Before the Foundation of the World

Before the Foundation of the World

Revelation 13:1-8

“Were you there, when they crucified my Lord?”

1 A PAWN ON THE PATHWAY TO THE CROSS?

As you wade through the account of Jesus’ death on the outskirts of Jerusalem - who would you say is in charge? Who has the authority to decide what happens on this day? Who’s will is being done?

The morning sun breaks the hold of nighttime black and climbs the staircase in the eastern sky to its noonday perch … the ever-increasing day-light reveals displays of power all over the place. Jesus is led from one group to another for his destiny to be decided.

The events of this day start in the pre-dawn darkness of Gethsemane’s garden, when the mob of thugs interrupt Jesus’ pleading prayer to arrest him by torchlight and drag him off, jangling chains - to the palace of the High Priest.

In Caiaphas’ mansion, an impromptu … a sham trial is called - the highest officials in all of Judaism, the movers and shakers of the nation, the moneyed and the educated - the Sanhedrin - gather together to interrogate the Son of God. Blasphemy is the verdict reached - He has made himself equal with God.

But the Romans don’t care about Jewish blasphemy laws and only the Romans have the authority to execute. “We will say He claims to be the King” - when it comes to political threats - that’s where Rome wakes up. Off Jesus is dragged - to the Roman governor.

Pilate doesn’t want to deal with the matter, so he sends Jesus off to ‘King Herod’ who is no king at all - but a clown, looking for a show - and yet, he has the power over life and death in this case. This is the Herod who chopped the head of John the Baptist as a gift for his daughter in law.

He gets nothing out of Jesus, so sends him back to Pilate.

… do you see the Saviour passed back and forth like a pawn?

With grim exasperation, the Roman strides through the outer door of the Praetorium toward this unpleasant, but inescapable early-morning hearing.

He pauses at the top of the marble staircase - to survey the scene before him. The same mass of bodies that he sent away hours before, is back, the mob now writhing with bitter hatred – demanding Jesus be given the death penalty.

Another interrogation takes place. Jesus is ushered inside, questioned by the governor, who quickly reaches his verdict. Pilate has heard enough. He throws his purple fringed, white tunic over his shoulder, steps out onto the balcony of his imperial mansion and declares to the crowd: “I find no guilt in this man. Neither did Herod.”

The response he gets makes it clear that the verdict won’t be accepted by the mass of people spread out in front of him.

Pilate hears the rabid cry of the crowd and its demands. He knows that the people hate his very presence in their land - they see him as a trespasser, plodding with his pagan boots on holy ground.

Their demands become hotter and hotter, like the flame of a match, burning between his fingers. He has to make a decision soon - or he is going to be scorched, himself!

He needs to keep the peace, his position demands it ...

… But he’s also moved with a flicker of concern for justice. His conscience, seared though it may be - is not fully dead yet. Add to that the warning of his wife who had a dream in the night about this Jesus - she told him to have nothing to do with the man.

Pilate has an idea. It is the custom - in an attempt to keep the locals, if not happy - then at least somewhat appeased - - it is the custom, at this very time of year - to offer freedom for one of their own people, languishing in a Roman prison.

The governor clears his throat and calls out for all the crowd to hear, “I will punish him (which means beat him with bone-laced leather whips) … and when he is suitably scourged and suffering … I will release him to you”. “We’ll consider justice done.”

The crowd roars back: “We don’t want HIM! We want Barabbas instead!”

Barabbas, the brutal murderer. The crowd wants him, rather than the wonder-working, crowd-feeding, sight-giving, hope-inspiring, life-giving Jesus?!!

Oh, the hatred of the crowd.

One last time, the Roman governor tries to reason with the raging crowd, but there will be no reason accepted.

Verse 21, “… but they kept shouting, Crucify, crucify Him!”

A third time, Pilate pleads: “Why?! This man has done nothing deserving death!”

CRUCIFY! Matthew adds a detail in his account, that in a mighty crescendo of passion, the crowd takes responsibility for this death on themselves:

“His blood be on us AND ON OUR CHILDREN.” Oh friend, imaging how much venomous hate is required to put your own child under blood- guilt for chasing an innocent man to execution?

Verse 23, their voices prevail.

Now see Jesus, led away to death … battered and bleeding, carrying his own cross to his own execution.

SEE JESUS - LIFTED UP ON THE CROSS - AND THE SINLESS, SON OF GOD - Nailed, wrist and foot to the rough-hewn timbers – confined now, to brutal torture and an inescapable, excruciating death.

SEE THE MOB GATHERED AROUND THE FOOT OF THAT CROSS - SPITTING INSULTS … TREATING WITH CONTEMPT, THE GOD WHO LOVED THE WORLD ENOUGH TO SEND HIS ONLY SON .... SEE THE RECEPTION HE GETS?

AND SEE YOURSELF THERE. I WAS THERE , in that crowd …

“It was my sin that held Him there, until it was accomplished.”

