Four hundred years of silence. From the last stroke of Malachi’s pen in the book bearing his name to the time when Gabriel was sent to Zacharias and Elizabeth and then to the betrothed of Joseph, Mary (LUKE 1), there had been no word of the LORD. But the Messiah and His forerunner were finally born into this world! And the plan of GOD continued, heading towards a climatic victory!
Only the lingering echoes of promise from the lips of prophets anointed by the Spirit of GOD that prophesied of the Coming One – the Seed of the woman (GEN 3:15), the Son of Abraham, the Son of David (MATT 1:1), the Anointed One of Israel (MATT 16:16; JOHN 4:25-26), the coming King of the nation of Israel (ISA 9:6-17) were the testaments of truth soon revealed.
And then on that wondrous, glorious, mysterious, most awesome Day the greatest, the incredibly fantastic event took place: The Second Person of the Triune GOD, the Son of GOD stood up from the throne of His Father, strode across Heaven’s Halls in answer to the call of salvation of mankind. He stepped out of eternity and into time and space – as the Holy Spirit carried Him to the womb of the virgin Mary (ISA 7:14; LUKE 1:31-33).
From her body, GOD produced a body for His Son (HEB 10:5) – much like how He formed Adam’s body from the dust of the Earth. This hypostatic union where GOD became fully man without losing any bit of His Deity, but rather – laid aside His glory and power (PHIL 2:6-8) and walked among us as the Last Adam (JOHN 1:14; 1 COR 15:45).
He lived for 30 years in submission to His earthly parents, grew up in the midst of the people, admired and respected by all (LUKE 2:52). Then on a certain day, He came to the Jordan River, to His cousin John the Baptist and told him to baptize Him. From there He was tested 40 days in the wilderness by the devil who recognized Him as the ultimate threat to his kingdom of darkness, this Seed of the woman who was supposed to crush his head.
Try as he might, he couldn’t get Jesus to fall – so he left Him… for a season.
The ministry of Christ commenced. He called disciples (MATT 4:18-19). He preached repentance (MATT 4:17). He taught on the kingdom of GOD (JOHN 3:3,5; LUKE 19:11), of heaven and hell (MATT 5; 23:33), of righteousness and sin (MATT 5:6,10; 6:33; JOHN 8:34; MATT 12:31) on purpose (JOHN 6:29; MATT 16:24) and prophecy (MATT 24; LUKE 21). He produced parables that perplexed those ambivalent to the truth but provided spiritual insight for those hungry for truth. He didn’t merely preach, He practiced (MATT 13:1-53!
When He offered the challenge to any who could point out any sin in His life, all fell mute – even His enemies JOHN 8:46). He is as He ever was and always will be: The perfect balance of love and truth, grace and holiness (JOHN 1:14; 1 JOHN 4:8; 1 PET 1:16). The representative of GOD to mankind (JOHN 1:14; 10:30; 14:9), and the high priest to represent mankind before GOD (HEB 5:6; 7). Creator (JOHN 1:3,10; EPH 3:9; COL 1:16), LORD (ACTS 2:36), Judge (JOHN 5:22,27), Prophet (JOHN 6:14). Priest (HEB 3:1; 4:14). Sacrifice (1 COR 5:7; EPH 5:2; HEB 7:27; 9:26). Redeemer (ROM 3:24; 1 COR 1:30; EPH 1:7). King (REV 19:16)!
After three years and some months, He alone climbed the hill of Calvary after being tested and proved innocent. Satan could find no fault in Him. Neither could Pilate, or his wife, or Herod, or even Judas Iscariot. Neither could any witnesses called upon to testify against Him. Like the lambs inspected by professionally trained Levitical priests who knew what to look for in the way of spots and blemishes and would dismiss the disqualified, so too the Holy Law of GOD proved Him innocent, flawless, without spot or blemish (1 PET 1:19).
He did not carry the spot of inherent sin that the offspring of Adam carry, nor was His life tainted by any committed sin, thus blemishing His pure soul.
On that Altar of the Almighty He willingly laid down His life, pierced through with the fangs of a whip, the crown of thorns, the spikes in His hands and feet and the spear through His side, He endured the sort of agony that would literally drive people insane.
