Seeking the Lord's greatest help,
let us turn to the first epistle of Peter in chapter 1. I'll read the verses 20 and 21. And we'll read also the foundation
upon which those verses are placed in a moment. In the first epistle
of Peter in chapter 1 the verses 20 and 21 Who verily was foreordained
before the foundation of the world that was manifest in these
last times for you who by him do believe in God, that raised
him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and
hope might be in God. Now the foundational verses are
the previous two, verses 18 and 19, where we read, For as much
as ye know, that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things
as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by
tradition from your fathers but with the precious blood of Christ
as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Then we have
the description of the Lord Jesus Christ in the verses 20, 21, But what settled upon my mind
and heart is that beginning of the verse 20 who verily was foreordained
before the foundation of the world. It is a tremendous thought that
all that has taken place in our short lives has been foreordained. the hymn writer speaks in hymn
64 in Gadsby's hymnal that those things that are in our pathway
parents, native, place and time all appointed were by him the
day of our birth those with whom we have lived those of us older
who now have families husbands, wives, children, those who continue
here below. All is foreordained. All is in
the hand of God. There is not one thing that has
taken place on this earth that the Lord has not put in place.
I was thinking recently here I would be careful I have no
wish to bring that which is secular as it were into this occasion
but when we consider what the world is like hell that it seems
to me that those who state the news will now tell you what is
going to happen the answer is that they are false prophets
for they do not know and I was reading in the book of the Revelation
and we read there that even that tremendous book as it unfolds
and draws to its close it is only revealed as the spirit of
prophecy Revelation 22 and how it closes verses 18 and 19 for
I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy
of this book. If any man shall add unto these
things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written
in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part
out of the book of life and out of the holy city and from the
things which are written in this book. and also it came to my
mind of those words which you will find in chapter 19 and verse
10 there is John he was given instruction in verse 9 to write
in Revelation 19 verse 9 and he saith unto me write blessed
are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb
and he saith unto me these are the true sayings of God and I
fell at his feet to worship him and he said unto me see thou
do it not I am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren that have
the testimony of Jesus worship God for the testimony of Jesus
is the spirit of prophecy now we have before us a prophecy
fulfilled and here we see that in this 20th verse who verily
was foreordained or as could be said foreknown it is written
in that way elsewhere whom He foreknew. What a great mercy
this is that all is in the hand of God all events truly at His
command. But I trust as the Lord may be
pleased to help us to meditate upon the reality, the power and
the preciousness of this word. As this refers rightly to the
Lord Jesus Christ it reveals himself he is the lamb of God
he in verse 19 is spoken of as a lamb without blemish and without
spot who shed his precious blood for his dear people but he was
for all day and he was i remember some years ago the deacon who
used to put in his little card that he had of the arrangements
for the services and the engagements for the minister that all the
hymns were pre-chosen and these words are very true here aren't
they? pre-chosen foreordained chosen
before the world was as he says here before the foundation of
the world this of course refers to the Lord Jesus Christ and
I often have thought of as we read in the Gospels that we see
the Lord set his face as it were towards Jerusalem now the knowledge
of what was to be was complete his knowledge of that which was
to come was ever before him dear friends we have no knowledge
of the time here we are on this earth but this I believe is the
spirit of mercy that even before Adam sinned and Eve there was
foreordained the Lord Jesus Christ this is to my mind the foundation
of the precious doctrine of election which is why I went on to read
into chapter 2 because you will find there that reference to
it in verse 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture,
Behold I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto
you therefore which believe he is precious, But unto them which
be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the
same is made the head of a corner, and a stone of stumbling and
a rock of a fence. Even to them which stumble at
the word being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed. But
he goes on to verse 9, But ye are a chosen generation. now as the Lord Jesus Christ
foreordained. So we have this gospel truth
that the elect in the foreknowledge of God had their names written
in the Lamb's Book of Life before they drew breath. Dear soul,
my thought is this. As much in my own heart as I
trust the Lord will put it into yours. Your concern and desire
to be taught of God that you are found amongst this number
and shall be whom no man can number. Where shall we be? There is a great day to come.
