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.)
Revelation 11:19 says, “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament: and there were lightnings and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” This chapter opens (verses 1-1) with a prophecy of an earthly temple that will be desecrated by unbelievers, led by the Antichrist. “That man of sin, the son of perdition [destruction],” (II Thessalonians 2:3b) will profane the new temple (Daniel 9:27). As Jesus said of the Tribulation time, “Ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place” (Matthew 24:15). II Thessalonians 2-4 further identifies the vile activity of the Antichrist, “who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” All of this earthly sacrilege, though, cannot touch “the temple of God” in heaven. The “lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail” on earth are a reminder of God’s sovereignty, for His majesty remains undiminished by the rebellion of men here. This display of His power will be an additional demonstration to all on the earth that Satan cannot shield even himself from the righteous justice of Jesus.