CHRIST'S INCREASING 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 13 of 36
" . . . and they brought Him near before Him." (Daniel 7:13)
Other versions read, "and was presented before Him" (NASB), "was led into His presence" (NIV), and "He reached the Ancient of Days and was presented to Him" (TNK). This is a characterization of the risen Savior returning to the One who sent Him on a mission determined from the foundation of the world.
RETURNING TO THE ONE WHO SENT HIM
At this time, we know more of the One Daniel sees than he himself knew. This is only because "the Son of man" is the subject of Divine illumination and proclamation through the Apostles. Thus, we are seeing Jesus "presented" to the Father, or "Ancient of days," as One returning from the fulfillment of God's commission.
In the Gospels, Jesus refers to the Father SENDING HIM no less than thirty-eight times (Matt 10:40; Mk 9:37; Lk 4:18; 9:48; 10:16; John 4:34; 5:24, 30,36,37; 6:38,39,40,44,57; 7:16,28,29,33; 8:16,18,26,29,42;9:4; 11:42; 12:44,45,49; 13:20; 14:24; 15:21; 16:5; 17:18,21 ,23,25; 20:21). It is good for us to ponder that commission for a moment, for much is said about it in the "apostles' doctrine. "
1. THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. "And we have seen and do testify that the Father SENT the Son to be the Savior of the world" (1 John 4:14).
2. A PROPITIATION FOR SIN. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and SENT His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10).
3. THAT WE MIGHT LIVE. "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God SENT His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him" (1 John 4:9).
4. TO REDEEM THE CONDEMNED, AND ENABLE THEIR ADOPTION. "But when the fulness of the time was come, God s SENT forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons" (Gal 4:4-5).
5. DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL. "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For THIS PURPOSE the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8).
6. DESTROY THE DEVIL AND LIBERATE THE CAPTIVES. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; THAT through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb 2:15).
7 . TAKE AWAY OUR SINS. "And ye know that HE WAS MANIFESTED to take away our sins; and in him is no sin" (1 John 3:5).
8. PUT AWAY SIN. "For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He APPEARED to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Heb 9:26).
9. DO GOD'S WILL, TAKE AWAY THE OLD COVENANT, AND ESTABLISH THE NEW COVENANT. "Wherefore when He COMETH INTO THE WORLD, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared Me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do Thy will, O God. Above when He said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin Thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said He, Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second" (Heb 10:5-9).
10. TO SAVE SINNERS. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus CAME INTO THE WORLD to save sinners; of whom I am chief" (1 Tim 1:15).
11. BEAR WITNESS TO THE TRUTH. "Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. TO THIS END was I born, and FOR THIS CAUSE came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice" (John 18:37).
12. ACCOMPLISH HIS DECEASE. "And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: who appeared in glory, and spake of His decease which He should ACCOMPLISH at Jerusalem" (Luke 9:31).
13. DO GOD'S WILL AND FINISH HIS WORK. "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to DO THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME, and to FINISH HIS WORK" (John 4:34).
14. HEAL, PREACH, RECOVER, AND SET AT LIBERTY. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath ANOINTED ME to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath SENT me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4:19).
In Daniel's vision, as the "Son of man" is brought to the Father, He comes as one who has fulfilled every joy and tittle of His staggering commission. He has taken away the sins of the world, dashed the foe to the ground, liberated the captives, and given the people a glimpse of the Father and His will.
He has thrown open the door of hope, demonstrated Divine power by putting the devil and his hosts to flight, and brought in ever lasting righteousness. Sin has been put away, the world has been reconciled to God, and the time of Divine acceptance has been announced. Special messengers have been prepared, death has been defeated, and an acceptable and effective sacrifice for sin has been offered.
Now God can be both "Just and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus" (Rom 3:26). Now, for the first time since the fall of man, "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Psa 85:10).
We should expect, therefore, for significant things to take place upon the return of the conquering Savior – one like unto the "Son of man."
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for sending One who could thoroughly and satisfactorily complete the commission you delivered to Him.