Category: Jesus Christ as Creator

His Son #8

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1-3 KJV).

What can today’s Scripture teach us?

John the Baptist (Matthew 3:7-12) and Jesus Christ (Matthew 13:30,38-42) warned Israel of “the [fiery] wrath to come.” Peter also announced that impending judgment (Acts 2:34-36; Acts 4:19-26): “And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people” (Acts 4:23). Jews who declined to hear God speaking by His Son (cf. today’s Scripture) would be “destroyed”—or, as Jesus said, “ground to powder” (Matthew 21:44). “Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities” (Acts 4:26). Peter encouraged Israel to receive God’s Son!

Today’s Scripture says, “[His Son] whom he [Father God] hath appointed heir of all things….” Father God has determined to grant Jesus Christ power to rule everything (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Revelation 11:15). Father wants His Son to have preeminence in “all things,” all governmental offices of Heaven and Earth (Colossians 1:16-20; Ephesians 1:9-11; Philippians 2:9-11). Israel, by faith, can participate in His earthly government.

“By whom [the Son] also he [the Father] made the worlds…” refers to the governmental systems and their various ages of duration. For example, Scripture describes Christ’s future reign as “world without end” (Ephesians 3:21). Ephesians 2:6-7 speaks of these “ages to come.” Jesus Christ is the Creator God (Ephesians 3:9) mentioned in Genesis 1:1, and all things are to glorify Him to Father’s praise: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11).

Today’s Scripture urges Israel to realize these precious truths concerning God’s Son….

Never Man Spake Like This Man!

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

“The officers answered, Never man spake like this man” (John 7:46 KJV).

Listen as the GodMan speaks!

Read what happened to Jesus at age 12: “And it came to pass, that after three days [Mary and Joseph] found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers” (Luke 2:46,47). Even as a little boy, Jesus’ depth of perception was unusually profound. These “Th.D.s” and “Ph.D.s” of the Mosaic Law—much older and so-called “educated” men—were so surprised, and probably embarrassed, that some little boy would dare (knowledgeably) converse with them about such “adult” topics.

As the years passed, Jesus continually amazed the crowds. “And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes” (Mark 1:22; cf. Matthew 7:28,29). “What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (Matthew 8:27). “And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?” (Matthew 13:54).

We can be most assured that our Lord Jesus was no wimp. His voice thundered with articulate, intelligent, and very weighty words. Those words actually caused events to happen right before people’s eyes—a storm instantly dissipated, dead men arose, sick people instantly recovered, a fig tree immediately withered, et cetera. “The word of God is quick and powerful…” (Hebrews 4:12).

All the way back in Genesis, at the Creation account, God used words—“Let there be…”—to bring our universe into existence from nothing. “…[U]pholding all things by the word of his power…” (Hebrews 1:3). Now, as a Man, He was using His voice to work wonders and amaze crowds. It was not so much to awe them as it was much as it was to teach them. Their God had come and they were to look upon Him and pay attention to what He had to tell them (Isaiah 35:4; Isaiah 40:9). He was the way to salvation and eternal life!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Is immersion the ‘proper’ mode of water baptism?”

The Converted Nation and The Translated Word #3

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

“He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD” (Psalm 147:19,20 KJV).

Herein do we see God’s head of the nations—Israel!

One of the most famous Bible verses is the first, Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” It is not until we come to Paul’s ministry and Colossians 1:16 that we see how God structured the Heaven and the Earth to function: “For by him [the Lord Jesus Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”

In the original creation, there was perfect governmental organization. God created beings to serve Him in Heaven (angels) and other beings (humans—Adam and Eve) to serve Him on Earth. In Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:11-19, we read about Lucifer/Satan leading a rebellion in the spirit world among the angelic hosts. This chief evil spirit then caused Earth to be polluted by recruiting mankind to follow him in Genesis chapter 3. Satan had the governments of both Heaven and Earth; he tainted them and most of their creatures with his sinful agenda.

God formed the nation Israel to do with Adam had failed to do—assume Earth’s governments for His glory (earthly kingdom). Israel was to reclaim Earth for Jesus Christ’s glory. Israel was to magnify God’s Word in the Earth, thereby undoing what Satan had done on Earth! (However, nothing was said about God’s purpose and plan for restoring Heaven unto Himself. We do not learn this secret plan of God until we come to Paul’s ministry, the books of Romans through Philemon. God kept that information secret until He was ready to reveal it.)

To restore Earth to Himself, God desired Israel to know Him first. They were to learn His Word, enjoy His goodness, and, as per the Abrahamic Covenant of Genesis 12:1-3, they were to then take that knowledge and salvation to all the nations of the world! Let us see what Israel did….

In the Beginning

Saturday, September 5, 2015

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1 KJV).

Have you ever wondered about those first three words of the Bible?

Someone recently asked me, “‘In the beginning?’ God had a beginning?!” Oh no, dear friends, the Bible’s opening words “in the beginning” do not refer to God Himself. Rather, they define a point in time when He began to labor to construct creation from nothing. Let us think about some verses.

