They That Wait upon the Lord

Isaiah 25:1-12.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on July 24, 2016.

It is hard to fathom the joy we will experience at the Second Coming of Jesus.  Yes, it is true that he will bring judgment upon the nations of the world.  However, at the same time He is restoring things to rightness.  He will be removing oppression and tyranny and replacing it with healing and deliverance.   This is an important point because the United States of America has become a prime example of how even good government can be corrupted over time.  Thus the decree of God is that no national leadership will be found to be righteous in that day.  Even in the name of liberty, our true, God-given liberties are taken away.  The average person then finds themselves living in an oppressive and tyrannical environment, whether it be the hard form found in nations like North Korea, or the soft form found here in my own country. 

Thus Isaiah describes a people who have waited for God’s deliverance from wicked leaders and powerful men.  They have endured long trials and weariness to the point of giving up.  However, when Jesus comes their joy will be immense.  Waiting for the Lord to act is a theme throughout Isaiah.  The well known passage in Isaiah 40 says, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”  Regardless of what your situation requires, be it flying, running or walking, the Lord will give strength to those who trust in Him.  Those who trust in Him will not be put to shame in the end.  They will have the final joy because God is for them.  Thus the coming judgment of God begs the question for each of us.  Will that day be a day of rejoicing because I trusted in Jesus, or will that day be a day of grief because I put my trust in my own pride and the pride of mankind?

Joy Will Fill The People

Isaiah depicts a joyous time of jubilation similar to some of the statements made in the book of Revelation.  Though God’s judgment is a sobering thing, it will be for the joy of mankind.  In verse 1 we notice several things about the exclamations that Isaiah makes.  First, is the rejoicing in the fact that God is “my God.”  It will be a day when joy will not just be a general thing, but a very particular and personal thing.  Those who have trusted in God will marvel in the realization that God was not just the God of Adam, Noah, and Abraham et. al.  They will have personally witnessed the amazing fulfillment of God’s Word to His people.  God will have proven Himself in our time and not just  in the ancient past.

It will also be a wonder-filled joy.  The “wonderful things” of verse 1 are a reference to the miraculous, supernatural work of God.  The omnipotence of God has a way of removing the most impossible problems and delivering from the most powerful enemy in only a moment.  Thus the powerful acts of God demonstrated in Egypt before Pharaoh (who by the way was considered the son of the Gods) are a picture of how His great work in the face of Antichrist and the “gods” that back Him up (i.e. Satan and his fallen cohorts).  They will be impotent as God delivers His people from under their oppression.

The last part of verse 1 mentions God’s “counsels of old.”  These are the directives that God has given to His people in the past.  Of course Isaiah would be looking back to Scriptures and mainly the first 5 books of the Bible (Torah).  Yet, we can add to that today the counsels that were given through Jesus and His apostles 2,000 years ago.  It is easy to grow weary of counsels that stretch over thousands of years.  Our humanity wants to have deliverance now.  Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life” (NKJV).  God’s way doesn’t always make an immediate change, especially if we are waiting for Him to deal with the wicked of the earth.  Yet, these counsels will prove out to be faithful and true.  Those who continue to trust the ancient counsel of God will find themselves in exactly the right place.  But those who have cast off the ancient counsel of God will find themselves in the wrong place, and caught up in the judgment of God.  Thus the warning of Psalm 1 is very appropriate.  We must remain in the way of the Lord while we wait for Him.  Yet, the ungodly, the sinners, and the scornful tempt us to join their way, to walk upon their paths, and to sit with them in a seat of judgment against God and His people.  Thus the object of the trust and faith of the sinner will prove to be a delusion and impotent.  But, those who wait upon the Lord will find that it is true and will prove faithful in the end.

In verses 2-5 we see the “terrible nations” and the “terrible ones.”  These are those who are following the path of their own wisdom and of Satan.  They use their power to dominate others and to rule over them.  Such cities have always existed and in fact, the history of the world can be seen as a history of the nations which clamor to be “king of the mountain.”  These empires had become proud and arrogant oppressors of the peoples of the earth.  The days before Christ’s coming will be no less.  In fact the greatest empire and thus the greatest tyranny this world has ever seen is still in the future.  We are cruising at an ever increasing speed towards this reality.  Freedom is being stamped out upon the earth and absolute tyranny is taking its place.  This is the judgment of the “City of Confusion” in Isaiah 24 and the Kings of the earth and their armies.  Whatever survivors that may be left from the nations will no longer walk in pride, but they will have a reverent fear and awe of the Lord and His powerful reality.  They will recognize that the ways of God that they had rejected for so long were the true paths.

Another reason why there will be so much joy is because God will have defended the helpless.  Isaiah uses two words, the poor and the needy.  God will be their refuge.  Now, not all the poor and the needy will turn to God for refuge.  In fact, though the poor and needy are often crushed under this world system, for the sake of survival and “getting mine,” many fight for the scraps beneath the table.  They basically trust the way of this world and trust in their own ability to make it.  Like the Olympic trials they fight and clamor to see if they can climb up into that ultra society of “winners.”  Of course most do not make it, however, there are levels of honor and perks all the way up.  This “dog-eat-dog” mentality that uses others as rungs on the ladder of progress belongs to sinful man and fallen angels.  There is coming a day when God will rise up in defense of all those that have been and are being taken advantage of.

Thus Isaiah gives two images.  The first is a storm that blasts and howls against a wall.  The poor and the needy are often torn apart and destroyed by the powerful blasts.  They are unable to survive it.  The second image is that of an oppressive heat wave.  In fact this week the Middle East had several places recording a temperature of 129 degrees F.  The oppressive heat makes even the shade of no relief.  This oppression sucks the life out of people and leaves them with little ability or desire to do anything, but die.  Yet, no matter how loud the terrible ones howl (the storm), nor how powerful their oppression (the heat), when God intervenes there will be immediate relief.  Like a cloud that comes between the sun and the ground, the change will take place that quickly.  It is easy when you live in the land of comforts and ease to hear this and scoff.  However, even in America there are people who hear what I am saying and recognize that it is exactly how they feel.  Friend, don’t let the oppression of this world’s system suck the life out of you.  Turn to Jesus today and put your faith in Him.  That is the only thing that will ever prove faithful and true to you in the end.

The Lord Will Make A Feast

Starting in verse 6 we see that this will be a time of celebration.  The old tyrants have been thrown down.  Peace and freedom lies ahead.  Thus the Lord prepares a feast for the peoples of the earth that have survived without taking the mark, and His people who have returned with Him.  This feast will take place upon Mt. Zion, which is in Jerusalem, because this is the mountain referenced at the end of the last chapter.  All the “mountains” of the earth, that is the kingdoms, will be flattened.  But the “mountain” of the Lord will be raised up.  This pictures a gathering of people in the land of Israel.  Of course this deliverance is not just for Israel, but for all the peoples of the earth.  And, all will join in the celebration.

God supplies for each one choice food and drink.  Under this world system the elite at the top are the ones who get the choice food.  But here God brings forth the best food and drink for all those who had endured oppression to enjoy.  Instead of being the means of provision for the oppressors, God will provide for the “common person” uncommon food.

Verse 7 speaks of a covering that will be destroyed.  I believe that it is connected to the statement in verse 8 that death will be swallowed up forever.  Thus the veil here is most likely a reference to The Curse of Genesis 3.    The Curse has hung over mankind like a veil or shroud for most of its existence.  Yet, God will remove and destroy it.  Another aspect of this covering is that Satan has used the fear of death as a means to manipulate mankind.  He has used the threat of the shroud to create a veil over the minds and hearts of mankind.  This veil of ignorance and manipulation by spiritual powers will have also been destroyed by God.

Those Who Wait For The Lord Will Be Vindicated

In verse 9 Isaiah brings us back to the celebration.  Vindication is that moment in which faith is proven true.  Yet, all people are putting their faith in something.  Thus those who put their trust in something other than the Lord will not find vindication, but rather humiliation.  What they put their trust in will ultimately fail.  But the righteous will recognize that their wait for the Lord was not in vain.  Thus the declaration “He will save us.”  The verb here is a form that means God has done it but isn’t done doing it.  Thus it means that in light of what He has done, we know He will complete our salvation.  God is our savior in every way.  He cannot and will not fail.  He is able to deliver and defend you from every enemy.  It may not be in the way at the time that you desire.  But if you will wait on Him instead of going the way of your own heart and mind, you will find that He will be true to you in the end.

Isaiah ends the chapter with a reminder that just as the humble will be raised up, so the pride of the wicked will be pulled down.  No matter how great and powerful the position and place of the world may be, it will not stand before God’s judgment.  Though the world be as powerful as a mighty ocean, God is the swimmer who will pull the waves down beneath Himself and us.  He will bear us out from the crushing depths and rescue us out of the waters.  No matter how strong the walls of their city God will pull down all their defenses.  The powerful of this world, whether in business or in government, are not leading us down the right path.  Reject the way of the proud and walk in the way of humility that Jesus has shown us.  His counsels will be proven true and faithful.

Wait upon the Lord audio

The Coming Day of the Lord 2

Isaiah 24:7-16.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on July 3, 2016.

Tomorrow we will be celebrating The Declaration of Independence by the United States of America.  In that document we appealed to the “Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions.”  Rectitude means the straightness or righteousness of our intentions.  Today, it does not seem that many in our government are concerned about the Supreme Judge of the world.  Our passage today reminds us why it was so important to do so back then and why we should be doing it now.  God is not just potentially the judge of the world, but He has appointed a day in which all the nations of the earth will be brought into judgment before Him, at the end of this age.  Whether in the Church or in our government, we need leaders who have such a fear of God that they feel compelled to make their case before the God of heaven.  We need leaders who will make their case in conformity with the Word of God (straight intentions) rather than in defiance of it.  My cry this morning is for Christians to not fail in their duty to conform their intentions to the straightness of God’s Word.  We must be about our Father’s business because the devastating day of Judgment that we will continue to read about today.

The Joys of the Harvest Will End

In verses 1-6 the prophet lets us in on the vision he has had of God judging the whole earth.  There he referred to the “withering” of the earth.  In verse 7 we see that this withering is a reference to drought conditions that bring an end to the joyful harvests.  The drought will also have an impact on their celebratory drinking of wine.  Of course a global drought would affect all crops, wine was the staple of their celebrations and where their hearts truly lay.  Thus the judgment upon the crops is more of a judgment upon their joyful celebrations.  God will bring them to an end.  He will do so because all of their jubilations are done without regard for Him and His ways.  They only give thought to earthly matters and ignore His warning of judgment.  Thus Isaiah mentions that the new wine fails.  There is not enough grapes that survive the drought in order to make new wine, and in fact the vines themselves are failing as well.  Thus the future of their wine is in jeopardy also.  The “merry-hearted” that are mentioned are the partiers and revelers.  They will groan because the drink is diminished, but also because there is nothing to take joy in; everything is being destroyed on the earth.  All of their labor is coming to nothing and being destroyed.

Thus verse 8 speaks to the festivals of the merry-hearted.  All mirth, noise of jubilations, and anything of the sort will come to an end and cease.  Man was not created to fixate his life on amassing material commodities, while ignoring their Maker.  Rather we were created to enjoy the material things before God while giving Him praise.  Our rejoicing should be in Him more than it is in the material gifts that He provides.

In verse 9 we see that what wine is consumed will be done in bitterness rather than in joy.  Like Naomi complaining that God had dealt bitterly with her, so they will lack anything over which to be joyful.  They may still have stores of wine to drink, but they will bring them no joy.

The City of Confusion is Destroyed

In verse 10 we have this phrase, “the city of confusion.”  It could be a description of any of the capitol cities that God had warned in Isaiah 13-23.  It could be a generic label for all the Cities of Man that are raised up and ignore God.  These will all be brought to destruction.  They have been a place of confusion in that they have rejected the ordinances of God and His proper order.  They have led and taught men to do the same within their streets.  So God will bring them into Judgment and cause them to be confusion.  The word that is translated confusion is the same word that is translated “formless” in Genesis 1:2.  It is as if God will “uncreate” them so to speak.  They will be so destroyed that nothing can live their without a new act of creation by God.  I say this because both Isaiah and the book of Revelation point to a new heavens and a new earth.  It is also possible that Isaiah is also hinting at what Revelation calls “Mystery Babylon.”  There it is the great city that rules over all the kings of the earth.  Thus it is the head city of confusion.  The destruction of Mystery Babylon is part of the emphasis of God’s judgment.

Thus Isaiah sees that the city will be broken and all the doors shut up.  Instead of open doors and partiers in the streets, the city is broken and no one is out and about.  The devastation that the Lord will bring leaves the city unable to function.  The rubble of the destruction both blocks the doors and is probably used as a barricade for protection by the few inhabitants that are left.

Verse 11 points to the cry for wine in the streets.  Sadly the cry is not in repentance towards God and asking for mercy.  The inhabitants of the earth are so fixated on material things that, even when God takes the material away, repentance cannot be found.  This is in contrast to the righteous.  They cry out for God even in the midst of plenty because they know it can all be gone tomorrow.  But the wicked ignore or spite God in plenty or in lack.  We must not let our eyes be blinded and our hearts be hardened by the spirit of this world.  Let the Spirit of god soften it today that we might raise up a righteous cry before God, rather than one of greed and selfishness.  Let us raise up a cry of repentance and desire for Him.

Verse 12 then reminds us that the vision has not happened yet, “When it shall be thus…”  When it does happen there will be little of any good left over.  The imagery of the earth being reaped is thus connected to judgment.  Interestingly in the book of Revelation we are shown two different reapings of the earth.  One harvest is that of the righteous who are pictured as grain gathered into the barn.  Though the grain may be treaded down, it will only break off the hard chaff and what is good will be left behind and spared by God.  The other harvest is that of the wicked.  They are pictured as clusters of grapes that are tossed into the pit and treaded underfoot in judgment.  The grapes will not survive.  Thus their lust for wine becomes a kind of prophecy pointing towards the poetic justice of their end.  They lust for wine so much that God has appointed a day when they will be caught up in the “wine making” process.

A Song of Praise to God is Raised up

In verse 14 there is a shift in the vision.  The “they” that will lift up their voice and sing for the majesty of the Lord does not fit with the city of confusion and the people of the earth who long for wine.  So why are they praising?  Though it is not made explicit, the context demands that they praise Him for bringing Judgment.  Clearly the singers are from all over the earth due to the phrases used of them.  “From the sea” is often connected with the West and refers to the Mediterranean Sea.  “In the dawning light” is connected with the East where the sun rises.  The “coastlands” was a reference to the faraway places that had to be sailed to.  Lastly we have “the ends of the earth.”  All of these phrases emphasize that the singers are not from any one place.  In the midst of those who are to be judged are a group of people that have not cried for wine.  Rather they have praised the God of heaven.

In the vision it is as if the song of praise is replacing the sons of mirth that the earth dwellers have been singing.  As the songs of ignorance are silenced the song of praise is raised up.  This becomes the first sign in the vision that, though the earth be destroyed; it is so that all things may be set back in order.  Just as the sons of God sang at the first creation so the new sons of God will sing at the New Creation.  Thus history comes back full circle upon itself.

Yet, the day of joy that Isaiah glimpses in the future is overshadowed by the judgment that must first happen.  Isaiah is so overwhelmed with the heaviness of the judgment that he cries out that he is ruined.  Thus he sees that for now the treacherous will continue in their treachery.  They will only grow worse until the final judgment.  This is reminiscent of Revelation 22:11,12, “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.  And behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.”  The wickedness of this world will have its payday from the Lord.  It will grow worse and worse until the day in which the Lord tramples out the vintage of the grapes of wrath.  Until then, it is our job as followers of Jesus Christ to be His last offer of peace to those who are blinded to the plight of this world.  May God help us to boldly lift up a song of praise to him before all who are around us, so that they might see Him and be saved!

Coming Day II Audio

The Joy of Jesus & His Disciples

When a child is young it is easier for them to rejoice in the gifts that they receive more than in those who give them.  Hopefully over time they will learn to rejoice more in the giver than in the gift.  Today we are going to look at Luke 10:17-24.  Here we see the disciples overjoyed that they had authority over demons.  Yet, Jesus points them to a better joy, the joy of belonging to God and having His salvation. 

It is not that God doesn’t want us rejoicing.  In fact, God wants us to join Him in what causes Him to rejoice.  When we rejoice in the wrong things our hearts are pulled away from Jesus little by little.

What We Rejoice In Is Critical

As the 70 disciples return from their ministry throughout the cities of Israel, we find them rejoicing greatly with Jesus.  They had been successful and accomplished exactly what Jesus had asked them.  Thus their slight error of rejoicing in their power over demons could have been allowed to slide.  Yet, Jesus takes some time to “rain on their parade.”  It is not because they are too happy and Jesus wants them to be serious.  Rather, their rejoicing is centered on the wrong thing and their joy is being drawn from the wrong well.

Now the problem of demonic possession is real.  It can be prevalent or rare in areas; depending upon where you live.  In places where the Truth of God has been rejected the teachings of demons eventually take over.  Why?  When people quit living by God’s Word they find themselves powerless and empty.  It then becomes too easy to turn to other means of power and fulfillment.  When we seek spiritual power from sources other than God, we fall into the trap of Satan.  Thus many false religions and ideologies have come into being over the millennia of mankind’s existence.  Now not all mental problems are caused by demons.  However, our tendency in the modern era is to discount the biblical record and chalk it up to their ignorance.  This mistake will leave us powerless as well.  In the first century AD, Israel had become such a place where God’s word was only given a superficial nod.  Demonic possession had gone from a rare thing to something that was more common.  The 70 had seen cities and families powerless to deal with these possessed people.  Thus their shock at the obedience of the demons to themselves turns into great joy.

In verse 18 Jesus responds by telling them about seeing Satan fall from heaven like lightning.  Now the Bible speaks of several “falls” of Satan.  So it is not evident to which he is referring.  We know that Satan fell from being a Holy Angel to becoming a Fallen Angel.  He loses his place and position in the heavenly leadership.  Yet, Revelation 12:9 also speaks of a time where Satan is “kicked out” of the heavenlies.  His access to the throne of God is cut off and he is restricted to the earth.  Later he will be cast down into the Bottomless Pit, and then released for a short time.  After this he is cast into the Lake of Fire, from which there is no return.  Is Jesus looking back to the fall from grace at the beginning of creation?  If so he is warning them that Satan too once had powerful authority and yet fell from it out of pride.  However, Jesus may be looking to something during those days.  It is clear that the entrance of Jesus into mankind and the earth had begun the fall of Satan’s kingdom.  Satan had plundered all mankind and it was under his sway.  But Jesus comes forth and begins casting him down from his rule over people and nations.  The Church would extend what Jesus had begun because of the work done at the cross.  In this case Jesus is encouraging them that Satan has lost his place and his kingdom is ripe for the picking.  Of course this will not be completed until the 2^nd coming of Christ, but that is a topic for another time.

The second scenario seems more plausible because Jesus goes on to confirm that he had given his disciples authority over demons.  He calls them serpents and scorpions, but this is clearly a metaphor for the evil spirits.  We must remember that our authority is not over people and nations.  Similarly the enemy we are called to fight is not political parties, racial groups, other religions, or even Islamic Jihadis.  Our real war is against these evil spirits and the teachings or ideologies that they use to control people.

Now even though Jesus has given authority, we have to exercise that authority and learn how to use it.  We need to learn how to pray and fast, keep ourselves in daily communion with Jesus, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Instead of being fearful of these things or pretending they don’t exist, we need to take a stand against them and cast down their influence over others.  There is one thing to note.  Not all people are possessed by evil spirits.  Most people are just heavily influenced through philosophy and vain arguments exalted against God.  Possession occurs when people actually seek power from those spirits through the occult arts.  This “permission” allows evil spirits to dominate their personality and doesn’t always manifest the same way.  In cases where there is possession the person is generally wanting to be free of the tormenting spirit, although not always.  Yet, people who are under the seductive influence of demons are not so easily helped.  In those cases we have to use the Truth of God to free their mind from the lies they have embraced.

Now Jesus points them to center their rejoicing on the fact that their names are written in the heaven, i.e. that they belong to God and are saved.  I think a good principle to learn from this correction is that we should never rejoice in authority.  It is a duty and a responsibility for which we will be held accountable.  Much is at risk and requires sober focus upon the task at hand to be successful.  Therefore sobriety is the proper response to authority.  But the grace we have received from God is a proper thing to rejoice in. 

Let’s use an exorcism as an example.  The person who is freed from an evil spirit has been given the grace of God.  It is only right for them to rejoice that they are free from the evil spirit, have been given Truth, and are now able to follow Jesus.  However, the person who is used to cast the spirit out should rejoice that they belong to Jesus and now they have a new brother or sister who can experience that joy as well. 

Another example could be that of being a parent.  Raising children is a tough but rewarding task.  It is common for a young couple to rejoice that they have been given a child from God.  He has graced them with the child.  But few would rejoice that they have authority over the child.  No, that is the sobering part of being a parent.  Not only am I responsible to teach this child, but the child quickly shows that it has a sinful nature and often fights us in that responsibility.  Yet, parents can rejoice that the same God who has given them the task will also supply the help of the Holy Spirit to raise them for Him.  Thus the principle is this: rejoice in the grace you have received rather than the authority you have been given.  Rejoicing over authority actually leads to pride, arrogance, and eventually to a great fall.

Jesus Rejoices

As we see Jesus correcting their joy, in verses 21-24 we see that Jesus is not joyless himself.  Just as Jesus wept, he also rejoiced!  God does want us to have joy in life.  But He knows our hearts are tempted to rejoice in the wrong things.  Thus Luke relates those things that Jesus rejoiced in.

He rejoiced that the plan of salvation had been hidden from the “wise” of this world.  This may sound odd at first.  Why would God hide salvation from the wise of this world?  It is perhaps better to ask ourselves in what way it is hidden to them.  The Gospel is not a secret.  The death and resurrection of Jesus were done in the open and later preached openly over the course of two millennia.  It is not hidden in that they have never seen it or heard it.  Rather it is hidden because the choices they have made have blinded them to see that it is a greater wisdom.  They are so filled with their own wisdom that when the wisdom of God comes along, it seems foolish to them.  Yes, they see it with their natural eyes, but supernaturally they cannot see it for what it is.  Though we can learn many things through our knowledge and wisdom of this world, it can never lead us to discover the path of man’s salvation.  Will future artificial intelligences save mankind?  Will genetic manipulation lead to us becoming the gods that we have thrown behind us?  None of these answers or any future ones will really save mankind.  They will only lead to deeper hells and stronger chains.  The only way we can “see” the real path of salvation is to have it revealed to us by God Himself by His Spirit.  Those who are fascinated with their own methods of obtaining wisdom are not quick to turn to such a thing.  God’s wisdom recognizes that if he saves people through mankind’s own wisdom then He only will be stroking the pride of man and making his condition worse.  It was our “wisdom” that got us in this problem in the first place.  “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate it.”  Pride and lust have led to our fall and thus our salvation must cast these things to the ground.  When we recognize the wisdom of God, we too will rejoice that salvation is not something that an elite few of mankind can obtain.  The elite already think they are saved.  But God comes to those who know they are lost and cry out for help.  These He can save.

Jesus also rejoices that the plan of salvation has been revealed to “babes.”  “Babes” here is in contrast to the wise.  This mysterious salvation that is hidden and yet not hidden can be found by babies.  It is hidden to those who are full of themselves and believe that the only gems of knowledge are the ones they have found without the help of any god.  But God has given the truth, not to the Herods, Ceasars, and High Priests of this world.  Rather, he has given it to those whom these look down upon.  Those who are not full of themselves and are not offended at the need to humble themselves are able to receive God’s offer of salvation.  This is what makes Jesus rejoice.  If the way is hidden to you, it is by your own doing.

In verses 23-24, Jesus ends by reminding them of what God has given them.  A new and blessed age had begun through the wisdom of Christ.  In fact Jesus is the wisdom of God sent down to free mankind from the tyrannical pride of its own wisdom.  It is not that we shouldn’t be wise, but that our wisdom is in actuality foolishness.  When our wisdom causes us to cast the Creator aside, and when our wisdom doesn’t think retaining the knowledge of God is important, then we have doomed ourselves.  The Church of Christ was instituted as a part of a new kingdom in which the weak, poor, and babies of this world would be enabled to rise up and walk in the salvation of God.  They would live out this peculiar wisdom of God in the world, and by doing so, cast down the power of Satan and his den of snakes.

Let me encourage you, Christian, first cast down the teaching of demons in your own life.  You may not think of it as so.  But each time you cling to anger over forgiveness you have embraced the same thoughts of Satan and his evil spirits.  Each time you let wounds rule your life, you walk the same path that Satan and his spirits blazed eons ago.  When you have cleared your own life, then you will be able to help others, even to the point of exercising authority over demons.  Let us not walk in fear, or in arrogant pride.  Instead, let us walk in the simple faith of a child and prayerfully use the authority that Christ has given us for the sake of others.

Joy of Jesus Audio

Our Present Joy

We are continuing our walk through the letter of 1^st Peter.  As Peter laid out the truth of the believer’s new birth and secure inheritance, he then turns to recognize the affect that has had upon them.  The section we will look at today is 1 Peter 1:6-12.  The thrust of this section is this: Believers rejoice in their New Birth and Secure, Heavenly Inheritance.  It was a wonder-filled thing that they could claim to have been adopted by God and given a portion in his inheritance.  In truth, it would be considered hogwash if it wasn’t for the greatness of what Jesus taught and did.

We Rejoice Even Though We Have Various Trials

In verses 6 and 7 Peter recognizes that their great joy is despite various trials that they had gone through.  Whether it was the persecution back in Jerusalem that led to their scattering, or it was trials they went through in the new areas to which they had immigrated.  He recognizes that trials cause us to grieve.  Notice they are not berated.  They are not grieving as if they had no hope.  However, it is wrong-headed to berate people for grieving over trials and difficulties.  There is a process of feeling the weight of a trial, grieving over it, and finding peace in Christ through it.  This cannot be short-circuited by our knowledge of it.  Christians grieve and there is nothing wrong with that if we are looking to Christ for comfort and encouragement. 

Part of our comfort is to recognize that these trials are temporary.  Peter’s phrase is “for a little while.”  Peter is not an inexperienced kid telling them this.  He has been through the wringer himself.  Peter has been grieved by the treatment of his own people and further crushed by his personal failures at the cross.  Peter knows what it is to grieve.  However, he reminds them that it will not last forever.  In fact, in light of eternity this present heavy thing will not only seem quick, but also light.  This is not intended to object to their grief but rather to soothe it.  We need to find the grace to look past our present grief to the coming inheritance that God has secured for us.  However, this is a process that will occur many times throughout our life.

