Philippians 2:9-11; The Name Above All Names

11/26 Philippians 2:9-11; The Name Above All Names; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20231126_philippians-2_9-11.mp3

Philippians 2:5 …Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Jesus emptied himself. Eternally existing in the very form of God; sharing the divine glory with his Father, he didn’t cling to the glory of his status as equal with his Father. Jesus emptied himself, not by becoming less than what he was; God cannot change. He emptied himself by becoming something he had never been before, he took the form of a servant. He was born in the likeness of men. Remaining fully God, he concealed his divine glory behind ordinary human flesh. Remaining what he was, he became what he was not. The eternal Son of God became the God-man; two natures, human and divine, united indivisibly in one person forever. Incarnation. God with flesh on. This is what we celebrate at Christmas.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. …14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt [tabernacled – pitched his tent] among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. …18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

The eternal divine nature united to an authentically human nature, Jesus, having taken the form of a slave,

Philippians 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

God who came down, the God-man, humbled himself to suffer the ultimate humiliation. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. He was betrayed by a friend for the price of a common slave. Falsely accused, a mockery of justice, he was flogged, mocked, spat upon, treated as a common criminal, stripped naked, nailed to the wood of a tree he had breathed into existence, lifted up between heaven and earth to bear all my shame, my guilt, the full wrath of a just God toward my sins. All this Jesus took voluntarily, as my substitute.

Philippians 2:9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Exaltation of the Man

Jesus emptied himself. Jesus humbled himself. So the Father super-exalted his Son Jesus.

Luke 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus humbled himself more than anyone ever could. Therefore, his Father lifted him up higher than anyone ever. In what way did God exalt Jesus? The glory of divine majesty already belonged to him by right. Jesus prayed in Jn.17

John 17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

This is not the same as that. That glory belonged to his divine nature. This glory in Philippians is a new glory, a gift from the Father, freely and graciously bestowed. This was an an exaltation Jesus did not have before, and it was given as a result of his self-humbling. Jesus emptied himself by becoming human; Jesus humbled himself by his obedient submission to crucifixion as the sin-bearing substitute. Therefore, this is why God has super-exalted him. This lifting up is related to his humanity. We looked last time at Psalm 8, applied in Hebrews 2 to Jesus in his humiliation and exaltation.

Psalm 8:4 ​what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, …9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Jesus humbled himself to become human, to die for our sins; so the Father lifted up the God-man Jesus. Where Adam exalted himself and sinned, seeking to be like God; Jesus did not consider his equality with God something to cling selfishly to, but became man to rescue us. So Jesus the man was lifted up, crowned with glory and honor, given dominion over all creation.

We were given this vision in Daniel 7

Daniel 7:13 “I saw in the night visions, and 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. 14 ​And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Now we can put together the background of this scene, who this one like a son of man is, where he came from, how he came to be in the likeness of a son of man, why he was given dominion, glory, and an everlasting kingdom. Because he humbled himself.

The Name

Philippians 2:9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

What is the name that is above every name? Last time we looked at Psalm 97, where this word ‘super-exalted’ was used.

Psalm 97:9 For you, O LORD [YHWH], are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

YHWH is the one who is super-exalted above all gods. When Jesus told the Pharisees that Abraham rejoiced to see his day, they were incredulous; you are not yet fifty years old; have you seen Abraham?

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

Jesus doesn’t say ‘before Abraham was, I was.’ That would’ve been better grammar. He is connecting them back to the divine name given to Moses in Exodus 3:14

Exodus 3:13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

Jesus claims the divine name, the I AM, YHWH, the self-existent one, I am that I am. Jesus was claiming the divine name YHWH and the Jews understood it.

John 8:59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

The Glory of God the Redeemer

Jesus knew who he was. When he humbled himself to become human his identity never changed. He remained who he always was. But he did not receive the honor due his great name. He was rejected, betrayed, dishonored, we spat on him. Here, as a result of his self-humbling, the Father lifted him up so that he would receive the glory due his name, and even more; not only as the eternal Son, creator and sustainer of all that exists, but now as rescuer and redeemer, the one who became man to save mankind, who under the worst circumstances as a man perfectly obeyed the Father, and won the praise ‘this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’ (Mt.3:17; 17:5).

All Authority Given to Jesus

Therefore God vindicated the great name of his only Son, and gave him the name that is above every name. After his resurrection Jesus said:

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

The Father gave Jesus all authority. Romans describes the good news;

Romans 1:1 …the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

Ephesians 1 describes;

Ephesians 1:19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

Every Knee, Every Tongue

Philippians 2:9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Every knee will bow at the name of Jesus. Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. This is a quote from Isaiah 45. Isaiah 45 is a chapter that exults in the exclusive glory of God;

Isaiah 45:5 ​I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God… 6 ​that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. 7 I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things.

…14 …Egypt …Cush, and the Sabeans, …saying: ‘Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god besides him.’”

… 18 For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the LORD, and there is no other.

… 21 ​Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. 22 “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. 23 ​By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’

YHWH alone is God; there is no other. To YHWH every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance. Romans 14 applies this to Jesus;

Romans 14:9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. …11 for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

Every knee, in heaven and on earth and under the earth shall bow to Jesus. Every tongue; every people, tribe and nation shall swear allegiance to Jesus. Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is YHWH, the LORD, to the glory of God the Father.

