The Brilliant star of hope in adversity: God's Sovereignty

Job 12:13 “With Him are wisdom and might; To Him belong counsel and understanding."

For the past couple of days we have been exploring the themes of God's power, grace and true faith in the face of adversity from the lives of Job and Stephen.  In Job 12:13-25 there is a brilliant star of hope that shines in the darkened sky of the conversation between suffering Job and his so-called friends - namely God's Sovereignty.  Why is God's Sovereignty the brilliant star of hope in Job's life? Simply put - peace is gained in knowing that God is in control.  What does Job tells us about God's control in the middle of troubling circumstances? Two truths: that God is all-powerful (omnipotent) and all-wise (omni-sapient). (Job 12:13)  God is powerful enough to control all things and wise enough to regulate all secondary matters (events, human decisions, seasons) to their proper and best ends.  (Job 12:14-15)  Job then describes God's power and wisdom in terms of rendering justice on the evil and suffering caused by people. (Job 12:16)  As the all-powerful and all-wise God, we discover that all spiritual and human authority is delegated authority from Him. (Job 12:17-21; Romans 13) Furthermore, God's omni-potence (God's all-powerfulness) and omni-sapience (God being all-wise) enables Him to reveal previously hidden truths - a process we call revelation. (Job 12:22; 2 Peter 1:21)  Job then concludes his speech with the reminder of mankind's frailty apart from God's word and grace. (Job 12:23-25)  Unless God is at the center of your line of vision, life's difficulties and disappointments will overwhelm you.  

Job was sustained by His relationship with the Lord.  As we turn to Acts 8, we discover the true backbone of the early church following Stephen's martyrdom.  Despite the increased persecution and heresies of men such as Simon Magus (the Magician), the people of God were sustained by the preaching and demonstration of God's word. (Acts 8:6)  Sadly Simon Magus' lack of God's centered focus and attempts to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit demonstrated his counterfeit faith.  However, as in Job's case, the darkened sky of the sufferings of God's people was pierced through by a God-based, Gospel centered, Spirit empowered message.  I remember a statement made by radio-preacher, pastor and author Dr. Chuck Swindoll on the matter of God's Sovereignty: "Knowing that God's is Sovereign may not answer all of my questions, but knowing He is Sovereign certainly calms all of my fears."  May you and I be as they were : God based, Gospel centered and Spirit-enabled.   

Jesus Christ, the sufficient refuge in adversity

Hebrews 4:14-16 "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." 

In Job 7-9 we see Job crying out what represents the cry of the Old Testament - namely the need for a Mediator.  In Job 7:17 we see Job asking the question: "what is man that you magnify him and are concerned about him?"  This question is very similar to the one raised by David in Psalm 8:4 "what is man that you take thought of him and the son of man that you care for him?"  For both of these Old Testament saints, the Answer could only be found in the Person to Whom all of God's promises and prophecies pointed - Jesus Christ.  Consider Hebrews 2:5 - "what is man that you take thought of him and the son of man that you care for him?"  The same question raised in Hebrews 2:5 was also stated in Psalm 8:4 and Job 7:17.  With the question stated,  the answer is found in Hebrews 2:9 "but we see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely Jesus…"  Job lived 1,000 years before David, and David lived 1,000 years before the writing of Hebrews, yet they all asked the same question.  To such a grand question, God answered the greatest and only answer - Jesus Christ.  

As we turn to Acts 7, we see Stephen concluding his sweeping coverage of redemptive history.  Triumphantly Stephen gives his life for the Faith.  How is Stephen's death a triumph? Plainly put - Stephen's martyrdom was God's Upper Story plan of moving His mission forward.  We know that the cloaks of those who were stoning Stephen were laid at the feet of Saul of Tarsus - who would be converted by grace through faith to become the mighty Apostle Paul.  Stephen's answer to his opponents about the purpose of God in history and redemption is identical the questions raised by Job, David and the writer of Hebrews - namely Jesus Christ.    

