Ecclesiastes 9:3 describes the desperate and dire condition of the rebellious human race in regard to our relationship with the infinitely glorious God who created us in His image and likeness to find our greatest joys, our greatest pleasures, our ultimate significance and fulfillment in knowing and loving and being loved by Him (Isaiah 43:7). It describes our condition in this way “Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; insanity is in their hearts while they live in this world, and after that they go to the place of the dead” – which is an Old Testament reference to Hell.
Now this is obviously not good news. In fact, it is the absolute worst news possible because the Bible also teaches that sin, our rejection of God’s purpose for and rule over our lives, has corrupted our hearts and blinded our minds to the point where we are unable to perceive our desperate, dire and ultimately fatal condition, and our utter helplessness in ourselves to do anything about it (Jeremiah 17:9) (Jeremiah 13:23) (Romans 3:10-11) (Isaiah 64:6).
However, the Bible reveals that there is good news, what is referred to as the gospel – the good news of the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4-6). It is the good news of how the eternally glorious God, who is rich in mercy and because of His great love displayed in creating men and women to know and enjoy the infinite perfections of His glorious being, graciously provides a means – a way – the only way by which sinful men and women can be rescued from this peril and reconciled and restored to the glorious life with God for which we were created (John 17:3). And that is through faith in the glorious person and work of God the Son, Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Such faith is demonstrated in our fully entrusting our lives to Him in this world as both Savior and Lord, and in the longing for and hope of being with Him in the world to come wherein upon seeing Him in the fullness His glory, we will be made like Him in the glory of His God imaging humanity – forever enjoying and being enjoyed by God (Ephesians 2:4-10) (1 John 3:1-3) (Psalm 16:11) (John 17:21-26).
We are told in Hebrews 1:1-4 that Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory, the express image, the exact representation of His divine being – the one who also made and upholds the universe and all that is in it, who in His display of that glory as a man, He is able to save to the uttermost all who come to God through Him (1 Peter 3:18) (Hebrews 7:25).
Thus, we who have truly come to Jesus in faith will live our lives rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God displayed in His sinless life, sacrificial death, miraculous resurrection and glorious ascension to the throne of God where He intercedes in the lives of those who love Him and are living for His glory, working all things for their ultimate and eternal good (Romans 5:1-2) (Romans 8:28).
In Jesus we have displayed the glory of the preciousness of the truth of God’s word as He fulfills every law, every commandment, and every prophecy, displaying every attribute of God’s glory revealed in His word (John 1:1-3) (John 1:14).
In Jesus we have displayed the glory of the greatness of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promise, made thousands of years before in the Garden of Eden, of sending the seed of the woman to destroy the work of Satan, a promise that was reiterated in various ways and forms throughout redemptive history to men and women like Abraham, Jacob, King David, Isaiah, Simeon and Anna, and Mary and Joseph – all who were by faith awaiting the coming of this promised Messiah (Genesis 3:15). Jesus is now the guarantee of the fulfillment of all redemptive promises for the future (2 Corinthians 1:20) (2 Peter 1:2-4).
In Jesus we have displayed the glory of God’s infinite wisdom in both His creation of the world and His devising of a just and righteous way to reconcile and restore sinful, justly condemned men and women like you and I, back to right relationship with Himself and not compromise His own righteousness and justice in doing so (Proverbs 3:19) (Romans 3:24-26).
In Jesus we have displayed the glory –the awesomeness God’s majestic power seen in the virgin birth of Jesus, in the miracles performed by Jesus while on earth, in the resurrection of Jesus from physical death, and in His resurrecting from spiritual death to eternal life all fallen men and women who would come to believe, trust in and pursue Jesus as the object of their deepest love and source of their greatest joy (Luke 1:30-35) (Ephesians 1:19-21) (Ephesians 2:1-7) (Luke 10:25-28).
In Jesus we have displayed the loveliness of God’s humility as He voluntarily comes to earth in the form of a man, experiencing all of the frailties and discomforts of the human condition to serve both God the Father and sinful mankind, giving His life as a “ransom” to free us from our slavery to sin which He does by willingly suffering and dying in our place without complaint – even offering forgiveness to those who tortured and crucified Him (Matthew 20:28) (Isaiah 53:3) (Luke 23:33-34). Most importantly, it is seen in His willing submission to the Father as even when anticipating all of the horrors of the cross and Hell that He will experience, He proclaims to the Father, not my will but your will be done (Philippians 2:5-8) (Luke 22:42).
In Jesus we have displayed the beauty of God’s holiness seen in Jesus’ perfectly holy and righteous life as a man, wherein He was undefiled and untouched by sin, unyielding to the allurements of this world and to the temptations of the devil (Hebrews 4:15) (Matthew 4:1-11). He is thus the means by which we, despite our detestable sin, are declared righteous before God and qualified to enter Heaven (2 Corinthians 5:21) (Psalm 24:3-6).
In Jesus we have displayed the glory of the blessedness of God’s sovereign authority – wherein Jesus exercises that authority over demons, over nature, and over death. He is subsequently given all authority in regard to salvation, over who will ultimately come to God through Him (Matthew 11:5-6) (Matthew 28:18-20) (Matthew 11:27).
In Jesus we have displayed the wonder of God’s incredible patience, as for 33 years He bears with the sin and suffering of man – brought about by the hatred and hostility of men toward God – consistently showing compassion and kindness – forgiving men’s sins – calling them to repent, and waiting on God the Father to vindicate His work, restoring Him to His eternal splendor and glory which was veiled in fallen human flesh while on earth (John 17:4-5).
In Jesus on the cross, we have displayed the glory of God’s justice, judgment and wrath whereby He Himself becomes the object of it, in our place, wherein doing so He displays the glory of God’s abundant mercy, His amazing grace and unfailing love by offering Himself up as the means by which men and women can be justly forgiven their Hell deserving sins (Isaiah 53:4-6) (Matthew 27:46).
In Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to His throne, we see the glory of God in man restored, as those who put their faith in Him will be made like Him at the resurrection and will rule and reign with Him in the new heavens and new earth that He will create at His second coming, wherein we will glorify God by enjoying Him to the fullest, and God in turn will rejoice over us with singing, forever (1 John 31-3) (Revelation 3:21) (Revelation 21:1-3) (Zephaniah 3:17).
Therefore, in the coming year let us pray continually, with great urgency, Come Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:29).
Grace and Peace ×
AMEN !
Thank you James. Your brother Mark.