1 Peter 1:10-12 Things into Which Angels Long to Look

04 1 Peter 1:10-12 Things into Which Angels Long to Look What if I told you I had information that even the Angels longed to hear about it. At one point in time what I know the Cherubim, the Seraphim were talking to each other asking, what’s up with the whole redemption of fallen humans? Remember the demons. They rebelled and they’re don. But mankind, fallen in Adam, dead in their trespasses and sins, God is going to pour out his grace and mercy on them and work a glorious salvation. And he is going to do it by the glorious anointed prophet-priest-king who is a redeemer, born of a woman, born in about a situation of suffering, humility, loss, and only then will he receive the crown of glory….And it seems that this may be the eternal and pre-existent second person of the trinity, God the Son who will take on a weak and finite human nature to do it…Am I hearing this right? It seems impossible but God has spoken by His Prophets it will surely come to pass.Passage: 1 Peter 1:10-12[10] Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, [11] inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. [12] It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (ESV) Introduction:·      The Bible is not written by men who sat down to think about God and humans and our philosophy, our guesses. Herman Bavinck rightly says, “Holy Scripture is not a book of religion which man has written about God, but a book in which God reveals himself to man.” — Reformed Dogmatics, vol. 1, 441·      Not only is the Bible God moving towards us through His prophets. We can say the bible is about our salvation in Christ Jesus. The center of the bible is that our salvation by grace alone in Christ Alone. (Now does that mean the bible is not about wisdom, the ethical life, dealing with sorrow, about the creation of the world, the fall, heaven…It is about all those things. Its is a religious book, But the Center is God saves sinners through the Christ Jesus. (It’s the bullseye or like coffee it infuses everything.)·      Our Salvation in Christ Jesus was prophesied about repeatedly and consistently throughout the entirety of human history.  And we have the word of God giveno   Given for our faith, for our worship, for our assurance and joy.o   In the highs and lows of life it is good for us to understand that what Peter has written here. V. 1-9 is Good news in suffering. Vv. 10-12 Scriptural foundationo   Peter has a deep understanding of the nature of the bible, the nature of what the prophets were doing, of our salvation, of who Jesus was and the work he came to earth to do.o   And it impacts how we read the scriptures and impacts the glory we give to Christ on every page of inspired scripture.And what did God say? This is a lengthy paragraph by Herman Bavinck about what the message of the bible is that the prophets give us. This is like a pot of bone broth that has been simmering on the stove for the last 10 hrs. Its pure nutrition: “The whole revelation of the Old Testament converges upon Christ … A person is the completed revelation of God; the Son of Man is the own and only-begotten Son of God. The relationship of the Old and New Testament is … of promise and fulfillment (Acts 13:12 and Rom. 1:2), of shadow and body (Col. 2:17), of image and reality (Heb. 10:1), of shaken and unshaken things (Heb. 12:27), of bondage and freedom (Rom. 8:15 and Gal. 4). And since Christ was the real content of the Old Testament revelation (John 5:39; 1 Peter 1:11; and Rev. 19:10), He is in the dispensation of the new covenant also its capstone and crown. He is the fulfillment of the law, of all righteousness (Matt. 3:15 and 5:17), of all promises, which in Him are yea and amen (2 Cor. 1:20), of the new covenant which is now established in His blood (Matt. 26:28). The people of Israel itself, with all its history, its offices and institutions, its temple and its altar, its sacrifices and ceremonies, its prophecy, psalmody, and wisdom teaching, achieves its goal and purpose in Him. Christ is the fulfillment of all that, first of all in His person and appearance, then in His words and works, in His birth and life, in His death and resurrection, in His ascension and sitting at the right hand of God.That’s that bottom line. But let us glory in this and work this deep into our hearts and our reflexes as we read the bible this morning and as you do a yearly reading plan.The grace and salvation of God through Christ, an anointed redeemer, was proclaimed by God.“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” – Heb. 1:1-2God has spoken to us in the bible. And he has spoken to us through Jesus Christ. The good news is “The bible is an open book in which God tells us about the riches of salvation we have in Christ Jesus. Therefore, study the Scriptures to be wise in respect to salvation (2 Tim. 3:15). – Simon KistemakerTo understand and believe that the bible is about Salvation in Jesus from beginning to end we need to answer three things1)        V. 10: What is a Prophet? And what this means for reading the bible2)        V. 11: What their message was? Its content, and3)        How  did the apostles teach us to read the OT Prophets? V. 12 (Much more briefly) What Spirit filled Proclamation accomplishes.LOOK in verse VERSE 10 – “Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully” ·      What is a Prophet or “who wrote the bible” “Chosen men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit” – The writing prophets, who called by God had a message.