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Psalm 90:2). Before creation, there was nothing but God—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. There were no people or angels, no animals or plants, no rocks or minerals, no bodies of water, no oxygen and other gases, no sun, moon, stars, planets—nothing. All matter was non-existent. Our feeble, little minds cannot comprehend it but ‘tis true. “He that built all things is God” (Hebrews 3:4b).

No, the universe is not eternal, as some claim. It had a definite beginning. It was Genesis 1:1. Some people do not like that, and they do not have to like it, but whether they are for it or against it, does not change what Genesis 1:1 says… both in Hebrew and in English! No, the universe is not self-sustaining. It needed the triune Godhead to bring it into existence just as Genesis 1:1 says, and a universe left to operate without a holy Creator God would be far worse off than it is today!

If God had a beginning, He would not be God, for that which existed before Him would be God. (So, when atheists and agnostics haughtily ask us, “Where did God come from?,” we can simply reply with confidence, “It is as you say, He most definitely is God,” and let them figure out what it means!) The heaven and the earth had a beginning: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. All things were made by him [the Lord Jesus Christ]; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1,3). 🙂

You may enjoy our related study, “Was God ‘bored’ before creation?”

Knowing Your Purpose

Saturday, July 11, 2015

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11 KJV).

Yea, “For by him [the Lord Jesus Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” (Colossians 1:16).

Usually, the origin of life is reduced to a naturalistic, rationalistic “random mutations resulting in molecules to man,” or “primordial soup to highly-evolved apes.” However, when we come to the Bible, there is absolutely no room for mindless evolutionary theory and universal unpredictability. The heavens and the earth did not suddenly appear without cause or design. Unless we have a mind game to play in order to ease our guilty conscience, we will simply believe today’s Scripture. All things were created by and for Jesus Christ.

The word “things” here in the context are positions of government. It was in God’s grand design to make offices of government to control the heavens and the earth. Angels were created to function in heaven and humans were to function on earth. That entire unit was to operate to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator (Ephesians 1:9-11). However, Lucifer led an angelic rebellion to corrupt heaven with sin and he influenced Adam to corrupt earth with sin.

In the Bible, God formed (and will form) the nation Israel to restore His authority in the earth (Exodus 19:5,6). Today, however, God is forming the Church the Body of Christ, which He will use to reconcile the heavens to Himself (Ephesians 1:20-23). Our purpose today, until heaven, is to glorify Jesus Christ on earth.

Nevertheless, our sin problem must be dealt with first. We need to be redeemed from Satan’s control and his policy of evil. Dear friend, you can spend your earthly lifetime looking for meaning, value, and security in fame, fortune, drugs and alcohol, education, sex, to no avail. You have a hole in your heart, a void that only Jesus Christ can fill. Search no further than your Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ!

* NOTE: Tonight, July 11th, at 7PM Central U.S. Time, the 2015 Summer Family Bible Conference will begin in St. Charles, Illinois. This grace Bible conference will continue until Thursday, July 16th. It will be streamed live online, so you are highly encouraged to join us for two-dozen wonderful studies in the King James Bible rightly divided! For times, topics, speakers, and the video feed, visit http://understandgrace.com/conference/summer-family-bible-conference/.

Behind the Scenes #8

Thursday, March 19, 2015

“The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:11 KJV).

In the form of the Holy Bible, the Creator God has given us a “behind-the-scenes” look at creation! Will we humble ourselves to take a sneak-peak?

First Corinthians chapter 2 says: “[9] But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. [10] But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit…. [14] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” To lost people, those who do not have God’s indwelling Holy Spirit, God’s Word is “foolishness.” They study the natural creation in science, and understand and speak of complex natural phenomena, but when it comes to the sixth-grade English (King James) Bible, they are without understanding. It is not a lack of intellect but an absence of the Author of the Bible!

Today’s Scripture says that the God of creation has made known unto us His eternal counsel. To all generations, through His written and preserved Word, He has revealed His innermost thoughts. While the vast majority is uninterested in His love, grace, wisdom, and purpose, let us not be among the many who lack discernment to see “behind the scenes” (and who want to stay blinded!). They emphasize what they can see and completely miss the invisible; they have no spiritual sight to see what really matters, and, sadly, many are content with closed hearts, minds, eyes, and ears!

Friends, by simple faith in Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork alone as sufficient payment for our sins, we can glorify our Creator today. Once we are saved unto eternal life, His Spirit will come and live within us, and give us the capacity to understand His Word. Then, we can join Father God in His work that will literally span all eons of eternity future. Creation will be restored to its original glory one day, and how Father God wants us to join with Him in seeing it accomplished! 🙂

Behind the Scenes #7

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

“The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:11 KJV).

In the form of the Holy Bible, the Creator God has given us a “behind-the-scenes” look at creation! Will we humble ourselves to take a sneak-peak?

Ephesians 1:9-10 explains Father God’s plan in and for creation: “[9] Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: [10] That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.”