But that was the least of it – truly! The greatest suffering that He endured (again, willingly!) was the sum total of sin committed in deed, in word, in thought by the entire human race, jam-packed into His snow-white pure soul (2 COR 5:21; 1 JOHN 2:2). I can’t imagine the horror of that! And then, the full cup of wrath from GOD the Father upon His own beloved Son (MATT 26:42; JOHN 18:11;REV 14:9-10) the LAMB of GOD Who offered Himself up – no one took His life from Him, He laid it down of His own accord! JOHN 10:17-18).
Christ Jesus volunteered for this assignment because He knew that this was a matter of life and death for the – entire – human – race! And He accomplished it out of the supreme motives of love and holiness.
He died for our sins, taking the punishment that should have been yours and mine because of His love for us (JOHN 3:16; ROM 5:8; 1 JOHN 4:9).
He died for our sins, taking the punishment that should have been yours and mine because of His desire to satisfy the holy judgment of GOD upon sin and evil that is inherent to the human race (ROM 3:25; 1 JOHN 4:10).
As much as I can’t imagine His physical suffering, far, far more is my incapacity to comprehend His spiritual suffering – and then to top it all off, He was separated from the Father (MATT 27:46) in some mystical way that I also can’t understand (how can One of the Three Deity know separation from the Others??).
You know the expression “misery loves company”? Jesus in the overwhelming, insurmountable weight of sin, wrath and judgment that He endured had no one to turn to for comfort - not even His Father. And let’s not forget the suffering that the Father endured in seeing what was happening with His Son.
I can well imagine all the heavenly hosts of military might that rose up in fury, witnessing the assault on their King, with swords drawn – waiting for His call, which He mentioned in passing, but declined the offer. I can see the Father with an outstretched arm and tears in His eyes as he held back all those angels who desperately wanted to save their LORD!
But what seemed to be a defeat, when He cried out, "IT IS FINISHED!” was actually a victory – The Victory of all victories! The DEBT OF HUMANITY’S SIN WAS PAID IN FULL!! None can compare to this victory or even come close!
HIS BE THE VICTOR’s NAME
His be the victor’s name,
Who fought the fight alone;
Triumphant saints no honor claim;
His conquest was their own.
By weakness and defeat
He won a glorious crown,
Trod all our foes beneath His feet,
By being trodden down.
He Satan’s pow’r laid low;
made sin, He sin o’erthrew;
bowed to the grave,
destroyed it so,
and death, by dying slew.
Bless, bless the Conqu’ror slain,
slain in His victory;
who lived, who died, who lives again –
For thee, His church, for thee!
Three days of terrible tragedy! Three days of agonizing anguish and anxiety!
Hopes and longings, joys and promises that thrived in the hearts of His Twelve died that day when He was buried. But after that third day, as the sun rose up, the Son also rose! Out of that grave, freed from the shackles of death, empowered in a glorified body that will never know piercing and punishment ever again, Christ the Victor continues on with His Father’s Mission of the Ages!
VICTORY IN JESUS, MY SAVIOR FOREVER! HE WASHED ME and HE BOUGHT ME WITH HIS REDEEMING BLOOD!
Then came Pentecost and the power of the Holy Spirit (LUKE 24:49; ACTS 1:8; 2:1-4), and with these three events: the witnessing of the resurrection of Christ, coupled together with the indwelling and anointing of the Spirit, they overturned the world!
Christ by that time had already left, but the Holy Spirit came – and the LORD Jesus Christ promised that He would come back; that He would come “quickly”! He didn’t mean “in a short while” but “suddenly” – with the quickness of a bolt of lightning flashing across the skies (MATT 24L27).
TWO THOUSAND YEARS LATER…
Satan is still calling the shots, still victimizing and blinding souls, still deceiving humanity with his rotting repertoire of lies and seductions. Wars continue, race hatred prevails, violence endures, human lives are slain, blood is shed. Dismembered babies by the barrel full are loaded up in trucks and hauled away to who knows where?
Drug use and demonic meditation are manifest, stupefying the minds of mankind that try in vain to fill the emptiness within. Sexual revolutions have unleashed a storm of sensuality that momentarily satisfy the longing soul but leaves them hollow. Like a raging fire, these things are consuming the life of people so devoted to them.
