Finding Jesus in the Bible…So We Can Follow Him in Life
Bible Reading Plans
- Plan One: New Testament Only
- Plan Two: New Testament + Psalms
- Plan Three: New Testament + History
- Plan Four: The Entire Bible – Year 1 of 3, Year 2 of 3, Year 3 of 3
Don’t know which plan? Go to A Christ-Centered Bible Reading Plan: Quick Start.
Extras
Verse of the Day, Audio Capsule, and Video Minute
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(Today’s Reading)
The Biblical Case for the Second Coming as Accomplished Fact
(Book Installment 59)
Part Three – The Nature of the Second Coming
Chapter 9 – How the Apostles Explained the Prophets
Relating to Things Spiritual and Physical
God is the God of both spiritual and physical things. He has been trying to teach us from the beginning, however, that spiritual things are more important than physical ones – even when we can’t understand why. Adam and Eve were told not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil lest they die. It was obvious that they did not understand the reason for such a command. When Eve saw the tree that “it was good for food, was a delight to the eyes, and was desirable to make one wise” then her decision was made. The physical sight of the tree proved too inviting. But she should have trusted the God she could not see…for He was right.
God understands our plight. He knows that we live in a physical world and that though our spirits are willing, our flesh can be weak. If we are to receive His compassion, though, we must make some move toward seeing things His way. The Jews in John 8 could not accept what Jesus was saying about their being slaves to sin because the only kind of slavery they could recognize was when one human being enslaved another. They were hardened against seeing
anything in a truly spiritual way and ended up doing the bidding of their own spiritual master, Satan.
God was gracious to perform signs and wonders through Jesus Christ so that people could see something physical and believe. Many did (John 4:48) and many still do today as they read the Bible or hear its truths proclaimed by one means or another. Some people, however, will not believe even with an abundance of physical signs, for John later says,
But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. John 12:37
And we remember that Jesus in all His life revealed the Father. For just as many people could see the miracles of healing and life and still not believe, throughout history many people have seen the workings of God’s power and yet not trusted Him. In all things, there is a point beyond which it will do no more good to show another physical sign.
We must be willing to accept instruction from Jesus as Peter was. On the Mount of Transfiguration when Moses and Elijah appeared in glory with Jesus, Peter was all set to build three tabernacles, one for each of them. Peter’s entire orientation to the experience was physical. But he was able to learn from Jesus that if it was a physical house that was lacking, God could build a better one for Himself than any of us could. The vision was for the purpose of communicating spiritual truth to the disciples’ hearts. Peter did eventually understand and wrote of this spiritual house of which Jesus was the cornerstone in his first letter (1 Peter 2).
(This section of the chapter will be continued tomorrow.)
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