Prophets, Angels, and Christians

Well, let me ask you to open your ancient text to 1 Peter chapter 1, written about 2,000 years ago. And if you're visiting with us, we very much appreciate your coming, and I would explain that we have begun just a few weeks ago a study of 1 Peter, and today we're looking at 1 Peter chapter 1, verses 10 through 12. The Apostle Peter is writing to suffering and persecuted Christians who are scattered because of their faith.

They live in a very hostile world. Rome is a ruling power, and in living in that hostile world, their commitment to Jesus Christ is being tested through various kinds of trials. Yet, as we saw a few weeks ago, to use the words at the end of verse 8, they rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. Amazing, that in the middle of these trials and difficulties and distress, they are rejoicing, which means clearly their joy was not driven by circumstances. Christian joy, true joy, must not be confused or equated with happiness. Happiness is event-oriented and depends on happenings. When things in life go well, we're happy. When there are worries, we are sad. You get a raise at work, you're happy.

You get fired, you're sad. That's happiness. But the promise of the gospel is very different. The promise of the Christian gospel is that when we come to the Lord Jesus Christ, He gives us a fountain of water springing up to eternal life. If you have a stagnant pool within you, you'll try anything and everything in a search for happiness. And behind the glamour and the glitz of the rich and the famous, there are often broken people, as we know, as we listen to them, who know very, very little of lasting joy. As I say, happiness is event-oriented. We can say that joy, true joy, is relationship-oriented. It begins with our living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. And in His Spirit, part of the fruit of the Spirit is joy. Joy is the overflow of the life of God within us.

You understand that, don't you? That the promise of the gospel, amazing promise, is that when we come to Christ, He lives within us. And as we look at this first chapter of 1 Timothy, from a secular viewpoint, the readers of 1 Peter, these first century Christians, had every right to be miserable, every right to be unhappy. Here they were, followers of Jesus Christ. They are exiled, they're persecuted, they're misunderstood, they're going through distressing times, real suffering, but in the midst of these difficulties, they are rejoicing. Our question is, how can they do it?

How do you do it? How do you respond when life does not go the way that you think it should go? When life doesn't go the way according to your plans, how do you react? Are you devastated or rather do you see the hand of God in everything you do? These first century Christians, as Peter is writing to them, and he's encouraging them to do this, to celebrate their great salvation in their magnificent Savior.

That's it. That's what we've been doing this morning, isn't it? Irrespective of our circumstances, some of you have had a great week, some of you may have had the most difficult week of your life, but irrespective of our personal circumstances, we can rejoice in our magnificent Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. So let's read from 1 Peter 1, verses 10 through 12. In some ways, this is not the easiest passage, but I think we can get the basic point so that we will rejoice.

Here's the goal, that we will rejoice more and more in our salvation. 1 Peter 1, verse 10, concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preach the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look."

Isn't that a very thought-provoking passage? I want to remind us this, that in the drama of redemption, Christ's followers are uniquely privileged. I want us to understand how in the progress of Revelation and the purposes of God, we who are followers of Jesus Christ, as many of us would claim today, that we are uniquely privileged.

Think of the Old Testament prophets. Peter is telling us they didn't understand all of the details surrounding the Messiah, or they knew that the Messiah, the long-promised Messiah of the Son of David, that He would bring salvation. But they didn't know when He would come, and they didn't know the circumstances of His coming. And so what are they doing, says Peter here in verse 10? They are searching and inquiring carefully the Scriptures, the Scriptures that they had. Notice what he says, inquiring verse 11, what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating. When was He going to come? How are these prophecies going to be fulfilled?

What do they mean? And as we think of the Torah, I think it's wonderful to think of these Old Testament prophets, and including Moses himself, as he was writing these Scriptures, and as the other prophets in the Old Testament were reading these Scriptures, wondering, how is all of this going to work together? Think for example of Genesis 3 verse 15. Here is the first, we could say, redemptive promise. Think of Moses when he first writes of this. Think of the other prophets, these holy men who were so close to God, reading about it.

What do we read? Genesis 3 verse 15, I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. Right in the Torah, first book of the Torah, the book of beginnings, Genesis, he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. Rather cryptic, isn't it? I mean, how is this going to happen? How is it that the seed of the woman is going to bruise the seed of the enemy?

