Even Angels Long to Look

A gasp of horror echoed through Heaven's corridors and a chilling wind blew through the perfect city. The face of God grew downcast. The Son buried His face in His hands and began weeping profusely. The Spirit groaned in painful agonies not utterable by any created tongue. The beloved man had turned his back on his loving Maker. He had gone out as a prodigal son, believing the devil's lie and breaking the one rule God had made. The Father's heart was crushed. Yes, His treasure, His poema, His child...had chosen the side of the enemy.

Adam had sinned.

The angels looked on in expectant fear, anticipating the response that was soon coming from the Great White Throne. They had seen the way God dealt with the first rebellion, when many of their own number were mercilessly cast out and rejected without hope. Angels with rebellious hearts became demons--servants of evil without any hope of restoration--bound for an eternity of suffering and shame. The angels expected a similar judgment to come upon Adam and Eve...the fierce wrath of God to annihilate them in an instant. Yet as they gazed into the eyes of Him who sits on the Throne, the angels could not comprehend what they saw. Eyes welling with tears and a face filled with pain. Surely God would not overlook this blatant act of rejection. This was in many ways even worse than the first rebellion of Lucifer, for this was the man who was created in God's own image...the man who was to be a living picture of God. It was this man who had now forsaken God stepped outside of the perfect plan. Yet, God's eyes were not flashing in righteous vengeance as they had before, but instead were filled with longing and emotion. The great Sword of Divine Judgment hung harmlessly upon the wall.

The Father looked intensely at the mourning Son. The great plan...the glorious kingdom...the creation which was so very good...all lost? Had Satan, that prince of all hate and evil, succeeded in his cruel attempts to pervert God's loving plan? Had the man in the Garden really chosen the path of darkness and death? Had he not been warned this could happen? What of the walks in the Garden in the cool of the day-the close, personal friendship that Adam enjoyed with God? What of the plans for Adam and Eve to multiply and fill the earth? Could it be true that mankind had given all of this up...for a taste of rebellion?

Indeed, it was true. Man had succumbed to the trickery of Satan, falling for the same lie that the devil himself believed. The man wanted to be "like God." Now the relationship of love in which the Father, Son, and Spirit found so much pleasure was ripped apart by the single act. The man who was originally created to be "like God," had now traded away all the privilege and joy in a moment of foolish deception. Surely the swift justice of God would not delay. Surely these humans, whose sins lay naked before the all-knowing Lord, would be crushed in an instant.

So thought the angels.

Yet God's heart was moved with compassion. Was there a way? Would it be possible to bring the rebellious man back somehow without destroying Him utterly? Death was the only fitting punishment for sin. A just God could not let this sin go unchecked. And a perfect God could certainly not be an intimate friend of a sinner.

The Father closed His eyes in sorrowful contemplation. There was a way. It would be horrible, painful, and incomprehensible. But it could be done. God could remain just and holy, yet at the same time bring the beloved humans back to Himself. To do so, God would have to pay the ultimate price for love. If someone else could drink the cup of righteous judgment...if someone else's death could satisfy the wrath of God against sin...then perhaps mankind could have a chance. But who in heaven or earth would be fit for such a sacrificial task?

He turned toward His most precious and beloved Son Jesus. The eyes of all heaven were fastened on Him. The Son paused, then looked down in understanding. He was the only pure and spotless One whose life could pay for the atrocities of such sinful rebellion. The Father, without a word, began to weep once again. Why would the man in the Garden rebel? Was the fellowship not as sweet as he desired? Must it cost so much to rescue the soul of the man? Would it be worth it to endure centuries of sin and blasphemy, to gather all the guilt of evil, and die to rescue humanity?

The Son spoke forth courageously in obedience to the will of the Father. He knew that will...that the man should not perish, but have eternal life. He knew the man was desperately lost and without hope of life, yet the Father's will was that he repent. Mankind was worth it. Any individual person would be worth it. God's love for them was so strong, He simply could not...would not...give up. Before the beginning of time, God had decided to give people a will of their own, and to be gracious toward them. Now, while still honoring the free choice the man had made, God would do anything to bring him back.

The Son alone could be the Lamb of sacrifice. Here, at the very foundation of the world, the plan of sacrifice would stay the hand of Judgment and hold out the offer of mercy. The grace of God was set on display for all heaven to see. And the angels could scarcely fathom the magnitude of what they were witnessing.

Jesus alone could salvage the death-bound race of men He loved so very much. He would have to come forth and die, all to seek and to save that which had been lost. He would have to come as the servant of all, and to lay down His life as a ransom for many. It would be painful, it would heartbreaking...but it would purchase freedom for humanity. No price was too high to bring the prodigal son home.

