CHRIST'S INCREASING KINGDOM I am continuing in the consideration of Jesus as "the Son of man." It is essential that this be seen, for it is in this capacity that He has received the kingdom. -- Tomorrow:
"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. OF THE INCREASE OF HIS GOVERNMENT AND PEACE THERE SHALL BE NO END, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this!" (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Devotion 9 of 36
THE LAST ADAM
"And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit" (1 Cor 15:45).
Jesus was a Man whose lineage could be traced all the way back to Adam. Yet, He was "the last Adam." That is, because He had no fleshly offspring, and from heaven's view, and in consideration of the redemptive economy, the Adamic lineage actually ended with Him.
The fleshly lineage of Jesus is traced from Christ back to Adam (Luke 3:23-38), and from Abraham up to Christ (Matt 1:1-17). That fleshly lineage abruptly terminated at Jesus, for He had no fleshly offspring as did all of the predecessors in His lineage. As the prophet said, "He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living" (Isa 53:8; Acts 8:33). Yet, His offspring are more numerous than all the others. This is why He is called "Everlasting Father" (Isa 9:6). His "children" were given to Him by His Father (Heb 2:13-14), and are "a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues" (Rev 7:9). Until Jesus comes again, members of this generation will remain on the earth as salt and light. Satan will not be able to remove this generation.
The precision of this view is confirmed in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus. He cites forty-two generations, grouping them in three clusters of fourteen. He affirms fourteen generations to have passed "from Abraham to David" (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judas, Phares, Esrom, Aram, Aminadab, Naasson, Salmon, Booz, Obed, Jesse, David). Fourteen generations "from David to the carrying away into Babylon" (Solomon, Roboam, Abia, Asa, Josaphat, Joram, Ozias, Joatham, Achaz, Ezekias, Manasses, Amon, Josias, Jechonias). Fourteen remaining generations were "from the carrying away into Babylon until Christ" (Salathiel, Zorobabel, Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Sadoc, Achim, Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, Jacob, Joseph the husband of Mary, Jesus).
In counting these generation, it will become apparent that only forty-one are listed, not forty-two. Fourteen are listed from Abraham to David, and fourteen from David to the carrying away into Babylon. But only thirteen are listed from the carrying away unto Babylon to Christ Jesus. Some have attempted to explain this by saying David and Josiah are counted twice. That mode of reckoning, however, leaves Christ out, terminating with Joseph. Still others are of the opinion the third list includes Mary as well as Joseph. Some believe Matthew made a mistake. Still others account for the difference by saying David is listed twice.
These explanations are wholly unacceptable. The word "begat" is mentioned thirty-nine times in this passage. Add to that number Joseph, who is not said to have begotten anyone, and Jesus who is not declared to have begotten any fleshly lineage, and you have forty-one generations, not forty-two.
The forty-second generation is accounted for in Christ's own generation, which was a spiritual one, not a fleshly one. That generation is His by virtue of redemption. It is written of them, "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal 3:29). The word "Christ's" ("if ye be Christ's") denoted, then, His peculiar generation.
THE SECOND MAN
"The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven" (1 Cor 15:47).
Jesus began a new race – a "new creation" (2 Cor 5:17), or new generation. He is, in this sense, "the Firstborn among many brethren" (Rom 8:29). In this view, all of "the brethren," including Himself, "are all of One (the Father)," for which cause He is not ashamed to call them "brethren" (Heb 2:11). From the standpoint of them being His generation, they are His children. Thus it is said of Him, "Behold I and the children which God hath given me" (Heb 2:13). It is in this sense that His name includes "Everlasting Father" (Isa 9:6).
HE TOOK THE FORM OF A SERVANT
"But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (Phil 2:7).
The humanity of Christ required unequaled humility and condescension. By making Himself "of no reputation," He "emptied Himself" (NASB), divesting Himself of the prerogatives of Deity. In doing this, He did not cease to be Divine, but refused to conduct Himself in that capacity. He stooped to enter earth in "the form of a servant," humbling Himself to such a degree as to be "tempted" (Heb 4:15), "trust" in God (Heb 2:13), be "led by the Spirit" (Matt 4:1), grow in "wisdom," and "in favor with God and man" (Lk 2:52), and have "the grace of God upon Him" (Lk 2:40).
No person can afford to take lightly the fact that "the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).
MADE A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man" (Heb 2:9).
Again, the condescension of the Savior is accented. Although in His most humble state, when He first entered into the world, all of the angels of God were commanded to worship Him (Heb 1:6), yet He was "made a little lower" than that mighty host of "ministering spirits."
HE WAS TEMPTED
"For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted" (Heb 2:18). "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Heb 4:15).
I have already said considerable about this aspect of Christ's humanity. Yet, a few further observations are in order. There are some spiritual novices who say Jesus did not sin because it was impossible for Him to do so. His "temptation," in their view, was no temptation at all, but only a mere technicality. Such notions are more than foolish, and display a serious lack of understanding. Jesus "suffered, being tempted" (Heb 2:18). On the eve of His betrayal, the temptation was strong that "there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him" (Luke 22:43). He thrice pled with the Father to let this cup pass from Him if it was possible to do so (Matt 26:39-44). His agonizing prayer during this time was accompanied with "strong crying and tears" (Heb 5:7). Let no one be so foolish as to suggest Jesus was not really tempted, or did not feel the tug of contrary and competing influences. If such a postulate is true, He is not able to be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Such a view is a heresy of the worst rank.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for a Savior who is thoroughly equipped to bring us to glory.