A Daily Devotional

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God's Son in the Old Testament


"I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee" (Psalm 2:7).

There are many today (especially Muslims, Jews, and Christian "liberals") who are monotheists, believing in one supreme God but rejecting the deity of Christ. They argue that the doctrine that Jesus was the unique Son of God was invented by the early Christians and that the God of the Old Testament had no Son. Orthodox Jews in particular emphasize Deuteronomy 6:4: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord."

The fact is, however, that there are a number of Old Testament verses that do speak of God's only begotten Son. Note the following brief summary.

First, there is God's great promise to David: "I will set up thy seed after thee, . . . I will be His Father, and He shall be my Son. . . . thy throne shall be established for ever" (II Samuel 7:12,14,16).

Consider also the rhetorical questions of Agur. "Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son's name, if thou canst tell?" (Proverbs 30:4).

Then there are the two famous prophecies of Isaiah, quoted so frequently at Christmas time. "Behold, a (literally `the') virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel (meaning `God with us')" (Isaiah 7:14). "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: . . . and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

Perhaps the most explicit verse in this connection is our text. "The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son" (Psalm 2:7). Then this marvelous Messianic psalm concludes with this exhortation. "Kiss the Son, . . . Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him" (Psalm 2:12).

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The Watchful Christian

"But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. . . . And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch" (Mark 13:32,33,37).

Every believer, in all places and times, has been commanded by Christ Himself to watch for His return. Since we cannot know the day nor the hour, we are to be watchful always. There are at least eight references in the New Testament commanding us to watch for His coming.

Many people have tried to calculate the date of Christ's coming. But Jesus said: "In such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Matthew 24:44). If anyone "thinks" he has figured out the time, we can be sure that calculation is wrong! If even the Lord Jesus Himself, within the self-limiting confines of His humanity, did not know the time of His return, it is unscriptural and presumptuous for any of us to think we can determine it.

In fact, the very reason for its uncertainty is to stimulate watchfulness on the part of the believer. When a believer starts to "say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming" (Luke 12:45), there arises a real danger that he will fall into sinful habits.

The daily attitude of "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ" is a real incentive for one to "live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:13,12). "When He shall appear, we shall be like Him," John promises, "And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure" (I John 3:2-3). We should continually "abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming" (I John 2:28).

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The New Heavens and New Earth


"For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind" (Isaiah 65:17).

There is a glorious future awaiting the redeemed. Although God's primeval creation of the heavens and the earth is eternal (note Psalm 148:6, etc.), these are now groaning in pain under the effects of sin and the curse. When the Lord returns, they will be "delivered from the bondage of corruption into . . . glorious liberty" (Romans 8:21), and God will make them all new again, with all the scars of sin and death burned away by His refining fires (II Peter 3:10).

There are four explicit references in the Bible to these "renewed" heavens and earth. In addition to our text, which assures us that they will be so wonderful that this present Earth and its heavens will soon be altogether forgotten, there is the great promise of Isaiah 66:22: "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain." Thus, that heavens and Earth will remain eternally, and so will all who dwell there, with their true spiritual children. Note also that both God's "creation" and "making" powers will be applied to the new heavens and new Earth, just as they were to the first (Genesis 2:3).

The third and fourth references are in the New Testament. "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (II Peter 3:13). Not only will no sin be present there, neither will the results of sin and the curse. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; . . . And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Revelation 21:1,4).

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Wisdom and Prudence

"At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes" (Matthew 11:25).

The attributes of wisdom and prudence are prized very highly by the world and its leaders, but worldly wisdom and pragmatic prudence are incapable in themselves of comprehending the spiritual concepts in the plan of God. The Lord Jesus, in fact, considered this very truth a cause for thanksgiving! One does not need either education or wisdom to appropriate the true wisdom of God, for even a young child (in fact, only one who becomes like a child) is able to understand true wisdom. "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3).

The fact that most of the world's scholars reject the Word of God is not surprising, because God promised this would be the case! "It is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent," for "the world by wisdom knew not God" (I Corinthians 1:19,21). Genuine wisdom and prudence are found only through the revealed Word of God. There, however, "He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence" (Ephesians 1:. God desires that our "faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. . . . 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" (I Corinthians 2:5,7,8). The abounding wisdom and prudence of God are hidden from the wise and prudent of the world, but are life and joy to all who come with the believing trust of little children.

