1 Peter Chapter 1 Pt. 4 Future Blessings Replace Present Sufferings

1 Peter 1:6-9  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7)  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8)  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9)  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

After greeting the churches, Peter offered much needed encouragement to Christians who faced trials, troubles or tribulation in this life.

He reminds us that when we face trials, God designed them to purge out dross from our life and to draw us closer to Him.

Peter reminded us of our great hope in the risen Lord Jesus Christ. We will hear the trumpet of God, and the mighty shout of Jesus, on the day He comes to take us home to heaven. 

His appearing is still future and we continue to patiently wait for Him to come, while we seek to serve Christ. One day our salvation will become an eternal reality.

The prophets constantly searched out the grace of God that would be revealed.

1 Peter 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 

The magnitude of this “salvation” is proved by the earnestness with which “prophets” and “angels” searched into it. Even from the beginning of the world, this salvation has been testified to by the Holy Spirit.

The incarnation and suffering of Jesus Christ, and the redemption procured by him for mankind, were made known, in a general way, by the prophets. 

However, they did not know the time when these things were to take place, nor the people among and by whom Christ was to suffer.  

Therefore, they inquired accurately or earnestly,  and searched diligently, inquiring of other prophets who were guided by God's Spirit.  

The prophets plainly saw that the grace which was to come under the Messiah’s kingdom was vastly superior to any thing ever provided by the law. 

The prophets made all possible inquiry, searching God's truth carefully, like a miner searching for gold, in veins of rock. See for examples of their diligent searches, Daniel 2:17-19; 7:15-28; 8:15-27; 12:4-13.

They wished to understand the timing and the signs of that time, when this wondrous display of God’s love and mercy to man was to take place.  

Much of God's plan for salvation was hidden as a great mystery. 

Romans 16:25-27  Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26)  But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: 27)  To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

There was a specific reason why the prophets could not see and understand all of the things that they prophesied of. It is because some portions of the revelation they received from God, was a great mystery.

The mysteries of a suffering Savior who died in our place, and the age of the Church, were not revealed until after the fact, by the New Testament apostles. 

Paul tells us that this mystery of God in Christ, and Christ being made sin for us, was hid in the Father, kept secret according to His wise counsel. 

All of this has been made known through apostolic preaching and teaching, and the ministry of God's Spirit. 

(See also Romans 11:25; Ephesians 3:3-13; Colossians 1:27; 2:2; and 1 Timothy 3:36).

The Divine pattern is Christ suffering first, followed by His eternal glory.

1 Peter 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 

The Messiah was longed for by the Jewish people. They hoped that He would set them free as a nation, and that He would rule all nations of the earth.

What the prophets struggled to understand was the twin visions of a conquering King and Messiah, which stood in stark contrast to a suffering Messiah who was cut off.

Yet, this is God's pattern. Jesus must be born in great humility, setting aside His glory to be born as a babe in Bethlehem. 

Jesus would live a life of perfect obedience to the Father's will, and fully satisfy the holy law of God.

Jesus would demonstrate that He was and is God manifest in the flesh, by His countless miracles, and His perfect teaching and exposition of the scriptures.

Jesus would then be rejected by His own people and suffer many things before His crucifixion on a cross at Calvary. 

Thus, Messiah would die, but He died in our place, paying for our sins, and enduring the wrath of God upon Himself, for our sins.

Jesus said blessing accompanies persecution. 

Luke 6:22-23  Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23)  Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. 

Thus, the pattern is suffering first, followed by glory, and this is true for each believer. 

We will experience both blessing and sufferings in this life, but will enter into eternal glory when Christ Jesus returns for His church. 

Look above to our risen Lord, cling to His promises.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17)  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18)  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 

Paul relentlessly persecuted the church of Jesus Christ, prior to his conversion to Christ on the road to Damascus (See Acts 9).

When Jesus saved Paul, the apostle never looked back. He gave his entire being over to pursuing Christ, living for Christ, loving Christ, and serving Him as long as he had life.

Paul suffered greatly for the cause of Jesus Christ, but his suffering never caused him to waver, or to stop living and serving Jesus. 

He recognized the pattern is suffering in this life, followed by eternal glory with Christ.

Therefore, Paul's inner man was renewed each day by reading the scriptures, spending time in prayer with His Lord, and by the ministry of the indwelling Spirit of God.

Thus, Paul could say, "My sufferings are not so bad, and not anything like what Jesus suffered in order to save me." 

He knew that suffering in a believer's life is a way for the Lord to be glorified as He works in us, and as we respond to the trials that He permits. 

The key is looking to those unseen, eternal things, and setting our affection upon things of God, where Jesus Christ is enthroned.

Angels and Prophets desire to understand. Do we want to understand too?

1 Peter 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 

The prophets were informed that these things should not come to pass in their time, but each promise was firm and certain. 

They learned that these things would come to pass in the future, in the times of the apostles. 

Their duty was to preach and teach these truths, under the infallible direction of the Holy Ghost, to all the world.

This was all the satisfaction they received as a result of their earnest searching. The prophets learned to rest confident and satisfied that the Judge of all the earth would do right. 

Even the holy angels are struck with astonishment at the plan of human redemption, and justly wonder at the incarnation of that infinite object of their adoration.

Thoughts to Ponder...

We learned that it was the Spirit of Christ in the Jewish prophets, that prophesied of Christ. 

It was that Spirit which revealed Him, and it is the same Spirit which takes the things of Christ, and shows them unto us. 

Christ was never known by prophecy, but through the work of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus Christ never was known, nor can be known, to the salvation of any soul, except through the mighty ministry of the same Spirit. 

He alone that bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God.

How earnestly do we search out the things of God and of Jesus Christ? 

Do we dig into them with all our energy and focus, like Daniel, and the prophets and the angels did?

I pray that the Spirit of God will infuse our hearts with renewed passion to study the wonderful word of God. 

I pray for His guidance and instruction, to help us learn more about our Lord. 

I pray that He works in our hearts to conform us more into the image of the Son of God.

Bob