In the famous passage about the burning bush (Exodus 3) God Almighty appears to Moses. He tells Moses that he has seen his people's affliction in Egypt and has heard their cries, and knows their suffering. And he is about to do something about it: God himself has come down to rescue his people!
It is God who will rescue. God himself has come down to rescue his people! Israel could not rescue themselves. Moses had tried to rescue the people and failed (Ex 2:11-15). A new king has risen to power, but did not rescue Israel (2:23). God is Israel’s only hope, and he has come down to rescue them!
But next we see that, though God himself will rescue Israel, God has chosen to do it through a mediator. God had said that he had come down to deliver Israel, but then he told Moses, “Come, I will send you…” (v10). So who will rescue Israel, God or Moses? Yes. God will rescue, but he has chosen to do it through a man who will serve as a mediator between God and his people. Oh, the gospel implications here (which we will highlight below)!!
God then revealed his covenant name to Moses. “I AM WHO I AM." He said, “Tell the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you." So the God who IS - the unchanging, constant, uncreated God - has revealed his rescue plan for his people! And this plan is not a rescue attempt; rather Israel's rescue is certain. God gives his word: "I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt" (3:17).
How is this relevant to us?
In these events we see clear pictures of Jesus Christ, the ultimate Rescuer of God’s people, to whom the whole Bible points; Jesus said Moses wrote about him (John 5:39, 46; Luke 24:25-27; 44-45; Acts 10:43)! Notice these glorious fulfillments of types and pictures we see in Exodus 3, beautifully realized in Christ:
1. God Rescues us through a Man, who is Mediator between God and men. Just as Moses served as mediator between God and Israel, Christ is the God-Man:
• For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus 1 Timothy 2:5
2. Moses was sent by I AM; Jesus is I AM! Jesus clearly claimed to be God, using the name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3, the I AM.
• Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” [57] So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” [58] Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” [59] So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. John 8:56-59
See also John 6:35(“I am the bread of life”); 8:12 (“I am the light of the world”); 10:7 (“I am the door of the sheep”), 10:11 (“I am the good shepherd”); 11:25 (“I am the resurrection and the life”); 14:6 (“I am the way, the truth, and the life”); 15:1 (“I am the true vine”).
3. In Christ, God Has Come Down to Rescue! God has come down to us in the Person of his Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue his people from every nation! We could not come up to God, so he humbled himself and came for us!
• In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. …And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us… John 1:1, 14a
• No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. John 3:13
• For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. [40] For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:38-40
• I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. John 6:51
4. Rescue is Certain. I Promise I Will Rescue You (Ex 3:17). Just as God promised to rescue Israel, so we have God's word that he will rescue all who comes to him through Jesus Christ.
• All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. John 6:37
• And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. 1 John 2:25
• So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul... Hebrews 6:17-19a
Praise God! Though we were helpless in our sins, God has come down to rescue us in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ! Believe the Promise. Rescue – eternal rescue and blessedness with God – is certain for all of God’s people; those who have believed on Christ. Cry out to God for rescue: from our sins, from his just wrath, from our vices and lusts and idols and self-righteousness; from Satan, the world system, death, hell and the grave. Cry out to the Rescuer to be delivered from these things, and rescued to the eternal enjoyment of God in Christ!
Showing posts with label salvation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salvation. Show all posts
Monday, November 21, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
God Changes Our Clothes
Zechariah 3 records an awesome vision God revealed to the prophet Zechariah. In it the prophet saw Joshua the high priest. But there was a problem; Joshua was "clothed with filthy garments" standing before the angel of the LORD. The ESV Study Bible notes helps us understand that these filthy garments were "more precisely...garments soiled with excrement, which would automatically defile the wearer." Filthy!
What a picture of sin! We tend to forget how disgusting and defiling sin actually is. We make excuses for it, justify it, say that it's not so bad compared to others, etc. But in the presence of the holy and pure God our sin is like filthy rags. It's like wearing clothing completely soiled with dung, wet and nasty and clinging to us, defiling us in the presence of God.
But this was worse - this was the high priest of Israel, God's chosen people! His duty was to represent the people to God, to come before God's presence on the people's behalf; to make acceptable sacrifices and make atonement for the people. How could he do that if he himself was defiled? His wearing of these disgusting clothes in the presence of God showed that the whole nation was unacceptable to God!
