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Jesus the World's Savior
"Thou shalt call his name Jesus.-
for he shall save his people ftom
their sins."
Matthew 1.21
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Never before in human experience has there been
such a dire need for a competent ruler. We need
one who is able to lead the hate-infected
nations of earth out of the crosscurrents of
selfishness and despair into the wholesome
atmosphere of trust and goodwill. Without this
there can be no lasting peace, or security,
either for individuals or nations.
There are many outstanding heroes whose names
and accomplishments glorify the pages of
history. But none of them had to deal with such
complex conditions as confront the world today,
nor were their problems so numerous. Today every
nation has its problems, and no one seems able
to find adequate solutions. The world needs a
superman, to lead it out of the chaos that has
developed from two global wars. But where such a
leader may be found no one will venture to say.
In
the Bible, the Creator has given his people a
blueprint of his plan for world peace. His Word
reveals in clear terms that Jesus is the chief
One in the divine arrangements for the blessing
of the people. The song of the angels on the
night Jesus was born is sufficient to confirm
this, for they identified him as the Savior of
the world, through whom God's goodwill would be
manifested to the dying race. Those angels also
prophesied that through Jesus there would come
peace on earth.
But
who is Jesus, and what are his characteristics?
What reasons have we for believing he meets all
the qualifications needed to restore peace to
the chaotic world? We know no better way of
finding the answers to these questions than to
examine the prophecies and promises in the Word
of God which speak of him and of his
qualifications. As we do this, the plan of God
itself, as it relates to Jesus, His son, will
unfold before us in all its glorious harmony and
beauty.
The Word (Logos) Made Flesh
Jesus had a prehuman existence. That fact is
brought to light in John 1: 1-3. In John 1: 14
we read that "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt
among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as
of the only begotten of the Father) full of
grace and truth" That the Logos was made flesh,
that is, transferred from his prehuman state to
the state of manhood, is revealed in the Bible
to be a fundamental feature of the plan of God.
Hebrews 2:9, 14 says that this was so he might
die as a human being for the sins of the world.
In
John 6:51 we find Jesus’ own explanation of the
matter, and he says he would give his flesh for
the life of the world. This sacrifice of Jesus’
humanity was as a substitute for the forfeited
life of father Adam. Paul affirms that "As in
Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be
made alive" (I Cor. 15:22) In I Timothy 2:6 the
apostle explains that Jesus gave himself a
ransom for all, and the Greek word here
translated "ransomn" means "corresponding price"
Here, then, is the philosophy of God’s plan of
redemption through Christ. His only begotten Son
was made flesh-perfect flesh-that he might
become a substitute in death for condemned Adam,
and thus provide a way of escape from death for
Adam and all his race. Thus did Jesus die for
all mankind.
The
whole world praises the spirit of sacrifice on
behalf of others, and recognizes its value in
those who would rule over the people. All know
the evil that results from a ruler seeking
merely his own interests, his own welfare, his
own advancement, and the increase of his own
power, regardless of how others might be
affected. Perhaps one of the most praiseworthy
characteristics, when possessed by those who
attempt to administer the affairs of government,
is willingness to spend and be spent in the
interests of the people.
But
in all the annals of history, no ruler, no
statesman, no president, king, emperor, or
dictator has ever matched Jesus in his spirit of
devotion, first to God and then to mankind. He
"went about doing good," the Scriptures tell us.
(Acts 10:38) He used his strength to teach
others, as daily he carried on his ministry of
self-sacrifice. And finally he completed that
wonderful life of service by voluntarily giving
himself up to that cruel death on the cross.
Thus
did the man Christ Jesus prove his faithfulness.
The world will be able to trust such a noble
character as they learn about him when his
long-promised kingdom is established in the
earth and functions as a world government for
the blessing of the people.
