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.)
Another convincing reason to believe the promise that believers “shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:5d) is the eternal glory of God the Son, Jesus Christ. Revelation 5:11-13 pictures angels and believers praising God the Son. The word “glory” is used twice, directing us to the full divinity of our Savior. Here, He is specifically called “the Lamb,” referencing His sacrifice on the Cross. We should remember that crucifixion was reserved (ostensibly) for the execution of criminals. Thus, “glory” and crucifixion do not seem to belong together, but in Jesus they do perfectly reconcile. We recognize that no shame accrues to Him because He died on the Cross; the shame is ours for putting Him there. In fact, His “glory” is highlighted by His willingness to become our impeccable substitute. His “glory” is not Hollywood glitz nor Madison Avenue glitter nor Wall Street gilt. It is substantive – exactly Who He is – and has been historically demonstrated by His atonement on the Cross for us and in our places. The One Who has done this unfathomable act of loving rescue will assuredly keep His promises to us, including that we “shall reign for ever and ever.”