Praise God this isn't the end of the story! If not for God's own choice to save his covenant people, we would be lost - defiled forever and cut off from God's presence! We cannot change our own clothes. We try, by turning over a new leaf and attempting to be 'better.' Adam and Eve turned over a new leaf after their sin in the garden, but fig leaves could never cover their sin. Neither will our good works. Our defilement comes from our hearts. Our clothes are soiled because we are soiled. Our disgusting sins are only the evidence of hearts that are corrupt before a holy God. We can't cleanse ourselves. But God can!
Zechariah the prophet continued to watch the vision as God did something about Joshua's soiled clothes. The filthy garments were removed and the word came, "I will clothe you with pure vestments" (3:4). God took away the sin and gave Joshua righteousness! Now the high priest of Israel could stand before God on behalf of Israel in pure clothes - acceptable to God and welcomed in his presence. The people were accepted through the mediating of the priest. What man cannot do to rescue ourselves from our sins, God does!
This was a specific vision for a specific time in Israel's history. But it speaks to us as well. Christ is our high Priest, representing his people to God. There was a time when our Priest, Jesus, stood before God with filthy garments as disgusting as Joshua's. What! Christ, the sinless Son of God? When did he wear soiled clothing before God?
It was at the cross, when he put our clothes on.
Jesus willingly robed himself in the filth-stained clothes of the people of God. He was judged by God in our place, for the things we have done. He bore our sins in his own body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24) and took our curse (Galatians 3:13) and became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Why? So that we could wear HIS clothes! His spotless robe of righteousness!!! "...so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor 5:21b).
Jesus exchanged clothes with us. He took our sin-soiled garments and bore the penalty from God for us. But he rose from the grave and forever shines in his righteousness, brighter than the sun! And all his people are forgiven and cleansed, and given the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22)!!! Hallelujah! Welcomed into the presence of God! Washed and sanctified and forgiven! Clothed forever in Jesus' righteous robe!
What a picture of sin! We tend to forget how disgusting and defiling sin actually is. We make excuses for it, justify it, say that it's not so bad compared to others, etc. But in the presence of the holy and pure God our sin is like filthy rags. It's like wearing clothing completely soiled with dung, wet and nasty and clinging to us, defiling us in the presence of God.
But this was worse - this was the high priest of Israel, God's chosen people! His duty was to represent the people to God, to come before God's presence on the people's behalf; to make acceptable sacrifices and make atonement for the people. How could he do that if he himself was defiled? His wearing of these disgusting clothes in the presence of God showed that the whole nation was unacceptable to God!
Praise God this isn't the end of the story! If not for God's own choice to save his covenant people, we would be lost - defiled forever and cut off from God's presence! We cannot change our own clothes. We try, by turning over a new leaf and attempting to be 'better.' Adam and Eve turned over a new leaf after their sin in the garden, but fig leaves could never cover their sin. Neither will our good works. Our defilement comes from our hearts. Our clothes are soiled because we are soiled. Our disgusting sins are only the evidence of hearts that are corrupt before a holy God. We can't cleanse ourselves. But God can!
Zechariah the prophet continued to watch the vision as God did something about Joshua's soiled clothes. The filthy garments were removed and the word came, "I will clothe you with pure vestments" (3:4). God took away the sin and gave Joshua righteousness! Now the high priest of Israel could stand before God on behalf of Israel in pure clothes - acceptable to God and welcomed in his presence. The people were accepted through the mediating of the priest. What man cannot do to rescue ourselves from our sins, God does!
This was a specific vision for a specific time in Israel's history. But it speaks to us as well. Christ is our high Priest, representing his people to God. There was a time when our Priest, Jesus, stood before God with filthy garments as disgusting as Joshua's. What! Christ, the sinless Son of God? When did he wear soiled clothing before God?
It was at the cross, when he put our clothes on.
Jesus willingly robed himself in the filth-stained clothes of the people of God. He was judged by God in our place, for the things we have done. He bore our sins in his own body on the tree (1 Peter 2:24) and took our curse (Galatians 3:13) and became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Why? So that we could wear HIS clothes! His spotless robe of righteousness!!! "...so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor 5:21b).
Jesus exchanged clothes with us. He took our sin-soiled garments and bore the penalty from God for us. But he rose from the grave and forever shines in his righteousness, brighter than the sun! And all his people are forgiven and cleansed, and given the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22)!!! Hallelujah! Welcomed into the presence of God! Washed and sanctified and forgiven! Clothed forever in Jesus' righteous robe!
