God revealed in details
God Identifying with Man – in Creation, and in Christ
Read Hebrews 1 : 1- 4 and 10 - 12
INTRO
Being without electricity for 24 hours made me think of the old Christian worthies such as Spurgeon, Wesley etc. who had no technology to assist their studies. These days we just look up scriptures and dozens of references, commentaries, etc. on the computer - they just had the bible, a candle or oil lamp, and the Holy Spirit to lead them, and through spending TIME with the Word and in the presence of God, the learned so much about Christ and the Christian way – they knew Him intimately.
Consider the words of these hymn-writers:
Read verses from Hymn 12
“Immortal, Invisible, God only wise
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes”
Contrast with Hymn 150
“Thou art the everlasting Word (or blest incarnate Word)
…… God manifestly seen and heard”
These are two entirely opposing views – one says God is Hidden from our eyes, the other says God is seen and heard. A non-Christian would think this is crazy – we have conflicting views of God! Which is correct? The truth is of course, both are correct – God is both infinitely majestic, beyond our comprehension – but, wonderful mystery – He has made Himself known through the Lord Jesus – who took on humanity so that we could understand the true nature of God.
I’ve been impressed by God as Creator. Surely we’ve all had experience of nature – mountains, sea, storms, etc. that make us marvel and perhaps to worship God. Not long ago we watched a video of space as seen from the Hubble telescope – marvelous range of planets, galaxies, nebulae, stars – all colours and sizes and spread over an almost infinite universe. It boggles the human mind!
We also recently watched a DVD of the natural history of the British Isles – amazing beauty of the land, and the incredible forces which shaped it – movement of tectonic plates, earthquakes, volcanic activity that raised the mountains, glaciers that created the beautiful green valleys, the rising and falling oceans etc. One cannot help but be impressed by the amazing forces that were at work to shape the earth.
And the Bible says it was achieved by the Word of God! He just spoke – and it all came into being, according to Genesis 1 and Psalm 33:6-9
6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth. ………….
9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
We can only accept this by faith of course: “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” Hebrews 11:3
NOTE: Scripture is not a geology textbook or science manual: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
i.e it is God’s word to bring us to the knowledge of salvation. So we don’t have to reconcile natural history with the Bible. In fact, creation itself is enough to bring men to the knowledge and worship of God.
Other scriptures assure us that the actual creation was accomplished by Christ – the Son – and there is no conflict as He IS the Word of God: In fact the Holy Spirit was also involved – the entire Trinity.
So all that power and natural force was released and guided by God – by His Supernatural power.. But not just in an indifferent way, as part of a random development – but with a specific goal in mind.
In searching through scripture about creation, I can find only two reasons why God made the earth and the universe: 1 – to glorify Himself (Psalm 19: 1 – the heavens declare the glory of God) and 2 - as a place for Man to live!
Isaiah 45:18
18 For this is what the Lord says— he who created the heavens,
he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it;
he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited—
he says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other.
BUT it is all only temporary! As we read in Hebrews 1:10-12
11 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.
12 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same, and your years will never end.”
And confirmed in 2 Peter 3:10:
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
So we understand that the earth will last only as long as God wants Man to live here – and that may not be very much longer! It should come as no surprise that the climate is changing, the ozone layer is being depleted due to man’s greed, and global warming is a threat. If this beautiful earth and universe is only temporary – then imagine what is in store in the new heavens and new earth which will replace it!
But what wonderful perfection and attention to detail God has demonstrated in creating what is essentially a temporary home for his creature. No makeshift temporary place! Other scriptures about Creation demonstrate another aspect of Creation: (The Genesis account is a very condensed version!)
Note how many scriptures refer to Creation being the work of God’s Hands and Fingers. Of course God did not use hands and fingers in Creation – so what does it mean? I believe it draws our minds to the personal attention to detail that God demonstrated in His handiwork – not just awesome power, but amazing, intricate detail. Think of the way that molecules are designed and built, and DNA – things that we cannot even see apart from electron microscopes. Think of the details of light waves and laws of gravity without which we could not live here. God is in the detail – He did it all personally.
In Job 26:13 we read “By his spirit he hath garnished (or adorned) the heavens”
Garnished or adorned – speaks of delicate, intricate, beautiful work – the finishing touches. This implies that the beauty of the heavens was put there for our enjoyment.