It is the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a solemn day for
those who have no faith, who know not God. It shall be for
them that they shall be cast away from the eternal presence
of God. their torment cannot end it is
everlasting because in verse 20 we have this understanding
that this is everlasting elsewhere we find these words from everlasting
to everlasting before the world began as we know this world must
cease whenever it is the will of the Lord God it will be that
this world shall be no more Peter of course goes on to say those
things in the 2nd epistle and you can read them there in chapter
3 in greater detail but here it seemed to me oh dear friend
do you know something of this for you can see in these precious
truths that as the Lord Jesus Christ was foreordained before
the foundation of the world it was on behalf of his people All
have sinned, we read, and come short of the glory of God. There
is none righteous, no, not one. But, dear soul, if we have been
taught of God, there is a precious comfort here. Why, there is the
work of grace here revealed. This dear God-man, this Jehovah-Jesus,
was foreordained before the foundation of the world. and if you and
I have truly been taught humbly by the Holy Spirit as he continues
to say in verse 20 but was manifest in these last times for you it
was on your behalf it was for you and oh may you receive this
and may this be the word of his grace to your never dying soul
may the Holy Spirit apply these words to us. Here is the Eternal
Son of God revealed in all His power, in all His beauty, in
all His glory, but only to His own. The world at large has no
knowledge of Him, does it? We can go back through 1 Corinthians
1 and 2 and you will see there that the wisdom of this world
is foolishness with God. So it is. But this wisdom why
it's everlasting wisdom the knowledge of God the foreknowledge of God
this is the meaning here isn't it all whom he foreknew but he
most blessedly firstly foreknew his son this is even the foundation
of our faith yes it is that foundation of the doctrine of election the
most precious truth I often feel sad that so many cast it to one
side they want the creature paradox to be mixed in they want to be
able to say ah but I no they don't read the scripture properly
do they? do they understand? oh that we may be taught it is
all of grace it is all of the Lord's work not ours where do
we find here that man could come before God and change as it were
the mind of God in these matters I can confess before you that
is an impossibility it all is in the hand of the
Lord and so it will be those who are His as you can go back
to the book of the Revelation you can read there of those whose
names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life they were found
before the Eternal Throne their place again the precious language
of this epistle as it opens as the dear man writes and how he
reveals this doctrine of election let's go back to the second verse
in this chapter and he speaks to these dear people he calls
them strangers he is acknowledging that he has no knowing of them
no understanding he does not know their names he may never
have met them but these are the faithful in Christ Jesus and
what he calls them in verse 2 elect according to the full knowledge
of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ now these are the
Lords dear people as I said a few moments back Oh may your concern
and desire to be this. Do these words apply to me? Who am I one of? You may feel at times to be a
stranger to those things that belong unto God. But the Lord
is the revealer. The Lord sends forth his sovereign
Holy Spirit. The work is divine power and
omnipotence, and we can be certain of this. Whatever takes place
on this earth this day, however foolish and dark it may be, there's
a far higher work in many a heart and many a soul that is never
known except by those who receive it. Dear soul, is it ours? This is our cry, is it not? or
to be found amongst these the elect but I feel certain of this
that you will be if you are one of them there will be a receiving
of the work of grace in this hour Why are you living a life
of prayer? Why do you feel yourself to be
one that has no hope, that may, as it were, be out of the secret,
may be filled with fear? Dear friends, as we know, the
world has no thought of this God is not in all their thoughts
says the scripture but they elect oh they have that concern that
desire that seeking and wrestling spirit that is the full knowledge
of God the Father of their soul their need and then through sanctification
of the spirit that sovereign work unto obedience and sprinkling
of the blood of Jesus Christ so we are led then into these
precious truths but also into this that the dear man sees of
course he was so close to the Lord Jesus Christ and he says
in verse 3 blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten
us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and
that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you you see this
is what the elect receive a reservation as it were there is your inheritance
incorruptible undefiled all through the blessings of God Father,
Son and Holy Spirit as he continues to say in verse 5 who are kept
by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed
in the last time may these words be an encouragement to us we
come to old age so often the Lord's dear ones as they enter
into those latter years as like myself we have passed those 3
score years and 10 and as the words of the psalmist says that
that is our lot as it were and if we live beyond that he speaks
of those 4 score years and how they most often are labour and
sorrow and toil but also there is their eternity is close and
becomes closer we cannot tell how soon only on Thursday we
saw one laid in the grave and to look back to those younger
days days when as a teenager I knew him well and being only
just a few years older than myself how soon these things remind
us remind us of ourselves our mortality but here his encouragement
and comfort and we think of this one who verily was foreordained
before the foundation of the world that this spirit of foundation
here for this is a foundational truth as it says before the foundation
of the world that when this world was created in the heart of God
the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit was a company to
be redeemed that is why I feel I must go back to the foundational
truth that these dear ones in verse 18 were not redeemed with
corruptible things and then in verse 19 but with the precious
blood of Christ there is your redemption and this dear God-man
the Lord Jesus Christ was foreordained his place set at the Father's
right hand. He reveals does he not in that
beautiful prayer of John 17 when he speaks of the glory which
he had with his Father before the world was. And as he came
to this earth his glory is revealed as we know it was and Peter saw
it and he does make a reference to it that they stood and they
saw the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ how he was
changed even before their very eyes he was revealed unto them
as God and his soul he is this same God He is Jesus Christ,
the same yesterday and today and forever. And this foundational
truth that the Lord Jesus Christ was foreordained. What was he
foreordained to do? Let us look into the matter.
As we've noticed it is redemption that is spoken of here. Verse
18, that ye were not redeemed. Great mercy, if we're counted
amongst the redeemed. My understanding of the word
is this. It was literally to buy back
that which was yours originally before. Think of it like this. Adam and Eve are created pure
and holy. There they are in the Garden
of Eden before God. They're not afraid of God. They
have no reason to be. They are sinless. They are pure.
They talk with God. they know of God's presence and
they are in that place of His safekeeping and power the moment
that sin enters what a change a solemn difference takes place
from that moment they hide themselves and no redemption is needed they
are and would be counted among the lost without a redeemer and
then you think how soon we come to the account of Cain and of
Abel how quickly murder takes place because of sin and what
a solemn place that is to enter into the one who was faithful
loses their life and the one who was unfaithful lives on but
God and that great wonder of redeeming grace surely yet is
to be revealed and throughout the time as it continues all
of those times and occasions going through the Old Testament
and how soon we come to Noah and we can read on into the days
of Abraham and of course Isaac, Jacob we go into Moses days and
so the times unfold But throughout these days this dear God-man
has foreordained before the foundation of the world to be a redeemer. That is to have ones who he has
purchased. Now there is a price set in all
redemption, is there not? It has to be done. and the price
that is to be set here for these dear people to be redeemed is
here in verse 19 the precious blood of Christ that is the Father's
demand the sinner cannot be purchased unless that precious blood of
Christ is shed this old isn't this humble you in the dust If
we have a sweet hope in his mercy, doesn't it bring you humbly to
the throne of his grace? Or doesn't it bring us ashamed?
May it bring us into the spirit of repentance and godly sorrow
for our sin, the precious blood of Christ. but not only has He
made the Redeemer, but He's also made the Saviour. These words
apply, don't they? He is the Saviour. And how precious
is that, that here is salvation. Here again is a glorious change.
Adam and Eve, once leaving that place of safekeeping, the Garden
of Eden, Why they were sent out, weren't they, into the world?