·      This means - God makes the first move by his spirit to call, set apart a spokesman, to speak on his behalf to his people. So Like Moses, like Isaiah, , they are called, in a burning bush, in a heavenly throne room vision, the Holy Spirit fills them to be the voice of God to God’s people.·      [ILL] But by the work of the Holy Spirit they are not like in Lilo & Stitch where stitch opens his mouth and he is like a radio. It bypasses his mind and will and he just plays the radio song, or placing his finger on the record and out comes the music. No. The bible consistently upholds both every word of Scripture every word of prophesy as from the Lord and also that is comes through the minds, will, and personality of the prophet. Isaiah still sounds like Isaiah and for the Apostles Peter and Paul have different writing styles.What this means is the prophets filled with the Holy Spirit that both the Spirit & Prophets are authors & active. 2 Peter and 1 Peter are true. Dual authorship:·       2 Peter 1:20–21 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. [21] For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man (God is active), but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (ESV)·       And 1 Peter 1:10 “they searched diligently, they enquired concerning this salvation the grace to be yours. (the prophets were thoughtful)·       The sense is that they spoke by the Spirit far better than they knew and also the truth about Jesus is really there in scripture to be seen and investigated by the prophets as they wrote more and more of scripture.o   When Eve believed that God would provide an offspring that would crush the serpent, she knew so very little but yet she had faith in a deliverance from sin and suffering…When Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac and Moses recorded these events did he know of the exact nature of the messiah coming as our substitutionary sacrifice in our place? No. But the doctrine of salvation by grace alone by faith alone by God’s appointed substitute is really and truly present.o   So never let someone say – It can’t mean Jesus is the Ram in Genesis – because Abraham, didn’t know (Joseph Gen. 37-50).o   Job couldn’t have meant Jesus when he said (Job 19:25) “I know that my redeemer lives and he will stand upon the earth – because Job couldn’t have known that.§  Two points on this: The main one is the inspiration Holy Spirit means the authors and speakers are being guided by the one who has declared the end from the beginning of history. God. Himself speaks by his prophets not mere man. And so each and every word has the all knowing intention of God behind it Not just what that person could know.§  Second: Even as we remember what God knows. Don’t underestimate what Abraham, Job, and especially that later prophets knew. This is just my “people who live long ago aren’t dumb or incompetent rule. Do not forget that given the longer life spans, Job’s understanding of Creation and God’s promised grace in Genesis 3:15 is knowledge from Adam and Eve is only about 3-5 Oral traditions steps. It’s a very small game of telephone. Adam – Hey Methuselah God is going to provide a redeemer to save us from this mess. Methuselah – Hey Noah…Noah Hey Job…Job Hey Abraham. Now maybe the Tower of Babel makes this a slightly longer oral tradition chain. So remember think of people as less dumb. With better access to basically Genesis 1-3 then we often think. (All good theology starts in Genesis in seed form).§  Job and Abraham both have the same access to Genesis 3:15 and the promise of a redeemer. That the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent.§  And more importantly the Prophets of God such as Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, were called by God instructed by God and their message was given and preserved by God. The spoke far better than they knew. They treasured the revelation they had.·       ILL: grandmas 1 photo of her husband vs. an iphone of 3,000 photos. = greater reflection on what little you know. Less information on the Messiah means less taken for granted. How much do we take for granted about our knowledge of Jesus. Vs. – Sin has messed up the world. A Human savior will defeat satan. God will do this not me. I trust in that by faith.·       SO with what little they had “They searched diligiently.”