”Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” | John 1: 50-51
Isaiah said, “I saw also the Lord…” “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” (Isaiah 6: 1)
Sinners only see the Lord through faith by revelation from God. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1: 16-17)
John tells us it was the glory of Christ the Lord which Isaiah saw. (John 12: 36-41)
The glory of Christ which Isaiah saw is the glory which sinners are brought by grace to behold through faith.
How did Isaiah describe his glory?
1. Sitting. The Lord Jesus Christ finished the work given him by the Father before the world began. He fulfilled all prophecy concerning him, he honored and magnified the law of God as the Representative of his people in righteous obedience; as their Substitute as God’s Lamb he laid down his life that they might become dead to the law. He cried, “It is finished.” When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. “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: 3)
2. Upon a throne. Isaiah saw Jesus Christ as he is, the Living Lord. He is LORD of lords AND KING of kings. He reigns with God the Father from his heavenly throne “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Revelation 3: 21)
3. High. Isaiah beheld who the Lord Jesus is. Christ Jesus is THE SON OF GOD. The child born, is also a Son given, also the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. He is indeed the great I AM which was before Abraham. If we are going to be brought low, we must first behold him HIGH. Our Savior is God Almighty.
4. Lifted up. We must see that God the Father is well-pleased with him and that, by God the Father he was and is lifted up. He is the preeminent Captain, the Author and Pioneer of faith, the Faithful One, he faithfully obeyed and gave himself to be lifted upon the cross and God the Father is well-pleased; God the Father lifted him up glorified in heaven “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1: 4)
“For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (2 Peter 1: 17)
5. His train filled the temple. His train signifies his dominion and glory as our King Priest. Isaiah beheld that his dominion reaches not just around his throne but fills his whole temple in heaven and earth. He reigns in the midst of his church.
May the Holy Spirit be pleased to reveal in us the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.
~ Pastor Clay Curtis
Click here to listen to the message “Greater Things Hereafter”
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Sovereign Grace Baptist Church Bulletin Article date: 9 November, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Ewing, New Jersey
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