Who knows where they would have ended up? But one is raised up
from the very beginning, from the foundation of the world,
before the world was, before the world began. I believe this
truth, when revealed to you, will bring you humbly to the
throne of grace. It will melt your heart. to consider
the mercy of God to your never-dying soul. Oh, may you feel it. I can look back to those past
years when I truly felt the preciousness of the blood of Christ shed on
my behalf, cleansing my sinful, evil spirit, heart, soul, and
mind, and all the sweetness with which it came, and the power
of it, and the wonder, and the glory, and the mercy Because
this is mercy, isn't it? This is the mercy of God to a
sinner, the precious blood of Christ. This dear God-man, thoroughly
foreordained before the foundation of the world. Do we know anything
of that mercy? Have we received it? If you have,
dear friends, your name was written in heaven before the world was. doesn't Job say it he speaks
like this he says my record is on high I believe he had a gracious
understanding that his God knew where he was he spoke of it did
he not? he says when he hath tried me
he knoweth the way that I take when he hath tried me I shall
come forth as God so you will see where the Lord will guide,
direct and lead you but it is into this this knowledge of himself
this knowledge of the truth which is in Christ Jesus who we have
here but was manifest in these last times for you the glorious
revealing there was of the Lord Jesus Christ how precious in
His coming and now as we look unto Him by faith is there not
some sweetness and preciousness you see the word says 19 but
with the precious blood of Christ and so this blood is precious
to you it is your eternal life it is your eternal salvation
it is your entrance into Heaven it is the victory over Satan
on your behalf it is the fulfilment of the Law's demand it is the
cleansing of your sin in fullness and completeness as John records
the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin
and then we can look into that beautiful book of the Revelation
of the Lord Jesus Christ and you will see it is the victory
how Satan is overcome by the blood of Christ and the victory
is assured and gained and there it is eternal in the heavens
and all on your behalf for you see these words are for you this
again is the point here in verse 20 he says for you his soul was
it so have you receded what comfort then when you know it. For as
you meditate upon the blessings contained in the precious blood,
that bloodshed, you know that this was revealed. The dear man
Peter saw it didn't he? He was there at the time of the
Lord being upon the cross. We know he denied the Lord on
those three occasions. and we can see what took place
and the Lord looked upon him and he went out and he wept bitterly
but I love that last chapter in the book of John there is
Peter again and the Lord speaks to him in such a loving manner
He says to him, lovest thou me? What are you going to answer
Peter? What an answer he gives, Lord thou knowest that I love
thee. And then that acknowledging of his love to his Redeemer.
You know he was given that work to do. Feed my sheep, feed my
lambs is in there too. There was that work to continue. Friends, come to the day of Pentecost,
Acts 2, read it through. Who is the man who is boldly
standing before everyone? Well, it's Peter. Before all
the Jews. All those that would have risen
up against those who were the Christians as they were later
called. But what takes place? Why the
power of God sent down from heaven, the Holy Ghost revealed, received,
and the wonder of redemption. The day of Pentecost had fully
come. We desire for that day yet to
be upon us. Let us remember that the day
of Pentecost was for the Jew. The Gentile had yet to be included. We read on into the Book of Acts
until the time of Cornelius before we can see how the Gentile, and
again it was Peter was it not? It was Cornelius Saint and his
people. And how he had to receive that vision to see that these
things are not just for the Jew alone but for the Lord's people
throughout the ages yet to come. great mercy then that he could
write to the stranger to those that very much like Paul writes
those that were far off as you open the epistle to the Ephesians
and go to chapter 2 and he speaks of those who were aliens outside
of the secret weren't they? they were those who had no hope
or they if left to themselves would have been lost forever
more but God who is wretched in mercy he declares for his
great love wherewith he loved her. But I want to continue as
the Lord may give just a few more thoughts on this. Let us
enter into the 21st verse and we read here this dear one who
was full all day and now we read these words who by him do believe
in God. And this, again, is a reference
to the Lord Jesus Christ. He revealed, here below, His
Father. And we have those words in the
Gospel of John. Philip says unto Him, Show us
the Father, and it sufficeth us. His answer is, Hast thou
not known me, Philip? He said, Have we not known this
gracious God? Who by Him do believe in God?