Peter also reminds them of why God allows trials in our lives.  They serve to “prove” that our faith is genuine.  The picture here is one of a metal that has been melted down and had the impurities removed to demonstrate its purity.  The “heat” of the trials in our life makes our faith stronger by causing weaknesses to rise to the surface so we can deal with them by the help of the Holy Spirit.  This kind of faith is what will be praised, honored and glorified at the return of Jesus.  Yes, only Jesus deserves these things.  But don’t discount the fact that we have been given the grace of sharing in the praise, honor and glory of Jesus Christ.  God’s plan of salvation was precisely a choosing of believing faith.  In fact Peter says that this kind of believing faith is more precious than gold.  God is not looking for the wisest, strongest, most beautiful, etc.  He is looking for those who will simply believe even in the midst of heated times.

We Rejoice Because Faith Enables Us

In verse 8 Peter ties their joy to their believing in Jesus.  How does faith lead to joy?  Well first he mentions Jesus.  Jesus is the Foundation of their faith.  They are looking forward to something, but the thing that holds up those expectations is Jesus himself.  If it wasn’t for Jesus we would have no hope before us.  Thus they have received the testimony regarding Jesus and have trusted it.  To the degree we trust, we have an internal confidence that we are going to receive our hope.  Thus, faith in Jesus yields confidence in our future hope.  This enables us to rejoice even when temporary difficulties afflict us. 

Notice that Peter refers to it as an “inexpressible” joy.  First of all, it is inexpressible because we just don’t know the full reality of what God has in mind for us.  1 Corinthians 2:9 quotes the Old Testament, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him.”  Our joy is expanded by the knowledge that God has only given us a sneak peek at the joys ahead.  It is also indescribable in that we would not have enough time (or enough tongues) to express all the goodness of God.  2 Corinthians 3:18 points out that God is transforming us from one level of his glory to another level.  Little by little we are transformed into the image of Jesus Christ by the power of the Spirit of Jesus.  This ever expanding blessing of God give us an ever increasing joy at his goodness that is present and future.

We Rejoice Because We Have Obtained Salvation

In verses 9-12 Peter reminds them that they have obtained the goal of their faith: salvation.  Yes, there are aspects to salvation that haven’t happened yet: Total Sanctification, Eradication of Sin, Resurrection, etc.  Yet, those who have trusted in Jesus and followed him do have salvation in hand.  It is a present possession.  We are no longer under the doom of the judgment of this world and our personal sin. 

This is the salvation that was promised by God through the prophets.  Now, Peter gives us an interesting look into the lives of the Old Testament prophets.  They spoke of the grace that was going to come to the believing remnant because of a process that led to God revealing to them his plan.

It starts with “indications of the Spirit.”  As they looked around them and saw the corruption of their society and the difficulty of weeding sin out of their own nature, the prophets began to sense indications from the Spirit that if the messiah came he would suffer.  If they had suffered for being faithful to God’s word then how much more would the messiah suffer who would be perfect in righteousness and faithfulness?  Yet, because they knew that no man could stop God’s plan to save mankind they recognized that he would overcome even this and bring mankind to the glories of salvation, but not because we deserve it.  These indications in their hearts drove them to prayer and searching the Scriptures.  It was in this environment of fervent and prayerful Bible study that God spoke of the things he would do.

It was also revealed to them that all the suffering, studying, searching, hearing and writing was not for their own benefit.  But, rather, it was for the benefit of those who would believe in the messiah because of their words.

The Apostles of Jesus not only had these words of the prophets, but they also listened to the One whom all prophecy points, Jesus.  They witnessed his teaching, love, death and resurrection.  Thus they passed on to us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the truth about God’s messiah.  Yes, he suffered and died for us.  However, he has obtained the grace of salvation for us.  What joy we not only have ahead of us, but also can have right now as we recognize the truth of what we have been given.

I love how Peter ends this with the quip that these are things that the angels strongly desire to look into.  Just as you and I may search Scripture to understand the end times, so angels are strongly curious about this work that God is doing among mankind, salvation.  Praise God!

Present Joy Audio