So let me ask you again: “Who has the power on this day?”

Not the religious leaders, pushing for crucifixion. they have the agenda - but they don’t have authority to put anyone to death. Rome reserves that right for herself.

Herod doesn’t have the power - he can’t even make Jesus speak to him

Pilate the Roman governor? He has the authority to put Jesus to death. Surely HE IS THE ONE IN CONTROL on this day. But no - he doesn’t want to do it. He’s pushed by the rabid crowd to deliver Jesus to their plan.

So is it the crowd? Do they have the power? Oh, they got their way - but in their hatred, they have pronounced themselves and their children to be guilty of murder: “His blood be on us and on our children.” That isn’t the voice of controlling power. That’s the voice of slavery to hate … speaking words in the heat of anger that will come back to haunt and torment in the days and years ahead. We’ve all been there - in the heat of an argument. You may win the battle - but you lose.

The one person that NOBODY on this day would ever consider to be in control … is Jesus. He’s the one being dragged from court to court. See him on the cross - hanging, helpless - handing himself over to His Father in heaven: “It is Finished.”

So who is it? Who is in control of the events on this dark Friday?

2 REVELATION 13

Actually, we don’t have to guess. The Bible tells us who has the power on this day. Turn to Revelation 13.

As you turn there, let me set the stage: in this chapter, God is giving the apostle John a vision into the reality above and beyond what we can see with our eyes - on this human plane on which we live. Revelation is apocalyptic literature - that speaks LITERAL TRUTH, but speaks that truth in images and symbols. This book points to the future - but not JUST the future - this is present reality too - as God is working out His purposes in history.

Revelation 13, READ vv. 1-8

We don’t have time to go through all the symbols here - but I want you to see this BEAST - rising out of the sea.

Verse 1 describes this beast as having 10 horns and 7 heads. The horns point to the power of this beast. The crown on each of its heads - point to its power to rule.

Notice where the Beast comes from … verse 1 tells us it rises out of the sea - that’s the place of chaos for a first century Jew - the place hostile to order, hostile to life.

The Beast comes from that place of chaos and it’s described as a cross between leopard, bear and lion … this is a powerful being that comes from the place of chaos.

This is a hideous, terrifying, grotesque creature ... but it isn’t the ULTIMATE evil power. In Revelation, Satan, God’s ultimate enemy, is represented by the Dragon. Chapter 12 introduces the dragon and here, verse 4 tells us that the dragon has given the beast its power. This Beast is Satan’s representative.

Verse 3 tells us that, ‘One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound.’ In other words - it was dead. But it didn’t stay dead. This Beast is Satan’s representative in every age. When one power rises up against the Church of Jesus Christ - and then is put down … another beast rises up to take its place. Emperor Nero in the first century, Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan … Hitler, Stalin, Mao in the 20th Century - corrupt politicians, terrorists and murderous dictators in the 21st Century … there is always a beast on the scene.

Maybe you’ve grown up with a beast in your home … you were terrorized, traumatized.

In every age - this is the power that sets itself up against God. This is the Anti-Christ. John says in 1 John 2:18, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come.”

1 John 4:3, ‘and every spirit that does not confess Jesus - is not from God. This is the spirit of the Anti-Christ , which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.’

See the character of the Beast. Verse 6: “It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming His name and His dwelling.”

See - there in Jerusalem, on that crucifixion Friday - see the Eternal Son of God - who humbled himself to take on human flesh - in love for a broken humanity.

There - the Jewish leaders spitting their accusations; there - Pilate, treating him as a political pawn; There - the crowd, shouting for his blood. Could there possibly be - any greater blasphemy in all the universe than that?

What about his power? How much power does the beast have? Verse 7, “It was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them - and authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation.”

So this is a power that spreads over the entire earth. There is not a race, a people group, a hidden tribe or language - whether in 1st century Jerusalem, or educated intellectuals in the 21st century western world, who are not under the authority of the Beast.

In fact, v. 8 tells us more: “… that all who dwell on earth will worship it.”

Don’t miss that - every human being, whether Pilate the judge, or the criminal on the neighboring cross to Jesus, using his dying breath to mock the Son of God .... or the indifferent passers by - who couldn’t care less about the Son of God right in front of them - because they are in a hurry to get groceries for tomorrow’s feast … They are … every last one of them - worshiping the Beast. They are, indirectly, slaves in Satan’s grip.

This is bad news. This is terrifying news.

What makes the news worse – is that what that says about me. Every last one of us is born a Beast-worshiper. My natural, in-grained bent is to reject God. Whether I’m following false religion or declaring myself an atheist who doesn’t believe in any religion at all – when I reject Jesus Christ – when I treat Him as anything less than the Eternal Son of God - my only hope for my great need … I am following the religion of the Beast – “All who dwell on the earth will worship it …”.

