A Gift from our Forefathers

Intro.

We have all had things that we have recieved as gifts from people who love us, right? We got Christmas presents or gifts for our birthdays or anniversaries. It’s a wonderful thing to know that someone is devoted to you enough to give you a gift that is meaningful.

Now, sometimes we receive gifts from relatives that passed away generations ago! They perhaps began to pour into some business or stock and over time the wealth from that investment increased and grew, and now you would be the beneficiary of that investment. They didn’t know you, but they were devoted to something they knew would benefit someone else!

This is sort of what our spiritual forefathers in the faith have done. Think for a moment of all the saints in the Old Testament who served God and prophesied of times in the future they would never experience — but it was spoken and written for the betterment of God’s people in later times. Peter tells us this is exactly what they did in speaking God’s revelation of the Gospel we have been given!

The Importance of the Old Testament

1 Peter 1:10–12 CSB

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated. 11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.

This morning, I want us to look at the importance of knowing the Old Testament and what it says, we will look at a couple of these prophesies Peter says were revealed for the Church, and how this all connects to what we have so far seen from 1 Peter.

Now, not many Christians I know — speaking in broad terms — can say that they are very well versed in the Old Testament at all. In fact, you may remember that long list of Bible books I’ve never heard covered in a congregational setting; most of those books were from the Old Testament and I’m not the only one that’s never heard them taught from! I’ve even heard faithful Christians treat the Old Testament as if it didn’t matter as much as the New Testament.

But, there is a big, big problem with that. You see, the New Testament was written by men who had a significant basis of knowledge in the Old Testament! It was from an Old Testament background that we got the New Testament! Someone said once that to miss the Old Testament is to misunderstand the New Testament! The reason we have been looking into the Old Testament on Sunday evenings is because I want us to be able to grasp the important lessons we learn about God, His character, and His people that only can be found there. One of those things that only can be found in there is the prophesying of Jesus’ suffering and death, and the glories that would follow.

We read at the end of Luke’s gospel about two disciples who were walking along the road, distraught at heart and saddened by all that had happened to Jesus. Jesus, keeping His identity hidden from them, speaks and walks with them, and see what He says to them about the crucifixion: Luke 24.18-27

Luke 24:18–27 CSB

18 The one named Cleopas answered him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked them. So they said to him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in action and speech before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that he was the one who was about to redeem Israel. Besides all this, it’s the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb, 23 and when they didn’t find his body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn’t see him.” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted for them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures.

Jesus goes back to Moses and the Prophets Himself to discuss what was supposed to happen to the Messiah.

Knowing what the Old Testament says about Jesus is crucial for us, if we would seriously know Him as He desires us to.

Moses and the Prophets

So, since even our Lord started at Moses and the Prophets to teach what must happen to the Messiah, let’s look ourselves and a little of what was spoken of about Jesus, His sufferings, and the things which would follow.

For the sake of time, I will not read the entirety of these passages, but i will read portions of them as they relate to Christ’s suffering and the subsequent glories.

Isaiah 52 and 53 talk about the suffering of the Lord Jesus, and this is perhaps one of the most famous places in Scripture where this is prophesied. Isaiah 52.13-15

Isaiah 52:13–15 CSB

13 See, my servant will be successful; he will be raised and lifted up and greatly exalted. 14 Just as many were appalled at you— his appearance was so disfigured that he did not look like a man, and his form did not resemble a human being— 15 so he will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of him, for they will see what had not been told them, and they will understand what they had not heard.

Isaiah 53:4–6 CSB

4 Yet he himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. 6 We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all.

Here, we see that our Lord’s sufferings, down to the mode of His death and the outcome (sprinkling of many nations, our healing) are prophesied. For Isaiah’s generation? No! They were experiencing judgment as it was happening because of their sins — yet through inquiring the Spirit of Christ made known to Isaiah that his prophesying was for future generations!

David as well prophesied of the Messiah’s sufferings, still without having a clue what it was he was prophesying of — for he would never experience the reality and grandness of Christ’s cross!

Psalm 22:1 CSB

1 My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far from my deliverance and from my words of groaning?

Psalm 22:7–8 CSB

7 Everyone who sees me mocks me; they sneer and shake their heads: 8 “He relies on the Lord; let him save him; let the Lord rescue him, since he takes pleasure in him.”

Psalm 22:16 CSB

16 For dogs have surrounded me; a gang of evildoers has closed in on me; they pierced my hands and my feet.

Several hundreds of years before crucifixion was an invented form of execution, David prophesies that the Messiah would be mocked and pierced by wicked men!

Finally, we have in Isaiah a prophesy of the Church! This is a beautiful look what would come during the reign of the Messiah, what inevitably would happen as a result of His suffering. Though Isaiah knew it not, the revelation he was recording and speaking reveals something that Jews in Ancient Israel would find scandalous:

Isaiah 11:6–10 CSB

6 The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat. The calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf will be together, and a child will lead them. 7 The cow and the bear will graze, their young ones will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like cattle. 8 An infant will play beside the cobra’s pit, and a toddler will put his hand into a snake’s den. 9 They will not harm or destroy each other on my entire holy mountain, for the land will be as full of the knowledge of the Lord as the sea is filled with water. 10 On that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will look to him for guidance, and his resting place will be glorious.

How does this relate to the Church? Notice the remarkable harmony between all these things that should not live without tearing at each other! It is a beautiful picture of God bringing Jew and Gentile together alike in Christ under the banner, the common flag, that is Christ Jesus!

Fitting in Context

Over the last few weeks, we have been learning from our brother Peter about how God has made Christians heirs to an incredible inheritance, and that we can have joy in suffering because of the salvation that awaits us. Peter says that we are guarded through faith by the power of God, and not seeing Jesus we know and love Him and rejoice inexpressibly because we are receiving the end goal of our faith: Salvation! It is this very salvation we are receiving, and which is ready to be revealed at the coming of Christ according to verse 5, that the prophets foretold and now it has been delivered to the saints by way of the Gospel of Christ! This good news of His suffering and the following glories!

As if it isn’t enough that God spoke to our benefit through our spiritual forefathers, this salvation — this dealing of man by the grace of God — is something that even the angels in heaven long to get a clear look at! And you are the recipient of this wonderful and glorious salvation!

Inventory

What a joyous occasion it is to be an heir of God!

Yet, many Christians, unfortunately myself included, struggle to keep our head above the tide trying to drag us down into insecurity, pessimism, and the like.

Let’s be people who joyously live in our relationship with Jesus through faith! This week, think of how often you actually talk about how glad you are in Christ and how He fulfills your soul — do just that to those you meet!