God empowered faith to overcome adversity

Job 1:8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

Who was Job? Genesis 36:33 gives us the name of Jobab, a descendant of Esau, as the most likely candidate.  Furthermore, taking into consideration Job's age of more than 140 years, we can place Job's writing within the setting of the days of Jacob.  With that setting and identity, we see something even  more significant: God's regard Job's extreme value in his sight.  God was viewing Job by who he was to be at the end of the trial and knew very well that Job would succeed.  God's grace is always waiting in the wings, His provision is always ready to go before the need arises.  It was not because of Job's status among men, but rather Job's grace-shaped, blameless and upright character that feared God and turned away from evil. (Job 1:1)    

Now who is the villain in the book of Job? Satan.  The Hebrew word for "satan" literally means "adversary", bespeaking of rebellious intent of this evil foe of God and believers.  Scripture tells us that Satan was originally Lucifer - an archangel, created perfect, and who rebelled against God in heaven. (Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28)  Revelation 12:7 reveals that Satan led 1/3 of the angelic host astray, leading to a cosmic war and Satan's expulsion from Heaven.  By the time we arrive at Genesis 3, we see Satan enticing Adam and his wife to rebel against God, resulting in sin, death, decay and a curse on all of humanity and the entire universe. (Romans 5:12-20)  It is this arch-enemy of God who is accusing Job before God - the Hero of the Book of Job.  The Lord permits Satan to afflict Job and sustains Job's faith, validating His testimony and love of Job, as well as His Sovereignty.   

Did you know that for you who are in Christ by faith - The Son Himself, defends you.  Jesus Christ is the believer's advocate in Heaven. (1 John 2:1-2)  In Acts 7, Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian Church, was like a Job of sorts.  He had a testimony and he suffered, however He had Jesus standing to receive Him.  He withstood his accuser and prevailed by faith - just like Job.  According to the 16th century pastor and writer John Foxe in his famous work "Foxe's Book of Martyrs", Stephen's death would had occurred in 34 A.D, one year after our Lord had been crucified, risen and ascended.  

You and I dear believer are likewise given the same promises and faith.  Praise be to God, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, a complete Bible, the blood of Jesus Christ and resurrection power that enables us to prevail against adversity. (1 John 5:4-5) 

How the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 clarifies the Christian faith

Jude 3 "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints." 

Introducing the Baptist Faith and Message 2000
The focus of today's post is to overview the official Southern Baptist Convention doctrinal statement. Doctrinal statements provide much needed summaries of issues in order to better understand what a Christian believes about scripture, God, salvation, Jesus Christ, matters related to this life and the one to come. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 is such an example of the type of summary of which I speak. An excerpt from the preamble of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 defines how Southern Baptists understand the place of such statements:


"Baptist churches, associations, and general bodies have adopted confessions of faith as a witness to the world, and as instruments of doctrinal accountability. We are not embarrassed to state before the world that these are doctrines we hold precious and as essential to the Baptist tradition of faith and practice."

Today's post will aim to first of all list the major articles or doctrinal areas covered by the Baptist Faith and Message, with the second part aimed at understanding how the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 may be used to better understand the Christian faith.The reader is encouraged to view the entire text of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 on www.sbc.net