believe in God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit
and the dear Peter he here speaks that raised him up from the dead
he says again let us refer to the Gospel of John that he had
that commandment given unto him he says this commandment have
I received from my Father I lay down my life that I might take
it again this commandment have I received from my Father but
this is his life this is mercy this is what he was foreordained
to accomplish before the foundation of the world but was manifest
in these last times for you to bring mercy yes to bring to this
earth a people who shall be purchased and redeemed cleansed, fitted,
prepared for eternity, for heaven. As has been rightly said, heaven
is a prepared place for a prepared people. And this love of God
is revealed here, what it imparts to a poor and a needy sinner.
already thought of that mercy that is theirs but once mercy
is revealed through that grace of repentance godly sorrow for
sin and as mercy comes faith then begins does it not who by
him do believe in God here's your faith here's the foundation
of your faith well you must believe in God you believe in God as
in his righteousness you believe in God in his holiness you believe
in God as creator and lord and now the great wonder is this
you believe in God as your God you see this is the work isn't
it to know him as mine my God even when those words we read
of that one who doubted, Doubting Thomas as he was called he came
to this confession he says my Lord and my God Again, I love
those precious words of the Lord Jesus Christ. There stands before
him Mary Magdalene, her eyes filled with tears, unable to
understand that he's there, perceiving him to be the gardener. And then
he says to her, I go to my father and your father. Now that is
mercy. That is the foundation of God.
that is salvation that is redemption let us remember that out of Mary
Magdalene we read the Lord took seven devils that is mercy isn't
it and those dear ones that lovely passage of scripture there was
a poor man and he thrown himself on the
rock in Gadro and the Lord calls that
evil spirit out and there he sits on the ground now clothed
in his right mind sitting at the feet of Jesus I've often
thought what a wonderful place to be friends I envy that man
must have been awful for that experience that he had and those
things that he could have looked back upon in years perhaps before
him to live but this is mercy this is divine power this is
divine glory the Lord that is almighty to save the hand that
is all victorious you know the Lord's hand is not shortened
that it cannot say nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear his
power is never diminished it's omnipotence and that is mercy
oh may you feel it may there be some sweet comfort here for
you you see this gracious God the creator of this earth all
that therein is you and I upon it if he has had mercy upon us
if you have any understanding of it then dear soul you are
redeemed you are counted amongst the Lord's people who by him
do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave
him glory that your faith and hope might be in God you see
he laid a foundation now he brings it home now it becomes personal
salvation and it has to be does it not it is a personal salvation
all of us must stand in that great day of the Lord Jesus Christ
before that judgment throne bow What a great mercy then to read
this. This is resurrection day. Who raised him up from the dead
and gave him glory. Why, he will be revealed in all
his glory. But dear soul, your faith, your
hope, it's there. The Lord has put it in your heart
and soul. You have received this precious
faith. May the Lord grant you the knowledge
of it. May you have this faith of understanding,
this dear God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ was foreordained before
the foundation of the world. You see when Satan comes, go
back to the book of the Revelation you will see he is spoken of
there as the one who accuses the brethren and does not cease
to accuse them day nor night, says the scripture. And you may
feel those accusations so personal, so real. But dear soul, point
to the precious diadem. Oh that the Lord may give you
that sweetness, that application of it. that you may feel it and
receive it that he may teach you that precious work has been
undertaken on your behalf that's your faith what a precious thing
faith is truly faith is from God by grace are ye saved through
faith says Paul it is the gift of God not of works lest any
man should bose what a great mercy then is faith who by Him
do believe in God there's your faith you believe in God but
you believe in God in that saving knowledge of God you believe
in God and His dear Son you believe in this that as the Lord Jesus
Christ rose again from the dead so will you that was His promise
was it not? then we read of those words those
that die in Christ will the Lord Jesus Christ bring with him Christ
the first fruits of them that slept and so these dear ones
as his father gave him glory we read but then so are all of
his own dear children they too are made glorious very similar
to himself but their glory is from him for he is the Lord their
righteousness that your faith and hope might be in God. Oh, may the Lord grant us a living
faith, an understanding of precious truth, to be counted amongst
the elect, to know the election of grace. Oh, may he teach us
how much we need a revealing of it, manifest in these last
times for you, the personal manifestation that we seek and desire. But
has he not spoken? Has there not been a revealing
of it? Has mercy not been received? Have we little or no understanding?