Well, we know the answer to that, don't we? The writer of Hebrews says magnificently, Hebrews 2 verse 14, that through death, the Messiah destroyed the one who has the power of death, even the devil. Not wonderful to know that the head is bruised by our magnificent Savior who goes into death. Yes, Genesis 3 is a story of death because of sin, but our Savior comes and He goes into death and He destroys the power of death. So, as I stood with some of you on Friday at the open graveside for the funeral of Fort Nancy Gardner, one of our esteemed missionaries, we could rejoice.

Why? Because our Savior has gone, but He has gone into death and has conquered death. Think also of Exodus in the Torah, the second book, Exodus 12, the great story of the Passover. Think of the instructions given to the people, your lamb shall be without blemish.

We'll see that exact expression in 1 Peter in a minute. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. Then you shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. Verse 13, the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are.

And when I see the blood, I will pass over you and no plague shall befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. Yes, we know that was the physical deliverance of the people from the bondage or the little bondage and slavery of Egypt. But as they are writing, as these prophets are studying the Scriptures and thinking about this lamb and the necessity of sacrifice and the necessity of being protected by the blood of the lamb, and as they think of the great day of atonement, the day of Yom Kippur described in Leviticus 16, you can imagine these men and women as they're reading the Scriptures and as they're inquiring and probing and saying, how is this actually going to be worked out?

Think how privileged we are that we have the answer. 1 Peter 1 verse 19, as Peter talks about our redemption. Not a redemption from the slavery of Egypt, but the redemption from our sin. But with how are we redeemed? Not with corruptible things, perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish. That's Exodus 12, that the lamb is to be a perfect lamb. Who is going to be this perfect one?

How is this going to happen? That He gives His precious blood as we'll celebrate the moment as we take communion, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. So here are, Peter is saying, here are these Old Testament prophets, they're probing, they're inquiring carefully as they read the Scriptures they have. And no doubt they hoped, I'm sure they did, they would hope that that great messianic age would dawn during their own lifetime. They would be longing for the Messiah to come when they are alive, just as we who are followers of Jesus Christ trust and look for the actual coming of Christ during our own lifetime. They didn't understand the time and the events between the first coming of Christ and the second coming. Both first and second comings are written in the ancient Scriptures, but how could they put them together? They believed, yes, these prophecies would take place. They were people of faith, but they didn't know how or when. Think of Daniel, the man who received all of these wonderful visions, but he himself says in Daniel 12 verse 8, oh my Lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?

He's writing of tremendous future events and he's saying, I don't really understand how all of this is going to work out. And now in the progress of Revelation, we, followers of Christ, are uniquely privileged. Prophecies, end of verse 12 of the Old Testament, refer to the sufferings of Christ, the sufferings of the Messiah, and the subsequent glories. Do you think of any Old Testament prophecies regarding the suffering of Christ? Probably the most familiar example is from the book of Isaiah, verse 53.

Think of this, Isaiah writing 700, 750 years before the actual event. Here is his prophecy regarding the coming Messiah, verse 5, He is pierced. The Messiah is going to be pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities. Upon Him was this chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We've turned every one of us to His own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. The sufferings of Christ. Yes, there are other passages in the Old Testament prophets, but how is this going to be accomplished?

What about the subsequent glories? Listen to Daniel as he receives the vision in Daniel chapter 7, the night vision. Behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son of Man, and He came to the ancient of days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion and glory and the kingdom that all people's nations and languages should serve Him. He's under Babylon, the superpower.

Yes, but Daniel is given this vision. There's going to be a dominion. There's going to be a kingdom which is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. The sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

But what is the relationship between them? Not clearly understood by the prophets. And you remember when our Lord and His incarnation came to earth, when the disciples began to understand that He was in fact the Messiah.

You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. They thought of a Messiah as one who there and then was going to institute His messianic kingdom, overthrow Rome, and set up His kingdom there on earth. And when that wasn't happening, they are shattered. The Messiah is crucified.

They were not expecting that at all. This concept of a suffering Messiah is difficult for the prophets, difficult for the disciples. But Peter explains, first the sufferings, and then the subsequent glories.

Listen for us there. Listen to Jesus as He gives that wonderful Bible reading to the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke chapter 24. He says to them, O foolish ones and slow of heart, to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory? And beginning with Moses, the Torah, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. All of the Scriptures is our magnificent Lord Jesus Christ. First He endures the cross, then comes the resurrection, the ascension, and His future return and reign.

But first the cross, and then the crown. See, this truth that suffering precedes glory is difficult for us, isn't it? Very relevant for Peter's readers, their suffering. You wonder, in the middle of the suffering you wonder how you're going to survive, don't you? Sometimes you wonder if you're able to make the next day.

Are you able, in fact, to make the next step? Life seems so dark, life seems so difficult and so disappointing and so utterly horrible. But then, as followers of Jesus Christ, we don't stay in that darkness, do we? We look up and we look to our magnificent Savior, but one of the important messages of 1 Peter, and it's a hard message for us and it goes against our society, don't be surprised when suffering comes. Peter says that expressly in chapter 4 verse 12.

Don't be surprised at the fiery trials, but don't forget in the middle of your trial to look up. He's reminded us earlier in chapter 1 that we have an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, unfading, reserved in heaven for you. That as a child of God, irrespective of the difficulties of the suffering, nothing can change this. That I have an inheritance, it's reserved for me in heaven. And having that eternal perspective, understanding first the suffering and then the glory helps us.

It maintains our joy. And to understand, as we saw last time, that through suffering, God is refining us. That through the refiner's fire, God is shaping us and conforming us to be more and more like Jesus.

So, I'm saying to you today, on the basis of this passage and others, we who follow Jesus Christ are uniquely privileged. We today understand and experience things that the Old Testament prophets didn't fully understand. I recently preached some messages on Jeremiah. What a tremendous prophet. Think of Isaiah. Think of Daniel. Think of Ezekiel. Think of these outstanding prophets, but we today understand and experience truths in a unique way.

And so, Peter is reminding his leaders who are experiencing difficult times, ostracized by society, perhaps losing their job, perhaps thrown out of their homes, that they stand uniquely as followers of Jesus Christ. Didn't the Lord teach this? I don't know if you've ever noticed this verse, Matthew chapter 13. Matthew 13, verse 16, Jesus says to His disciples, "'Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears for they hear.'" Are you seeing? Are you with me today? Are your spiritual eyes open? Are your spiritual ears open? You're ready to receive God's truth? For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous people long to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and didn't hear it. These Old Testament prophets, as they wrote the Scriptures, as they read it, they longed, they inquired about the coming of the Messiah and the events, the future events.

How is all this going to work out? And now we, as followers of Christ, who've received the full revelation of God, we see what they did not see, and we understand what they only partially understood. And we rejoice then in the blessings of salvation that we realize what the Old Testament prophets could only anticipate. What a great salvation we have.

You know, the world may despise it. And I realize sometimes it's tough being a Christian. And sometimes you may get weary.

And sometimes you may look at unbelievers and think, well, their life isn't so bad, and you become a little envious of them. I'm saying to you, stand firm. Be strong.

Don't go back. Look up. Look to Christ. Look to the eternal inheritance that is yours.

Don't be discouraged when the trials come. They will come, first the suffering and then the glory. And, isn't this fascinating? Do you know this? Peter's almost a throwaway line at the end of verse 12. He says, things into which angels long to look.

You ever think of this? We have greater blessings than the angels. Everything isn't revealed or experienced by the angels.

Peter's saying they long to look into our salvation. The angels have never personally experienced the mercy of God. Jesus Christ didn't atone on the cross for the sins of angels. Angels are not heirs with God and joint heirs with Christ. No, the holy angels who serve God with veiled faith, they must marvel and rejoice at the magnificent salvation that sinful people like you and myself are. Remember Jesus said in Luke 15, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

And so here are the Old Testament writers peering and then searching into these Scriptures down through the centuries. Here are things which the angels long to see and long to hear that we as followers of Christ experience. Praise His name. It's wonderful to be a Christian, isn't it?

The greatest privilege on earth to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Now, I have three points as I conclude. I'd like some of you to say, well, what is there for Monday? Give me something for Monday.