Confessing Jesus Christ as LORD

To Thomas, skeptical of the resurrection, Jesus said:

John 20:27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

Thomas owned the resurrected Jesus as his Lord and his God.

John 20:29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Eternal life is contingent on believing in Jesus, swearing allegiance to Jesus, on owning him as your Lord and your God.

Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Acts 4:10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

This man, Jesus of Nazareth, God exalted and gave the name above all names. Romans 10 says

Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Have you? Have you bowed the knee? You will. Best to willingly bow to him now and be saved. He came to die for you!

Philippians 2:5 …Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

***

Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org

Philippians 2:9; Jesus Super-Exalted

11/19 Philippians 2:9; Jesus Super-Exalted; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20231119_philippians-2_9.mp3

Philippians 2:1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Self-Humbling; Other Exalting

We have looked at the self-emptying, self-humbling of Christ. Throughout verses 5-8 the primary subject is Christ Jesus, who he is, what he did. Not clinging to his own equality with God, he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave. He humbled himself by his obedience even to death even death on the cross. Jesus emptied himself; Jesus humbled himself. But in verse 9-11 the subject changes. No longer is Jesus the one doing the action; now it is the Father. And no longer is the action reflexive; what one does in respect to himself. Now it is God acting on behalf of another. In the first part, Christ is the subject of his own actions; in the second he is the object of his Father’s actions.

Super-Exalted

Jesus humbled himself; God super-exalted Jesus. This ‘super’ or ‘above’ prefix was used back in verse 3, where we are told in humility to consider others as superior to ourselves; to hold them above ourselves;. Here Jesus having humbled himself, God super-exalted Jesus, or elevated him above; this is a unique compound word that points to the highest possible exaltation.

This unique word was used in the Greek translation of Psalm 97:9

Psalm 97:1 The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! 2 ​Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. 3 ​Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around. 4 His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. 5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. 7 All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods! 8 Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O LORD. 9 For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted [LXX: ὑπερυψώθης] far above all gods.

YHWH is sovereign, YHWH is most high, YWHW is super-exalted far above all gods. And God has super-exalted Jesus.

Connection of Humility and Exaltation

This verse starts with a ‘therefore’; it is actually a double conjunction [διὸ καὶ] that can be translated ‘this is why’. What is the connection between Jesus’ self emptying, self humbling and the Father exalting him? ‘This is why’ connects Christ’s self-humbling as the reason why his Father lifted him so high above.

Jesus himself taught that ‘everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted’.

Luke 14:7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (cf. 18:14)

Jesus warned against the Pharisees

Matthew 23:6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

The true path to greatness is in humility serving others. Both James and Peter concur;

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

Jesus was the perfect example of patient self-humbling, waiting for the proper time.

Reciprocal Glory (John)

Jesus said

John 8:50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge.

John 8:54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’

Jesus was not pursuing his own glory; he pursued the glory of his Father. And the Father was pursuing the glory of his only Son Jesus.

In anticipation of the cross,

John 12:23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. 27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

Jesus was seeking not his own glory but the glory of his Father. He understood his own glory would be the glory of a grain of wheat, one who was willing to lose his life in order to find it.

John 13:31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.

The glory is reciprocal; Jesus pursuing the glory of the Father, and God pursuing the glory of the Son. Jesus prayed:

John 17:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, … 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

Jesus humbled himself by becoming man, by becoming obedient even to death, even death on a cross. So the Father super-exalted Jesus.

Perfect Man, Made Perfect Through Suffering (Psalm 8)

The author of Hebrews quotes Psalm 8, which begins and ends by celebrating the majesty of the name of YHWH, who set his glory above the heavens. Psalm 8 marvels at God creating mankind in his own image, appointing man to reflect his glory, to have dominion over all creation. Hebrews sees Jesus as the perfect fulfillment of what man was meant to be.

Hebrews 2:5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? 7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, 8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, his death for others. Jesus made perfect or complete through suffering. Jesus being fully God was eternally perfect; but Jesus the mediator, Jesus the redeemer, in his role of bringing many sons to glory, had to humble himself to suffer death on a cross in order to become the perfect mediator, the perfect redeemer. He became obedient even to death to become the perfect man who perfectly obeyed the Father.

The Suffering Servant Exalted (Isaiah 53)

In Isaiah 52-53, the Suffering Servant will be high and lifted up, exalted, precisely because of his suffering.

God sets out to redeem his people from slavery, and to vindicate the honor of his name; ‘continually, all the day, my name is despised

Isaiah 52:6 Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am.” 7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” 8 The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the LORD to Zion. 9 ​Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 ​The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

YHWH has bared his arm to put on display his salvation and vindicate his holy name.

Isaiah 52:13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.

The servant of YHWH will be high and lifted up, exalted. But how?

Isaiah 52:14 As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind— 15 so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand.

Isaiah 53:1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 ​He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

The arm of YHWH was revealed, but how? Not in strength, but in weakness, in humility, in humanity, but humanity that was marred, disfigured.

Isaiah 53:4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 ​But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 ​All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief;

This servant of YHWH came to do not his own will but the will of him who sent him. And that will was suffering as a substitute, submitting himself to griefs and sorrows, he became as a lamb led to the slaughter.

Isaiah 53:10 …when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 ​Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Therefore. God is satisfied with the anguish of his soul. Because he poured out his soul to death, therefore YHWH will divide him a portion, a spoil, a reward. In humility is his wisdom, and he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.