A Priest and King
The
name Jesus means one who saves –
a savior. But God's plan for saving the world
from sin and death is so comprehensive that in
order to help us understand all its implications
God, through his Word, has given Jesus many and
varied titles, each giving some particular
viewpoint regarding the salvation brought by him
to the dying race. One of these titles is
"priest"
When
we think of the title "priest" we are not to
have in mind the misuse of this term by various
denominational groups, but we should go back to
the Old Testament and note the significance
attached to its original use. God appointed
priests to serve the nation of Israel in matters
of worship. Their work was twofold –
they offered sacrifice, and then extended
blessings to the people, based upon the offering
of sacrifice.
Thus
it is with Jesus. He has already served as
priest for the offering of sacrifice, and later
will extend to the world the blessing of life
everlasting, made available by the sacrifice he
offered. In the case of the priests of Israel,
they offered animals in typical sacrifice, but
Jesus offered himself as the great antitypical
sacrifice.
Jesus is also appointed by God to be King of
earth, and in Hebrews 6:20; 7:1, 2 the apostle
combines these two offices in the person of
Jesus. Thus we are reminded that he will rule
over the people and bless them. Concerning this
priestly King the prophet wrote:
"All
kings shall fall down before him: all nations
shall serve him. For he shall deliver the needy
when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath
no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy,
and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall
redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and
precious shall their blood be in his sight',
–
Ps. 72:11-14
A
prophecy of this kind can be appreciated only in
the light of God's promise that Jesus shall
reign over the earth for a thousand years. It is
not a matter of waiting for the people to accept
his kingship before he can rule. There is a
definite time in the plan of God for the Kingdom
to be set up in the earth. In a prophecy
concerning Jesus as the new King of earth, we
are told that first he will dash the nations to
pieces as "a potter’s vessel" –Ps.
2:5-12
A Judge
Another title which the Scriptures assign to
Jesus is "Judge" As a judge he also will be a
blesser of the people. The psalmist wrote
concerning Jesus, "He shall judge the poor of
the people, he shall save the children of the
needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor."
(Ps. 72:4) The great oppressor of the people
throughout the ages has been Satan, the Devil.
He has enslaved the minds of men through deceit,
and thereby prevented them from knowing and
serving the true God, whom to know and serve in
the right way will mean life eternal.
Traditional misconceptions of the judgment day
have hindered many from appreciating Jesus as
the great judge of mankind. Instead of looking
forward to the judgment day as a time of
blessing, they have dreaded its approach,
supposing it to be a time of doom for nearly
everybody. Actually, the thousand years during
which Jesus will "judge the world in
righteousness" will be a time of blessing for
the people. –
Acts 17:31
When
our first parents transgressed the divine law,
they brought themselves and their offspring
under condemnation to death. But Jesus’ death as
mans Redeemer provided a way of escape from that
condemnation. The benefits to be derived from
the death of Jesus are available only through
belief in him, and obedience to the divine will.
But Paul raises the question, "How shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard?"
(Rom. 10:14) Few, as yet, have heard of Jesus in
the comprehensive manner necessary for them to
believe in him. But the Scriptures reveal that
they will have this opportunity during the
coming judgment day.
The
judgment day will therefore be a time of
enlightenment for the people. Paul implies this
in his sermon on Mars' hill, in which he
contrasts the "times of this ignorance" with the
day which God has appointed in which "he will
judge the world in righteousness by that man
whom he hath ordained," Jesus Christ the
Righteous. (Acts 17:31) That will be the "due
time" when the great fact that Jesus died for
the sins of the world will be "testified," or
made known, to all mankind. –
I Tim. 2:4-6
That
the work of judgment will include enlightening
the people is indicated in Revelation 20:12,
where we are told that the "books" will be
opened and every man will be judged according to
the things "written in the books" These books
are by some erroneously supposed to contain the
records of the past lives of the human race, and
the opening of the books signifies to them that
all will have their virtues and their sins
reviewed during the judgment day, and thus be
judged worthy or unworthy of everlasting life.