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His Word Is with Power

"And they were astonished at His doctrine: for His word was with power" (Luke 4:32).

God's words, whether spoken by Jesus or written in Scripture, are indeed full of power, and it is noteworthy how many and varied are the physical analogies used to characterize and emphasize its power.

For example, consider Jeremiah 23:29. "Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" The fire analogy is also stressed in Jeremiah 20:9, when the prophet became weary of the negative reaction against his preaching. "Then I said, I will not . . . speak any more in His name. But His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay."

God's Word is also called a sharp sword wielded by the Holy Spirit. As part of the Christian's spiritual armor, we are exhorted to take "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).

Even more significantly, perhaps, it is compared to light, for light energy is really the most basic of all forms of energy, or power. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light to my path." "The entrance of thy words giveth light" (Psalm 119:105,130). The first spoken words of Christ our Creator were, "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3).

But no earthly form of power can compare to the power in the words of the One who is Himself the living Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, for He is actually "upholding all things by the word of His power" (Hebrews 1:3).

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These Are Written

"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name" (John 20:30-31).

The Gospel of John was written explicitly to lead people to salvation through faith in Christ. To do that, they must be shown that He was the very Son of the omnipotent God. This in turn required that certain great events in His human life become part of the written Word, the Holy Scriptures.

John's Gospel was written after the Jewish dispersion in 70 A.D. and so was written especially with the pagan world of evolutionary humanism in mind. Both Jew and Greek needed to know that Jesus was more than a great man, for He was the very Creator Himself.

Therefore, John began his evangelistic appeal with a great affirmation of creation, starting with the very words of the only real record of ex nihilo creation in the ancient world - that is, the book of Genesis. "In the beginning was the Word, . . . the Word was God. . . . All things were made by Him. . . . He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not" (John 1:1,3,10).

Then John described in detail seven great miracles of Christ none of which could ever be duplicated by any sorcerer or magician. Solely by His own spoken word, He turned water into wine, healed a dying lad six miles away, gave perfect limbs to a life-long crippled man, created food for a multitude, walked on water, made perfect eyes for a man born blind, and restored a friend to life who had been dead four days. Finally, He arose from the dead Himself. Many have been those through the years who, on reading this wonderful gospel, have said with Thomas, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28).

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The Aroma

"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor" (Ephesians 5:1-2).

Incense in Scripture has a variety of rich and meaningful usages, particularly as related to the blood sacrifice. "And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: . . . And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee" (Exodus 30:1,6). Without this incense, it was impossible to meet with God in this prescribed way. It was to be offered both morning and evening (vv.7-8). Great care was to be taken in its preparation (vv.34-36), and it was not to be used for any other purpose (vv.37-38).

In the New Testament we find a totally different application of this principle. As in our text, we see that Jesus Christ Himself has become an offering and a "sweet-smelling savor" to God. His freely offering Himself is an example to us to live a life of sacrifice and love.

While He was the final sacrifice, we are to "present (our) bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is (our) reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). This may even take the form of material "things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God" (Philippians 4:18).

In the mind of God, our life of sacrifice is a sweet-smelling savor. "Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish" (II Corinthians 2:14-15). Without our willing, living sacrifice, we cannot approach God, but with it, we are a "sweet savor of Christ."

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Ye or Thee

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly" (Matthew 6:6).

In perhaps His primary teaching on giving, prayer, and fasting, Christ used an interesting blend of singular (thee, thou) and plural (you, ye) pronouns. Since even pronouns as recorded in Scripture are inspired and profitable, there must be a lesson to be learned from them.

Although Christ begins the passage using the plural pronoun, "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them" (v.1), evidently addressing the large group assembled, He switches and speaks in the singular. In the verses dealing with giving (vv.2-4), with praying (vv.5-6), and with fasting (vv.17-18), He uses the singular pronoun and singular verbs over 30 times, but each teaching is balanced by a comparison, in the plural, to those who practice these deeds wrongly (vv.1,5,16).

