God with Us

 

Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

Immanuel…. God with us. This is what we celebrate on Christmas and what has the power to transform everything we experience throughout the year. Immanuel was a promise to the Israelites that the promised Messiah would come, and with Jesus’ coming that promise was extended to all who would believe and follow Him.

“’Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

God with us. For those who believe, there is no greater promise or joy. Jesus is with us- in our coming and our going, when we rise and when we lie down, through the highs and our deepest lows, when celebrating and in our sorrow, whether in a crowd or when we feel so very alone. The very same Jesus who has all the power and might, knowledge and authority, compassion and grace, love and patience, peace and life we have seen through His previous names- He is with us in anything and everything we may face.

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

God is with us. He showed this to us in the most tangible way possible- by sending His son to live and walk amongst us, experiencing all we face and thereby allowing Him to relate to us in a way that was unheard of before or since. He came to teach and to guide and eventually offer Himself as the sacrifice needed to absolve us of our sins, so that we might take His righteousness as our own in order to enter the very presence of God. He came so that we would never have to be alone again.

“The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

God with us. God came to earth that we might have the opportunity to be with God forever. In the midst of all the joy and celebration of this day, I pray you take time to be quiet and rest in the presence of our Immanuel.

More verses for study:
Deuteronomy 31:6, Psalms 23:4, Zephaniah 3:17, Romans 8:38-39

 

Thank you Lord! Thank you for sending Your son. Thank you for loving us when we aren’t lovable. Thank you for never leaving us but choosing us and pursuing us with your incredible love. Thank you for always being with us.

Gift

 

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”
Isaiah 9:6-7

Every year after we decorate our Christmas tree, we set up a nativity set underneath the tree. As the weeks go by and packages from family begin to arrive, you will find other beautifully wrapped presents surrounding the nativity scene. No matter how many presents there may be, that nativity will always remain because it serves as a reminder to our girls and to us that the greatest gift we’ll ever receive, and the only one we truly ever need, came in the form of a baby a couple thousand years ago.

As I was reading over this passage a time or two, that is the message that really spoke to me today. Jesus was given to us. He is a gift from God to all of mankind and that is what we celebrate each year at Christmas. And what a gift He is!

WONDERFUL COUNSELOR: Jesus is the perfect guide for all of humanity and each of us individually. Because He is omniscient, He knows all that we have been through and all that will come, and He- and He alone- can help us through whatever circumstance we find ourselves in today. The guidance and counsel He offers is beyond our imagining or understanding. (Hebrews 4:13,15)

MIGHTY GOD: Jesus had the power to create this world and He showed us that power again when he rose from the grave. He has power and authority over all creation and He has the power to change what seems unchangeable- whether that is a problematic personal habit, a troubled relationship or your friend or loved one who is without the Lord. Similarly Jesus’ death and resurrection changed the way we are able to relate to God. He is mighty to save! (Isaiah 43:18-19, 2 Corinthians 5:17)

EVERLASTING FATHER: Jesus is the founder of our faith and the preeminent one within the faith. Jesus is also our very life giver- for both the life we live on this earth and our chance at life eternal with God. In all these things, we can have great confidence since Jesus is also eternal, which means His role in our faith and in our eternal lives will never end. (John 1:3-5, John 10:10)

PRINCE OF PEACE: Jesus is the source of our peace. He has brought peace between God and man, and He can be the peace we so desperately need between different groups of people. He is also our peace when life is uncertain, hard, troubling and painful. Jesus offers all who follow Him His peace. (John 14:27)

This Christmas Eve as we wrap our presents in paper of all colors and patterns with pretty bows and tags, remember Jesus came wrapped in swaddling clothes. As we tuck our presents under the tree to prepare for Christmas morning, may we remember that Jesus was tucked into a manger. And as we open the presents tomorrow morning, may we remember the way that was opened for us through the death and resurrection of the child whose birth we celebrate at this time. With every gift and every celebration, may we never lose sight of the greatest gift we have been given and may He change everything about how we live and how we interact with others.

Further reading:
Romans 3:25-27, John 4:10, John 3:16-17, 2 Corinthians 9:15

Thank you, Lord, for the most amazing gift of Your Son. It is incomprehensible that One so great and mighty would chose to offer us such an incredible, significant gift and yet that is just what You did. Thank you for loving us better than we could ever deserve and for the gift of grace and mercy found in Jesus.

Ransom

 

“Yet as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last, He will take His stand on the earth.” Job 19:25

Merriam Webster defines redeem as follows:
1- to buy back; to get or win back.
2- to free from what distresses or harms, such as: to free from captivity by payment of ransom, to extricate from or help to overcome something detrimental, to release from blame or debt, to free from the consequence of sin.
3- to change for the better.
4- repair, restore.
5- to free from a lien by payment of an amount secured thereby.
6- to atone for; to make worthwhile.

When I first looked up the definition, I expected to just find and use the one that was applicable to Jesus, but as I read each one, I realized Jesus perfectly satisfies each of the various definitions (except perhaps number 5). In recent weeks, I have been thinking a lot about the second definition- in particular, being freed from captivity by payment of ransom. A ransom is only paid in the most dire of circumstances- often in conjunction with a life being threatened in some way. What an image and what a reminder of just how precious Jesus’ gift is for each of us. No matter how comfortable some of our lives may be, each one of us was in dire straits- in need of a ransom. We were not just lost and misdirected; our very lives were threatened with eternal despair and loss. But praise be to God- “Jesus paid it all!”!