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness... Isaiah 61:10a, ESVGod doesn't just cover up our sins. He has taken them away. He has given us a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26) and is sanctifying us not only in our position before God, but in our earthly experience. So Jesus' righteousness is applied to our account, but also worked out increasingly in our lives!
Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. Revelation 19:7-8, ESVHas God changed your clothes through faith in Jesus Christ? Rejoice!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
No Wrath For Me...EVER!!!
"Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God." Romans 5:9, ESV
There is an element to the gospel that is missing in a LOT of "gospel" presentations these days. It is the truth that Jesus has saved us from the wrath of God.
The Bible is crystal clear that we, as sinners, deserve the wrath of God, and that God, as holy, will indeed pour that wrath on us in judgment. He is so holy and just; he HATES sin. And we drink sin like water (Job 15:16). God's wrath is building up like a mighty flood. Its waters are pent up behind the dam of his patience, forbearance, kindness and grace. But one day his wrath WILL explode upon sinners in righteous and just judgment: "But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed," Romans 2:5, ESV.
And God will be praised and glorified when he pours out his wrath on sinners: "Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!” And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” Revelation 16:4-7, ESV
How can the people of the world not fear God when this is true?! Wrath is coming, and we are blinded by our pleasures.
And many of the ones who are preaching Christ are not even mentioning this truth!!! Is that love? Is it loving to be 'positive' when God's wrath is coming? To speak only of God's generic love, as if he had no wrath? What if a doctor spoke not a word of an impending, life-ending disease because he didn't want to discourage the patient? Would that be love?
And what of God's glory? When we fail to mention God's wrath we are hiding God's glory in providing a wrath-remover: the Lord Jesus Christ! God's justice demands judgment, but his love demands grace. So God poured out his wrath on his Son, Jesus, at the cross (Galatians 3:13). Because of Christ's work at the cross, receiving our judgment in our place, there is NO WRATH LEFT FOR THE BELIEVER IN CHRIST!!!!!
Hallelujah, what a Savior! How could we possibly leave this part out?! We are saved by Jesus from the wrath of God! What a glorious gospel!
If you are still in your sins, know that God's wrath is on you (John 3:36) and will most certainly crush you at the judgment unless you repent of your sins and put faith in Christ. But if you have received the grace of God in Christ, rejoice! There is no wrath of God left for you...ever!!!
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ"
1 Thessalonians 5:9, ESV
There is an element to the gospel that is missing in a LOT of "gospel" presentations these days. It is the truth that Jesus has saved us from the wrath of God.
The Bible is crystal clear that we, as sinners, deserve the wrath of God, and that God, as holy, will indeed pour that wrath on us in judgment. He is so holy and just; he HATES sin. And we drink sin like water (Job 15:16). God's wrath is building up like a mighty flood. Its waters are pent up behind the dam of his patience, forbearance, kindness and grace. But one day his wrath WILL explode upon sinners in righteous and just judgment: "But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed," Romans 2:5, ESV.
And God will be praised and glorified when he pours out his wrath on sinners: "Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!” And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” Revelation 16:4-7, ESV
How can the people of the world not fear God when this is true?! Wrath is coming, and we are blinded by our pleasures.
And many of the ones who are preaching Christ are not even mentioning this truth!!! Is that love? Is it loving to be 'positive' when God's wrath is coming? To speak only of God's generic love, as if he had no wrath? What if a doctor spoke not a word of an impending, life-ending disease because he didn't want to discourage the patient? Would that be love?
And what of God's glory? When we fail to mention God's wrath we are hiding God's glory in providing a wrath-remover: the Lord Jesus Christ! God's justice demands judgment, but his love demands grace. So God poured out his wrath on his Son, Jesus, at the cross (Galatians 3:13). Because of Christ's work at the cross, receiving our judgment in our place, there is NO WRATH LEFT FOR THE BELIEVER IN CHRIST!!!!!
Hallelujah, what a Savior! How could we possibly leave this part out?! We are saved by Jesus from the wrath of God! What a glorious gospel!
If you are still in your sins, know that God's wrath is on you (John 3:36) and will most certainly crush you at the judgment unless you repent of your sins and put faith in Christ. But if you have received the grace of God in Christ, rejoice! There is no wrath of God left for you...ever!!!
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ"
1 Thessalonians 5:9, ESV
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