The plan was decided upon. The heavenly beings looked on in confusion, not understanding these events. Their Maker was going to die for something He had made? A rebellious lump of clay? The man deserved nothing...only wrath! Yet God had chosen to bestow grace and love. At such a high price! For if the man was righteous, someone might possibly dare to die...but for the unrighteous...for the sinner? Would God now choose to demonstrate His love toward His creation by sending the Christ to die for mankind?

Indeed He would. And He would do so at just the right time.

******

Abram was a man who lived in a city established shortly after the devastating Flood. Up until that time, God had continued to mourn...even grieving over His decision to make man upon the earth. Yet God is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with us, not wanting any to perish, but for all to turn away from their rebellion. God chose Abram to be the man through whom He would bring His own Son into the world. Abram received the promise of God, that one day he would father a great nation out of whom all the nations would receive a blessing. Thus, the Lord changed Abram's name to Abraham."the father of a multitude."

God's promise was sure and in due time the nation was established. He called it Israel -- beloved of God . Sadly, even these people, the children of the promise...even they would often sin against God. Yet the Father stood by His covenant. Who can thwart the plans of the Holy One? He is not a man, that He should change His mind. God endured patiently through the murmuring, idolatry, and pride of His chosen people--for they had been elected by His Sovereign Choice to represent heaven to the sin-darkened earth. The heart of God beat for them, and all day long he held out loving hands to this disobedient and obstinate people. They were the ones through whom the earth was to be blessed. They would bring forth the Messiah, who would save all mankind from the tragic penalties of transgressing the Holy Law. They were the people whom God himself had elected to carry the message of His truth to ends of the earth. They were to be a light shining in the darkness.

*****

Flashes of lightning followed by deafening peals of thunder shook the mighty Mt. Sinai . A great cloud, unlike any other, surrounded the top of the mountain and hid it from sight. The blasting of divine trumpets grew louder and louder as the Most High descended upon the mountain. Terrified, the people of Israel gazed at the dense cloud and the mountain began shaking violently.

These, the descendants of Abraham, the chosen people of Israel, had been led out of Egyptian bondage by the great leader Moses. They were now at the foot of God's holy mountain to receive His eternal law. This law was to ready them for the coming Savior. Moses was called forward to speak with the Lord. Few in history have had such a call. He ascended the rocky slopes of Sinai and met with the Lord God Almighty. The Ten Commandments acted as a summary of God's perfect, holy Law which is the absolute standard of moral truth. These were the laws of life and liberty; of death and destruction. Blessings in abundance were promised to those who kept the sacred Word, and horrifying curses were pronounced upon all those who rejected it. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" the Creator declared.

The Law bore down upon the souls of Israel as they consistently disobeyed the Ten Commandments. Adultery, the worship of idols, theft, deceit, covetousness, profanity, and Sabbath-breaking dominated the moral landscape of the nation for centuries. The Law was good--in fact, it was too good--for sinful man could not even begin to keep its righteous demands of purity. God had indeed revealed to Moses wonderful truths, yet the people never seemed able to follow them.

Endless sacrifices of blood were offered to cover for the evils of the people. Day after day the ritual blood-lettings of Levitical law were performed by the priests, but the consciences of the worshippers were never truly cleansed. They were still powerless against the sinful nature born within them. It seemed as if nothing could finally make them holy, like God. It seemed as if they would never be restored to the perfection of the Garden.

The gavel of the Eternal Judge had smashed down with a thunderous crash, and in its echo reverberated the guilt of every human soul. There is none righteous; no, not one. Sin had separated mankind from its loving Creator, and it looked as if nothing could bridge that great gulf. Would peace and truth never again reign upon the earth? Was the fallen race of Adam so wicked that nothing could free it from the bondage of sin? What hope was there for Israel ...or the rest of God's world? Prophets of God came, warning of the dire consequence of sin. But the change never lasted. People were lost in sin, ever separated from God, jumping one after another into an endless eternity of hell and torment. The devil was blinding their minds and holding them captive to do his will. Who could deliver the souls of mankind?

******

Darkness covered the Judean hills as a group of shepherds kept watch over their flocks by night. All at once, a heavenly chorus of angels flashed round about them, crying out "Gloria!" Light brighter than the sun blinded their eyes as they were told of a baby born in Bethlehem , the city of David . The angelic chorus trumpeted forth the arrival of the newborn King--the Lamb of God. Was peace really now upon the earth? Could heaven now have good will toward men...after these many years of cold separation? Yes! God's gracious plan was beginning to unfold!