Well, this is not just for Monday, this is for Tuesday, Wednesday. This is for all of life. But my first point is this. The New Testament message of salvation in Jesus Christ is not a new one, but is a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.

I want you to understand that. The New Testament message of salvation in Jesus Christ is not a new message, but is a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. That is, there is a unity between the Old Testament and the New Testament, centering on the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the salvation which He brings. When the Old Testament prophets wrote in the Scriptures, what was, Peter says, now preached to these first century Christians is consistent with what the Old Testament taught. That is, what was partially hidden in the Old Testament now in the progress of salvation is revealed in the New Testament. The Old Testament is pointing forward.

The New Testament, truth is realized, truth is fulfilled. This is why we study the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. I realize there's out there this new trend that you kind of discard the Old Testament.

It's kind of irrelevant. It's kind of harsh anyhow, and let's just focus on Jesus. Well, if you focus on Jesus, you've got to focus on the Old Testament as well because all of Scripture testifies to Christ. Did you also notice in verse 12, something very important, that these Old Testament writers including Moses, the Torah, it was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you. And did you notice in verse 10, concerning the salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours. So these Old Testament prophets, although they didn't understand the when and the how and the circumstances and the timing, they knew that they were writing for those coming after them like us. And says Peter, the things that have now, verse 12, now been announced to you through those who preach the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.

And today, as a preacher of the gospel, I am preaching by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven the good news of Jesus Christ, that He is in all of the Scriptures and that there is salvation found only in Him. The Old Testament prophesied of His sinlessness, of His death, of His burial, and of His resurrection, and historically that was fulfilled. And in the New Testament, we have the theological explanation of all of that so that we understand that my only hope is found in Jesus Christ. The New Testament of salvation in Jesus Christ then is not a new one, but it's a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Today, not all of the Old Testament prophecies have been fulfilled, but they will be fulfilled.

Did you get that? Many of the Old Testament prophecies in the Torah and the other Old Testament Scriptures are fulfilled. Christ has come, but all of the prophecies have not yet been fulfilled. Let me refer you, particularly relevant today with what's going on in the Middle East, Genesis 17. Genesis 17, verse 8, part of what we call the Abrahamic Covenant.

Here's the promise. Genesis 17, verse 7, here's part of the Torah in these very Scriptures here. I will establish, verse 7, my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God. Just for today, who should be in the Holy Land? Here is the promise to Abraham and his offspring that God is giving them all the land of Canaan. This is particularly relevant today, isn't it? With the attack by Hamas on innocent Israelis slaughtering their babies, their pregnant women, the elderly kidnapping men and women and children.

It was not so much an act of war, it was an act of terrorism, of absolutely barbaric slaughter. This Torah is opened to Genesis 6. And in Genesis 6, God is about to judge the world, the time of Noah. And why is God going to judge the world?

Genesis 6, part of the Torah. Genesis 6 verse 13, and God said to Noah, I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

Why would God judge people that He had made? I, for the earth is filled with violence through them. You know the Hebrew word for violence there? Hamas. The earth is filled with violence, Hamas. And Hamas has its goal, a violent, an evil goal, a demonic goal to exterminate the Jewish nation. And we who understand Scripture, and we who value the Old Testament Scripture as well as the new, as well as respecting history, understand that we must, and I'm so glad that the United States so far and trust will continue with President Biden, with the secretary of state Blinken and others, and with the Congress will stand firm on the side of Israel against these acts of barbarism.

That a country like Israel has the right to defend itself against the slaughter of its innocent citizens. But turn in your Bible to Zechariah. You say, I can't find Zechariah.

Yes, you can. You find Matthew? Before Matthew is Malachi, and before Malachi is Zechariah. If you really start to look at the index, people around you are watching you and saying, I can't believe they can't get Zechariah. Go to Matthew, work back, Malachi, Zechariah.

Now notice this. Here is Scripture which has not yet been fulfilled, prophecies. Zechariah 14 verse 1, "'Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations,' notice this, "'against Jerusalem to battle. And the city shall be taken, and the houses plundered, and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as when He fights on the day of battle. On that day His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.'"