But the beauty of this name doesn’t end there, for after Jesus paid the ransom for our lives in order to free us from the captivity of sin, He also continues to work in us to change us for the better- restoring us to the life we were originally created to have. We will never see the fullness of that life while here on this earth due to the brokenness caused by sin, but we have the wonderful hope that one day when Jesus returns again, we will be made new and complete and be fully restored.

Jesus is our Redeemer and what a beautiful name that is!

Today this song is my prayer of thanksgiving:
There is a Redeemer,
Jesus God’s own Son,
Precious Lamb of God,
Messiah, Holy One.

Thank You, O my Father
For giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit ’til
Your work on earth is done.

Jesus my Redeemer,
Name above all names,
Precious Lamb of God,
Messiah, O for sinners slain.

Thank You, O my Father
For giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit ’til
Your work on earth is done.

(“There is a Redeemer”, Melody Green)

Risen Lord

 

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.’” Revelation 1:17-18

If Jesus had come to earth, taught with boldness and truth while also performing miracles but had never risen from the grave, would we still remember Him today? How long do you think He would have been remembered? While He would likely have impacted those closest to Him and His teaching may have even been passed on from parent to child for a period of time, Jesus’ resurrection is the culmination and absolute affirmation of everything He claimed and taught. Without it, Jesus would have been no different than any other. With it, there is no doubt that He is unlike any other. He is the One and Only Son of God, our Great I AM, and the Lord Almighty.

Jesus is the Living One, our Risen Lord, and that makes all the difference. With His resurrection, He proved all His claims to be true and decisively proclaimed His power and authority. He showed that life is found through Him and in Him and announced His reign forever and ever!

There is no one like our God and there is no one like Jesus Christ our Lord! Only one who is holy and blameless could be the offering needed to cover our sins, and only one with ultimate power and authority over all creation could walk out of his grave. Jesus is our One and Only. He has conquered death and made a way for broken, sinful man to enter the presence of a holy, righteous God. He is worthy of all our praise and there is no where better to be than dwelling in His presence.

Take time to dwell more with the Lord and His word:
Acts 1:9-11, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 55-57, 2 Timothy, 1:10, Revelation 21:4

 

Lord,
More and more, I find myself just saying “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” You didn’t have to. There’s no logical reason You would and yet, You did. You are almighty and holy, loving and just, and I just want to be with You.

Savior

 

But the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.’” Luke 2:10-12

Savior- one who saves from danger. The Bible tells us over and over again that we will be saved through faith in Jesus Christ- saved from our sins, saved from the punishment of our sins, saved to life eternal.

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
“The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” (Acts 5:30-32)
“so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of man, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:28)
“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:10)

In some ways those ideas are all very lofty and can be hard to comprehend… until you experience God’s saving grace in your life. I found myself asking the question: How has Jesus saved me? And then I decided to ask my family- what has Jesus saved you from? My family all responded fairly quickly, with answers such as: 

despair
heartache
lack of hope
stress
worry
being lost
eternal death
my thoughts. 

For me, the response was nearly immediate- Jesus saves me from myself.

The answers are wide and varied but I would imagine that is because our sins are wide and varied. Jesus saves each of us from the sins we struggle with and so our personal experiences will each look a little different. No matter how diverse our answers to the question, the final outcome is the same: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17)  

Jesus saves! How incredible that the One who made the world, who holds all together with His Word, who is before and beyond time itself would choose to do that for me and for you!

More verses to consider:
Romans 10:9, Hebrews 7:25, Romans 6:1-23, 1 John 2:2, 2 Corinthians 5:17

 

Lord,
You offered salvation to us before we knew we needed saving. You offered salvation to us when we didn’t think we needed saving. You offer salvation even if we never accept our need. Thank you Lord for meeting us where we are and being a Savior greater than anything we could have imagined or needed.

Lamb of God

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” John 1:29

The Messiah was someone who was going to save his people and reign forever, and here in perhaps His first public introduction, Jesus is called a lamb- probably not the animal that I would have initially associated with the Son of the Most High. Then again, this is becoming a pattern with Him. Jesus is certainly not what was expected; from the outside, perhaps it even seemed like He was less than what was expected. When in reality, He was so much more, and that is what we find once again with this name- the Lamb of God.

The Old Testament gives us two beautiful stories that heavily rely upon a lamb/sheep which help us to better understand this title. In Genesis 22, God tells Abraham to take his only son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice. They reach their destination and Abraham builds the altar and places his only son upon it. He has his knife in his hand and is preparing to offer his son, when God stops him and tells him not to harm Isaac. “Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide.” (verse 13-14) Abraham showed his faith in God, and God showed His faithfulness to mankind. Through Abraham, God promised “all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” (verse 18) Just as God provided a ram as a substitutionary offering for Abraham and Isaac, God has also provided a substitutionary offering for all of mankind- one of Abraham’s descendants and God’s only son, Jesus Christ. He took our place and offers us a place alongside Him instead. He took our condemnation and offers us grace, mercy and love in its place.

Several hundreds year later, we find Abraham’s descendants laboring in Egypt. Moses has been sent to secure the release of the people of Israel, but Pharoah has obstinately refused. Even in the face of nine plagues, Pharoah has continued to refuse to let the Israelites leave. So God tells Moses and the people of Israel to prepare for one last plague. They are to select a one-year-old, unblemished male from the flock (sheep or goats) for each household. The animals are to be slaughtered, blood is to be placed on the frame of their doors and they are to eat the meat while waiting in readiness. God tells Israel, “When the Lord passes through to strike Egypt and sees the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts, He will pass over the door and not let the destroyer enter your houses to strike you.” (Genesis 12:23) Israel obeyed the Lord’s command and God protected and saved His people from destruction that night- passing over their homes. The blood of the unblemished lamb was a mark on the doors of those who believed and obeyed God that night. The blood of the unblemished Lamb is the mark that will save those who believe and obey God from eternal destruction and condemnation.

