SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/12/2015
12:51 PM
My Worship Time Focus: The
Unfolding of the Vision PT-2 and 3
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Revelation
1:13b-15a
Message of the
verses: We will be looking at the
second aspect of this main point, “The Unfolding of the Vision and this is
entitled “Christ Intercedes For His Church.”
“Clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded
across His chest with a golden sash (Rev. 1:13b).”
John first noticed the robe that Christ was wearing and
as we search through the Scriptures we will find that those who were kings,
priests and prophets wore a similar robe.
We can remember that Jesus Christ is prophet, priest and king as He
holds all three of these positions. Now
speaking of priests I believe that I forgot to mention that all believers are
priests according to Revelation 1:6.
What does a priest do? They
intercede to God on behalf of others and according to this sub-title that is
what Jesus does. Why would He have to do
this? I think that when we look back at
the book of Job we can see that Satan came into the presence of God to accuse
people before God, and we can be sure that he does this today and when he
accuses the brethren before God Jesus will intercede for them because Jesus
paid it all and therefore Satan cannot accuse us before the Lord because all
the Lord sees is the righteousness of Jesus Christ and not our sins for He paid
for them on the cross.
The next thing John sees is the golden sash which is
across the chest of Christ. We can
remember from our study of Exodus that the High Priest wore one similar with
twelve stones on it which represented the twelve tribes of Israel, as he kept
them close to his heart to intercede for them.
On another part of the blog that I write I am putting SD’s
which began in December of 2002 on my study that I did on the book of Hebrews
and one of the themes that is woven through Hebrews is the fact that Jesus
Christ is our High Priest: “17 Therefore, He had to be made
like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and
faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the
sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He
has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted (Hebrews
2:17-18).” Propitiation means that Jesus
Christ’s sacrifice satisfied God, and we also see that Jesus Christ is not only
God, but also man as the text says “He had to be made like His brethren in all
things.” We also see that He was tempted
in all things. Now I want to make it
clear that Jesus Christ could not sin, it was impossible for Him to sin because
He is God, however think about how difficult it is not to succumb to a
temptation, perhaps a temptation that goes on day after day. This is what our Savior had to do while He
was on planet earth as Satan tempted Him along with other demons, and yet He
never sinned.
Christ Purifies His Church (Revelation 1:14-15a): “14 His head and His hair were white like
white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His feet were
like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace.”
John first describes His clothing and now he moves on to
describe His person in verses 14-15. “The
first few features depict Christ’s work of chastening and purifying His church.”
One of the very first attributes that I looked at when
studying the attributes of God is that God is holy, and holiness is perfection,
something that God alone is, and yet He wants His church to be holy. This is the purpose for Christ purifying His
church, to make them holy. One of the
words that describe the church is that we are the “bride” of Christ, and this
is a very good reason for Christ to want us to be holy, and of course the fact
that He died for the church is another reason He wants to make her holy. “Christ...loved the church and gave Himself
up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify
her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no
spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless
(Ephesians 5:25-27).”
How does Christ maintain the holiness of His church? We first saw this in the book of Matthew and
chapter 18:15-17 “"If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in
private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 "But if he does not listen to you, take
one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY
FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. 17 “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the
church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a
Gentile and a tax collector.” This
speaks of the disciplining of those sinful believers who are in the
church. Paul also writes to the
Corinthians about this too.
John MacArthur writes the following about Christ’s head
and hair as being white like white wool, like snot “is an obvious reference to
Daniel 7:9, where similar language describes the Ancient of Days (God the
Father). The parallel descriptions
affirm Christ’s deity; He possesses the same attribute of knowledge and wisdom
as the Father. White translates leukos, which has the connotation of ‘bright,’
‘blazing,’ or ‘brilliant.’ It symbolizes
Christ’s eternal, glorious, holy truthfulness.”
Next we see his eyes like flaming fire which means that
He can penetrate all things in the church to see how the church is living up to
the things they are suppose to be doing for the cause of Christ. “for there is nothing concealed that will not
be revealed, or hidden that will not be known (Matthew 10:26b).” “12 For the word of God is living and active
and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of
soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and
intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but
all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
(Hebrews 4:12-13).” These eyes speak of
Christ’s all knowing and all seeing which is a part of His attributes.
We now move to His feet which were “like burnished
bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace.” I have mentioned that I worked in a foundry
for close to 35 years and we melted an average of 300 tons of cast iron five
days a week and so I had the opportunity of looking at molten iron and have an
idea of what John is speaking of in this section. One day in the foundry a man threw a gun into
a furnace where the iron was not molten and the gun just glowed, similar to
what we see in this passage. Bronze was
what the altar was made of in first the tabernacle and then the temple, and
that had to do with sin, and that is what Christ is moving through the church
to see. “You have forgotten the
exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD
LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; 6
FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE
RECEIVES." 7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as
with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if
you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are
illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to
discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to
the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For
they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines
us for our good, so that we may share His holiness Hebrews 12:5-10).”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: I, like most
people do not enjoy being disciplined by the Lord, but that is the only way for
me to grow in my faith and obedience of the Lord, so from time to time it is
necessary for all believers to experience His discipline.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Love the Lord with all of my heart, soul, and
strength, and remember and experience the love He has for me, to just believe
that He loves me so very much.
Memory verses for the
week: 2 Peter 1:5-8.
5 Now for this very reason
also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in
your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in
your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in
your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are
increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfaithful to the true knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Amram” (Exodus 6:20).
Today’s Bible
question: “Which book tells of the
ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven?”
Answer in our next SD.
1/12/2015 1:57 PM
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