·       That’s Abraham and Job. Lets proceed from here thinking about Isaiah, Jeremiah, King David. They are searching diligently.These prophets - They searched diligently – what were they searching? The Book of Romans or Ephesians: Were they memorizing Ephesians 2:8-10 and John 3:16? No. They were searching the Old Testament scriptures and Peter finds these scriptures filled words of salvation and grace to You gentile Christians according to verse 12.·      They searched the scriptures by the Spirit of Christ, by the Holy Spirit.o   Which means that. You too can search the bible and know the salvation and grace promised in the bible. You too have the Holy Spirit you are not a prophet, but the Lord has had his prophets write down his great redemptive acts his great glory and character the way he saves his people (Exodus). The way he matures his people. Numbers with the wilderness wanderings they are for you written for our example and written to inspire worship in us of a God who “works wonders” “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, (Ex. 34:6).·      Wait so 1 Peter is saying – The prophets searched the scriptures diligiently to see of the grace of our salvation.o   So they certainly understood the bible is about God!o   The bible is about god’s Grace and Mercy.o   The bible is about God saving a people “I will be your God and you will be my people” and he shall save us from our sins. And God has brought us into his family.o   And God will feed, grow, and mature Israel in the wilderness wandering.·      But 1 Peter 1:11 Says more than this is about the Lord Jesus Christ. …Peter argues w/ Paul ino   1 Corinthians 10:1–6 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, [2] and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, [3] and all ate the same spiritual food, [4] and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. [5] Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.o   [6] Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did… (ESV)o   Manna, water from rocks, all were what we call “types and shadows” real history that a sovereign God made happen to show us physically what is the spiritual reality.§  Now Paul’s point in 1 Cor. 10 is that many did not believe. Many did not have faith but those who did have faith Those who did trust in faith, Paul is saying. Here and in Romans 4 about Abraham. That they were saved by Faith and so are we.o   Israel was saved by the Covenant of grace in Christ Jesus.o   That Rock in the wilderness was Christ. He had not been incarnate. He had not suffered. Died. And been glorified but yet there he was spiritually if by faith an Israelite trusted in the promises of God to them. Merely being physically present. Physically eating manna, physically belonging to the covenant people was not sufficient. But Faith in the salvation of God by his provision was sufficient…o   WCF 11.6 expresses it this way, The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament because Jesus - Heb. 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.o   And they were aided with many many promises of just what form this savior would take.Look in verse 11 & 12 again with me: inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. [12] It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (ESV)So many amazing things here. The two truths we need to hammer down how the apostles teach us to read the bible and what this accomplishes in us today when its proclaimed:Verse 11 says by the power of Christ’s Spirit They were inquiring… into the who, when, and what of Jesus. SO lets make sure we touch on the rest of 11 & 12 before we get carried away there.·        First: twice mentioned The Holy Spirits work in this: isn’t it lovely in the unity of the Trinity that the Father and Son pour out the Holy Spirit?o   The Holy Spirit who inspires the prophets…His job in writing scripture is so tied to working faith in our Messiah, our Savior who is the Christ into us that he is called the Spirit of Christ “Christ’s Spirit.”  He is Sent by both the Father & Son.o   The Holy Spirit, the quiet member of the trinity, communicates truth, knowledge of sin, but most importantly as we saw earlier in 1 Peter, trust and faith in Jesus, conviction that Jesus is our God loves us and is our savior.o   He assures your heart that you are In Christ because he is the one in your heart UNITING YOU TO CHRIST.   o   The Prophets giving you the Old Testament. The Apostles Showing us by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven served us by giving us the good news of Jesus’ sufferings and glories. SO what follows is by the power of the Holy Spirit, by the power of the Spirit of Christ, things Angels are blown away by. But they were Revealed. Revelationed. Apocalypsed to us. Turn to Luke 24 with me And if you read the bible by the power of the Spirit what will you find? Christ.