Interesting. Notice, all of the nations gathered against Jerusalem to battle. Going over to Revelation, the last book, again unfulfilled prophecy, Revelation 16 verse 14. You can all find the last book, Revelation 16 verse 14, "'For there are demonic spirits performing signs who go abroad to the kings of the whole world,' notice that, "'the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty,' parenthesis bold I'm coming like a thief, blessed is the one who stays awake, keeps his garments on that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed."

Keep yourself close to Christ. Verse 16, "'And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.'" A future day when the nations and the armies of the world are going to assemble at Armageddon. Some of us in May were there.

We looked down at the great valley. They're going to assemble there and they're going to go do battle against Israel. Does Israel have any enemies?

Think of alas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, Syria, Iran, the Yemenite Houthis and many others. Yes, there has been that slaughter, but that is but a foretest of what's going to happen. As all of the armies of the world, Zechariah is saying, John is prophesying in Revelation 16, are going to assemble against Israel.

But remember the principle. First the suffering, then the subsequent glory. Zechariah 14, verse 9, "'And the Lord will be king over the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and His name one.'" Revelation 19, the rider on the white horse. Revelation 19, verse 11, here is the return of our Savior with power and glory.

"'Then I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse. The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True and in righteousness he judges and makes war.'" Verse 15, "'From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.'" Yes, there's going to be a tremendous battle, the battle of Armageddon, when all of the nations are arrayed against little Israel in that tiny part of real estate at the center of the world. And think of this, they're all arrayed against Israel, and it seems that Israel's going to be wiped out. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords will return triumphantly, and we who are His followers, we're going to array with Him. We're on the winning side, and when He returns with power and glory, the Old Testament prophets are saying, and the New Testament prophets are saying, that all of His enemies will be destroyed, and Israel will be saved. In that way, Romans 11, all Israel will be saved, and the kingdom of God will be established on earth, and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea. Old Testament Habakkuk says, and a wonderful, and Jesus Christ is going to reign.

He's the Prince of Peace, and He's going to reign with perfect peace and righteousness. My dear child of God, don't panic. Of course, we're concerned. We pray. It seems as if we could be just on the verge of a World War III with all that is happening in a troubled world, and we pray, and we want to pray for our leaders and trust that they are wise, that we look beyond that to this great, magnificent day when our Savior will come.

Here's the third point very quickly. Our King Jesus, the Messiah, the Lamb, is at the center of all Scripture, the center of all human history, and of course, the center for all eternity. Our Lord and the Lord to me is interpreted to them in all of the Scriptures, the things concerning Himself. He is the central person in all of history. I have to ask you, is He central in your life? Is He? Is Jesus Christ number one in your life?

Is He truly? He's your Lord. He's your Savior.

You're following Him in the drama of redemption. We who now follow Jesus Christ are uniquely privileged, and with all of the redeemed, yes, all of the redeemed. In that wonderful future day, we will sing a new song. Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe, and language, and people, and nation. And you have made them a kingdom and preached to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. Verse 12, worthy is the Lamb who was slain. Verse 13, to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing, and honor, and glory, and might forever and ever. Be encouraged, child of God.

This is our future. And today, as we prepare our hearts to break bread, we sing that song. We can begin that song. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, as we remember our magnificent Savior, who loved us, who gave Himself for us.

Let's love Him. Let's serve Him with all of our heart, and let's look forward to that great day, which will take place when He will return, and catch up His people to be with Himself. And then, after the tribulation period, come with power and glory, and destroy all of His enemies, including the devil himself, who will be thrown into the lake of fire, and we shall be forever with the Lord. Our Father and our God, these are deep, deep truths to us. We thank You that You have revealed them and that what was partially hidden to the Old Testament prophets we can understand, but I pray more than that, Father, that we will be authentic followers of Jesus Christ. Some here are not following Christ. May they repent of their sins and call in the name of the Lord and be saved. And may we, who sometimes go through difficult circumstances, not be discouraged, not be discouraged by what's happening in the Middle East, but to know that You are a God who's in control, and that Your Word, these prophecies as they were fulfilled in the first coming of Christ, so will certainly be fulfilled in the future, and that we shall be forever with the Lord. Bless us, Father, and guide us, we ask in Christ's name. Amen.