But
there is nothing in the Scriptures to warrant
this conclusion. The account declares that the
people are to be judged by the things written in
the books, and Jesus said that his "word" will
judge the people at that time. (John 12:48) The
opening of these symbolic books must therefore
signify a revelation of the truth as the
standard of judgment.
In
Isaiah 29:11, 12 a similar thought is brought to
our attention. Here a "book" is discussed. It is
a "sealed" book, which cannot be opened either
by the learned or the unlearned. But the
prophecy shows that finally this book is opened,
enabling the deaf and the blind to hear and see
what is written in it. This prophecy reminds us
of the spiritual darkness that enshrouds the
people by the reign of sin and death, and
assures us that the time will come when this
darkness will be dispelled. Then the people will
see and know the divine will.
It
is this future day of enlightenment that the
Bible designates the judgment day, during which
Jesus will judge the world in righteousness. It
will not be a time merely for giving awards and
pronouncing sentence. The work of judgment
includes a test under the enlightenment which
will obtain at that time.
This
will be the first real, full opportunity the
world will have had for believing on Christ and
receiving everlasting life. All came under
condemnation through Adam, and the vast majority
go into the tomb without even knowing that
Christ died for them. But during the judgment
day, they will be awakened from death,
enlightened concerning Jesus and, upon the basis
of that enlightenment, given an opportunity to
accept God’s gift, obey the laws of the kingdom,
and live forever.
Wonderful Counsellor
Isaiah 9:6, 7 is a wonderful prophecy of the
birth of Jesus and the worldwide scope of the
government which he will preside over. To help
us grasp more fully what his ruiership will mean
for the people, this prophecy assigns him
several meaningful titles. "His name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace"
Some
Hebrew scholars claim that no punctuation should
follow the word "Wonderful," that it is merely
an adjective for "counsellor" We know, of
course, that Jesus is "Wonderfu" No matter from
what standpoint we view the Master, he is
"Wonderful" But it seems that here the Lord is
telling us that Jesus is a "Wonderful Counsellor."
This
term "Counsellor" means more than one who gives
advice: it is more like our word attorney, one
who represents a client before the bar of
justice. Jesus will act in this capacity when he
serves as "Mediator between God and men" (I Tim.
2:4-6) His work as Counsellor will be akin to
his role as judge. In both respects he will deal
with the people to effect their reconciliation
with God, and thereby provide them everlasting
life.
Jesus will indeed be a "Wonderful Counsellor"
and a righteous judge. In another prophecy we
read of this future judge, "The Spirit of the
Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom
and understanding, the spirit of counsel and
might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear
of the Lord; and shall make him of quick
understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he
shall not judge after the sight of his eyes,
neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
but with righteousness shall he judge the poor,
and reprove with equity for the meek of the
earth" –
Isa.
11:2-4
One
with such qualifications will deal justly with
the people, and under his administration those
who desire to return to God and to receive the
blessing of everlasting life on a perfected
earth will be given every opportunity to do so.
The
assurance that he will not judge after the sight
of the eyes, nor according to the hearing of the
ears is especially noteworthy. The most
competent of all the judges the world has ever
had have been limited in making their decisions
upon what could be seen and heard they have been
unable to look into the hearts of the people and
there discover their hidden motives, or whether
their words and conduct belied the real facts of
their lives. But Jesus will be endowed with
divine powers of perception. He will know the
truth concerning all, regardless of their
professions. No wonder Paul said that the world
will be judged in righteousness by that man whom
God hath ordained! –
Acts 17:31
The Mighty God
Another title ascribed to Jesus is "The mighty
God" (Isa. 9:6) This does not mean that Jesus is
the "Almighty God," but it does mean that he has
been highly exalted in the divine arrangement
and that the Creator is pleased to have him
recognized as a mighty God and to be worshiped.
In John 5:22, 23 we learn that the Heavenly
Father has committed all judgment unto his Son,
and that he desires all men to honor the Son
even as they honor him.