The baby Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and soon all of Israel had heard of the carpenter from Nazareth who could work any miracle and whose teaching had authority! For three years, Jesus preached and set the example of true holiness, training up His twelve devoted followers to reap the spiritual harvests of Israel . The message went forth with power..."Repent! Believe the good news! The kingdom of God is at hand!" It was indeed. God clothed in flesh walked about with common men once again. His name was Emmanuel- " God with us!" The salvation of the lost race was near!

Yet, despite the excitement and electric sensation that ran amidst the crowds upon hearing of the man Jesus, the Son of God himself was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. He had seen this grief from the very beginning, when the first couple fell into evil. Now He must live daily with those suffering so terribly under the weight of their sins. His heart was broken as He witnessed a world full of bitterness, anger, racism, hatred, and jealousy...a world addicted to selfishness and held captive by greed...a world lost in the deception of the devil. Things were never meant to be this way. If only people knew what they were missing. Oh, to save them!

How He longed to gather them around Himself, just as a hen would gather her chicks under its wings, but the people were unwilling. Israel simply could not see who Jesus really was. Although ever hearing, they were never understanding; otherwise, would they not turn and believe?

Sweat drops of blood poured from the brow of the Son of God as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. This was the evening that would redefine darkness for all eternity. The Son knew the will of the Father, yet with one last cry of grief, He asked if there could be any other way to save the people. Could the cup of wrath pass from Him? No. He must obey His Father's will. He must drink every last drop of that terrible cup so that none of it would have to spill forth upon the beloved humans. It was the only way to win them back.

The Son who lived in such sinless perfection was now condemned as a common criminal. The true condemnation came not from an earthly bench of justice, but from the throne of Heaven itself. Every jot and tittle of the written code was examined and every possible human violation was tabulated. With all of this evil...all of this sin...if Christ were to die as a ransom...would the righteous anger of God be satisfied forever?

Yes.

Christ would become sin for us, so that we might become righteous as God intended. With every lash at the back of the Savior, with every taunt and jeer of the angry crowd, with every moment of agony upon the wooden Cross, Jesus showed His love. He was willing to take the sin of the world and become guilty Himself. As the vicious crowd shouted "Crucify him", His broken heart whispered back... "I love you."

When the Holy Father stepped back to look at Christ crucified...with all the sins of men resting upon His shoulders...all the Father could do was to turn away in angry disgust. Sin in all its rotten, putrid folly was now condemning the Lord Christ himself. He was heard crying out "My Father, why have you forsaken me?" Yet heaven had no answer. The angels stood in silent disbelief. God would do such a thing, all for the man in the Garden who sought to fulfill his own evil lusts? The man didn't deserve this!

But God was determined to show His grace. Sin must be dealt with once for all. It pleased the Lord to bruise the Son for the iniquity of us all. The violent anger of God exploded at the sin He now saw in His own Son. The cup of God's wrath was poured out over the sacrifice of the Lamb. The ultimate pain, the ultimate agony.

Sacrifices had been offered through the law of Moses thousands of times, but this one was different. All sin was dealt with--not just covered--but paid for and taken away by the divine blood of Jesus washing the sin-stained souls of men. When the smoke from this perfect sacrifice rose toward heaven, the Father was pleased. Because of this act of supreme love, God could set us free. Jesus' death on the Cross of Calvary made it possible for sin to be forgiven once and for all.

All heaven breathed a sigh of relief.

It was finished. Sin was atoned for...finally...there could be rest.

Never again would a sin be committed that would demand another sacrifice. Any human could be restored to God...because He who had no sin became sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God!

On the third day, an earthquake rocked the countryside and the rocks split. Women ran to the tomb within which they had buried the crucified Jesus. They found that the stone which blocked the entrance had been rolled back. Jesus was gone . An angel was given a great honor by God and commissioned to proclaim the most glorious pronouncement in the history of the world. "He is not here: He has risen!" The light of resurrection now dawned on the dark world. Jesus Christ not only dealt with sin, but now He had destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel!

O death, where is thy victory? O grave, where is thy sting?

*****

The Holy Spirit came down in power upon the disciples who had been overjoyed at the sight of their now risen Lord. His ascension into Heaven and His promise to return when the work was completed had energized them. What work could this be? None other than the work of Christ himself...to seek and to save that which had been lost. Now, with the Spirit-empowered, blood-bought saints of God preaching the good news to Israel ...surely the nation would repent before God and accept its role as the light to the world! What greater task could there be? The risen Messiah was coming again soon to reign in righteousness upon the earth...He was soon coming to judge the world with justice!

But then the unthinkable occurred. The nation of Israel , the chosen people, rejected this plan God had initiated. They rejected Jesus as their Messiah. The heart of God was grieved again. What more could He give to such a hard-hearted people? Had he not already given His own Son? Yet God's plan would not be shaken.