Father God desires to glorify His Son Jesus Christ in heaven and on earth. Throughout the “Old Testament,” the Four Gospels, and early Acts, we read about God’s will for the earth, how He would use the nation Israel to restore the earth to Himself and rid it of Satan’s sinful influence. It was not until He revealed it to Paul that we learn how Father God will rid heaven of Satan’s sinful influence by using us, the Church the Body of Christ. Via these two groups, God’s original plan for creation will be accomplished!

Revelation 4:11 says, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” All of the offices of government in heaven and earth, Jesus made them to carry out His Father’s will in heaven and earth (Colossians 1:16,17). When Lucifer/Satan usurped these offices, heaven and earth were polluted. Hence, we see this fallen creation today, not bringing Jesus Christ praise and glory but abounding with sin! We need not wonder why disease, death, and decay are all around us.

We can use scientific analyses to study the material world, but unless we have Bible study, we will never understand why the material world functions so magnificently and yet is filled with so many problems. Unless we read the Holy Bible, we will always wonder why creation exists and wonder what the Creator intends to do to achieve His purpose (regardless of rebellious creatures).

Now, we can finish this devotionals arc….

Time Travel and the Mystery #5

Sunday, November 16, 2014

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7,8 KJV).

Will it ever be possible to manipulate natural laws, to travel back in time and manipulate events, that things (hopefully) turn out differently? Let us consider today’s Scripture.

In the “sister” epistles of Ephesians and Colossians, the Apostle Paul describes the reason for God forming the Church the Body of Christ. God’s “eternal purpose” (Ephesians 3:11) is to, “in the dispensation of the fulness of times,” “gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth” (Ephesians 1:9,10).

Colossians 1:16-20 amplifies: “[16] For by him [Jesus Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: [17] And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. [19] For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; [20] And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

Prior to Paul, God revealed that He would use Israel to reconcile Earth unto Himself; but He kept secret how He would reconcile Heaven unto Himself. Now, with the mystery disclosed through Paul’s epistles, we see that God is using Jesus Christ’s shed blood to form a body of believers (the Church the Body of Christ) that will do in Heaven what Israel will do on Earth—make Jesus Christ preeminent in all of creation’s governments (His original plan before sin entered!).

Let us further examine how Christ’s shed blood develops God’s eternal purpose….

Stones Whose Praises Would Rock Creation

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

“And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40 KJV).

Why did our Lord Jesus Christ utter such a strange statement?

It was less than a week before He would die on Calvary’s cross, and He had entered Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt, a perfect fulfillment of a Messianic passage: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass” (Zechariah 9:9).

Believers in Jesus, those who recognized Him as the fulfillment of hundreds of specific Old Testament prophecies of Messiah, “began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest” (Luke 19:37,38). The Bible says, “And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples” (verse 39). Today’s Scripture was Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees.

Geologically speaking, rocks are inorganic; they are composed of non-living minerals. Yet, the Creator Himself, Jesus Christ, said that they had the ability to “cry out.” Some may say that the notion of non-living objects “crying out” is preposterous, and the Bible unbeliever is free to feel that way. We may, however, point out that it was outlandish that most Jews—creatures with brains and souls—turned a blind eye to the hundreds of prophecies Jesus fulfilled, specific indications He was their long-promised Messiah, the Son of God.

The Holy Spirit through the Prophet Zechariah urged Israel to rejoice and shout when her Messiah came forth on the donkey, and yet here some Jews discouraged the exhibition of such joy! Had no person praised Jesus on that day of the so-called “Triumphal Entry,” surely other aspects of creation would have honored their Creator. The sounds of their praise would have “rocked creation” indeed! 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Could you please clarify Ephesians 2:18-22?”

A Mind Worth Guarding

Friday, May 30, 2014

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” (Psalm 139:14 KJV).

Verily, verily, the human mind is “fearfully and wonderfully made!”

A neurosurgeon recently described the miraculous, mindboggling human brain (surely not the result of random, mindless evolutionary processes!). We could learn one new fact every second, and our brain would take three million years before it would overload! Even in its fallen state, our mind can process two million bits of information per second! Our most powerful supercomputers cannot compare to the “computer” the Lord Jesus Christ made inside our craniums.

Every image we have ever seen and every book we have ever read, we do not remember them immediately, but these thoughts are deep inside our minds. In fact, the neurosurgeon said a certain medical procedure could stimulate our brains and cause us to access any and every memory we have acquired throughout our lifetimes. What was most amazing of all, he said that, if stimulated by such a procedure, we could even quote verbatim a book that we read several decades ago!

Due to the curse of sin, we actually use a very small percentage of our brain’s capabilities. We can only imagine the intelligence that Adam and Eve had just prior to their fall into sin. Recall what Adam did when he was just hours old: “And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field…” (Genesis 2:19,20).

Saints, our minds are powerful, so we need to be careful what we let into them, for what we let in will literally remain there for the rest of our earthly lives. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8).