A lamb may be viewed as a meek and mild creature, but the Lamb of God is One of meekness and might, gentleness and power. Jesus is our Lamb of God- the only sacrifice that could spare us from God’s wrath, savings us from the destruction we have earned, once and for all.

Revelation 17:14, Revelation 22:1, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 1:18-19

Lord,
Your faithfulness astounds me. Your grace and mercy humble me. Help us live this day for Your glory and bring praise to Your name.

Anointed

 

“The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (called Christ)’is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.’ Then Jesus declared, ‘I, the one speaking to you—I am he.’” John 4:25-26

Messiah… it’s a name I’ve heard of often, but if I’m being completely honest, I didn’t know much about. Honestly, I probably didn’t give it too much real thought. I knew it was a name of Jesus and I knew it had direct ties back to prophecies in the Old Testament. And sadly, that has been enough until now.

Messiah is a Hebrew word that means “anointed one.” To be anointed meant that one was set apart by God for a special purpose. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for messiah is used in reference to four different individuals- first the priest (Aaron was anointed as the High Priest), then the kings (both Saul and David are anointed as kings), followed by the prophet (Elisha was anointed as a prophet by Elijah), and lastly “a figure signaling the end of time, the Day of Judgement and the inauguration of the Kingdom of God.” (“What is Messianic Expectation in the Old Testament”, Father David Neuhaus) All four positions were divinely appointed to a special task.

Jesus is the Anointed One of God. He fulfills the concept of Messiah like no other. He fulfilled the passages of scriptures that have long been viewed as messianic prophecy:

Genesis 49:10- The Messiah would be from the tribe of Judah.
Numbers 24:17- The Messiah would be a star coming out of Jacob.
Deuteronomy 18:15-19- The Messiah would be a prophet like Moses.
2 Samuel 7:12-16- The Messiah would be a descendant of David.
Psalm 16:9-11- The Messiah would be resurrected.
Psalm 118:22-24- The Messiah would be the rejected cornerstone.
Isaiah 7:14- The Messiah would be born of a virgin.
Isaiah 35:5-6- The Messiah would perform signs of healing.
Isaiah 61:1-2- The Messiah would do life-affirming redemptive deeds.
Isaiah 53- The Messiah would suffer for the sake of salvation.
Hosea 11:1- The Messiah would be called out of Egypt.
Micah 5:2- The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
Zechariah 9:9- The Messiah would come riding on a donkey.
Zechariah 11:12-13- The Messiah would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver.
Zechariah 12:10- The Messiah would be pierced.
Malachi 3:1- The Messiah would be preceded by a messenger.

Jesus fulfilled all of these prophecies and more, but He did even more than that. Jesus is the fulfillment and culmination of all the “messiahs” or anointed ones that proceeded Him in the Old Testament. He was appointed by God to offer and be the sacrificial lamb that would atone for the sins of humanity. He was set apart to usher in and rule over the Kingdom of God, and He is the very embodiment of God’s Word- given and shared with us in ways never seen before.

Jesus is our Great High Priest.
Jesus is the King of kings.
Jesus is the Word.
Jesus is the Anointed One, our Messiah, the Christ—who’s kingdom will never end.

New Testament verses that identify Jesus as the Messiah:
Luke 4:16-22, Luke 24:25-27. John 1:41

 

Lord,
Thank you for continuing to reveal Yourself to me. The more I see and understand, the more in awe I am that You would care for us. You are above and beyond all we can imagine and You alone are worthy of our praise and adoration.

Servant

 

“Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised,
and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living,
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
After he had suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Isaiah 53

This is one of the passages that gives me goosebumps every time I read it. Stop and read the passage again. Take your time and really consider how each line can be seen in the life of Jesus Christ.

How could the victorious king who was meant to come and save the people suffer like this? How could he be rejected and die? The two ideas seem disparate and yet in Jesus, we see the possibility.

Jesus came to earth in a lowly form, with nothing to mark Him out as royal or regal. He would share in our pain and suffering and would be rejected by men. He would be offered up by his own people for a shameful and horrible death. Although He was guilty of no wrongdoing, He bore the punishment for our sins and through His death, offered us peace with God. His death was with the poor, but He would be buried in the grave of a wealthy man. But with His resurrection, His days were prolonged, and He has been exalted to the very right hand of God.

Jesus’ first coming was that of a servant. He served the will of God and He served all of humanity with His sacrifice. But when He returns again, He will come victoriously and His kingdom with last forever. Jesus is the fulfillment of it all. We just have to remember that we cannot put our wants and wishes upon Him. He came for the good of all mankind and that meant coming as the suffering servant. Praise be to God for His great goodness and compassion!

New Testament passages that quote/reference Isaiah 53:
Matthew 8:14-17, John 12:37-41, Luke 22:35-38, 1 Peter 2:21-25, Acts 8:26-35, Romans 10: 11-17

 

Lord,
Your ways are far too high for us. May we never forget that You see all and know all and You are working all things for the good of those who love You. We can lose sight of that when it doesn’t match with what we think should happen, but we thank you Lord that the final say is not with us.

One and Only

 

“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6

Yesterday’s name may have been a bit ambiguous and left us with questions on what exactly Jesus meant, but the opposite is true today. Jesus’ statement in John 14:6 is quite direct and leaves very little room for misinterpretation. In earlier verses, Jesus is talking about His coming death and going to be with the Father where He will prepare a place for His followers to one day join Him. Thomas is confused about how they can join Jesus when they don’t know where He is going. To which, Jesus responds in verse 6.