·      Luke 24 [Storytime, Summarize Road to Emmaus with two disciples]o   Luke 24:25–27 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! [26] Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” [27] And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (ESV)o   [44] Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” [45] Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, [46] and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, [47] and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. [48] You are witnesses of these things. [49] And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (ESV)·      Jesus accomplishing out salvation in his sufferings and glory is the center and focal point of the bible. He is the center of history. And he will be the center of eternity seated on the throne.·       This is what Peter is saying in that the Holy Spirit was indicating and “signifying” Christ to us. – Breaking news! Salvation will come by suffering and not glory! Except Peter didn’t break that news the entirety of the OT did.·       Breaking News! Let it be known Isaiah 53: Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. The Messiah is coming but it may be in a manger…to a poor carpenter…not in a palace!·       So many of the promises in the Old Testament come to us in Humility so Jesus is a Humble – prophet, priest, and king, the humble atoning lamb, he was exiles like Israel, dies is buried like Jonah, offers himself to save his people like Samson and like Joseph a servant in Egypt.o   The OT Sacrifical system, feasts and festivals are filled with anticipated HUMBLE characteristics of salvation and life from the Lord. Do not read of the humility of David in the psalms, of the suffering servant of Isaiah apart from how these offices, institutions, and people God sovereignly placed teach us about Jesus.o   Jesus is really there the apostles confirm these things:o   He is our Prophet:  John 6:14 “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”   (Deut. Prophet like Moses)o   Hebrews 4:14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.o   King: Romans 1:3 the gospel which he promised…when? Beforehand, through is prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh…That is to say Jesus is great David’s great son. He inherits all the Kingly psalms and all David’s suffering psalms anticipate the messiah.§  As you understand what the kings, prophets, and priests were called to do and be you understand Jesus bettero   He is our sacrifice: Hebrews 9:11–13 …he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption…as you understand the paschal lamb, Isaac’s near sacrifice as the firstborn son as you understand Leviticus better you understand Jesus better.o   He is our Temple: Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.§  The next time someone is asking when the temple is being rebuilt in Jerusalem point them to Rev. 21:22 sorry its alrighty seated in Heaven and that temple’s name is Jesus and 1 Peter says we are the living stones of that temple. (Destroy and rebuild in 3 days).o   All the The “I AM” Statements of Jesus (in John’s Gospel) fulfill the OT….Manna in the wilderness “ I am the bread of life,”o   The people are walking in darkness have seen a great light…I am the Light of the world.   o   The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want…he makes me lie down green pastures… Ez. “I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David…”I am the door of the sheep I am the good shepherd.·      Until we come to Exodus 3:14 – “God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.'”·      Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”·      All the types, shadows, promises ultimately have as their center that they are training us to understand who Jesus is and what he accomplishes.By faith! If you believe in Christ, what he did in his season of humility and you believe in the glory of the risen son that is the work of the good news preached to you by the power of the Holy Spirit. And it is preached to you from all of Scripture. inquiring what person: what time; predicted sufferings and glories: DO you believe this? The seed of the woman, abaraham’s offspring, a prophet like moses, the sceptre of Judah, the root of Jesse, God’s anointed king, born in Bethlehem lest among the clans of Judah, the one like the son of Man! Offers salvation & grace to you by faith. Trust. Reliance. Turning from evil. To look to him by trust. As we close this morning. You have probably noticed We are singing a Christmas Song. Because this Christmas song is a wonderful look from the perspective of an OT Israelite looking forward to “God with Us” by Faith. So as we close with this Hymn an ancient hymn I want you to have two people in mind. First that Israelite saved by Faith as we are in Christ Jesus. And second the host of Angels from heaven looking at the mystery of salvation for sinners by God’s grace by the son of God our Lord Jesus Christ. As they watch history with the promises, the types, find their fulfillment in a baby born in a manger, who grew in wisdom and stature, died to redeem sinners, and rose again as a glorious conquering King, the Prophet who has revealed fully and finally the Fathre to Us, and out Priest who ever lives to intercede for us from the throne of Grace.The Gospel which Angels long to look into. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com