And how about this: also in Job 38:4-7
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
Now doesn’t that sound like a tremendous party? Imagine the incredible sound of all the stars singing throughout the universe – accompanied by myriads of angels. Even if this is only figurative, this is from the mouth of God Himself – this is what He is saying to Job.
You know something? – Jesus said this same joy is evident in heaven for one repenting sinner! Doesn’t that make you feel special?
This amazing God lives in Eternity – Immortal, Invisible – but also chooses to live with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit. To this end He became “manifestly seen and heard” in the Son! 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)
6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” (i.e. Creation) made his light shine in our hearts (i.e. New Creation) to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
God so wanted Man to be with Himself that He sent His beloved Son to remove that distance of sin and guilt. He came – personally in Christ. Again we see the amazing attention detail – Jesus could have rightly come as King or Lord of Lords – but God chose that he should come as a baby. Why? So that He could experience every human condition and experience and suffering on our behalf. Jesus knew joy and sorrow, family life and solitariness. He knew what it was to be born into a minority group and live under the oppression of the Romans. He knew hunger and thirst, poverty and to be without a home. He knew rejection by those who should have welcomed Him. He wept with those who sorrowed. He experienced the effects of death over people, and His heart went out to them. He groaned and sighed as he felt the pressures of the human race. He rejoiced, he knew anger, he used sarcasm. He felt everything that happened. There were times when He felt disappointed at His disciples – they were so slow to catch on – just like us!.
And He was fully representing the Father! As He said to Philip in John 14:9-10
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
All these things we know and have heard many times. But here are some references that stopped me in my tracks:
Hebrews 2:10-18 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. …………
What? The glorious Son of God needed to be made perfect? Surely He was perfect in every respect, sinless and undefiled. So what does it mean? That in His humanity, He needed to be fully equipped in every respect – because He is our Leader, Pioneer, making the way open for salvation. The scriptural meaning of “made perfect” is to be fully equipped for the purpose in mind. Pilot of plane example – you want one with experience – not just having read the manuals! Surgeon example.
And so with Christ: His suffering brought glory and honour to Himself and to God:
Dr Vernon McGee:
He was made perfect through suffering. Although He was the Son of God, and though He was God Himself, His perfect life does not save us. His virgin birth does not save us. His teaching does not save us. His miracles do not save us, nor does His example save us. But it is His death upon the cross that saves us. He was made complete; He reached completeness by dying on the cross. He came down to earth and took upon Himself our humanity. Because He suffered and died upon the cross, I am prepared to trust in Him. I am prepared to love Him because of what He has done for me and all lost mankind.
So Jesus knows every human experience – whatever you or I may go through, He knows, feels and understands – so that He intercedes for us. Hebrews 4:15-16
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (nick of time – i.e JUST when we need it!)
Here’s another stopper: in Heb 5: 7-9
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him
What – again? Jesus, the Son of God, had to learn Obedience?? Yes again – in His humanity it was essential that He know by experience the full meaning and extent of obedience. This is demonstrated fully in the scene at the garden of Gethsemane – Jesus asked the Father to let the cup pass from Him – His did not want to bear the full extent of God’s wrath against sin – but here’s the full obedience “nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done”. He was obedient even though it entailed his death.
Dr John MacArthur Christ did not need to suffer in order to conquer or correct any disobedience. As the incarnate Lord, He humbled Himself to learn. He learned obedience for the same reasons He bore temptation: to confirm His humanity and experience its sufferings to the fullest. Christ’s obedience was also necessary so that He could fulfill all righteousness and thus prove to be the perfect sacrifice to take the place of sinners.
Oh thank the Lord Jesus – the Son of God - for His attention to detail! He does not gloss over us as a community of sinners – He loves each and every one individually. Thank Him that He loved me and you so much that He gave His life for us. Thank Him that He is there to bring us help in the nick of time. Thank Him that because He is our High Priest, we can go right in to the Father. There is a Man in heaven – for US!
Thank Him that we can KNOW Him –as Saviour, Teacher, Friend, and Lord.
Friends – do we know Jesus well enough? Do we rely on a once-a-week church service to learn about Him? Shouldn’t we spend more time in study of His word, and contemplation of His glory, and all He has accomplished?
Remember the words of that wonderful hymn:
“Love so amazing, so divine - Demands my life, my soul, my all”
May the Lord bless this word to us all.