Beginning of the Creation of God

And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God.
Revelation 3:14

Titles that are misunderstood, misinterpreted, or misrepresented certainly miss the mark regarding the truth that they were intended to convey. Such is the case in the verse above which is sometimes used by false witnesses to teach that Christ is a created being. Nothing could be further from the truth.

God created atoms and energy. He thought them up. They never existed before, but He brought them into existence. He owns the physical universe. He has the patent.

God is Spirit. He is before the material world and superior to it. Although God can’t be seen, He produced everything that can be, evidently using materials that are also invisible. Our finite minds have real trouble understanding this. For that reason, God manifested Himself in a physical form to reveal Himself to His creation. He is Christ, “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15).

When the Lord presented His credentials to the wishy-washy church in Laodicea, He called Himself the Beginning of the Creation of God. He was trying to impress them with who He was. Jesus is before all things created; He is their Head. The NIV translates this name of Christ as “the ruler of God’s creation.”

It was true that spiritually, the Laodecians weren’t on fire for the Lord, but they weren’t stone cold either. The same can be said about many churches today. And that’s a big problem. How can anyone remain mediocre to the one who is in charge of the whole universe? The fear of God should grip every believer when they realize that one day they’ll have to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ, the Beginning of the Creation of God.

 October 1 

Light of Men

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
John 1:4

Most Americans aren’t into cartoons as they used to be. When I grew up in the 1950’s and 60’s, most homes subscribed to both a morning and afternoon newspaper. In the back of the last section would be forty or so different comic strips. It’s safe to say that the “funnies” were the how and why I learned to read. They also taught me how to recognize and interpret symbols.

If a comic strip character had smoke coming out of his ears, he was angry; if there was a series of Z’s over his head, then he was asleep. When there was a light bulb in a bubble over his head, it was clear that the figure had an idea.         

Actually, I’ve seen this scenario played out in real life during my forty years as a teacher. Every now and then, I presented a lesson to a classroom of bored students, when someone actually got what I was teaching! It’s very noticeable. Their eyes lit up as if a light bulb turned on in their head. They were truly enlightened. There is even a term for this in pedagogy. It’s called an “Aha moment.”        

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Light of Men in a world of spiritual darkness. Just as sightless people don’t have a clue about color or sunsets, the unregenerate are clueless about righteousness and judgment. The god of this age has blinded those who do not believe, so they can’t see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4). However, that veil of deception can come down and the light of God’s holiness can come into even the darkest hearts. Through the years, I’ve seen many people come to know Christ as Lord and Savior and I can testify that there is no greater Aha moment then when someone realizes that their sins are forgiven and they have eternal life. A great spiritual light bulb turns on in their soul when the Light of Men comes into their lives.

October 21

Shadow of the Almighty

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91:1

The element mercury is the only metal that is actually a liquid at room temperature. Just like other liquids it can evaporate even though the vapor is much heavier than air. Gaseous mercury is invisible but can be seen under the right conditions. To view mercury vapor, an open container of the metal is placed on a table. The lights in the room are turned off and a single goose necked lamp is pointed towards the wall. Since the gaseous form of mercury won’t let light pass through, its shadow can be seen rising slightly and then falling to the floor.

God not only is invisible, He is Spirit, so He is not bound by the laws of chemistry and physics as they are known today. However, Shadows of the Almighty are sometimes seen in nature. The intricate workings of a living cell demonstrate the complexities of the Creator and an F-5 tornado shows something of the power of the Omnipotent.

We can see the Lord Jesus with the eyes of faith and although that image isn’t crystal clear, it is a well-defined Shadow of the Almighty. Aspects of the character of God that were unfocused in the Old Testament became well defined in Christ. The grace and salvation of God are brought to whole new levels when viewing the death of the Savior as the Passover Lamb. The teachings of the Master outline to us the mind of God and His way of life shows us the form of the Father’s will.

O spotless Lamb of God, in Thee
The Father’s holiness we see;
And with delight Thy children trace,
In Thee, His wondrous love and grace.
                                                          – Mary J. Walker (1878)

October 3

Just One

Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers.
Acts 7:52

Who said it? Now that’s an important question to ask when studying the titles of Christ. In this case, it was Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian church.

Stephen was the kind of young person that every youth group desires: energetic, servant’s heart, eloquent, and on fire for the Lord. The Sanhedrin had outlawed speaking about Jesus of Nazareth and there he was, right inside the temple, preaching about Christ and making points that no one could refute. He was hauled off to court and the book of Acts records his own defense. Stephen preaches a sermon detailing the history of Israel, pointing out that their ancestors had not only challenged Moses’ leadership, but the authority of every prophet God had sent. Then came the bottom-line: those assembled in that room had betrayed and murdered the Just One of God (a.k.a. the Messiah).         