No, but God why He, through the riches of His mercy, has revealed
Himself to us. And we have been given that faith
spear to look upon Him. Your faith, faith in Christ Jesus,
faith in His precious blood, faith in His mercy, faith in
all His exceeding great and precious promises, faith in God, and hope
might be in God. So we seek this glorious hope,
the hope that is reality. And as if we have only the hope
of which we read of, if in this life only we have hope, he says
we have. We are of all men most miserable.
This hope is eternal. It's hope for eternity. Well
that is what faith imparted is, isn't it? It's looking into eternity. It's pleading with the Lord to
be found amongst that number that no man can number. But hope
receives it. Hope will have it. Hope one day
will be turned into reality. Where those that can say, I hope
to be with Christ, will be with Christ. That is what we receive
here. These precious truths, ordained
before the foundation of the world. Your name written in the
Lamb's Book of Life. therefore faith and hope will
be translated into reality into what I can only term as complete
full and free salvation I believe that that is what it means your
faith and hope we pray for this don't we we know when faith is
at the low ebb we know we're sinners we deserve the wrath
of God and we may receive justice the laws people do, because all
are sinners. But that does not mean that faith
ends. Where faith is imparted, it is always there. If it is
a living faith, a real faith, it will be exercised, it will
be tried. And if we go further into the passage of scripture
we read, we can read again Peter's words. regarding verse 7 that
the trial of your faith be much more precious than of gold that
perishes though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise
and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ you see the trial
of your faith is in the hands of the Lord what does the trial
of faith do It must bring forth the gold. All the dross must
be burnt up. That which is pure, that which
is holy, that which is of the Holy Spirit of God, that stands. That which is of self, that which
is of darkness, that which is of foolishness, that must end. This faith and hope must be in
God. we can have hope in no other. Our hope is in God that the Lord
in all that he will do for us will bring us through this life
and bring us into his presence in eternity that your faith and
hope might be in God. Well as we draw to a close in
our thoughts Isn't this your desire? What faith and what hope
do you have this day? Great mercy, you can say, oh,
perhaps there's so much here that I feel I need to scratch
the surface of. The Lord's dear children will
know much of these things because they have been taught them. But
there is this comfort here, that this faith and hope is in God. and it will receive all those
blessings that are in Christ Jesus all those precious truths
all that fullness all those exceeding great and precious promises all
that belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ that your faith and hope
looks to you will receive and that is eternal everlasting mercy
how precious are those Psalms when they declare this His mercy
is everlasting and I can only conclude in this that to be found
in heaven itself will be an everlasting mercy and isn't it recorded as
such? and if you look again into the
book of the Revelation what do these people declare? What are
the songs they sing? Why are they saying that worthy
is the land that was slain? They look to the mercy, they
look to the blood. And as I have already mentioned
it, go to Revelation 12 verse 11, there's the blood. And of
course that precious blood of Christ is the mercy of God to
us. For it cleanses. It fits, it
prepares. It opens, as we've noticed, the
gates of heaven. It saves, it redeems. It makes
the soul holy. It brings forth the victory,
an everlasting victory. God is truly the gate of heaven
to a sinner. May the Lord grant us some understanding
of these precious things. We do need them, don't we, in
our soul and heart. Where do we stand? What is our
faith fixed upon? My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. My King Jesus is revealed. Oh, He will be, and you will
seek Him. This was so often the desire
of these dear men, was it not, both Joel and Peter, and Paul
too in the manner they long to be with Christ, once again to
view his lovely face, to praise their gracious Redeemer, their
God, forevermore. May you and I be found amongst
that number that cannot be numbered. The number is so great and yet
to be one of them. As we read these words, I hath
not seen nor ear heard what he hath prepared for them that love
him. May the Lord at his blessing.
Amen.