1. Major Articles or Doctrinal Areas covered by the Baptist Faith and Message 2000

I. The Scriptures

II. God

III. Man

IV. Salvation

V. God's Purpose of Grace (Election)

VI. The Church

VII. Baptism and Lord's Supper

VIII. The Lord's Day

IX. The Kingdom

X. Evangelism and Missions

XI. Stewardship

XII. Cooperation

XIII. The Christian & the Social Order

XIV Peace and War

XV. Religious Liberty

XVI. Family


2. How the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 may be used to better understand the Christian faith

A. Christian Spiritual Foundations

I. The Scriptures

II. God

III. Man

IV. Salvation

V. God's Purpose of Grace (Election)


B. Christian Spiritual Formation

VI. The Church

VII. Baptism and Lord's Supper

VIII. The Lord's Day

IX. The Kingdom


C. Christian Responsibilities

X. Evangelism and Missions

XI. Stewardship

XII. Cooperation

XIII. The Christian & the Social Order

XIV Peace and War

XV. Religious Liberty

XVI. Family

P3 Understanding how Christ's 2nd coming finishes this present age

Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Over the past few days we have been aiming to understand the second coming of Jesus Christ as explained in Revelation 1:3-8.  We have discovered the following truths about Christ's second coming thus far:

1. It is a fast approaching coming.    Revelation 1:3

2. It will be a fully glorious coming.  Revelation 1:4-7

It is a fast approaching coming in the sense that it will come immediately and that no man knows the day nor the hour of either His coming nor when the events surrounding His coming will get underway.  The glorious nature of Christ's second coming stems from the fact of His shared glory with the Father and Spirit as One God, His saving glory in rescuing His saints from coming Divine wrath and His Sovereign glory as the King who will set up His kingdom here on earth.  

In today's post we will consider one last thought from Revelation 1:3-8 on the second coming of Jesus Christ - namely that it will finish this present age.

Christ's 2nd coming will finish out this present age

Revelation 1:8 reads - “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."  As you study the Bible, five historic eras or "ages" can be discerned, in which Christ is either mentioned or central:

1. The Beginning Age or Creation in Genesis 1 through 2. After God created the heavens, earth, life and people, His work went from that of creation to that of maintaining the created order or providence.  We know the Son was with the Father and Spirit as One God creating all things. (Genesis 1:2; John 1:1; 1 Corinthians 8:6)

2. The Former Age or Old Testament Age.  Passages such as Ephesians 1:10, 3:9-10 and Hebrews 8:1-13 speaks of the Old Testament age prior to the cross and the sending of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.  Israel was the chief focus of God's redemptive purposes.  Jesus Christ appeared through the Old Testament in symbols and disguised as different people. (Luke 24:44; 1 Corinthians 10:1-4; Hebrews 1:1-2)

3. The Present Age or church age or what is also called the New Covenant age. Once Christ provided the foundation for the church age by His accomplished work and once the Spirit came at Pentecost to inaugurate the church age, the New Testament describes this age by the simple term "Present Age" in fifteen places.

Jesus Christ is the One who is spiritual reigning in heaven right now over His church. (Acts 2:34-35; Ephesians 1:20-23)

4. The Millennium or 1,000 year reign.  Scripture's presentation of history has this present age ending with Christ's return and His 1,000 year reign following as described in Isaiah 11; Zechariah 12-14; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 and Revelation 20.  

5. The Age to come.  The fifth and final age in scripture is what is termed "the age to come".  The power and glorious truth of that final age is so potent that in this present age, believers are getting a foretaste of it.  Both this present age and the age to come overlap in the 1,000 year reign of Christ, wherein He brings this age to an end and uses His Kingly powers to prepare for what will be the New Heavens and New Earth. (Revelation 19:6; 21:1-22:21) 

Now in all five of those ages, especially this current age, the five titles revealed to John about Jesus Christ describe for us how He alone has the power and purpose to finish this present age at His second coming to usher in His 1,000 year Millennial reign.

1. Jesus says: I am Alpha and Omega.  The first and the last letters of the Greek Alphabet are used here to represent every letter in between.  I heard an English teacher one time write all the  letters of the alphabet on a chalkboard and tells the students that those twenty six letters represent every book ever written and that every book that is English falls within the bounds of those letters. As the Alpha and Omega or Beginning and the End, Jesus Christ is stating He is Fully Divine, and that all things began because of Him and will end due to Him.  In Old Testament prophecies such as Isaiah 41:4, 43:10, 44:6 and 48:10 we see Jehovah God describe Himself as the "first and the last" and "apart from Him there being no other".  Hence by being a sharer with God the Father, Jehovah, in the Eternal Divine nature, Jesus Christ can legitimately classify Himself as Eternal.