Evidently, our Lord is stressing the need to do these things privately, as opposed to publicly. Public giving and public fasting are often done to gain the praise of men, and to appear overly spiritual. "They have their reward" (v.5). Public prayer is certainly not improper and indeed Christ uses the occasion to teach on public prayer by giving what has come to be called "The Lord's Prayer" (vv.9-13), again in contrast to improper public prayer (v.7). But public prayer can never totally substitute for private prayer, for there is a continuing need for the intimately personal "closet" time with our God. "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret" (v.6).

In each case, "thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly" (vv.4,6,18).

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Children of Light
December 2, 2006

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:.

There are a number of beautiful metaphors used in the Bible describing those who have become true "children of God" (I John 3:10) by the new birth. As children tend to take on the characteristics of their parents as they grow, so God's spiritual children should be growing in the grace of God and the knowledge of God (II Peter 3:18).

Similarly, Christians are called "children of light, and the children of the day" (I Thessalonians 5:5). Therefore, as in our text, we should "walk as children of light."

The Lord Jesus spoke of us as "children of the kingdom" in Matthew 13:38. We should, therefore, live and speak as those born into the kingdom of God, and as faithful subjects of the King of kings.

Christ also called us "children of wisdom" (Matthew 11:19), and this surely implies that we should, in our understanding and in our decisions, have "the mind of Christ" who "is made unto us wisdom" (I Corinthians 2:16; 1:30).

In contrast, note the metaphors applied in the Bible to those who have not (at least not yet) become children of God by being "born again" through faith in the triune God. We ourselves once "were by nature the children of wrath, even as others" (Ephesians 2:3). We -- and they -- were also called "children of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2; also in Ephesians 5:6; and Colossians 3:6).

Unbelievers are also called "children of this world" (Luke 16: and even "children of the wicked one" (Matthew 13:38) and "children of the devil" (I John 3:10).

Returning to the metaphor of our text, "if we walk in the light, as He is in the light" (I John 1:7), then we can no longer "walk in darkness," for we have "the light of life" (John 8:12).

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Preached in All Creation

"If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister" (Colossians 1:23).

Many times Christians piously say, "Why get worked up over creation, why don't you just preach the gospel?" But such a question belies a faulty knowledge of what "the gospel" consists of, for, as has been noted many times on these pages, the gospel consists not only of the redemptive work of Christ, but His entire person and work as well. The message of the "everlasting gospel" is to "worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" (Revelation 14:6-7). Elsewhere the gospel includes His coming Kingdom (Matthew 4:23, for example). From creation to redemption to ultimate restoration, all is "good news," all the work and person of Christ.

In our text we see that the gospel "was preached to every creature," or perhaps better translated, "in all creation." What was the message of the gospel for which Paul was so jealous? The answer is found in the preceding verses.

Christ is preeminent, literally "the firstborn of every creature" (v.15), totally God (v.19). He is the Creator of all things, both physical and spiritual (v.16), and continues to maintain His creation (v.17). He leads the church, assuring victory over death (v.18). He is the Redeemer, the perfect sacrifice for sins (vv.20-22), providing each believer total sanctification (v.22). He will ultimately restore all of creation to its original created intent (v.20).

Only as we recognize and believe the teachings of His Word on the entire "good news," from creation to consummation, can we hope to victoriously "continue in the faith, grounded and settled."

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Man and His Labor

"Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labor until the evening" (Psalm 104:23).

The 104th Psalm is a beautiful psalm of creation and the Flood, supplemented by God's providential care of His creatures in the post-Flood world. Our text makes man's activity seem almost incidental in the grand scope of God's activities on behalf of His whole creation.

Nevertheless, it reminds us of God's first great commission to mankind concerning that creation. "Have dominion . . . over all the earth . . . to dress it and to keep it" (Genesis 1:26; 2:15). This primeval mandate, though still in effect as man's stewardship responsibility for the earth and its creatures, has been seriously impacted by sin and the curse. "Cursed is the ground for thy sake," God told Adam; "in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread" (Genesis 3:17,19).

And so it is that men (women, too!) must work, and the work often is laborious, and stressful, and unappreciated. Yet the divine rule is "that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands . . . That ye may walk honestly . . . and that ye may have lack of nothing" (I Thessalonians 4:11-12). "For . . . if any would not work, neither should he eat" (II Thessalonians 3:10).

