February 12, 2023: 1 Peter 1:11 - The Spirit of Christ was in Them

“…searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.” - 1 Peter 1:11

Oh, what it must have been like to be a prophet called by God to testify not only of the coming of Christ, the Messiah, but also to all the suffering He would experience and all of the glory that would come afterwards. As discussed in yesterday’s (February 11, 2023 post), Isaiah was one such prophet. Isaiah was married and had two sons when God gave him a single vision to write down, which became the book of Isaiah. Jeremiah was another prophet but God called him to be a prophet even before he was born:

“Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:

‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified [set you apart] you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.’

“Then said I: ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak , for I am a youth.’” But the LORD said to me:

‘Do not say, “I am a youth,” for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you,’ says the LORD.

“Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me:

‘Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to thrown down, to build and to plant.’” (Jeremiah 1:4-10)

God called both of these men to warn the people of Judah, the southern kingdom of God’s people, who had whole-heartedly rejected God and worshipped false gods and idols, forgetting all that God had done for them. God warned them of the impending judgment that was coming upon them if they did not turn away from their wicked ways, repent, and return to Him. Through these two men, God sent warning after warning after warning, giving the people so many times to stop embracing the darkness and return to Him, the light. One of those times is when God said to Jeremiah:

“The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said would benefit it. Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: ‘“Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.” ’ ” (Jeremiah 18:7-11)

Hearing these messages from God was difficult for Isaiah and Jeremiah, and not only did they hear them but they were commanded by God to go tell them to the people, even when Isaiah and Jeremiah knew that the people would not listen. Isaiah and Jeremiah even asked God how long would it be for the things that they were to prophesy would take place. In Isaiah 6:11 when God had called him to be a prophet after God had revealed Himself to him, Isaiah asked God, “Lord, how long?” And the prophet Jeremiah asked God, “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?” (Jeremiah 12:1b) and “But You, O LORD, know me; You have seen me, and You have tested my heart toward You. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter. How long will the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither? The beasts and birds are consumed, for the wickedness of those who dwell there, because they said, ‘He will not see our final end.’ ” (Jeremiah 12:3-4)

God told both Isaiah and Jeremiah that evil and wickedness of both His people and of the nations that persecuted them would not go unpunished but that He also would also preserve a remnant of His people through whom the Savior would come. The book of Isaiah is filled with many prophecies about the coming Messiah and how He would be a suffering servant, rejected and despised by men. He also prophesied of the glory of the King:

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel [God-With-Us].” (Isaiah 7:14)

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Jeremiah also prophesied of the coming Messiah:

“‘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. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ ” (Jeremiah 23:5-6)

These two prophets suffered tremendously and had such anguish for the people who would not listen. Jeremiah was even referred to as the “weeping prophet.” And yet, they continued doing what God had called them to do, regardless the consequences to themselves. They were steadfast in their faith in God.

After the prophesied judgments came when the majority of the people of Judah were exiled to Babylon, and 70 years returned to Jerusalem, which had been destroyed by Babylon, Nehemiah wrote about the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Nehemiah challenged his countrymen to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem that had been taken down. In his book “Nehemiah,” he wrote of the prophets and their warnings to the people of God’s judgment that at that time was about to come upon them, and he wrote of the people’s response to their warnings:

“…Yet they acted proudly, and did not heed Your commandments, but sinned against Your judgments, ‘which if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And they shrugged their shoulders, stiffened their necks, and would not hear. Yet for many years You had patience with them, and testified against them by Your spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; for You are God, gracious and merciful.” (Nehemiah 9:29-31)

God is indeed gracious and merciful. Instead of allowing the people of Judah to be completely destroyed, He preserved a remnant, who after being exiled to Babylon for 70 years, would return to their land, to Judah, thus preserving the people from whom the Messiah, the Branch of righteousness, Jesus Christ, would be born.

Now, nearly two thousand years later after the birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, may we also take heed to the warnings of God’s prophets who foretold of His second coming and the events that would precede it. May those who have not put their faith and trust in Him as their Deliverer, Redeemer of all their sins, do that today, before they breathe their last breath on earth and enter into their eternity. There is a time coming soon when the whole earth will be in such tribulation that has never been known to mankind. For those of us who are saved by our faith in Jesus Christ, may we continue to trust in Him, no matter the consequences to our own lives, for we know our salvation is in Him, and our future glory awaits us. ✝️