Isaiah began his book saying

Isaiah 2:11 ​The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. …17 ​And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

YHWH alone will be exalted in that day.

Philippians 2:5 …Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

***

Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org

Daniel 11:36-45; Antichrist the Antitype

11/20_Daniel 11:36-45; Antichrist the Antitype Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20221120_dan11_36-45.mp3

We are looking today at the end of Daniel 11. The first 20 verses of Daniel 11 sweep through the coming 360 years of the future history of God’s people and God’s promised land from Daniel’s day, up to the time of a leader who will reign for a brief 11 years, and he becomes the focus of the next 15 verses. Then in verses 36 to the end, the focus leaps forward to the far distant future, to the time of the end, to a coming leader who will be a terrible persecutor God’s people.

Liberal Scholars And Predictive Prophecy

This chapter chronicles the Greek dynasties after Alexander the Great, the Ptolemies ruling Egypt coming from the south of Israel, and the Seleucids ruling Syria and Babylon coming from the north of Israel.

The first 35 verses of the chapter are so detailed, so precise, and fit the events of history as we now know it so exactly, that scholars who don’t believe that God predicts the future conclude that up to this point the chapter is pseudo-prophecy, written by a second century author during the time of the Maccabees; history written after the fact purporting to be prophecy.

Verses 21-35 follow Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who ruled from 175-164 BC. But the remainder of the chapter no longer precisely matches any historical events from our perspective like the first half of the chapter did. Verses 40-41 detail an attack from the king of the south, successfully repelled by the king of the north, and then verses 42-43 a victorious campaign against Egypt by the king of the north; verses 44-45 a return to Israel where this king suddenly comes to an end with no one to help him. None of the events described in verses 40-45 happened under Antiochus IV Epiphanes, or any of the following Seleucid rulers, so liberal scholars conclude that from this point on it is prophetic guesses of the kinds of events we might anticipate, but we should not expect any precise literal fulfillment.

Here’s what one author (John Goldingay, WBC, p.305) writes: “But vv 40-45 cannot be correlated with actual events as vv 21-39 can… These facts suggest that v 40 marks the transition from quasi-prediction based on historical facts to actual prediction based on Scripture and on the pattern of earlier events; this continues into 12:1-3. These predictions, then, are not to be read as if they were mere anticipatory announcements of fixed future events; like the promises and warnings of the prophets, they paint an imaginative scenario of the kind of issue that must come from present events. The fact that their portrayal does not correspond to actual events in the 160s B.C. compares with the fact that the Christ event does not correspond to other OT prophecies of future redemption (e.g., Isa 9:1-6 [2-7]). It is not the nature of biblical prophecy to give a literal account of events before they take place.”

God Who Declares the Future

But God himself says:

Isaiah 44:6 Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. 7 Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.

Isaiah 46:9 …I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

It seems to me a much better conclusion to draw, based on the character of God, and based on the precise fulfillment of every detail in the first 35 verses as history unfolded, that we should expect just as exact a fulfillment of the next 16 verses, and the fact that we don’t see any corresponding fulfillment in history should lead believers to the conclusion that it hasn’t happened yet! All of chapter 11 was future when it was given by the heavenly messenger to Daniel in 536 BC, and this last section is still future from our perspective today.

What Is To Happen In The Latter Days

This shouldn’t surprise us, because the messenger told Daniel in 10:14

Daniel 10:14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”

This message is about the latter days. It is for days yet to come. Verse 40 clues us in to this when it locates these events ‘at the time of the end’. And this message is about what will happen to Daniel’s people, the Jewish people in the latter days. Israel is literally in the center of these prophecies, as the kings to the south and the kings to the north trample through the beautiful land, and persecute God’s chosen people.

Chapter 12, which continues the same vision, moves directly on to the resurrection, ‘some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt’. That hasn’t happened yet.

And Jesus refers to these events; to ‘the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel’ and the ‘great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be’ (Mt.24:15, 21) from his perspective as still future.

Composite Pictures in Daniel

Here’s what we have going on so far in Daniel. Imagine a composite sketch where different details and characteristics are added at different times. When you overlay them all you gain a much more complete picture than you get from any one standing alone. In chapter 1 we learn that God gives his own disobedient people into the hand of their enemies to discipline them, yet he still remains faithful to them.

In chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar is given a dream of a statue that outlined coming successive kingdoms of gold, silver, bronze, and iron, with feet and toes partly of potters clay and partly of iron, that will all be crushed by a stone cut out without hands that grew to fill the whole earth.

In chapter 3 Nebuchadnezzar makes a great image and demands that all people pay homage to it under penalty of death, but a few will remain faithful whatever the cost.

In chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar, boasting about his mighty power and the glory of his majesty (4:30) is humbled and learns ‘that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will’ (4:17, 25, 32), and ‘he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”’ (4:35).

In chapter 5 Belshazzar in blasphemous pride drinking from the sacred temple vessels learns the same lesson; he is killed and his kingdom is given over to the Medes an the Persians.

In chaper 6, we see people conspire against God’s faithful people, and learn that sometimes God allows them to be thrown to the lions, but ultimately God is faithful to his people.