Victimization and oppression are rampant. Child abuse. Spousal abuse. Senior abuse. Abandonment of families is an all too common practice by fathers and mothers. Then there are loving parents whose hearts are crushed when their child is whisked away by thieves and trafficked – used and abused in hard labor or sexual perversion. Children are taught things in school that one had to go to bookshops decades ago, hidden down dark alleyways that sold “smut” to gaze upon. Some of these children are so indoctrinated and deceived that they ask to be butchered on the surgical table in a vain attempt to change their orientation from what GOD had ordained for them.
Governments, departments within governments, and progovernment agencies lay upon people laws that choke the freedoms out of our lives, and taxes and charges that reach into our wages and steal them for their own nefarious purposes.
Agencies are poisoning our food, our drinking water, the breathable air that’s slowly killing us, only to make a profit by selling us drugs to alleviate symptoms (but promising no cures) of these ailments resulting from these things.
The great enemy of the church has subtly crept into our armories and stolen away our militant accoutrements in the pure teaching of the Word, of long-spent and anointed prayer, spiritual warfare, of pulpits ablaze with holy righteousness – to the point where the body of Christ has become so weak and undiscerning, that it can’t fight off the infection of false doctrines, false teachers, compromise and corruption.
All of creation is groaning all the louder over the course of thousands of years because of the curse of sin that weighs upon it (ROM 8:22). Evil has become so common place that we can barely recognize it any more (1 TIM 4:2; EPH 4:19).
Yet there is a faithful remnant of believers who are holding dear the Holy Scriptures and their promises, particularly the words of Christ Himself Who promised His return.
And saints – are we not ready to go Home? Are we not longing to see the face of our King, our LORD, our Savior? Are we not tearfully waiting to hear that trumpet call and meet Him in the air and to feel His Almighty embrace that confirms His undying love for us? Are we not ready to hear the words spoken by His holy lips, “Well done, good and faithful servant”? Are we not ready to leave behind this world of bewildering wickedness and have the sin nature shed from our being (ROM 8:23; 2 COR 5:2,4-5; EPH 1:14; 4:30)? Are we not desperate to be clothed upon by the holy, glorified, sinless bodies that GOD has prepared for us?
Are we earnest in our desire to see The RETURN of the KING of kings to this world and eject the current management of menace and corruption, led by Satan who only cares about power, not people (REV 19:11-21). Are we ready to see the Earth restored to a reality like Eden as the LORD leads this world in His righteous reign, sitting on the throne of His father, David? That reality when disease and sickness are eradicated? Where there will be no poverty or war or strife and turmoil among the nations? Where all will be blessed in the abundance of peace – both within because of the absence of a sin nature, and without because the Prince of Peace rules over the nations with a rod of iron!
AND ALL KNEES WILL BOW, EVERY TONGUE CONFESS JESUS IS THE LORD, FOR THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER - AND THIS INCLUDES ALL THE EVIL FALLEN ANGELS AND HUMANITY THAT HATES GOD! GLORY TO YOU, LORD!!!
Where parents will no longer have to warn their children to beware of strangers! Where these little ones will be overflowing with joyful laughter, happiness and glee. Where families will be blessed beyond measure with invigorating health, bountiful blessings, robust in their procreation.
Where even the animal kingdom will be at rest – predator and prey will be no more! And the Earth itself will be freed of the violence in storms, earthquakes, volcanoes, icy wastelands, and searing hot deserts.
How glorious it’s going to be, saints! To leave this world and enjoy the presence of GOD and His angels and saints in heaven, only to return to the greatest paradise on Earth with the LORD Jesus and us – His bride, reigning with Him? What will the nation of Israel look like? Imagine seeing all of the Old Testament saints restored to their homeland with their Messiah in their midst! And having fellowship with them all (not even considering all of the New Testament saints!)!
And all the nations once the tribulation is over, the Beast and the False Prophet consigned to Gehenna – what will they look like then as opposed to now? Where will you have your new home? Who will be your neighbors among the glorified saints and those saints who propagate families to fill the Earth during the Millennium?
Think about that mix of saints – those without a sin nature (the church) and those who will battle against theirs (as we do now), among the Jews and Gentiles, how will we relate to each other?
Only then to see Him sweep away all of this old creation and replace it with a brand new heavens and earth and a New Jerusalem that will last untinged and as incorruptible as we, the children of GOD once He comes for us!
What will the New Heavens look like? Will they have stars like we have now? And planets that orbit them? Will the LORD lead us on “field trips” to go visit them and witness His endless creativity as we behold one after another, each of them unique in character!