The truth hurts and convicting truth hurts a lot, so the courtroom turned into a mob bent on really hurting Stephen. They dragged him outside and threw heavy stones at him until his skull was crushed and he died.         

Another young religious zealot witnessed all this, but he belonged to the opposition. Saul of Tarsus would have thrown stones himself if he had the chance, but was outranked by the more hateful clerics. Saul did see the angel-like face of Stephen and the peace with which he died, but the phrase Just One probably was what disturbed him the most.      

This was probably on his mind while Saul was on his way to Damascus to persecute the followers “of the Way” (Acts 9:2). He saw a blinding light from heaven, realized that Jesus of Nazareth was talking to him and was told that someone would come to him with instructions. That someone was an older believer named Ananias who told him “The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.” (Acts 22:14). The same Just One that Stephen had preached had now became Saul’s Lord.

October 22

King

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king.
For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.
Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
John 18:37

The idea of kings and kingdoms goes back a long time to the dawn of civilization. Presidents and prime ministers, in contrast, are the newbies to world history; they’ve been around for just a couple of hundred years.

Belief in the divine right of kings is also ancient in origin. People honored and obeyed the king, because they believed that either God or a pantheon of gods put him into power and to rebel against the king was to fight the will of Deity. The whole concept of monarchy was God’s, because one day Jesus Christ will be the “great king over all the earth” (Psalms 47:2).

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles” (Zechariah 14:16).

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, ” That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth” (Jeremiah 23:5).

In the not so distant future a true new world order will transform the planet we live on. A benevolent world leader will govern all nations with equity and justice for all. No longer will billions of dollars be wasted in divisive political campaigns nor trillions lost in bureaucratic mismanagement. Politicians won’t make deals in back rooms, nor will special interest groups push through laws that exploit the majority.

The Lord Jesus Christ will bring lasting peace to earth. He won’t be a political activist, a community organizer, or career politician. He will be King.

October 4

Worthy of More Glory than Moses

For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses,
inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house.
Hebrews 3:3

Even today Moses holds a unique place in the hearts and minds of the Jewish people. He was their deliverer and principal figure in the foundation of Israel as a nation. However, although this man of God was great in all he did, he pales in comparison to Jesus Christ, who is Worthy of More Glory than Moses.

Moses

1.     Name mentioned 797 times in the Bible.

2.     Law of Moses (Joshua 8:31) called law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).

3.     Mediator of the First Covenant (Exodus 34:27).

4.     Moses’ face reflected glory of God (Exodus 34:29).

5.     A prophet (Deuteronomy 34:10)

6.     Led the children of Israel out of bondage from Egypt (Exodus 13:3).

7.     Built the foundation of the nation of Israel (Hebrews 3:4).

Jesus

1.     Name mentioned 983 times in the New Testament

2.     Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2) called law of Spirit of life (Romans 8:2).

3.     Mediator of a Better Covenant (Hebrews 8:6).

4.     The body of the glorified Christ shone (Rev. 1:14-16).

5.     The Prophet (John 6:14)

6.     Delivered the world out of the bondage of sin (Galatians 1:4). 

7.     Built the foundation of the church (1 Corinthians 3:11).

In the very least Jesus Christ is Worthy of More Glory than Moses, but on a much grander scale, He is worthy “to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12). Praise and worship be to the Lord of Glory.

October 23

Great Shepherd of the Sheep

Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.
Hebrews 13:20

The Lord Jesus gave Himself the title of “Good Shepherd” in John 10:11 saying that He gives His life for His sheep. In the last chapter of Hebrews, He is called the Great Shepherd of the Sheep. The first describes what Christ saw His job to be. The second was the opinion of the sheep concerning their caretaker.

Members of the Secret Service are required to sign a paper stating that they would be willing to sacrifice their lives in an attempt to save the President or some other V.I.P. that they were ordered to protect. I never heard of anyone willing to die for mutton on the hoof, much less requiring dying for the sheep in the job description for being a shepherd. Christ willingly gave His life so that His flock could live. The sheep were deeply grateful and voted Him Great Shepherd of the Sheep.

Sometimes we forget that the Lord didn’t have to do this. No one would begrudge a shepherd boy for not standing between a pack of ravenous wolves and his flock. To do so would mean certain death and, after all, a bunch of dumb, smelly animals wouldn’t be worth the sacrifice.

The angels in heaven must have wondered the same thing. “Why would the King of kings sacrifice himself to save those stupid, ungrateful human beings?” Probably even more perplexing was, “Why did the LORD God Almighty have to become the Lamb of God in order to be the perfect substitute for these ‘sheepeople’?”