Jesus is the Way- the one and only Way to the Father. He is why we can approach the throne of grace with confidence now (Hebrews 4:14-16) and He is the only way by which we will be able to share in eternity with God the Father.

Jesus is also the Truth. He isn’t just truthful; He is Truth. Truth is found in Him and Him alone. Everything He did and everything He said are truth, including all that He claimed concerning Himself and the Father. Jesus is the embodiment of the Truth of and concerning God. There is no truth outside or beyond Him.

And finally, Jesus is the Life. Life is found in Him. As our creator, He gave us the very life we have here on earth, but He offers us even more. Jesus died on the cross so that we might have life- a life more abundant and free both here and now as well as life eternal with God the Father.

These names are pretty straight-forward in their explanation but that doesn’t mean they don’t present their challenges. As absolute statements about Jesus, they leave no room for negotiation, and that doesn’t always sit easily for us. These names have proven to be a stumbling block for many who don’t like the idea of anyone being lost to an eternal death. What we must remember is that Jesus feels the same way. “The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 He not only feels that way but also did something about it. Jesus’ death and resurrection was not exclusive to just a few. He sacrificed Himself as an atonement for each and every person who has or will yet live. He knew that there was only one way and so He made certain that way was available to all.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and He made certain all three were made available to all of humanity out of His great love for you and for me. What more should we want than to dwell in His presence now and for all eternity?

Additional Verses to Consider:
Matthew 7:13-14, 1 John 1:6, John 8:31-32, 1 John 5:20, John 1:4, John 10:10, 1 John 5:11-12, Colossians 3:4, Genesis 18:16-33

 

Lord,
I know these names of Yours are not always easy to accept. In fact, they can sometimes even cause us pain when we consider others who we care about deeply. But I thank you for being clear about these truths. You have not left us with questions or uncertainty when it comes to what matters most. We can trust what You say and do for You are Truth and therefore we know we can have Life eternal with the Father because You are the Way and the Life. And I thank you for your endless love and patience with all humanity and Your willingness to do what was needed to ensure that the Way was open to all.

Son of Man

 

“’Today salvation has come to this house,’ Jesus told him, ‘because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.’” Luke 19:9-10

Son of Man is the name Jesus uses for Himself the most in the gospels, but interestingly enough, it is a name for which there are a lot of questions and uncertainty about its ultimate meaning. Some have even posited that Jesus intentionally used the title Son of Man because it was more ambiguous. If the people He was speaking to did not have a strong preconceived idea about this name and who they thought should carry the title, Jesus had more freedom to reveal Himself to the people through this name. So what do we learn from Jesus’ use of the name Son of Man?

First, there was once a historical view that the name Son of Man was merely meant to acknowledge the complete humanity of Christ- in the same way the name is used for Ezekiel in the book named for him. However, in almost every situation where Jesus uses the name for Himself, He is also discussing, teaching or acting upon the divine authority He holds. He calls Himself Son of Man as He performs the miracle of healing and offers forgiveness of sins (Luke 5:17-26). He calls Himself Son of Man when He declares Himself Lord of the Sabbath. (Matthew 12:8) He calls Himself Son of Man when He discusses His role in the salvation of mankind. (John 3:11-18, Luke 9:22, Mark 14:41, Matthew 12:40, Matthew 20:28) He calls Himself Son of Man as he teaches that our response to Him will be reflected in how heaven responds to us, (Luke 12:8-12) and He refers to Himself thus when He describes His eventual exaltation. (Mark 14:62). Because of this, the name Son of Man must carry as much weight regarding His divinity as it does His humanity. Thus, “The Son of Man is the bond between earth and heaven, belongs in an equal degree to both; He is the medium through which God reaches man and man reaches God.” (The Words and Works of Jesus Christ, J.D. Pentecost)  

Second, Jesus does not refer to Himself as the son of a man. No, He is The Son of Man. To be a son held great significance in regards to one’s lineage, inheritance, representation and more for the Jewish people. For Jesus to say He is the Son of Man, He is uniquely identifying Himself with not just His own humanity but with all of humanity. Jesus is claiming to be the representative for all humanity- past, present and future- regardless of their human lineage.

Finally, the most significant Old Testament reference to the name Son of Man is found in the book of Daniel chapter 7. “On the basis of verse 18 (“The holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever”), many scholars have interpreted this vision as a prophecy of the collective future and glory of Israel. But verses 13–14 seem to suggest more than this—that Israel will be led by a representative who is described as a heavenly figure worthy of universal worship.” (Jesus and the Gospels: an Introduction and Survey, C.L. Blomberg) Verses 13 & 14 read, “and I saw One like the son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before Him. He was given authority to rule, and glory, and a kingdom; so that those of every people, nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.” Such language takes on a more messianic theme while also suggesting that Jesus is the ultimate representative of the people of Israel and the fulfillment of this kingdom prophecy.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’ll ever read Son of Man so casually again. It is a name rich in context and worthy of much time and consideration. Dwell with the Son of Man today and stand in awe of all that He is.

 

Lord,
Son of Man- what a powerful reminder of how all-encompassing You are. You meet us where we are but remain perfect in power and righteousness. You fulfill the prophecies to the nation of Israel and offer to be our perfect representative. And above all else, You will be defined by none other than Yourself. May we never lose sight of that and may we always worship You for who You have revealed Yourself to be, not who we want You to be.