And that realm of heaven closest to His throne – I can’t imagine the glory of the present heavenlies – what about the newly created one!
What will the New Earth look like? Will it be the same size as this one we’re on now? Or maybe the size of Jupiter? Scripture says there will be no more oceans – OK, but what about very large, freshwater lakes and rivers and streams? And will we see animals like we have today? Maybe some kinds we’ve never seen before? What has GOD got planned for us, for all eternity? What sort of work does He intend for us? Will we team up with angelic beings, being given orders by our King?
There is so much we don’t know – Scripture doesn’t tell us a lot – and I know why! Because Dads love to surprise their kids! And so does our Abba Father!
I watched this video earlier today and it left me in a mixture of tears: It was the Southern Baptist Convention Children’s Choir singing Jesus Is The LORD! A mixture of tears because I so deeply wish all children could live happy, joyful lives free of fear and pain and heartache. So I shed tears of sorrow for these little ones who suffer in misery. But also tears of joy, knowing that one Day, they will have lives free of such things and rejoice in the presence of the LORD. Watching this video I can only imagine how the heart of our Savior swells as He sees these precious souls!
Here is that song – I hope it puts a smile on your face as it has mine (my cheeks still hurt, lol!).
And then to end this TTUF article with a perfectly appropriate video, here is the classic from Dr. Samuel Lockridge:
May the LORD Jesus Christ Bless you all – WAY TOO MUCH!!!
Where parents will no longer have to warn their children to beware of strangers! Where these little ones will be overflowing with joyful laughter, happiness and glee. Where families will be blessed beyond measure with invigorating health, bountiful blessings, robust in their procreation.
Where even the animal kingdom will be at rest – predator and prey will be no more! And the Earth itself will be freed of the violence in storms, earthquakes, volcanoes, icy wastelands, and searing hot deserts.
How glorious it’s going to be, saints! To leave this world and enjoy the presence of GOD and His angels and saints in heaven, only to return to the greatest paradise on Earth with the LORD Jesus and us – His bride, reigning with Him? What will the nation of Israel look like? Imagine seeing all of the Old Testament saints restored to their homeland with their Messiah in their midst! And having fellowship with them all (not even considering all of the New Testament saints!)!
And all the nations once the tribulation is over, the Beast and the False Prophet consigned to Gehenna – what will they look like then as opposed to now? Where will you have your new home? Who will be your neighbors among the glorified saints and those saints who propagate families to fill the Earth during the Millennium?
Think about that mix of saints – those without a sin nature (the church) and those who will battle against theirs (as we do now), among the Jews and Gentiles, how will we relate to each other?
Only then to see Him sweep away all of this old creation and replace it with a brand new heavens and earth and a New Jerusalem that will last untinged and as incorruptible as we, the children of GOD once He comes for us!
What will the New Heavens look like? Will they have stars like we have now? And planets that orbit them? Will the LORD lead us on “field trips” to go visit them and witness His endless creativity as we behold one after another, each of them unique in character!
And that realm of heaven closest to His throne – I can’t imagine the glory of the present heavenlies – what about the newly created one!
What will the New Earth look like? Will it be the same size as this one we’re on now? Or maybe the size of Jupiter? Scripture says there will be no more oceans – OK, but what about very large, freshwater lakes and rivers and streams? And will we see animals like we have today? Maybe some kinds we’ve never seen before? What has GOD got planned for us, for all eternity? What sort of work does He intend for us? Will we team up with angelic beings, being given orders by our King?
There is so much we don’t know – Scripture doesn’t tell us a lot – and I know why! Because Dads love to surprise their kids! And so does our Abba Father!
I watched this video earlier today and it left me in a mixture of tears: It was the Southern Baptist Convention Children’s Choir singing Jesus Is The LORD! A mixture of tears because I so deeply wish all children could live happy, joyful lives free of fear and pain and heartache. So I shed tears of sorrow for these little ones who suffer in misery. But also tears of joy, knowing that one Day, they will have lives free of such things and rejoice in the presence of the LORD. Watching this video I can only imagine how the heart of our Savior swells as He sees these precious souls!
Here is that song – I hope it puts a smile on your face as it has mine (my cheeks still hurt, lol!).
And then to end this TTUF article with a perfectly appropriate video, here is the classic from Dr. Samuel Lockridge:
May the LORD Jesus Christ Bless you all – WAY TOO MUCH!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment