Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
The dramatic and speedy downfall of Babylon is loudly lamented by evil people on earth (Revelation 18:9-19), but no sound of lamentation is heard elsewhere: “Rejoice over her [Babylon], thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her” (verse 20). This rejoicing in heaven is not gloating over the misfortune of others. Rather, it is a response to God’s answer to the thorny problem of the suffering of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked. The Psalmist Asaph raised this challenging issue millennia ago. In Psalm 73, he struggles and says, “But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (verses 2-3). Later, Asaph receives God’s insight: “Surely Thou didst set them in slippery places: Thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment!” (verses 18-19a). The language is similar to that of Revelation, and the teaching, of course, is the same. In Revelation 6:10, the martyrs cry fervently to God, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” God is longsuffering, but His righteous justice must come. This act of our God is necessary and good and deserves the praise of all “heaven.” He answers prayer, and He answers our hardest questions.