In chapter 7, Daniel himself is given a dream of four coming kingdom beasts, and the final terrible beast had ten horns. Another little horn grew among them, uprooting three of the first horns, and this horn had eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great things. Daniel saw the Ancient of Days seated in judgment, and the final beast was killed and authority over all kingdoms was given to the divine Son of Man coming on the clouds of glory. Daniel learns that this little horn makes war with the saints and prevails over them until the Ancient of Days came. He is told:

Daniel 7:23 “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. 25 ​He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26 ​But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. 27 ​And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

Daniel is given a vision in chapter 8 of a Medo-Persian ram conquered by a Greek goat whose horn was broken, replaced by four horns,

Daniel 8:9 Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. 10 It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. 11 It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. 12 And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” 14 And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.” 15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”

Daniel is told,

Daniel 8:23 And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise. 24 His power shall be great— but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. 25 By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand. 26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”

The little horn of chapter 7 that replaces three of the ten horns of the final beast is the Antichrist at the end times, and the little horn of chapter 8 that arises from one of the four divisions of the Greek empire is Antiochus Epiphanes, but even the description of Antiochus seems to hold him up as a prototype and go beyond him to fill in details of the composite image of the future Antichrist.

In chapter 9, Daniel is told:

Daniel 9:26 …the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. 27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

Here in chapter 11 verses 21-35 describe the career of Antiochus Epiphanes, but again he is held up as a type that goes beyond himself and gives us another layer of the composite image of the future Antichrist. Verses 36-45 move on to talk directly about this future king who will terribly persecute God’s people.

Self-Magnification

Let’s look at what it says.

Daniel 11:36 “And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. 37 He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all.

Both Alexander (v.3) and Antiochus the Great (v.16) were said to ‘do as he wills’. But this future king goes beyond. He exalts and magnifies himself above every god. This is satanic. Isaiah 14 says of Lucifer,

Isaiah 14:13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ 15 ​But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.

2 Thessalonians picks up this thread:

2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

God of Fortresses

Daniel 11:38 He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price.

Successfull defense against Egypt in Israel; Jordan escapes

Daniel 11:40 “At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. 41 He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites.

The king of the north is attacked by Egypt, but successfully overcomes, entering Israel. The carnage is massive, but the areas now known as Jordan escape his hand. (map)

Victory over Egypt and into North Africa

Daniel 11:42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train.

He conquers Egypt, including areas of north Africa, Lybia, the Sudan, and Ethiopia. (map)

Retreat to Israel

Daniel 11:44 But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. 45 And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.

Like Antiochus before him, he is turned back and then vents his fury on Israel. 2 Thessalonians gives these details:

2 Thessalonians 2:8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

Punctuated by Sovereignty

Jesus speaks of this time as the worst time in human history (Mt.24:21). But notice, God is still sovereign. This whole passage is punctuated by the sovereignty of God; v.24 ‘but only for a time’; v.27 ‘the end is yet to be at the time appointed’; v.29 ‘at the appointed time’; v. 35 ‘until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time’; v.36 ‘He shall prosper [only] till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done’; v.41 ‘but these shall be delivered out of his hand’; v.45 ‘Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.’ God is sovereign over all these events.

Why?

But why? Why reveal to Daniel the coming persecution of his people? As Jesus said:

John 14:29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe.

God is preparing his people for suffering. He reveals in advance what is coming so that when it comes his people are not surprised. And in it all, he reminds us that he is sovereign; as bad as it gets, he is still in control, that tribulation will be terrible, but it will be short, and it will be worth it. He gets into that in the next chapter, but that will have to wait until next time.

***

Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org

The Glory of the Son of Man [Palm Sunday]

04/10_Matthew/John; The Glory of the Son of Man Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20220410_suffering-son-of-man.mp3

Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Passion week; Jesus’ resolute journey to the cross. After his arrest under cover of night, Jesus was dragged before the high priest. Because he had done nothing wrong, the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false witnesses against him to have him put to death, but none of their testimonies agreed. Caiaphas finally became frustrated;

Matthew 26:62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Jesus was quoting Daniel 7 and everyone knew it. We looked at Daniel 7 last week. Here is the passage; it is worth quoting in full.

Daniel 7:9 “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. 10 ​A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. 11 “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. 13 “I saw in the night visions, and 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. 14 ​And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

YHWH God, the Ancient of Days, is seated on his flaming chariot throne in judgment, executing justice on the nations; and YHWH God the cloud rider, in human form, comes into the presence of the Ancient of Days and is given eternal dominion and glory and a kingdom and the nations are to worship him. When Jesus claims to be the Son of Man, he is saying much more than that he is human. He is saying that he is YHWH God the cloud rider in human form. Jesus was making direct reference to Daniel 7, and they got the message. They understood what he was claiming, they called it blasphemy, and it was this statement that the religious experts used as legal ground for their demand that Jesus must die.

The Glorious Divine Son of Man

Last time we looked at some of Jesus’ claims to be the Son of Man. He said things like:

Matthew 9:6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.”

Matthew 12:6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. …8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

Matthew 25:31 ​“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

The Son of Man has authority to forgive sins, the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath, the Son of man will sit on his glorious throne, the Son of Man will judge the nations.

Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. …30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

The Son of Man is coming back, as the angels told his disciples after his ascension into heaven ‘and a cloud took him out of their sight’; “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts1:9-11). All the nations will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Only Half the Story

But that is only half the story. That is only half of what Jesus said about himself as the Son of Man. Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man more than any other name or title, about 82 times in the gospels, and about half of those point to his authority, his divine status, his equality with his Father, his glorious return, his glorious throne and his right to judge the nations.

