The piercing of Jesus confirmed that Jesus was indeed dead (and hence that the Mosaic covenant was broken) as He hung on the cross. Jesus became a curse for us by hanging on the cross and broke the curse of the law by dying (and being raised to life).
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."" - Galatians 3:13 (NIV)
"So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God." - Romans 7:4 (NIV)
"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins." - 1 Corinthians 15:17 (NIV)
More than that, the piercing of Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies.
"These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."" - John 19:36-37 (NIV)
One might even say that Jesus' death (and resurrection) gave birth to the church.
"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." - John 12:24 (NIV)
The piercing of Jesus, which confirmed His death, brings us new and eternal life.
"...one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water." - John 19:34 (NIV)
"This is the one who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement." - 1 John 5:6-8 (NIV)
"For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life." - Leviticus 17:11 (NIV)
First and Last Adam
Eve was born out of Adam's flesh and became one flesh with Adam in the first Eden.
So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man."
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
- Genesis 2:21-24 (NIV)
Likewise, the church was born out of Christ's death (and resurrection) and will become one flesh with Christ in the new Eden.
""For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church." - Ephesians 5:31-32 (NIV)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."" - Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)
When Adam awoke from his deep sleep (a kind of death), he was united with his wife.
"Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires." - Song of Songs 8:4 (NIV)
When Christ was raised from the dead, He established a new covenant with His bride and (like a Jewish groom) returned to His Father's house to prepare a place for her.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." - John 14:1-4 (NIV)
"This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." - Acts 1:11 (NIV)
"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin." - Romans 6:4-7 (NIV)
When we are raised from the dead, we will be united with Christ
"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."" - 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 (NIV)
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