Of Prophets, Angels, and Us
As he opens his first letter, the apostle Peter writes this about our salvation in Christ:
As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look. (1 Peter 1:10-12)
Notice four things in this text.
First, through the Old Testament prophets, the Spirit “predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.” Dozens of times, the New Testament highlights the fulfillment of prophecy in the life, ministry, death, resurrection, and reign of Jesus. Those prophecies were not the musings or guesses of men; they were given by the same God who was directing history toward their fulfillment (2 Peter 1:20-21). Likewise, the gospel is not a divine afterthought or a substitution; it is the realization of God’s eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:11). It is natural, then, that the Old Testament scriptures brim with passages that point forward to it. As Paul said, the good news he proclaimed was “nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place” (Acts 26:22).
Second, those prophets who foretold the coming Messiah “made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know” about the things they prophesied. As they spoke of things to come, surely such men as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joel, Zechariah, and others had questions. Questions about when, how, and through whom God would bring these things to pass. Questions about various details of the things they foretold. Questions whose answers were not revealed to those men—only that “they were not serving themselves.”
Third, the same unfolding of God’s plan of salvation involves “things into which angels long to look.” Peter’s language pictures stooping to look at something, thus intense interest. While it’s fascinating to think of the questions the ancient prophets must have had, it’s mind-boggling to imagine the angels of God longing to peer into the details of His plan for redeeming sinful people. This reminds us that angels, like us, can only know of God’s mind what He chooses to communicate. And their keen interest in His plan of redemption for makind emphasizes the great value we have in God’s sight.
Fourth, this plan of salvation, which the prophets of old and even the angels have longed to understand, has been revealed to us. God’s grace has come to us, announced in the preaching of the good news of Jesus—“the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints” (Colossians 1:26). Such an immense privilege!
Yet, writes Gareth Reese, “How strange that our salvation is so wonderful as to be the object of interest to both prophets and angels, and yet be ignored or neglected by men for whom it was prepared” (1 & 2 Peter 21). How strange, and how tragic.
So…What will you do with it? “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3).
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