Lead

 

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. … I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep. But I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.” John 10:11, 14-16

I grew up on a farm in northern Illinois, but I think I should make one thing very clear here…. I am not much of a farm girl. My father would agree. I loved the country life.  I loved the space and most of the animals. I loved the green of the fields and the slower lifestyle, but I generally kept a good distance between me and the real farm work, when possible. The closest claim I have to being a farm girl was that I did show pigs at our county 4-H fair for two years. However, I probably shouldn’t boast too much on that adventure, seeing that one of those times I ended up riding my pig in the arena. Not exactly how you are supposed to show a pig. So, as I said before, I’m not much of a farm girl and I’m definitely not well versed in the care of sheep.

I have done a bit of research on the responsibilities of a shepherd and why those tasks were necessary. There are many. A shepherd must provide for his flock, making certain they have good pastureland and clean, fresh water. He must be vigilant to watch for any approaching predators and must be willing to fight to protect his flock. He must be mindful of the sheep at all times and watch for any signs of disease or illness. He must tend to the cleanliness and hygiene of the flock to help reduce the chance of infection. He must be willing to seek out those that wander away and become lost.

However there seems to be one duty that encompasses all of the above. A shepherd must lead his flock. Sheep are fairly helpless creatures. They need a shepherd who will safely and wisely lead them. This leadership will allow the shepherd to move the sheep to better pastures, guide them to good water, and help them find a safer location to rest. A shepherd’s leadership decides when to shear and when oil is needed to repel the flies. A shepherd’s leadership keeps a watchful eye out for those who would prey upon his flock and recognizes when one is going astray or has wandered off.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He quite literally laid down His life for His sheep and He continues to care for all who recognize His call. He tends to our deepest needs and offers limitless protection. He pursues us and celebrates when one who was lost is brought into the flock. He trims and molds us as needed, so that we might be better able to face what lies ahead. Jesus is our Good Shepherd who “restores our soul and leads up on paths of righteousness.” (Psalm 23:3)

 Being a shepherd is a full-time job that has often been viewed as lowly and thankless. Take time today to thank God that we have a Good Shepherd who was not afraid of the lowly or the dirty, who came not for honor and acclaim but for the good of His sheep.

More verses to consider:
1 Samuel 17:34-36, Isaiah 40:11, Revelation 7:17, 1 Peter 2:24-25, Matthew 9:36, Psalm 23, Ezekiel 34

Lord,
There is none like You. A shepherd cares and tends, leads and defends, guides and protects. What a beautiful description for you! Thank you for guiding us along the narrow and dangerous paths and leading us to still waters. Thank you for giving Your all- absolutely everything- for us. We don’t deserve it; we never could.

Lord of All

 

“Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,
 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God
as something to be used for His own advantage.
Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave,
taking on the likeness of men.
And when He had come as a man in His external form,
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.
For this reason God highly exalted Him
and gave Him the name that is above every name,
 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—
of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth—
and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11

Amen!

We have already seen that Jesus has always existed;
He has no beginning and no end.
He was not created but has always been with God and is in fact God.
Jesus is the Word, the creator of all that we see.
He is the Light of the World and the Bread of Life.
He is our Alpha and Omega, the One who was, and is, and is to come—our Great I AM.
Jesus is supreme. He has no equal.
He is the Almighty One, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
He is our Great High Priest, our Advocate, our Mediator and the Author and Perfecter of our Faith, and as such He fulfilled all of the law that came before and offers a more perfect and complete promise to those who will believe in Him.

Jesus is all of these and more! Yet here we see that He did not allow pride in who He is to stop Him from being obedient and fulfilling the plan and will of God. Instead, He humbled Himself. Oh! How He humbled Himself, taking on the form of His creation—wrapped in weak and frail flesh. Jesus became one of us, but it doesn’t end there, for He would humble Himself even more. He would face one of the greatest forms of humiliation- death on a cross- along with the excruciating pain from both the crucifixion and the denial of those He loved.

But that humiliation and pain was not the end for Jesus. No, three days later He would rise victorious, and God would see Him exalted and restored- at the right hand of the throne of God. And one day… one day everyone-- no matter how big or small, whether they were for or against Him up until that point, whether alive or buried centuries before— one day, EVERYONE will acknowledge Him for who He is and will give Him the praise and honor He deserves. For all will see and know that Jesus is Lord of ALL!

Hallelujah! Praise His Holy Name!

I encourage you to take time today to worship the Lord of All. Below are a few additional verses to consider:
1 Chronicles 16:29, Psalm 66:4, Acts 10:36, Romans 10:12, Hebrews 1:6, Revelation 4:8-11, Revelations 5:9-14, Revelation 7:9-12

I stand in awe of who You are, Lord. I stand in awe that You would chose to pursue us after all the ways- time after time- that we have turned from You and followed our own foolish ways. You are amazing and awesome and worthy of so much praise. Not because of what You've done for us, but solely because of who You are. May we never lose sight of that.

Reconcile

 

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, Himself human, who gave Himself—a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6

Jesus is our Mediator, the one and only who can help bring about a reconciliation between us and God. But why is reconciliation even needed? If we are God’s creation and He is all-knowing and all-powerful, why can He not just choose to overlook our sins? Why was sacrifice needed? There are two sides to this question, and we must look at both: who God is and the reality of our sin.

God is all-knowing and He is all-powerful. He is love and He is truth. He is also holy, righteous and just. Sin puts humanity into open rebellion against God and His authority, and no person- past, present or future- is exempt from this reality for all choose at some point to defy the authority of God. This reality is made worse by the fact that in our fallen state, there is nothing we can do by ourselves to rectify this situation. Our sin is too overwhelming and the effects too great.