But that is only half the story. Today I want to look at the other half of what Jesus said about himself as the divine Son of Man.

The Suffering Son of Man

To one would-be follower, Jesus said:

Matthew 8:20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

How can this be? The divine Son of Man rides on the clouds and has his own glorious throne, but he has nowhere to lay his head? The Son of Man homeless?

In Matthew chapter 12, after declaring himself to be lord of the Sabbath, after healing a man with a withered hand in their synagogue on the Sabbath, after healing a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute, the scribes and the Pharisees requested to see a sign.

Matthew 12:39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

What kind of a sign is that? How can Jesus compare himself with the disobedient prophet on the run from God? What does it mean to be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth? Is the divine cloud riding Son of Man going to spend time in hell?

In Matthew 16, in response to Jesus’ question ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ Peter confessed that Jesus is ‘The Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus’ response? After affirming that Peter was divinely inspired with the correct answer,

Matthew 16:20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. 21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

Peter and the disciples were beginning to correctly understand that Jesus’ claim to be the Son of Man was a claim to be the Christ, the promised Messiah, the Divine Son of the living God. But this is the very time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must suffer and be killed, and be raised from the dead. They were beginning to understand who he was, but this was only half the story. They could not connect that this all-glorious Divine Son of Man figure could possibly suffer. It is at this point that Peter took Jesus aside to rebuke him ‘This shall never happen to you.’ Jesus then told his disciples that anyone who would follow him must ‘deny himself and take up his cross and follow me’. He declared that ‘whoever loses his life for my sake will find it’, and he connects this with the glorious coming of the Son of Man to repay each person for what he has done. Suffering first, then glory.

In Matthew 17, Peter, James and John saw Jesus transfigured on the mountain, and heard the voice speaking from the bright cloud, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

Matthew 17:9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”

Mark records the response of the disciples:

Mark 9:10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean.

How can the Son of Man rise from the dead? Isn’t the Son of Man according to Daniel 7 given an eternal kingdom which shall not pass away? What can this ‘rising from the dead’ mean? Jesus continued:

Matthew 17:12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.”

Jesus is connecting Elijah with John who prepared the way for the coming of YHWH. Jesus’ cousin John had been imprisoned for speaking truth, and then beheaded because of a foolish oath given in response to a seductive dance routine. Just as John was not recognized for who he was, and was executed, ‘So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.’

Jesus gets even more explicit in verse 22:

Matthew 17:22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.

The Son of Man will be betrayed. YHWH the cloud rider will be given into the power of men. They will kill him, and he will be raised.

In Matthew 20, they are on the way up to Jerusalem.

Matthew 20:17 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death 19 and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

Jesus is preparing his disciples for what is about to happen. You can’t get much more specific than this; betrayed into the hands of the Jewish religious leaders, condemned to death by them, then delivered over to the Roman authorities, who will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and crucify him, and then he will be raised on the third day.

They didn’t get it. Look at the very next verse in Matthew 20:

Matthew 20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”

They understood, at least to some extent, that this was the promised one who would receive the eternal kingdom from the Ancient of Days, and they were pursuing positions of prominence in the coming kingdom. Jesus’ statement that he was about to be betrayed, condemned, mocked, flogged and crucified seems to have flown right over their heads.

The Cup of Suffering

Matthew 20:22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” ….

Both Isaiah and Jeremiah talk about the cup of the wine of the wrath of God Almighty against the sins of the nations. This is the background to the image when in the garden Jesus asked

Matthew 26:39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

Revelation uses this cup of wrath imagery as well (14:10; 16:19). They apparently missed this too.

Matthew 20:22 …They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

James was the first Apostle martyred. Tradition has it John was boiled in oil but didn’t die, so he was exiled to a small island.

To Give His Life as a Ransom

Matthew 20:24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Here Jesus lays out the purpose of his mission. The coming of the Son of Man is not a receiving mission, but a giving mission; it is not a being served and worshiped mission, but a humbling himself to serve others mission; it is not a receiving the eternal kingdom mission but a laying down his own life mission. He did not come to pour out his just wrath in judgment, but to receive that wrath as a substitute, as a ransom for many. Jesus is the fully divine YHWH God come in the form of a man, who deserves the worship of all nations, who will be given an eternal kingdom, but not now, not yet, not this time. He will come again, but this time he came to suffer, he came to serve, to give his life as a ransom for many.

The Glory of a Seed

These two seemingly contrary veins, the suffering Son of Man, and the glorious Son of Man come together in John’s gospel. In John 12, on Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was hailed as the King of Israel, the one who comes in the Name of YWHW. Jesus said

John 12:23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Here it is! Finally his hour has come! Even the Greeks are seeking Jesus, and now, at last, it is time for the Son of Man to be glorified.

John 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

What kind of glory is Jesus seeking? The glory of a grain of wheat. A seed preserved up on the shelf is not very glorious. But when that grain experiences death, is pushed down into the earth, something powerful and amazing happens. The grain on the shelf seems dry and lifeless, but after it is buried, life bursts forth! Something glorious happens. Fruitfulness happens. Multiplication happens. This is the kind of glory Jesus is pursuing, the glory of death and resurrection.

Jesus understood full well what this meant. That is why his apprehension in the garden caused him to sweat as it were great drops of blood.