If Christ did not die for the sins of this world, God would have still have been the God of the universe; He just wouldn’t have been the God of love and mercy that we know Him now to be. The fact remains that Jesus did give His life as a Great Shepherd of the Sheep.

October 5

Holy One of God

 “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are — the Holy One of God!”
Mark 1:24

It might seem obvious, but I’ve learned a lot from my twenty year study of the titles of Christ. What started as a challenge to find a name of the Lord for every day of the year ended with a deeper love for and fellowship with my Savior. I also discovered things that I never heard preached on before and I never knew were there. One example of this is insight I’ve gotten from the “demonic titles.”

Sometimes when Christ healed the sick, He also cast out demons and a few of those carried on a conversation with Him. They addressed Jesus of Nazareth by name without any formal introduction, because they knew who He was. After all, He cast them out of heaven before the foundation of the world.

The thing that surprised me about the demonic titles is that they all speak truthfully of who He is. The evil spirits address Him as Christ, the Son of God, and even the Son of the Most High God (Luke 4:41, Mark 5:7), but they never called Him Lord or Savior. The title Holy One of God was never spoken except by fallen angels as if it were a phrase they heard in heaven before Satan rebelled against the Lord of Hosts.

I find it interesting that demons never insulted the Son of God nor made disparaging comments about Him as did His human adversaries. Christ’s dissenters called Him Beelzebub (Matthew 10:25), a Samaritan (John 8:48), and a glutton (Matthew 11:19), not knowing the condemnation they were laying up for themselves. “But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves” (Jude 10).

The demons not only knew who Christ was, they knew that their punishment was ready to be handed down and they begged Him not to cast them into hell before their time. Although condemned and without hope, they appealed to Him on the basis of who He is: the Holy One of God.

October 25

Mediator of a Better Covenant

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
Hebrews 8:6

Better is “more gooder.” It’s been improvised on, greater than, and superior to whatever it is being compared to. Here, Christ is the Mediator of a Better Covenant, so the new relationship He establishes with God out-shines anything and everything involved in the old covenant of law keeping.

The nation of Israel was a privileged people. God revealed everything He wanted them to do by giving them a written law. This included a list of moral standards which established right and wrong (the Ten Commandments) and also gave a code of social and ceremonial laws. With this spiritual contract came great benefits and responsibilities. God promised to bless the Jewish people greatly when they obeyed His laws. Through obedience they would be given military victories, exponential growth, and wealth that compounded annually.

Disobedience, on the other hand, resulted in serious consequences: military defeats, famines, plagues, climate change, poverty, captivity, exile, and after that, things really got bad.

God’s covenant of law only worked when His people heard what He said and obeyed it. Since the human heart is hard, the years of God’s blessing were few and the years of cursing many.

The New Covenant that Christ ushered in changed all areas of the contract for the better:

  • God’s blessings are based on a person’s faith, not a result of works.
  • Christ supplies us with grace which is His power to save and transform.
  • Temporal blessings on earth are replaced with eternal life.
  • God no longer seems distant. He is Immanuel, God with us.
  • The emphasis isn’t inheriting the land but being joint heirs with Christ.
  • Christians have the promise of victory over sin and death and hell.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for being the Mediator of a Better Covenant.

October 6

Kinsman-Redeemer (Gâʼal)

‘Now if a sojourner or stranger close to you becomes rich, and one of your brethren who dwells by him becomes poor, and sells himself to the stranger or sojourner close to you, or to a member of the stranger’s family, after he is sold he may be redeemed again. One of his brothers may redeem him.
Leviticus 25:47-48

…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
1 Peter 1:18-19

This  important name of Christ is very clear and observable in the original Hebrew but is a little hard to grasp using only English translations of the Bible. Although it takes some effort to fully understand this title, the effort is well worth it.

In the oriental law of kinship, the gâʼal (literally “next of kin”) was required to buy back a relative’s lost property, marry his widow, rescue him from harm, or avenge his death. Abraham acted as gâʼal when he rescued Lot and his family from the four mighty kings of the East with only 318 trained servants; and Boaz was Ruth’s gâʼal, marrying her and restoring her land.

The role of the kinsman-redeemer is well-established in the Hebrew scripture with the word gâʼal appearing 71 times. We miss this in English because there is no direct translation. Gâʼal sometimes is translated as Kinsman, redeemer, redeem, relative, close relative, deliverer and even six times as “avenger of blood.”

As a “Friend that Sticks Closer than a Brother,” the Lord Jesus has become our Gâʼal. He is our Deliverer from the powers of the devil, sin, and death and  restores us to the close relationship with the God that Adam lost in the Garden of Eden. He redeemed us from the slavery and self-destruction of sin and adopted us into the family of God. As Kinsman-Redeemer, Christ sought us, bought us, and fought for us. He is our Gâʼal

October 24