Because God is holy and just, there must be a reckoning, a payment made to cancel the debt created by our sin. He cannot simply ignore our willful disobedience. It would go against His very nature. Yet out of His great love for us, God wants to be reconciled to His creation, and so a way had to be made that would cover our debt and make peace between God and man possible.

God first created the system of sacrifices and offerings that we see in the Old Testament. This system was a foretaste of what was needed. Through the law and the old covenant, the condemnation of our sin was made evidently clear to us, and the sacrifices offered a way to receive temporary atonement for the sins of the people. However, it was only ever meant to be a temporary solution. It was never designed to offer complete and lasting reconciliation, for “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin.” (Hebrews 10:4) “Animal sacrifices did not offer true atonement, but they were the means God appointed that allowed Him to pass over the sins of Israel out of gracious forbearance, knowing that those sins would one day be dealt with by the atonement and mediation of Christ.” (Ligonier.org, Christ our Mediator) Only One who was without sin or blame could truly clear our debt.

Jesus, who walked this earth both as a human and the very Son of God, was uniquely and solely qualified to do this. He alone can fully represent the best interest of both parties, and He alone was able to offer a perfect, unblemished sacrifice.  In Him, we find the only one who can completely and perfectly serve as a link between God and man.

So we see once again that Jesus came to offer a perfect, complete, lasting answer, and because of Him, we can know peace with God no matter what we may have done.

1 Samuel 15:22, Micah 6:6-8, Hosea 6:6, Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 12:23-24

 

Lord,
We have certainly made of mess of Your beautiful creation and we find ourselves in a desperate state because of our own actions. What hope have we but in You? Thank you for making a way, from the very beginning, for us to approach Your throne of grace and mercy. Thank you for Your Son and His willingness to do what only He could do.

Defend

 

“My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the Righteous One.” 1 John 2:1

Merriam-Webster states that an advocate is “one who pleads the cause of another, specifically: one who leads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court.” One day we each will have to face judgment for our earthly deeds and actions. (2 Corinthians 5:10) Can anyone of us ever hope to be found innocent on our own? Certainly not! Our sin condemns us even now- imagine how much more it would do so when presented to a holy, righteous Lord.

But we have been given an Advocate- One who will take up our case and plead for mercy on our behalf- Jesus Christ. His defense cannot depend upon our earthly actions, for as we’ve said already because of our sins, we have already been found guilty. No amount of good deeds can change that. There is only one argument Jesus can make on our behalf, and it is the argument of His righteousness, poured out on our behalf on the cross. “We are guilty of sin and unable to meet the Lord’s demands, but the perfect righteousness of Jesus, imputed to us in our justification, sets us right with God. Matthew Henry writes: ‘The clients are guilty; their innocence and legal righteousness cannot be pleaded. It is the advocate’s own righteousness that he must plead for the criminals.’” (Our Righteous Advocate, Ligonier.org)

Jesus is not only our Advocate, but He is our very Testimony. For those who have believed in Him and accepted Him as their Lord and Savior, His defense for us will be His very sacrifice- His death on the cross. In such a case, the debt has already been paid and therefore, no charge against us will remain.

That is the radical, all-consuming, eternal love that the Lord has for me, for you, for us all, and that is the Advocate who invites us to come to Him and lay our burdens down.

Extra Reading:
Isaiah 43:25, Romans 8:1-2, Romans 8:34, John 3:16-18

 

Lord,
I don’t deserve the forgiveness You have offered me. I know my thoughts, actions and words leave me guilty on all accounts. Nothing I can say or do will change that. Praise be to God- You didn’t leave me in that state but have offered us each a way out from under the impossible debt we each owe.

Foundation

 

“Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right had of God’s throne.” Hebrews 12:1-2

The Source and Perfecter of our Faith sounds a bit like the beginning and the end, doesn’t it? However this name isn’t talking about Jesus’ eternality or His creative ability, so there’s definitely something here to be considered. The King James Version translates the Greek word archēgos ("source") to author. The English Standard Version says founder. All of these words are appropriate translations and together they do help us have a clearer picture of how we understand this name. Our faith- the communal Christian faith (Acts 6:7, Galatians 1:23)- is founded or based in and on Jesus Christ. There is no other person/no prophet or priest or church leader upon which we should build our faith. He is the rock and the sure foundation, tested and true for whom “the one who believes will be unshakeable.” (Isaiah 28:16)

The other half of this name strikes a chord with me- Perfecter. I don’t know about you, but I love the sound of that. I spent most of my teen years and well into my adult years struggling with perfectionism. However I have been given ample opportunities to realize that I am not and will never be perfect. At first that was a hard pill to swallow, but with time, I am finding more and more peace in that statement. I’m not perfect and no one really expects me to be. Ahhh, feels good. But it feels even better when I realize, God is perfect, and not just according to some human standard-- He is perfect in all ways. Not only that, but when Jesus walked on this earth, He was without sin. He lived a perfect life. He’s the only one who has ever done that- the only one who ever could- and in so doing, He left us an example of how we too should live. The Greek word teleiōtēs ("perfecter") can also be translated “one who completes” or finisher- as in one who finishes a race. Jesus ran the race marked out before Him and completed the faith with His death, His burial and His triumphant resurrection.

The whole time I’ve been writing, I’ve had a children’s song running through my head.

“The wise man built his house upon the Rock.
The wise man built his house upon the Rock.
The wise man built his house upon the Rock and the rains came tumbling down.
The rains came down and the floods came up.
The rains came down and the floods came up.
The rains came down and the floods came up, but the house on the Rock stood firm!”