But v. 8 also has the most magnificent news that you could ever hear.

“… and all who dwell on the earth will worship it … EVERYONE WHOSE NAME HAS NOT BEEN WRITTEN BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD IN THE BOOK OF LIFE OF THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN.”

The ‘Lamb’ - in the Bible THE Lamb - is Jesus Christ - the Son of God, the final, perfect sacrifice that centuries had been pointed towards by animal sacrifices that could never pay the price for human sins.

Now, if you have a different version, you may have a different reading in verse 8.

KJV - “(all) whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

NIV is similar: “The book of life, belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”

Depending on which translation you have - either the book of life was written before the foundation of the world.”

OR - the Lamb was slain - put to death before the foundation of the world. Either translation is possible … but either way they both come to the same end:

That while the Beast is raging and devouring, while the whole world is worshiping this blasphemous being and even though you look around at this world and think to yourself: “Yep, it makes sense – this planet is messed up, there’s so much suffering and hostility and brokenness – because the beast is running the show.” Oh, but the Bible makes it clear:

He’s not in charge. He has authority … He doesn’t have ULTIMATE authority.

Because before ever the Beast started his roaring and blustering … and threatening to destroy everything God holds precious and treasures ...

… God already had a plan in place - and a future secured. There was already a book of Life written in heaven - and on the pages of that book were written the names of every single individual that He would choose to save. Do you get that?!

If I asked you what the first thing God ever did, what would you say? I know – that’s one of those questions that can hurt your brain, when you try to dig to the answer. “The first thing God ever did? He’s eternal. He’s always been. He stands above time, He’s not suck inside it. So what is the first thing He ever did? Hmmm …”

Would you go back to Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God CREATED the heavens and the earth.”? When God spoke into the vast nothingness of infinite space and commanded, ‘Let there be light’ … when He spoke a universe into being … isn’t that the first thing He ever did?

Well, no – the Bible says that before God even cleared his throat to speak the earth into existence – before the earth’s core was heated … BACK THEN, God decided in the perfect love between Father and Son that the Son would come to a world He knew would be broken – so He could save broken rebels like you and me – so that He could forgive our sins and bring us life.

There is only one way for God to be both holy and loving at the same time – a price must be paid. The cost is so high, that only One can pay it – God, the offended One, must also pay the price for the OFFENDERS – if any one of us are to live.

There – see the decision made. See the Lamb … slain. See God write the name of every blood bought Christian in His book of life.

It’s a book of LIFE, notice. God’s purpose for you is NOT misery or slavery or death …. “I have come that they might have LIFE – and have it more abundantly”, Jesus said.

So, when did God start to love you? Some people would respond to that question, something along these lines: “Well, I guess it was when I realized what a mess I had made of my life and decided to start reading the Bible and cleaning up my act and living right.” No – that’s not right. God doesn’t love us because we make ourselves good enough – ‘we’re saved by grace, through faith alone’, the Bible makes clear.

So when did God start to love you? Others would say, “It must go back to the day when I realized my need for Jesus Christ.

… “I knelt beside my bed, as a kid, with mom beside me – and asked Jesus to forgive my sins and make me His own. When I asked Jesus Christ to be my Saviour and the Lord of my life – well, that’s when God decided to save ME – and write my name in the Book of Life.”

Oh, but no friend – that’s not going far enough back. The Book of life isn’t filled with empty pages that are filled in, line by line as each person decides for Jesus. No – that’s backwards. Yes you do need to decide for Jesus. But our text tells us the only reason you DO that is because - by the time the earth took its first lap around the sun – God … knowing precisely the mess you would make of your life – and seeing clearly every secret sin you would successfully hide from everyone else … God had already written YOUR name in His book … He wrote it in His own Blood and the ink was dry.

Sin is old, but the Blood of Jesus Christ is older: God had a Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. Someone put it well: “There was a cross in the heart of God before there was one planted outside Jerusalem.”

Do you see what that means for the death of Jesus Christ? The cross didn’t HAPPEN TO Jesus: He came on purpose for it. He is the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

When he worked on that carpenter’s bench and grabbed for that piece of timber – he surely must have thought of the wood that would form the cross on which He was going to hand. When he took the hammer to pound nails into his project, don’t you think he would have thought of the hammer and nails that would be used by others to pierce His hands and feet?

Go back to that first Good Friday: the ones who seemed to hold all the power, when Jesus went to the cross – Religious leader, Romans, Riled up haters … when they executed the seemingly powerless Jesus – they were carrying out the ultimate redemptive moment that God Himself had planned from all eternity.

Jesus was no martyr, friend. He was THE triumphing Conqueror, who stepped from eternity into our world, took on flesh, climbed the cross and shook the very foundations of hell, by breaking the power of sin – and opening the way to eternal life … for you.

See the depths of God’s costly love for you.

Is your name written in that book? There is no more important question you could possibly answer for yourself … because the consequences are eternal.