First Epistle of Peter
CHRIST MANIFEST FOR US
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:20 (KJV)
"verily"
The word "verily" is a very interesting one. The Lord Jesus used it many times although in the original, His word is a bit different than this one. However, the meaning is very similar. "So be it" or "truly" are expressions that fit both words well. It is a word used to emphasize strongly the truth of the statement to follow. Here the apostle is trying to emphasize the truth of the foreordination of Christ as the sacrificial lamb, before the foundation of the world.
"foreordained before the foundation of the world"
The word "foreordained" means "fore appointed" or "chosen before hand." The lamb appointed before the Passover in Exodus 12 is typical of this fore appointment of the Lord Jesus. The Passover lamb was chosen on the tenth day of the month and slain on the fourteenth. This was a time of testing, to see if it truly was without spot and without blemish. All through the Old Testament in prophecy, type and offering, this lamb is spoken of. In Genesis 22:8, Abraham says to Isaac, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering."
"before the foundation of the world"
Our verse does not say "from the foundation of the world," but "before the foundation of the world." This would tell us that God was not surprised by the fall of man, and that redemption was no after thought with Him. While He did not, in any way, cause man to fall into sin, yet He knew what was coming, and had the remedy all provided. Because of this promise of a redeemer, the Lord could provide salvation for those who trusted in Him and obeyed Him even before Christ was offered on the cross.
It is interesting to note that "before the foundation of the world" is spoken of the church as well as of Christ. In Ephesians 1:4 we read, "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world." We have the same thought in Titus 1:2. So God not only foreappointed Christ as a redeemer for His people, He also foreappointed a people for His Son.
"Before the foundation of the world" would tell us that there was a time when this world was founded. There may have been what is called a pre-Adamic age in this world. Did God use millions of years to make this world, or just a few days? He could do it either way, but a time did exist when there was no world.
It is not unusual to become interested in the falls and the mighty gorge the Niagara River cut out for itself; to wonder whether this gorge proves that the world is millions of years old. The gorge begins up to the falls at Lewiston, a distance of about six miles. What causes the falls is a hard layer of rock near the surface and then a very soft layer underneath. This soft layer easily washes away, but not the hard layer. In some places, near the mouth of the gorge at Lewiston the hard layer is thin – not over two feet. A mile or so from the falls, around the whirlpool, there seems to be no hard layer at all. The layer is very thick where the falls are now, perhaps 25 or 30 feet. Yet with this thickness they say the Canadian section of the falls is receding about 3 feet a year. Figuring from the time of the flood, it would only be necessary for the falls to recede at the average rate of 7 feet per year to be at it's present position. Is this possible that the Niagara River had its start at the time of the flood? Time with God is not the same as with us, so if God wanted the earth to be millions of years old, then certainly He could make that happen.
"but was manifest in these last times"
The word here translated "manifest" is in Hebrews 9:26 translated "appeared." "But now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." For 4,000 years and before that, the lamb was hidden away in heaven with the Father. Then at the appointed time, He was led forth to be offered as a sacrifice for the sin of the world. What a day that was when He left His Father's home and was born of the Virgin Mary; God incarnate in the flesh. How angels must have looked on in astonishment to see this marvelous sight.
There are some who profess to be Bible teachers, who say that the manger was the beginning of our Lord Jesus. Our verse proves that Peter believed in the preincarnate existence of our Savior. Paul certainly believed it too, or he never would have written Philippians 2:6 or 2 Corinthian 8:9. John certainly believed it, or he never would have written in his gospel, chapter 1:14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." In fact, everywhere in the Old and New Testament are inferences from which one must conclude that the Son existed coequal with the Father from eternity past.
"in these last times for you"
Some might wonder about this expression, "these last times." Was Peter mistaken when he suggested that Christ was made manifest in these last times? Did he know that nearly 2,000 years of the world's history was to follow the appearing of the Lord Jesus? Perhaps he did not know this, but yet he was not wrong when he said, "in these last times." This could be translated "at this end of times." The coming of Christ into the world meant the end of the Old Testament dispensations of time, and the ushering in of the dispensation of the grace of God (Eph. 3:2). This dispensation will end when Christ comes again. This is the last dispensation. So this whole time from Christ's first appearing unto His second coming is called "these last times."