God commanded His apostles to do something no one ever expected...to take the Good News of salvation to the Gentiles! Could those who were not Israelites participate in the plan of God? Of course! God's desire had always been that all people repent, and if Israel would not take the responsibility to preach that message of reconciliation to the world, God would give that privilege to the Gentiles! Surely our Lord has mercy upon those whom He wishes to have mercy!

******

Down through the ages the glorious message has spread. God's kingdom has grown. Nations have been reached with the story of God's mercy and grace, the sacrifice of Jesus, and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. Hearts have been changed and lives transformed by the message of the Bible, the record of God's plan. This gracious plan of redemption has gone out into much of the world, and many have journeyed on the narrow path that leads to life--the path of Christ.

He alone could provide freedom from sin, and in Him alone is there everlasting life. Only by repentance and belief in Him can a man or woman be brought back into fellowship with the God of the Universe. It is not by man's desire or effort that this plan be reinstated; it is only by the sheer grace of God. This grace is such a wonderful gift--not earned or deserved--but given directly out of the Father's heart. Yet, tragically, most people still remain on the broad road which leads to Hell's destruction. Most reject the offer of God and prefer their sins or their own religious customs. Why must man always rebel? Can he not see God's loving plan?

Even more tragically, the nation of Israel as a whole also walks on that broad path today, rejecting the Savior who came to bring them life. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet God's gracious gift and His call are irrevocable...He will not give up on His chosen nation. The Lord wishes all men to repent. God's plan is that Israel might someday be saved...and all other nations as well...rescued from the cruel bondage of the god of this world who has blinded their eyes. They simply cannot see the light of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Instead their mind is darkened and the gospel is veiled. Although all men are bound over to disobedience, God wishes to have mercy on them all.

And someday, God's plan will draw to a close and many from the nation of Israel along with multitudes from every tribe, tongue, and nation will stand before His throne: fully accepted, fully holy, fully sons of God and co-heirs with Christ. They will be clothed in the pure white righteousness of Jesus--totally cleansed by His blood. Oh, the love of God! Who can grasp the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love Christ has for His saints? Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us, that we should be called sons of God!

*****

After all the faithful servants have entered into the eternal joy of the Lord, the Son himself will give everything back to the Father, that God may be all, in all. Then on into eternity will the precious plan of God continue...He will be our God, and we will be His people. He will live with us and walk among us. The dream from the very beginning will finally come true. And the angels look on...amazed as they gaze at the many objects of mercy which the Father has set on display. The man in the Garden, who did not deserve even a moment of mercy, is now placed next to the very throne of the Almighty God as a prince in the eternal kingdom. What a testimony to God's unending grace, His ceaseless mercy, and His limitless love. To God belongs all the praise, glory, honor, wealth, and majesty.

The Spirit and the Church call out, "Come! Let all who are thirsty for the living waters of eternal life come to the fountain and drink!" Today is the day of salvation, and now is the time of the Lord's favor. The patience of the Almighty will not last forever; His anger can flare up in a moment! Those who reject Him now will not find hope again. Earth and heaven may flee, but there will be found no place for them. Men may call out that the mountains fall down upon them, but the day of mercy will have passed. Seek the Lord while He may be found, and call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked man forsake His ways. It is a fearful thing indeed to fall into the hands of the living God. Come out from among the world and be separate! Touch no unclean thing and He will receive you. He will be a Father to you, and you can be His sons and daughters.

Answer the call of the Savior: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me." Entrust your life and your eternity into His nail-pierced hands. Don't look for human solutions...or try to impress God with religion and good works...Jesus himself declared that he alone was the way to the Father. Jesus alone can appease the righteous wrath of God against your sin. Trust in Him. For as many as receive him, He gives the right to become children of God.

Let the peoples praise you, O God! Let all the nations be glad and sing for joy! But for now, He commands all people everywhere to repent, for He has set on day on which He will judge the world in righteousness. Today, mercy is ready to embrace you. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish , but have eternal life.

Behold, He is coming soon. He is calling you.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, words cannot express my gratitude to you. My own life has been so full of sin...I've gone my own way and haven't put you first in my life. You created me so that I could love you...but I have never really done that before.

I receive your gift of forgiveness and I want to join your family. I know I don't deserve anything from you, but because of your grace I know you will hear me. I repent of my sinful ways and decide today to follow you. I will learn how to live as one of your children, and I will do my best to love you and honor you with the rest of my life.

Your plan is wonderful, and like the angels, I long to understand how you could forgive a sinner like me. Thank you Jesus. Please make me the kind of person you want me to be. Take control of my life and use me to share this Good News with others. Amen.

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