Thus labor is necessary, even for those who don't know the Lord. But it is far better if we work, not just to earn a living, but to please the Lord. "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men" (Colossians 3:23).

Whatever our job may be (assuming it is an honorable occupation), it can be regarded as serving Christ and as helping to fulfill His primeval-dominion commandment, and even as helping to lead others to know Him. Therefore, whether the work is easy, or hard, we should be "always abounding in the work of the Lord . . . your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (I Corinthians 15:58).

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Walking in Truth

"I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father" (II John 4).

This beautiful metaphor, "walking in truth," is found only in the two, one-chapter epistles of John -- here in our text, and in III John 3 and 4. This principle should indeed characterize our daily lives, since our Lord and Savior is Himself "the truth" (John 14:6), the Word of God which we believe is "truth" (John 17:17), and the Holy Spirit who indwells our bodies is the very "Spirit of truth" (John 15:26).

The New Testament also uses other characteristics of the Christian life under this figure of walking. When a person is born again through faith in Christ and testifies of this by following the Lord in baptism, he or she is said to be raised to "walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).

Then, since the Holy Spirit has come to indwell our bodies, to comfort, guide, and constrain us as needed, we are exhorted to "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). Furthermore, we are commanded to "walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us" (Ephesians 5:2). This is not erotic love, of course, or even brotherly love, but unselfish "agape" love, that sacrifices its own interests for the needs of others.

There are still more such exhortations. "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time" (Colossians 4:5). Furthermore, we are to "walk in the light, as He is in the light" (I John 1:7).

All of these and other similar admonitions can be summarized as simply following the example of Christ. "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked" (I John 2:6). "He that followeth me," said Jesus our Lord, "shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12).

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Born to Die

"For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).

Especially as noted in the Gospel of John, Christ identified many reasons why He had been born. Consider the following sampling of verses and references.

First and foremost, Christ came to redeem those who would believe, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). But under that umbrella of redemption come many other aspects.

Jesus said, "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work" (John 4:34). God's will was paramount even in judgment (John 5:30) as well as resurrection. "This is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40). It also governed His teaching (7:16-17). In everything, Christ sought to bring glory to His Father (7:18).

Many aspects of Christ's work are to be realized in this life, for He said: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). His desire in it all was that we might have an eternal relationship with God. "That they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).

But the primary goal was to bring to climax His redemptive strategy. He knew that none of the other aspects of His work had any effect without atonement for sin, which was only possible if a blood sacrifice was made for that sin. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep" (John 10:11). This was the reason He came to Earth.

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The Seven Editions of the Law

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people" (Hebrews 8:10).

God's progressive revelation throughout history involves several sovereign communications to mankind. There are seven such revelations listed in the Bible:

1. Written in Nature. Psalm 19:1-2 states: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge."

2. Written in Conscience. Romans 1:19 says that all men are without excuse "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them."

3. Written on Stone. "And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written" (Exodus 24:12).

4. Written in Scripture. "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15:4).

5. Written in Christ. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

6. Written in Believers. "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men" (II Corinthians 3:2).

7. Written on the Heart. This is revelation recounted in our text (and quoted from Jeremiah 31:33) of a day coming where God will make Himself known in a new way by ruling visibly upon the earth and being personally accessible to all.

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The Spirit and the Word

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" (Romans 8:9).

As we see in our text, the Holy Spirit indwells every one who is a true believer, a child of God. Each believer is born again through "the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21), for "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17).

But the role of the Spirit of God and the Word of God in our salvation only begins the Christian's relationship to them, for we are enjoined to "be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18) in the same sense that a drunkard is filled with and controlled by wine, and to "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom" (Colossians 3:16). These two entities equip us to be effective representatives of Him here on Earth.

Note, however, that in both of these passages the immediate results of such controlling input are the same. "Speaking to yourselves in psalms |primarily the Old Testament psalms| and hymns |songs of praise directed to God| and spiritual songs |a generic word for song, but here `spiritual' songs|, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19), and "teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Colossians 3:16). A Spirit-filled Christian, knowledgeable in the Word, just can't quit singing!

Nor can he stop "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20; see also Colossians 3:17).

May we always manifest the work of the Spirit and the knowledge of the Word by our thankful hearts and the songs on our lips.