"for you."
There is a wealth of meaning in that little expression at the end of verse 20. There was only one reason for Christ's being born into this world. Only one reason for His living here. Only one reason for His suffering, bleeding, and dying on that cruel cross. It was "for you." If it wasn't for those He desired to redeem out of this world of sin and degradation, it would never have been necessary for Him to come. How this should fill our hearts with thanksgiving and praise to Him. "We love Him, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:21 (KJV)
Only by Him do we believe in God. Through various things we may learn about God. For instance, by creation we may know that God exists. In fact, one who can view the wonders of nature and still doubt the existence of a creator, must be unwise indeed. "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God" (Ps. 14:1). The physical phenomena, plant life, animal life, all cry aloud, "There is a God."
Through creation we can know something of His powerThink of His servant, the sun; how it pours in that great quantity of heat upon our world every day; how it lifts millions of tons of water and dumps them back upon a parched ground, and how it keeps our earth chained to its orbit, spinning about on its axis, and we say, "My, the power of God!"
We see the bees build their hive, or an oriole her nest, or a dog mothering her puppies, or view a brand new little human baby, and we say, "My, the wisdom of God." We look up into the heavens at night and see the thousands of stars, some bright, some dim, some close, some distant; we see the moon in its beauty, and we say with David, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork" (Ps. 19:1).
Through providence we may learn something of the care of God, or through the reading of the law we may learn something of the judgment of God, which may cause us to tremble. All these things we might know about God and yet not believe in Him, yet not know Him. Only as we know Him as a God of love and grace, only as we see Him in the life and death of Jesus Christ, will we know Him, will we trust in Him.
One who does not believe in Christ (not merely about Him) does not believe in the Father either. He says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). We can only know the Father by the Son.
"that raised him up from the dead"
This is the second time Peter refers to the resurrection. See verse three. It fits in naturally here. He refers to His death in verses 18 and 19, then His resurrection in our verse, and also His ascension, inferred in the expression "and gave him glory." The resurrection has a great place in the speaking and the writing of the apostles. There are nearly as many references to it as to the crucifixion. Acts makes reference to it constantly and in nearly every epistle it has a very large place.
It would seem as though each member of the trinity had His share in the work of raising Christ from the dead. Here, and in many other places in the Word, it is said that God raised Him. As we read the gospels they speak of Christ as rising from the dead by his own power. In John 10:17, 18, we read, "I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." (See also John 2:19 to 21). Then in Romans 8:11 we have Christ raised by the power of the Spirit. "But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." As in verse three, the original uses the expression "that raised him up from among the dead."
"and gave him glory"
How vastly different are man's ways from God's. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord" (Is. 55:8). Man gave Him taunts, man gave Him shame, man gave Him suffering, man gave Him death, but God gave Him glory. "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9-11).
After His ascension, Christ was received back into heaven with great glory and rejoicing. Most think of Psalm 24 in this connection, although no doubt it also speaks of His time of great glory upon His return. "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the king of glory shall come in. Who is this king of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah" (Ps. 24:9, 10). And we that are His shall share His glory with Him. What do you think of that?
"that your faith and hope might be in God."
Faith looks back to the cross. Hope looks forward to the glory. Faith is the foundation of our salvation, hope sustains us. We have faith in our hearts, and through Christ a sure hope. We must never put faith in self or earthly things, but in God. We must not hope in this world's future. Until Christ comes, things will be a mess. Our hope is set on Him and His coming. Our faith should be a daily trusting and obeying Christ. We can depend on God at all times, under all circumstances. Our hope, too, should be a daily hope. Day by day, we should have our eyes set on His coming and the glory that shall be ours. If our hopes are set on things in this life, we will be bitterly disappointed. Let our faith and our hope be in God.