John 12:27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

This is the glory Jesus is pursuing, not the glory that Satan offered him if he would only worship him; no, Jesus is pursuing the glory of the seed. The glory of life out of death.

John 12:29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.

Now is the judgment of this world? Now the evil ruler of this world will be overthrown? Finally, the Son of Man will be exalted, glorified, conquer his enemies, and will bring justice to this broken and rebellious world. How?

John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

How? How is Jesus exalted, lifted up? On the cross. How did Jesus judge the world and bring justice? By absorbing God’s just wrath toward my sin in his own body on the tree. How did he overthrow the evil one? By being crushed. By dying. By giving his life as a ransom for many. By paying my price in full.

After Judas left the last supper to betray him:

John 13:31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.

Glory comes not merely after suffering, but glory comes through suffering. Lift up your eyes to see the glory of the Son of Man hanging on a cross, bearing my sin and yours, plundering the enemy, setting the captives free.

***

Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org

Daniel 4; Jesus and Nebuchadnezzar

10/03_Daniel 04; Jesus and Nebuchadnezzar; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20211003_dan04.mp3

Lessons From Nebuchadnezzar

We’ve been looking for several weeks at Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar’s own account of God’s humbling him. We’ve seen that God is sovereign, that God is able to humble the proud, even a proud dictator like Nebuchadnezzar, and that that is a good and gracious gift. Repentance is a good gift that God gives to those who don’t deserve it. God brought king Nebuchadnezzar to his knees, and Nebuchadnezzar responded with worship.

Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

We saw in Daniel a picture of Jesus’ teaching to love our enemies; that although Daniel had every reason to be bitter and resentful toward this arrogant and evil king, he had genuine care and compassion for him; he desired blessing and prosperity for him. He was grieved at the prospect of seeing the consequences of his sins poured out on him.

Daniel 4:27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

We saw that it is the responsibility of rulers to practice righteousness and to show mercy to the oppressed. Failure to do what is right and protect the vulnerable is to sin against God. It is evidence of idolatry, that we believe others exist to be used to serve our own self interests. It seems Nebuchadnezzar was more interested in building monuments for himself than he was in doing righteousness and showing mercy.

Daniel 4:29 …he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”

We’ve seen that his refusal to acknowledge God as God or give thanks to him was an offense against God, and that this kind of pride is insane, a loss of reason. Worship of God is the truly rational thing human beings were made for.

Daniel 4:34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever…

It’s All About Jesus!

Today I want to look back over this account of Nebuchadnezzar, and see how Nebuchadnezzar points us to Jesus, because the Bible is really all about Jesus. I wonder if on the road to Emmaus Jesus taught his two disciples about Nebuchadnezzar. We are told in Luke 24:27

Luke 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

All the prophets, including Daniel, point us to Jesus.

How Nebuchadnezzar points to Jesus; Image of God; Dominion

But how does this evil and arrogant king point us to Jesus? Look at Daniel 4:20-22;

Daniel 4:20 The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21 whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— 22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.

When we read that kind of description applied to the wicked tyrant Nebuchadnezzar, conqueror of Jerusalem, plunderer of God’s holy temple, the one who took God’s people captive, the one who heated the furnace seven times hotter and threw the three obedient Hebrews in, it makes us uncomfortable. When we read that his greatness reaches to heaven, and his dominion to the ends of the earth, we rightly feel that this greatness and this dominion does not belong to a mere man, much less a proud idolater, a man of Nebuchadnezzar’s character. Only God is the rightful ruler of all. Daniel rebukes this proud king for failing to do righteousness or to show mercy.

Nebuchadnezzar was given dominion over birds and beasts, to the ends of the earth. This is a clear connection to the creation mandate in Genesis 1; humankind, made in the image of God to reflect the glory of God, blessed to be fruitful and given ‘dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth’ (Gen.1:26-28). Psalm 8 says of mankind:

Psalm 8:6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, 7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

This is what man was meant to be, reflections of the glory of God ruling his creation under him, but we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom.3:23).

One way the Old Testament points us to Jesus is to recount history in a way that leaves us longing for something more, something better. We have a sense of how things ought to be, and what we see falls so far short. That lack creates in us a hunger for the ideal, the way things were meant to be.

Provider and Protector

King Nebuchadnezzar is pictured as a beautiful tree, an abundant tree, that provides food and shelter for all living creatures. He is the source and supply, the provider and protector of all creation.

Ezekiel, a fellow exile in Babylon, was given a vision of a new and glorious temple in chapters 40-48. In chapter 47, he sees water flowing out of the temple that becomes a great river that flows into the dead sea and makes the water fresh.

Ezekiel 47:12 And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

The Revelation of Jesus given to John picks up this theme

Revelation 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Jesus the Lamb is the one who is to be seated with his Father on the throne. He is the true source of life and protection. Nebuchadnezzar is a dark shadow pointing to Jesus, the greater king.

King of kings

Daniel even addresses Nebuchadnezzar as the king of kings in chapter 2.

Daniel 2:37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold.