2. Next we read that Jesus is "LORD".  This Divine title was revealed to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3:14 and describes Christ as being the Personal God.

3. By being Eternal and Personal, Jesus is thirdly described by John as being "God", referring to His Divinity.

4. As we read onward, the fourth title ascribed to this Jesus who will finish out all history with His coming is that He is "The One Who is, and Who was and Who is to come." Just as we read in Revelation 1:4 about God the Father, the Son shares the same nature as the Father. This trait of Christ speaks to Him being All-knowing as it pertains to His divine nature.

5. Then fifthly we see the title "Almighty" being attributed to the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation seven times and to the Father twice.   This title shows Jesus Christ being All-powerful and strong enough to finish out this present age at His coming.   

Concluding what we have learned about Christ's second coming from Revelation 1:3-8

In our posts of the past few days, we have learned from the Apostle John the following about Christ's second coming:

1. Fast Approaching 1:3

2. Fully Glorious        1:4-7

3. Finish out this Present age 1:8

May these studies raise our hearts and minds to new levels of appreciation, love, commitment and worship of the Lord Jesus Christ.  

P2 Understanding The Full Glory of Christ's Second Coming Rev 1:4-7

Revelation 1:7 "Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen."

In yesterday's post we considered understanding the second coming of Jesus Christ with regards to its fast approach.  Revelation 1:3 tells the reader that "the time is near" or translated literally from the Greek: "the season is drawing to a close".  We noted the the immediacy and imminency or uncertainty of when His coming will occur. All we know is that scripture asserts numerous times to be ready when He does return.

In today's post we endeavor to understand the Second coming of Jesus Christ as being a Fully Glorious event.  

The Full Glory of Christ's Second Coming. Revelation 1:4-7

In this section of Revelation 1:4-7, verse 7 functions as the key verse and verses 4-6 serve to provide the detailed description of the One Who is coming in verse 7.  Revelation 1:7 states - "Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen."   With the command "Behold" written in verse 7, we need verses 4-6 to tell us what to look for and Whom we should expect to see, since the coming will be visible to all and glorious.  In these verses we are told that Christ's second coming will be fully glorious due to it revealing His Shared glory, Saving glory and Sovereign glory. 

1. His coming will reveal Shared Glory 1:4-5a
John is writing to seven churches located in Asia Minor or what is known today as Turkey.  As much as Revelation is a Book of Prophecy and symbols, it begins as a letter to be preached and applied. In typical fashion of New Testament letters or what are termed "epistles", an introductory greeting is given: "Grace to you and peace".  Conservative commentator Robert H. Mounce writes: "Grace is the divine favor showed to man and peace is that state of spiritual well-being which follows as a result." 1  The grace and peace that John communicates to his readers derives from the unified shared glory of the Triune God in which the Son shares with the Father and Holy Spirit.  Glory by the way is simply God's visible expression of  His Goodness and unseen nature.  This One essence or Undivided life of God is shared between the Father, the Spirit and the Son as explained by John in Revelation 1:4-6a.

In Revelation 1:4 we read first about the shared glory of the Father: "from Him who is and who was and is to come."  This interesting three-fold title speaks of the same God the Father that met in veiled flame with Moses in Exodus 3:14a "God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”.  If we were to translate the name of "LORD" or "Jehovah" or "Yahweh" revealed to Moses, it would read: "I am who was, who is and who always will be".  