In
Isaiah 53:12 the high position of Jesus in the
divine arrangement is again brought to our
attention. In this chapter the suffering and
death of the Redeemer of the world are
prophesied. Because of his faithfulness the
Creator promises, "Therefore will I divide him a
portion with the great" This was fulfilled when
Jesus was raised from the dead and highly
exalted to the right hand of the throne of God.
There he became "The mighty God," the One to
whom the whole world may properly look for
succor, and from whom, as the representative of
the Creator, they may properly expect the
blessings of salvation from sin and death.
Another prophecy concerning Jesus foretold that
his name would be "Immanuel," which means, "God
with us" (Isa. 7:14) This does not mean that
Jesus is the Almighty God, the Creator himself,
but that he would be the representative of God.
Jesus’ coming to earth to die for the people was
a wonderful manifestation of the love of God.
(John 3:16) His miracles were an eloquent
illustration of God-given power, which will be
employed by the glorified Christ for healing all
the sick and raising all the dead.
The
Scriptures declare that so far as the person of
Jehovah the Creator is concerned, no man can
look upon him and live. (Exod. 33:20) But in
Jesus men saw the glorious characteristics of
God manifested. And through the laws of his
kingdom they will recognize even more that
through him the justice, wisdom, love, and power
of Almighty God have become operative for their
eternal blessing. Gladly, then, will the people
recognize Jesus as God's representative, and the
manifestation of God's presence in their midst.
Michael Shall Stand Up
In
Daniel 12:1 another title is applied to Jesus,
namely, "Michael" The term Michael literally
means "who as God"-that is, one who acts as a
representative of God. In this prophecy we read
that when "Michael stands up" there results a
"time of trouble, such as never was since there
was a nation." In other words, this title
describes Jesus in connection with his overthrow
of the kingdoms of this world, preparatory to
the establishment of his righteous order in the
earth.
We
are accustomed to think of Jesus as kindly and
peaceful. But the manifestation of his authority
and power against wickedness and the wicked
institutions of earth will cause trouble
–"a
time of trouble such as never was since there
was a nation" Even now we are witnessing the
beginning of this trouble, due to come upon the
nations of earth at the end of the age. Even in
the prophecy of Isaiah 11:2-9, where we read
that Jesus will judge the poor with
righteousness, it is also declared that "with
the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked"
It
will be on account of his thoroughness in
eradicating all wickedness and all evildoers
from the earth that peace and tranquility will
eventually come to the people. The universal
state of happiness and good will which will
follow the destruction of the enemies of God
during the reign of Christ-even death itself (I
Cor. 15:26) –
is symbolized in the prophecy by the various
animals of earth living peaceably together. The
"wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard
shall lie down with the kid; ... and a little
child shall lead them." –
Isaiah 11:6
The Everlasting Father
Isaiah declares that Jesus will also be "The
everlasting Father." This does not mean,
however, that he is the One whom we, as
Christians, address as our "Heavenly Father" The
term father means lifegiver, and an everlasting
father would be one who gives everlasting life.
Jesus will do this for all those who, during the
thousand years of his reign, believe on him and
obey the law of his kingdom. The life received
by the people from their natural fathers has
been uncertain and brief, but all who then come
to Jesus will be given everlasting life.
Another scripture which throws light on the
divine plan for giving life to the people
through Jesus is I Corinthians 15:45, 47. Here
the apostle refers to Jesus as "the last Adam,"'
and declares that in his resurrection from death
he was made a "quickening [life-giving] spirit";
that is, a spirit being endowed with the power
to give life to others.
"The
first man [Adam]" was of the earth, earthy. He
and his wife were commanded to multiply and fill
the earth with their offspring. Thus he became
the original father of the human race. However,
because he transgressed the divine law, he
brought the penalty of death upon himself This
meant that he could transmit to his offspring
only a measure of life, for they inherited his
imperfection, and thus automatically came under
condemnation to death. Thus it was that "the
first man Adam" fathered the race in a dying
condition.