The storms of this world will come and I pray that when they do, your life is rooted in the Author and Perfecter of the faith.

Further Reading:
Colossians 2:6-7, 1 Peter 2:4-6, Ephesians 2:19-22, John 19:28-30

 

Lord,
What an incredible gift You have provided us through Your Son and the faith He made possible. What a comfort to know that You understand and can sympathize with all that we fear and face. Not only that, but You overcame, You conquered, You finished triumphantly.

Greater

 

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to the confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.” Hebrews 4:14-16

For centuries, the Israelite nation had a high priest who served in the tabernacle/temple offering both gifts and sacrifices on behalf of the people, who also had the responsibility of offering the yearly atonement sacrifice for the nation. A high priest was required to follow all of the regulations set out for the priests as well as having some additional guidelines. Being a high priest came with many rules and commands.

With Jesus’ arrival though, all those rules and commands are shattered- or rather fulfilled and completed.  So let’s take a look at how Jesus’ priesthood is better/greater.

Old Covenant: Priests are from the tribe of Levi; high priests from the house of Aaron.
New Covenant: Jesus is of the tribe of Judah, the house of David. For this reason, He could not be a priest according to His earthly lineage. Instead He is described as a priest in the order Of Melchizedek. Melchizidek was a priest who met with Abraham. Melchizidek did not become a priest through his lineage but through the “power of an indestructible life.´(Hebrews 7:16) Melchizidek is also described as the King of righteousness and the King of Salem (translated to King of Peace). So if Jesus is a High Priest in the order of Melchizidek, we can assume He also gained this title through the power of His indestructible life as well as carrying the titles King of Righteousness and King of Peace.

Old Covenant: A high priest had to ceremonially cleanse himself before he could enter the Holy of Holies in order to offer the yearly atonement sacrifice.
New Covenant: Jesus does not need to ceremonially cleanse Himself because He is already pure and perfect- without sin.

Old Covenant: A high priest would have to regularly offer sacrifices for himself, to cover the sins he had committed. His sin would mean that sacrifices would continue to be required.
New Covenant: Since Jesus was without sin, He did not have to make any sacrifice for Himself. Therefore His sacrifice was utterly a gift of grace and redemption and the perfect atoning sacrifice, making it a sacrifice once for all. No other sacrifices are now needed.

Old Covenant: A high priest would only serve for his lifetime. New high priests would be designated when the last one passed away. There was therefore a continual cycle of high priests.
New Covenant: Jesus’ reign is eternal, therefore no further high priests could ever be needed.

Old Covenant: God, due to His holy nature, had to be kept separate from the people and so His mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant was kept in a separated room called the Holy of Holies within the Tabernacle/Temple. Only the high priest could enter and then only once a year after being ceremonially cleansed.
New Covenant: Jesus’ sacrifice granted us the opportunity to approach God personally, tearing down the heavy curtain that separated God from the people forever. (Matthew 27:51)

With the fulfillment of these old covenant practices, Jesus was able to usher in a new covenant- not based on rules and commands but on forgiveness and a restoration of fellowship through Jesus Christ. It is for this reason that Jesus has become our Great High Priest, the only One who could offer the one sacrifice we all needed and make a way for us to enter into the very presence of God. Jesus freed us from a covenant of laws offered only to a few and replaced it with one better, full of fellowship and grace which is available to all. I, for one, cannot thank God enough for that.

Further reading:
Leviticus 21, Hebrews 7-9

 

Lord,
I must admit I don’t often think about Your role as my Great High Priest, at least not in those terms, but I am so thankful You became our Great High Priest. And unlike any high priest before, You not only offered up the sacrifice that would offer salvation for all, but You were the sacrifice. The perfect lamb offered on my behalf in order to redeem me. I pray that I would live each day walking in the grace and gratitude of this incredible gift and do my part to share it with others.

Almighty

 

“’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘The One who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty.’” Revelation 1:8

The Almighty God is one with complete, infinite power/strength and unlimited authority. It may be almost inconceivable to grasp what that truly means. Infinite power is a power or strength with no end. Just like when we looked at John 1 and saw that Jesus was eternal, having no beginning and no end, so His power and strength are without ends. Similarly for one’s authority to be without limits, there must be no one above or greater than you. No one who has authority over you. As a mother with a soon-to-be teenager in my house, we have seen the natural desire to be in such a position, but it is not one we were made for. Only one entity can have unlimited authority and that is found in the trinity.

Being Almighty God is crucial if Jesus is to be the Lord of lords and King of kings. He would not be able to be the supreme ruler if any other entity had greater power or more authority than Him. It is a contradiction that would undermine and devalue both names. Likewise, Jesus must be Almighty if He is the Alpha and the Omega. A.W. Tozer points out “that God the self-existent Creator is the source of all power there is, and since a source must be at least equal to anything that emanates from it, God is of necessity equal to all the power there is.” (The Knowledge of the Holy) Jesus could not be the creator of the universe if He didn’t have complete and absolute power.

Isaiah 40:28 states that God does not grow faint or weary. This is another attribute of the Almighty God that we can depend and rely upon. When we exert ourselves physically, we will often find ourselves to be worn out and weakened until we are able to refuel and replenish our bodies. This is not how God works. Exertions do not deplete Him. No matter how much He gives, He remains as complete and powerful as before. He is not diminished in the least. So even as Jesus hung on the cross, His power had not lessened.

