. 3pm), the evening sacrifice. Jesus has become the fullness of sacrifice for you!
Did all these happen by coincidence? No, all these happened because you were on His mind!
So, what does the blowing of ram's horn (trumpet or shofar) mean here? It signifies a new beginning! It's a proclamation of liberty! (see Leviticus 25:9-10) It's a forgetting of the past and beginning of the new! Paul also wrote, "stand fast therefore in this liberty that Christ has set you free!" (Galatians 5:1)
And finally, John 19:30 says Jesus' head bowed as He gave up His spirit. 'Bowing the head' here is a picture of 'rest'. Jesus has already done it all for you at the cross. The victory has already been won for you, and so He rested. As believers in the New Covenant, the Bible says we are also to enter His rest (Hebrews 4:9-10).
People of God, Christ without the cross is really no Christ at all! Most unbelievers do not reject Jesus Christ as a good man, a good prophet, a good teacher, etc, but they reject (or deny) His work at the cross. But you see, Christ's work at the cross is the 'centerpoint' of humankind's redemption! Without the cross, there's no redemption!
The devil (who's already been defeated at the cross) is very afraid of what had happened at the cross. So, he'd try to negate, undermine, or downplay Jesus' work at the cross. He'd also try to divert people's attention away from the cross. And that's when as God's beloved, we 'stand fast' & keep looking to the cross! Never lose sight of the cross! And whenever you preach (or teach) the Word, preach (or teach) messages full of the cross! Because that's where your victory was won! That's where you were set free from curse! And this is what the 'good news' is about! This is the gospel of Jesus Christ! And everyone's got to hear it, for it is the power of God to salvation (Romans 1:16), and there's no other name by which one can be saved, except by the name of Jesus (Acts 4:12). Amen!