Then John writes next about the shared glory of the Holy Spirit: "and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne."  This seven-fold description of the Holy Spirit is that which is first revealed in Isaiah 11:2 of the Spirit Who would rest in power upon the Messiah.  This same seven-fold description of the Spirit is seen again in Revelation 4:5, wherein the lightening and thunder of God's glory is communicated by the Holy Spirit.  This same Holy Spirit was present with the Father and the Son at the creation of the world in Genesis 1:2 and shares in the undivided glory of the Father and Son as One God. (see Acts 5:4-5; 2 Corinthians 3:17, 13:14)  

It is in Revelation 1:5 that we see the shared glory of One more Person in the Trinity: The Son - "and from Jesus Christ".  

Now why is it important to understand that the glory in which Christ will Return to this earth is shared with the Father and Spirit? Because in order for Christ's claim in Revelation 1:8 of being "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" to be true, He has to share in the same glorious, Divine nature as the Father.  Returning in the shared glory of the Father is stated by Christ Himself in Mark 8:38 - "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."  Jesus also prayed in John 17:5 "Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was."  The shared Divine glory that the Son has with the Father and Spirit was proven as He testified as the faithful witness in His ministry, resurrected as the firstborn from the dead and ascended to begin the spiritual stage of His role as Ruler of the Kings of the earth.  Unless the Returning Christ is fully God as the Father and Spirit are God, He cannot be deemed worthy of worship in Revelation 5:11-14 and thus nor worthy of unfurling the scroll of judgment that will be done later in Revelation 6-22.

2. His coming will reveal Saving Glory 1:5b-6a
Revelation 1:5b-6a states - "To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— 6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father".  Christ the coming King shares in undivided full Deity with the Father and Spirit and also shares in humanity with the sinners He died and raised to save. (Hebrews 2:14-18)  Christ's second coming will be glorious because for the believer in Jesus Christ, the Savior is coming to rescue His church, His bride, prior to the final outpouring of wrath. (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9)  He who rescued us from the tyranny of sin and threat of wrath also saved us to be a sanctified and Holy people. (Romans 5:9-10; Ephesians 2:10)  Titus 2:13 tells us -"looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus."  Other texts such as Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 John 3:2-3 and many others speak of Christ's second coming as coming to rescue believers who by His grace believed and are preserved until His appearing. (1 Peter 1:5)

3. His second coming will reveal   Sovereign Glory. 1:6b-7
This second coming of Christ described by John will be glorious because in it will be displayed His shared glory, His saving glory and thirdly His sovereign glory.  Revelation 1:6b-7 explains - "to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen."  The spiritual reign which Christ exercises over his church and the nations will become visible and physical upon His return.  John here is alluding back to Zechariah's prophecy of Messiah's Divine coming in Zechariah 12:10 - “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn."  When Christ returns, Israel as a nation will be converted and gathered to Him while at the same time He defeats the nations gathered against him.  

Now notice how it says He will "come in the clouds."  Whenever you see clouds associated with God in scripture, it usually speaks of the Revelation of full Sovereign Deity to His people.    
(Exodus 19; 40; 1 Kings 8:10-11; Matthew 17:1-13).  The Son of Man spoken of in Daniel as "coming on the clouds" is the same identity which Christ claimed for Himself in the presence of his opponents prior to His crucifixion in Matthew 26:64.  

Just think about it, if Christ is not Sovereign over all, He is not Sovereign at all, and thus cannot bring about any of the events spoken of in Revelation.  As theologian Abraham Kuyper once noted: "There is not one square inch of creation over which Christ does not pronounce: "mine!' "  

Conclusion
As we consider the shared, saving and sovereign glory of Jesus Christ to be revealed at His second coming here in Revelation 1:4-7, we come to understand why this event is central to our understanding of the Book.  Steven Gregg the able commentator notes: "Revelation, then, attributes to Jesus Christ titles uniquely attributed to the Lord in the Old Testament. This data is death to any theology that withholds full Deity from Jesus Christ." 2

More tomorrow....
End Notes:___________

1. Robert H. Mounce. The International Commentary on the New Testament. Eerdmans. 1977. Page 68. 

2. Steve Gregg. Revelation - Four Views: A Parallel Commentary. Nelson. 1997. Page 58.