But
it will be different in the case of the last
Adam. The last Adam will regenerate the children
of the first Adam and enable them to enjoy
everlasting life. Thus he will be "the
everlasting Father." And Jesus himself referred
to the Millennial Kingdom as the time of
"regeneration" –
Matthew 19:28
In
keeping with this, the prophecy of Isaiah 53:10
tells us that Jesus shall see his "seed" Verse
eight of this chapter speaks of his being cut
off from the land of the living, and says that
there was none to declare his generation. That
is, he did not marry and raise a family as men
ordinarily do, hence there are no natural
descendants of Jesus, no one to "declare his
generation."
Yet
the prophet states, "He shall see his seed";
that is, children will be raised up to him-not
in the ordinary way, but by virtue of the fact
that as the Redeemer of the world he will be in
a position to give the people life. He will be
their lifegiver or father. And because of this,
Jesus "shall see of the travail of his soul, and
shall be satisfied" –
Isaiah 53:11
"Travail" is associated with the bringing forth
of children, and here the prophet uses the term
for the method by which Jesus gives life to the
people. This travail is vividly described in the
53rd chapter of Isaiah. He was "despised and
rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief' Also, he was led "as a
lamb to the slaughter," as well as being bruised
and afflicted.
Yes,
this was travail indeed, which continued with
him all the way to the cross, ending only when,
from his bursting heart he cried, "It is
finished" But out of this travail will come a
regenerated life for all of the first Adams
children who will accept it on the terms of
belief and obedience. Thus shall Jesus "see of
the travail of his soul, and shall be
satisfied," for countless millions will acclaim
him as their father, their lifegiver, and with
one accord will sing his praises, saying, "We
will be glad and rejoice in his salvation"
Praise God for his gift to men of "The
everlasting Father"
The Prince of Peace
Jesus, the Savior of the world, will also be
"The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) The angelic
song which heralded the birth of Jesus features
the happy theme of "peace on earth," and finally
this peace will become a reality. Jesus will be
the great King when the "mountain" –
kingdom –
of the Lord is "established in the top of the
mountains, and ... exalted above the hills"
(Micah 4:1) When the nations of earth realize
the utter failure of their own efforts to
establish peace in place of the present distress
they will say, "Come, and let us go up to the
mountain (kingdom) of the Lord ... he will teach
us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths"
–
Micah 4:2
When
the nations thus seek the Lord’s ways and are
willing to walk in them, they will "beat their
swords into plowshares, and their spears into
pruninghooks," and "nation shall not lift up a
sword against nation, neither shall they learn
war any more" (Micah 4:3) Thus will the Prince
of Peace establish peace among the nations.
But
he will do more than establish peace between
nations. This would still leave strife and
turmoil within nations. Jesus will establish
universal peace, which will mean peace among and
within nations-community peace, family peace,
and most important of all, peace of heart.
This
peace of heart will result from being at peace
with God. The world of mankind today is
alienated from God through wicked works. (Eph.
4:18, 19; Col. 1:21) But the Prince of Peace,
serving as Mediator, Counsellor, and judge, will
reconcile men to God. No longer will the human
race be in rebellion against the Creator. And
being in harmony with him and enjoying the
sunshine of his favor, they will have life
everlasting. –
Psalms 30:5
Unto the Lamb Forever
Jesus, the Savior of the world, is depicted in
Revelation 5:6, 11-13 as a slain Lamb. This
symbolic description of Jesus is alluded to
frequently in the Scriptures. In the 53rd
chapter of Isaiah it is used extensively in a
prophecy of Jesus' suffering and death. The
Apostle Peter explains that the prophecies not
only foretold the suffering of Jesus, but also
the "glory that should follow" (I Peter 1:11),
and in Revelation 5:13 a beautiful description
of his foretold glory is set forth. We quote:
"And
every creature which is in heaven and on earth,
and such as are in the sea and all that are in
them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and
glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon
the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and
ever."