Indeed in the moments when some might look and claim He was weak-
when His neighbors and town rejected Him,
when He didn’t rise to the challenges set by Satan in the desert,
when He remained silent and did not defend Himself,
when He was wrongly accused and betrayed,
when He was whipped and mocked
and eventually when He was hung on the cross-
it was in these moments that we see His greatest strength- the strength of His character, the strength of His love, the strength of His obedience, and ultimately His power over the enemy and death.

This month I wanted to take time to “Be still and know” that He is God. Today I see it more clearly than ever. For who is like our God? Who else has the power to give children to the barren woman, heal merely by speaking, or raise to life those who were dead? He is God. Hallelujah! There is no better place to dwell than at His feet.

More Verses to Consider:
Genesis 18:14, Isaiah 43:13, Matthew 19:26, John 11:1-44, Romans 1:20, 1 Corinthians 1:24

 

Lord,
 Almighty One, I am reminded time and again how great You are, how incredible are Your ways, and yet all too often, I still fall in the trap of thinking I can handle life on my own. Thank You for Your boundless forgiveness and patience with me. May I remember Your might and strength, Your infinite power and know You and You alone can lead me down right paths.

Sovereign

 

“These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:14

Lord of lords and King of kings- these names pay homage to the sovereignty of Jesus. He is the highest authority over all of creation. He is not just the creator but also the ruler above all others. It is to Him we owe our highest allegiance and to Him that we should submit to before and above any other.

What more can I say? Nothing I say is needed. We’ve already been given so much in His word. Take time with each passage and let them be a song of praise to the Lord of lords and King of kings.

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“He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens – far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put everything under His feet and appointed Him as head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way.” Ephesians 1:20-23

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“Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord commanded it?” Lamentations 3:37

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“How great are His miracles, and how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation.” Daniel 4:3

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“It is by me that kings reign and rulers enact just law; by me, princes lead, as do nobles and all righteous judges.” Proverbs 8:15-16

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‘I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Job 42:2

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“He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove His people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. In that day they will say, ‘Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him and He saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” Isaiah 25:8-9

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“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgements and untraceable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Or who has ever first given to Him and has to be repaid. For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11:33-36

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“See, the Lord God comes with strength, and His power establishes His rule. His reward is with Him, and His gifts accompany Him. He protects His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them in the fold of His garment. He gently leads those that are nursing.

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand or marked off the heavens with the span of His hand? Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure or weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in the scales? Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or who gave Him His counsel? Who did He consult with? Who gave Him understanding and taught Him the paths of justice? Who taught Him knowledge and showed Him the way of understanding?  …

Look up and see: who created these? He brings out the starry host by number; He calls all of them by name. Because of His great power and strength, not one of them is missing.

Jacob, why do you say, and Israel, why do you assert: ‘My way is hidden from the Lord, and my claim is ignored by my God’? Do you not know? Have you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never grows faint or weary; there is no limit to His understanding.” Isaiah 40:10-14,26-28

Praise the Lord for He is good. His kingdom will last forever!
Praise Him for His creative power.
Praise Him for His mighty acts.
Praise Him for His limitless knowledge.
Praise Him for His relentless justice.
Praise Him for His redeeming love.
Praise Him. Honor Him. Rejoice in His holy name!

ΑΩ

 

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End,” Revelation 22:13

The Alpha and the Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, so this name is quite literally referring to the first and the last, the beginning and the end. We have already seen in both John 1 and Colossians 1 where the authors affirmed that Jesus was present in the beginning- that indeed for mankind Jesus was the very beginning. Everything exists because of and for Him. The Alpha and the Omega builds upon this idea even more.

As the Alpha, Jesus is the beginning of creation and He is the beginning of each created being- just as we read in John 1 and Colossians 1. Jesus is also the Omega. This means that He is the end of all things. I don’t know about you, but that phrase sits a bit uneasily for me. Our human nature likely rebels against the idea that this world will end. Yet the Bible tells us that this is the case, and at that time, all will have to make an account to God. (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:10) As we see in Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus will be the dividing line by which we are separated on the final judgement day; those who believed and followed Jesus will be separated from those who didn’t.

As the Omega, He will be the end of all things as we have known them, but let’s not forget that also means He is the end of death and its power over us. He will also be the end of pain and suffering, toil and strife, violence and hatred, tears and sorrow. For though He will be the end of this world as we know it, with His second coming, He will also usher in a new age with a new Heaven and a new Earth. “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then He said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ He said to me. ‘It is done, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.’” (Revelation 21: 3-6) He will be present at the end of this creation and will be there for the new creation to come. Thus, this end will also be a more glorious new beginning.

So Jesus forms the bookends to this entire creation, but the phrase doesn’t stop there. For also included in the meaning of the phrase is all that is sandwiched between the two and even what is beyond. The phrase Alpha and Omega is truly all-encompassing. This name directly contradicts the claim by some that Jesus set the world to spinning and then stepped back, merely watching us as a disinterested observer. That is not the way of the Alpha and Omega. Jesus is ever-present and as we saw in Colossians, that is to our benefit, as our very continued existence is dependent upon His continued presence.

From what we’ve studied already, it should be evident that we cannot overstress the importance of recognizing Jesus’ self-existence and eternal nature. It is foundational to our understanding of Him. Take some time today to sit quietly with the One who is the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Take not this day for granted for we know He will return again.

More verses to consider:
Psalm 90:2, Isaiah 44:6, Isaiah 48:12-13, John 5:22, Acts 10:42, Revelation 1:8, Revelation 21:6-7

 

Lord,
You are the Alpha and You are the Omega. All things begin in You, and at the end, all things will find their completion in You. Thank you for making a way for us, so that the end is not something to fear but a promise of hope and something to be desired. May we long for the day when we are reunited while not losing sight of the work You have given to us until that time.