Only God deserves the kingdom, the power, the might and the glory. We hear the title ‘king of kings’ applied to a man like Nebuchadnezzar and we shudder. But as conqueror of the world, with kings of other nations subjected to his rule, the title is accurate. This title is used three times in the Old Testament, twice of Nebuchadnezzar, (Ezek.26:7; Dan.2:37) and once of Artaxerxes (Ezra7:12). But in the New Testament, this title is reserved exclusively for Jesus who is both King of kings and Lord of lords (1Tim.6:15; Rev.17:14; 19:16). After the marriage supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19,

Revelation 19:11 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. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 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. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Jesus is the true and holy King of kings. Keep in mind, some of the kings that Jesus rules over will not willingly bow to his authority, but all will bow. If you have a view of Jesus that is exclusively nice, then your view of Jesus is wrong. He is indeed merciful, gentle and kind;

Isaiah 42:3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.

But he is also just, and he will judge and make war. His eyes are like a flame of fire. He will strike down the rebellious nations with a sword and rule with a rod of iron. He is the coming King who will right all wrongs and vindicate the oppressed and defenseless. We need a king who is strong, and who uses his strength to protect those in his care and to crush those who do evil. Come quickly Lord Jesus!

Exalted and Humbled

Daniel 4:29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you,

King Nebuchadnezzar exalted himself. He built great Babylon as a royal residence for the glory of his majesty. His heart was lifted up; he was full of himself. And he learned that ‘all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing (4:35); and those who walk in pride he is able to humble (4:37). Nebuchadnezzar was full of pride, selfish ambition, he was conceited and considered himself more significant than everyone else.

Contrast this with Jesus. Philippians 2 says:

Philippians 2:1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Nebuchadnezzar through selfish ambition lifted himself up, made a name for himself, made himself great. He refused to humble himself before God, and God humbled him.

Jesus, being eternally equal with his Father, did not cling to the glory of his position, but willingly became nothing. Nebuchadnezzar went from king of the world to a beast eating grass. But Jesus stooped infinitely lower; being Creator and Sustainer of all that exists, being one with his Father, he became human. He entered his own creation as a servant, ‘despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief’ (Is.53:3). He was rejected by his own people, abandoned by his friends, falsely accused and executed as a criminal.

Nebuchadnezzar exalted himself; but Jesus humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

God humiliated proud Nebuchadnezzar, but God exalted his Son high above every other name.

Luke 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Worship of the Nations

Back in chapter 3, Nebuchadnezzar demanded that all peoples, nations and languages fall down and worship his golden image (3:4-7). But in chapter 7, Daniel is given a vision of

Daniel 7:13 …one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

In Revelation 5, we see the Lamb who had been slain standing, and all in heaven fell down before him:

Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying, “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 in Revelation 7,

Revelation 7:9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn.1:29), the Lamb who was slain to ransom people for God, Jesus, the one who is God and who became man, Jesus the Lamb who died and is now alive is worthy of worship from every angel, every seraph, from all peoples, nations and languages. Jesus is worthy! Jesus is worthy of our worship!

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Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org

The Cross Before The Crown

12/23 The Cross Before The Crown; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20181223_cross-before-crown.mp3

Christmas is a time to focus our attention on Jesus, who Jesus is, what he came to do. We looked at his eternal identity, the Son before the manger, we looked at his aim, to overcome the darkness in us with the light of his presence, that this was his plan before creation, to enter in to our mess and rescue us, that it was his eternal purpose to put on display the glory of his grace. Today I want to look again at who Jesus is, what he is really like, and how his rescue of us must happen.

The Image of Jesus

Who is Jesus? What is the mental image you have of Jesus? When you think of Jesus, how do you picture him? How do you imagine him?

Do you think of the baby in the manger? Do you think of a 30 something Caucasian with a slight build, long blond hair and piercing blue eyes? An olive skinned Hebrew with a robe and tassels? Some composite of the artwork and movies you’ve seen?

Did you know we have a visual description of what Jesus looks like in the bible? Let me read this description of one who saw the risen and glorified Lord Jesus. If you like, you can close your eyes and imagine.

Revelation 1:10 …I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet …12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

I dare say if we were to meet the risen Lord today, we too would fall at his feet as though dead. That description is from Revelation 1. There is another description in Revelation 19.

Revelation 19:11 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. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 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. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Why don’t we think of Jesus this way? Except for one or two brief episodes (his transfiguration, and possibly at his arrest, when the armed mob drew back at his word and fell to the ground – Jn.18:3-6), Jesus did not look like this during his time here on earth. Of course these visions are highly symbolic, not necessarily meant to be taken as literal physical descriptions.

But even more important than what he looked like, he didn’t act like that during his time on earth. He didn’t come with sword and scepter, striking down his enemies, trampling them underfoot. But he will, when he comes again. Advent means coming. And advent is a time to look back at his coming, as well as forward to his second coming.

The Cross Before The Crown

We see both of these aspects of who Jesus is in Philippians 2. Philippians 2 is a call to love and unity, to put aside selfishness and pride, in humility to count others as more significant than yourselves.

Philippians 2:5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Jesus, being himself fully God, did not cling to his divine privileges. Remaining what he was, he became what he was not. God humbled himself. He took the form of a servant; he was born into humanity. The Creator of all things became a part of his creation. He humbled himself even to the extreme of a humiliating death.

Verses 9-11 give us the rest of the story. God intended, as a result of his humiliation, to highly exalt Jesus.

Philippians 2:9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Humility and then glory. In that order. You see the ‘therefore’ at the beginning of verse 9? The Father exalted the Son as a result of his humiliation, his obedience even to the extreme of the cross.

