Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. A finite man can speak
of eternity, but in reality has no ability to actually comprehend
such a subject. It is outside the realm of his
natural understanding. When enlightened by the Spirit
of God to see a mere glimpse of him who is eternal, he can
but fall upon his face in worship, even as Job, Daniel, and Isaiah,
who all confessed that the sight was more than they could bear.
Thus we see the Lord speak of himself as that one who encompasses
time and also the only one to whom time is inconsequential.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord,
which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty,
saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. But,
beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with
the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
It is interesting to consider that when the Lord first revealed
himself to John in the opening pages of the Revelation, saying,
I am Alpha and Omega, that John fell at his feet as a dead man,
completely overwhelmed with fear at his awesome presence. Yet
he brought comfort to John with the same revelation as he said,
fear not, I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth
and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore.
Amen. And have the keys of hell and
death. Thus we read in the Hebrews of
that purpose for which he came to accomplish. Now, that is in
the present time, he has obtained, that is secured or attained,
a more excellent, that is surpassing all others, ministry. Behold
now is the accepted time. Behold now is the day of salvation.
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now has come salvation
and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his
Christ. For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which
accused them before our God day and night. There are basically
two Greek words which are translated into English as now. One of them
is synonymous with the conjunction but, which we see in the first
verse of Hebrews 8. Now of the things which we have
spoken, this is the psalm. We have such a high priest who
is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the
heavens. The other is the strongest form of emphasis for just now
or the very present, which is akin to what the psalmist says.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested,
being witnessed by the law and the prophets. The writer is setting
forth the superiority of that which Christ came to teach with
the testimony and weakness of the law. Even those who labored
under the law in the Old Testament understood that this law which
they ministered was unable to deliver those to whom it was
given. God, having provided some better thing for us, that they
without us should not be made perfect. Of which salvation the
prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of
the grace that should come unto you? Searching what or what manner
of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify.
when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and
the glory that should follow, unto whom it was revealed that
not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things
which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the
gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven,
which things the angels desire to look into. That which has
now been made clear in the ministry of Christ is the total and absolutely
complete salvation which He has brought to His elect by that
which He has performed as their Redeemer and King. They needed
wisdom. He is the wisdom of God who tabernacled
among men. They needed righteousness. He
is the righteousness of God who has imputed the same unto them.
They needed to be made holy. He is their sanctifier who has
set them forever apart from that which is unholy. They needed
redemption. He is their redemption, long
awaited and now obtained by His work alone as their great high
priest and sin offering. But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification
and redemption. He that glorieth, let him glory
in the Lord. The Lord Himself did speak of
the contrast between all ministrations of the Word of God before He
came upon the scene, and that which is now come. John the Immerser
was the direct forerunner of Christ, yet as great as John
was, his ministry was severely limited, and he could only look
from afar at the ministry of that one who was greater than
he. The Lord spoke the truth, but the hour cometh, and now
is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit
and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.
God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him
in spirit and truth. Ultimately, he summed this up
to his own disciples. Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father
but by me. Now is the accepted time. For
a free CD containing 15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email
to forthepoor at windstream.net.