You may recall the overarching theme of the Bible that we have borrowed from Ken Easley...simply "that the Lord God through his Christ is graciously building a kingdom of redeemed people for their joy and for his own glory." Keep in mind the thought that HE is graciously building a kingdom of redeemed people...if they are redeemed that means that they were in desperate need of redemption! It means that they were LOST! It means there has to be a Redeemer. Do you remember what we recently read in 1 Pet 3:20? "When the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water." Eight...EIGHT PEOPLE from the face of the earth! Can you imagine, can you begin to fathom every human being...men, women, children, infants...drowned!
THIS IS AMAZING...it JUST occurred to me...really, it just now hit me...you may have already thought of this but I have never thought of this before...when surveyed what are the two most feared ways of dying? Drowning and fire...right? Take your own poll. We are not there yet, but soon in our daily reading we will see how the world will end. God promised that HE would never send another flood on the earth, but HE has promised to send fire as we see in 2 Pet 3:7,
"But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." As in the days of Noah, we are told that God is not slow in coming, but "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). This is so cool...there is a biblical reason why people fear drowning and death by fire!
WOW Mark, this is a happy Thanksgiving thought for the day! Back up with me for a moment...the thanksgiving part comes in realizing that God was not bound to redeem one person, much less eight, much less me or you!
I am thankful that in the counsel of the triune God it was determined before the foundation of the world to send the Son on a rescue mission, I am thankful that the "Lord God through HIS Christ is graciously building a kingdom of redeemed people for their joy and for HIS own glory." I am eternally thankful and amazed that HE saved me by grace through faith to be a part of HIS kingdom. I am thankful and in awe that God has given us HIS Holy and precious WORD! It is amazing to me that Peter, think about how much he experienced with Jesus) can say that the written Word of God is more sure than being an eyewitness to HIS transfiguration! Did you catch that? We place so much weight on our experiences, but Peter is telling us that the Word of God carries more weight than all his experiences! Think through the time Peter spent with Jesus...calming the storm, walking on the water, casting out demons, feeding the multitude, the countless healing, raising people from the dead, the miraculous catch of fish, the transfiguration and on and on...and Peter has the gumption to say that we have a more sure Word! That is absolutely right...we have a more sure Word! Thank you Father! Remember what Jesus said as HE told the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:31? "He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”
2 Pe 1:16-21 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
The same Holy Spirit that inspired the writers of scripture is the same Holy Spirit who dwells within God's children, this is the same Holy Spirit that reveals Jesus to us in and through this more sure Word. I am thankful for the Holy Spirit who opens the eyes of my heart and enables me to see Jesus!
Understanding that God would have been just if HE had chosen to destroy every human being and understanding that not only did HE not destroy those HE has called, justified, and glorified, but HE went and made us heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ...this is unbelievable apart from HIS saving grace through faith.
Father in heaven...THANK YOU!
love,
m