We have to be careful not to misunderstand. It is not as if Jesus earned something that he did not before possess. He always was exalted; he did not need to be exalted. Verse 6 excludes the possibility of understanding this in a way that Jesus was somehow less and became great. It says that he existed in the very form or nature of God. His equality with God was not something he had to chase after. But having humbled himself, there was room for him to be exalted, lifted up to where he had come down from, restored to his rightful place.

What he has now that he did not before, is a human nature. At the incarnation, ‘remaining what he was,’ God from all eternity, ‘he became what he was not,’ truly human. He took a human nature, and he retains that nature for eternity. Jesus will be God incarnate forever. He now is seated at the right hand of his Father, a man; the God-man. Our advocate. Our brother.

And he now bears the title ‘Savior.’ From before time, before creation, he planned to rescue his fallen creation. But he had not yet carried it out in time. He was always full of mercy and grace, eager to forgive; that is his heart. But that is now seen, put on display because of his humiliation and crucifixion. The riches of his grace toward his enemies are now put on public display in the humiliation and crucifixion of Jesus.

The cross came before the crown. Humiliation before exaltation. “Therefore God has highly exalted him.”

Temptation to Reverse

We see in the temptation of Jesus, Satan’s attempt to reverse that order.

Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”

Use your power as the Creator to provide for your own needs. Put your own needs above the needs of others.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Jesus would live in dependence on God, putting the needs of others above his own.

Matthew 4:5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

Use your privileged position and promise of divine protection to demonstrate to all who you are. Gain followers by a spectacular show of glory.

Matthew 4:7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Jesus would wait for the perfect timing of the Father. He would not step out on his own, seek his own glory, or force his hand.

Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”

Here is an opportunity to avoid the horrors of the cross. Just a simple act of worship and I will freely sign over what you know will cost your own blood to secure. Every knee will bow to you, if you will only bow your knee to me, do it my way. Does your Father really know best? Does he really love you if he sent you here to die?

Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Jesus was sure of his Father’s love and his Father’s wisdom. He would not be fooled as Adam was, questioning the Father’s goodness, questioning his wisdom or his ways. Jesus knew that humility was the only true path to glory.

The Annunciation

The angel Gabriel announced to Mary

Luke 1:31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

But it was Simeon at the temple who said

Luke 2:34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Jesus will reign. He will sit on the throne of David forever. But he must suffer first. He will be opposed. The cross before the crown.

Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh

We see this foreshadowed in the gifts of the Magi. Gold and frankincense and myrrh. All three were very valuable and used in trade. Gold is associated with wealth, royalty, and most notably the presence of God. Idols were often made of gold, and the most holy place, the place where God made his presence known, was entirely covered with gold. Frankincense is associated with the temple, used in the holy incense, burned with the grain offerings to create a pleasing aroma, and placed with the bread of the presence. Myrrh was also used in the temple service, in the holy anointing oil. It was also associated with passion and intimacy. Wine mixed with myrrh was offered to Jesus on the cross, but he refused it. Nicodemus used about 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes to prepare Jesus’ body for burial (Jn.19:39).

Economically these gifts would have provided the resources necessary for this poor couple to flee to Egypt and live there to escape the wrath of Herod ignited by the visit of the Magi, but it would be hard to miss the significance of the royal gift of gold that reminded of God’s presence with us, the priestly gift of frankincense that pointed to a sacrifice as a pleasing aroma to the Lord, and the myrrh as a preparation for burial. Jesus will reign, but he must offer himself, suffer and die first.

The Testimony of John

John understood both aspects of who Jesus was.

John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’

Jesus came into the world after his cousin John (he was younger), but John said ‘I am not worthy to untie even his sandal strap.’ He has come to be before me because he existed first. He is is the eternal one who has come into the world, and he is worthy of all worship. But he is also the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Everyone in Israel knew how a lamb took away sin. It was slaughtered. It became a sacrifice. It received the death penalty as an innocent stand-in for a guilty person. It gave its life as a substitute. Jesus was the eternal one who entered our world, and he is worthy of all worship, but he came to give his life as a ransom for many. Jesus would be worshiped as the king coming on the clouds in glory, but he must pay for our sins with his own blood first. The cross before the crown. This is why he came.

Worship and Imitation

What does all this have to do with us? First, it is reason to worship. Jesus, being God from all eternity is worthy of our worship. But Jesus came to die for your sins to rescue you and put on display the riches of God’s glorious grace. He would be worthy of our worship if he never stooped to save us. Every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. But what a treasure we have! That he did come! For us! To rescue us! What amazing undeserved grace! We can worship him not only at the worthy king, but as our savior, rescuer, friend. We have a man standing on our behalf in heaven. God took on our nature to be with us, to suffer for us, to advocate for us. What a savior! Worthy of worship!

Philippians invites us to have our affections stirred for Jesus, to take encouragement and comfort in his love for us, but also to learn from him. To be like him. To follow him. We will reign with him. We are promised his inheritance. We are welcomed in. The cross before the crown.

Philippians 2:1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

The cross before the crown. We don’t have to grasp at power and position and possessions. God has promised us “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1Pet.1:4). God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing” (Eph.1:3). It is ours in Christ Jesus. We have been given it. We don’t need to compete for it. Our interests are looked after by none other than our Lord Jesus Christ himself! We are freed now to look after the interests of others. We can count others more significant than ourselves. Jesus has freed us to love, sacrificially love, because we have been perfectly loved. So church, love boldly!

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Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org