Weekly Devotional 1-24-22
The Curiosity of the Prophets – The desire of the Angels
We closed last week’s devotional (Do Not Fret, We Are Secured) considering that the end of our faith is the salvation of our souls’ 1st Peter 1:1-9. Today we continue with that theme and consider 1st Peter 1:10-12 and then 1:13-25. We read from the former: “10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven–things which angels desire to look into.
The Hebrew people of old had been told of a coming Redeemer and when He would appear. (The need of a Redeemer implied a need of salvation). Our text informs us that their prophets inquired and searched for an answer to that question. They would have inquired of Moses, searched his writings diligently and were given supernatural revelation. Our text also informs us that the angelic realm desired to look into the salvation of man.
Christian’s today are not able to talk with Moses and the canon of scripture is closed, that is, there is no new revelation. But we do have the writings of Moses, the writings of the prophets, the teaching of Jesus recorded in the four gospels, and the writings of those He chose (The apostles, excluding Judas Iscariot). Our surety is found in the Scriptures. We read from 2nd Timothy 3:16a that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and from 2nd Peter 1:20-21 we read that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation for the prophecy came not by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
These men (prophets) were moved by the Holy Spirit to prophecy about the sufferings of Christ, God’s grace that would come from those sufferings, and the timing of both. They did not fully understand what they were prophesying, but through faith, believed what the Holy Spirit had moved them to speak and write.
Peter and his contemporaries (His fellow apostles) however were given the understanding of these things and how thankful we should be. Because of the message they preached we need not “fret, we are secured” to be in the presence of God for eternity.
Peter wrote that because of the sufferings of Christ and the salvation that came to us through those sufferings we are to “13 gird up the loins of our mind, be sober, and rest our hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming ourselves to the former lusts, as in our ignorance; 15 but as He who called us is holy, we also are to be holy in all our conduct, 16 because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’ 17 And if we call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, we must conduct ourselves throughout the time of our stay here in fear; 18 knowing that we were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from our aimless conduct received by tradition from our fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for us 21 who through Him we are able believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that our faith and hope is in God. 22 Since we have purified our souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, we are to love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because ‘All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.’ Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to us.”
(Please note, I took the liberty of changing the pronouns in this passage in order to personalize it to each reader. Following is the original text as found in the New King James Bible).
“13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’ 17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the found-ation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because ‘All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.’ Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.”
The prophets were told of our Saviors suffering not fully understanding the reason for them but, the apostles came to understand God’s grace and passed that understanding on to us. So, what are we do with it? Are we not to honor and worship Him by the way we live? Yes, we are!
Steve
Stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; the Work of God on Behalf of Man