The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Creation and the Cross"
"God did create, however, in full knowledge of the cross to come. Never will we know all that this meant in our Lord's heart, or always will mean."
"On the seventh day, God rested and was refreshed" (Exodus 31:17).
We might suppose that an almighty God, who fainteth not, neither is weary," would never require refreshing (lit. Hebrew - napas - to take a breath when weary; Isaiah 40:28). Certainly, in the sense of exertion, this would not be the case. Regarding emotion, however, we can understand in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ why the act of creation would be taxing upon the heart of God:
"The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8).
God well knew that creation would lead to Calvary, as we mentioned several days ago in a previous message: Genesis 1:1 portended of John 3:16. Thus, we can well surmise that the making of all things, technical marvel of Divine capability that it was, speaks to us of far greater glories regarding the Divine character. Our Heavenly Father knew according to His timeless and infinite understanding that creation would result in the cross, where not only human beings would smite His Son with sorrow, agony, forsakenness and, death. He also would do the same, doubtless to a far greater degree than we will ever know.
"Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:4-6).
"Smitten of God" - this was the sacrifice of God required for our salvation, a price that began to be remitted long before the manger, the life, the death, and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. The Father anticipated His beloved Son "made to be sin for us" (II Corinthians 5:21). He foresaw the fury He would execute upon the Lord Jesus, and the moment when He and the Holy Spirit would forsake the Son to die alone for our sins, satisfying the justice of God (Matthew 27:46). "Rested and was refreshed" after creating? How could it be otherwise in a Being revealed by Scripture as emotional to a degree beyond any feeling we have ever known? As the Lord Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death…And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Matthew 26:38; Luke 22:44).
Had God never created angels, the universe, and human beings, He would never have been required to smite His eternally beloved Son with His wrath. There would never have been a seventh day in which "He rested and was refreshed." No prints of nails and a spear would forever mar the risen body of the Lord Jesus. You and I would never have existed. The wondrous love of God would have remained a beautiful glory known only amid the hearts of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God did create, however, in full knowledge of the cross to come. Never will we know all that this meant in our Lord's heart, or always will mean. May it lead us to know in our hearts a greater wonder, a greater gratitude, a greater devotion, a greater love. Yes, the cross loomed as God created, in full knowledge of the cost.
"It is He that hath made us."
(Psalm 100:3)
"Christ died for us."
(Romans 5:8)
"The love of Christ… passeth knowledge."
(Ephesians 3:19)
Weekly Memory Verse
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
(I John 4:10)
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