For
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in
order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:17
After
Jesus's resurrection His hopeful disciples asked, “Lord, are You now going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”(Acts 1:6). The Jews were
looking for a messiah that would establish a kingdom of might, power and influence. Their priorities were not yet set on God's
priorities, that sin must first be dealt with before power
could ever be established.
Scripture
teaches that it was God's plan before the creation of the world to
deal with sin (1st
Peter 1:19, Revelation 13:8). After Adam and Eve, as the federal
heads of humanity, brought sin to our race, the LORD pronounced the
remedy to restore us from our fallen state back into fellowship with
Himself (Genesis 3:15). He said to the serpent (Satan) that the
offspring of Adam and Eve would bruise his head but he would bruise
the man's heal, referencing the death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ and crushing the head of Satan, defeating the power of sin.
Jesus
became the perfect sacrifice that can turn away God's wrath from any
person lost in their trespasses and sins. Anyone who believes in His atoning work on the cross will have every
sin forgiven. This was God's priority, declared through the Law and
the Prophets, accomplished through His Son. God's intent was not first
power, but pardon. Jesus said to seek His kingdom first and His
righteousness and the rest will be added (Matthew 6:33).
There
are some 300 prophecies in the Jewish Scriptures many of which speak
of a suffering Messiah who offers redemption. Jesus fully met all of
these, showing Him to be the only One who can save us all from our
sins.
He
came first as a servant but will return as the long expected King to
sit upon the throne of His ancestor David in all glory, power and
authority. Sin and death will be vanquished and righteousness
established forever. The order of God's priorities. Not power but
pardon. First things first.
Ken