Here
is an indication of a complete reconciliation so
all-embracing that "every creature" will sing
the praises of God and of the Lamb. This does
not mean universal salvation regardless of
belief or obedience, for another prophecy says
those who will not obey "shall be destroyed from
among the people" (Acts 3:19-23) But it does
mean those who accept the opportunity in the
kingdom will be restored to harmony with the
Father, and will honor both God and his beloved
Son, our Savior.
With the Lamb
The
Lamb which was slain for the sins of the world
and is now exalted to the right hand of God to
be the King of earth – "the
lion of the tribe of Judah" (Rev. 5:5; Gen.
49:9) –
is
later in the Book of Revelation pictured as
standing on Mt. Sion. (Rev. 14:1) This is a
symbol of his kingly authority and exaltation.
(Psalm 2:6-9) In this Mt. Sion picture we are
told that others are to be with the Lamb in that
highly exalted position represented as the
144,000.
"These are they," we read, "which follow the
Lamb whithersoever he goeth" (Rev. 14:4) These
are the same ones referred to in Revelation
20:4, who sacrificed their lives "for the
witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God"
Because of this "they lived and reigned with
Christ a thousand years" These are the ones
mentioned by the Apostle Paul as the "children
of God," and "if children, then heirs; heirs of
God, and jointheirs with Christ" –
Romans 8:16, 17
These, in brief, are the true church of Christ,
called out from the world during the present
age. For faithfully laying down their lives in
divine service, they will share the kingdom
honor and glory with Jesus. They will reign with
him as priests and kings. (Rev. 20:6) They will
be co-judges with him. (I Cor. 6:2, 3) They
serve with him as "ministers of reconciliation"
(2 Cor. 5:18) In short, they will share the high
honor of all of Jesus' high offices in the
divine plan for reconciling a lost world to God.
They will even share his heavenly home. –
John 14:1-3
As
the "bride" of Christ, the church will also
share in that glorious future work of giving
life and perfection of mind and body to the
dying race. "The Spirit and the bride
say, Come," the Revelator writes, "and let him
take the water of life freely." What a glorious
prospect! –
Revelation 22:17
In
Isaiah 11:1 Jesus is called the "stem of Jesse"
(David's father) but in Revelation 22:16 Jesus
is called both the "root" and "offspring" of
David. So far as Jesus’ human life was
concerned, he was a descendant of David, a
"stem" But in his role of Savior and Lifegiver
he becomes the "root" of David, that is, his
source of life. And not only David, but all
mankind, will have an opportunity to enjoy the
everlasting life made available through Jesus'
redemptive work.
Jesus the World's Savior - Questions
Please send written answers to
contact@africanbiblestudents.com
The Word (Logos) Made Flesh
1.
a.) What name did Jesus possess when
he came into the world? Explain Hebrews 2:9
b.) What does the word “ransom” mean?
c.) How does this meaning explain the plan of
redemption through Christ?
A Priest and King
2.
a.) How does Jesus fulfill the work
of a priest?
A Judge / Wonderful Counsellor
3.
a.) What is the judgment day?
b.) What will happen during it?
The Mighty God
4.
a.) Is the “Almighty God” the same as
the “mighty God” of Isaiah 9:6?
b.) Identify each.
Michael Shall Stand Up
5.
a.) Who is “Michael” in Daniel 12:1?
b.) What does he do?
The Everlasting Father
6.
a.) Is Jesus and our heavenly Father
the same person?
b.) What then is meant by the Bible teaching
that Jesus will be the “everlasting father”?
The Everlasting Father
7.
a.) Who are the “first Adam” and the
“last Adam”?
b.) What does each do?
Unto the Lamb Forever /
With the Lamb
8.
a.) In Revelation 14:1 who is the
Lamb?
b.) Who are the 144,000 who are with him?
With the Lamb
9.
a.) What is the true church of
Christ?
b.) What will be their work?
10.
a.) Who will first recognize the Lord
when he returns to the earth?
b.) How will they recognize him?
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