Infinite

"He knew who He was."

THE DEVIL, a fallen angel, quoted a verse about the protection God promised man by angels (which he, the devil, had refused to obey and do), to the Son of God, the Lord of Hosts, who was for a time made a little lower than angels, which He had created (Matthew 4:6). Ironic. The devil knew the verse because he’d disobeyed it. The Word of God lists two types of angels, cherubim and seraphim. The Adam Clarke commentary points out the word “cherub” is made up of the Hebrew words “ke” meaning “like as” and “rab” meaning the “Most High.” “Seraphim” means “burning ones.” So both types of angels are compared to the glory of God. Yet, it was man who was made in God’s image, after His likeness. Here, we have irony again. Because man was made in God’s image and after His likeness so that God could become a man, in the image and likeness of God.

The heart was created solely so its blood could be shed, and our sins be forgiven. Shed blood shows the complete devotion of the individual. It is the once-and-for-all lying down of a person’s thoughts, will, and emotions. I shouldn’t have to say this, but only Jesus was allowed to deliberately give up His life in this way and for that purpose. More irony. He is the Word of God who was with God and was God in the beginning (John 1:1), and by Him and for Him were all things created, yet He gave up all His memory, all His thinking process to be born as a baby, who knew nothing except His mother’s and father’s faces. He surrendered all He was as God to be a newborn child and surrender all He was on the cross for us.

He is the complete manifestation of Solomon’s temple. What man sees as a building with rooms is a body with organs and processes meant for crucifixion. And there in Matthew 4, the devil gave Him a vision of the top of the temple, which He’d created to resemble Himself. In Exodus, when Moses’ rod swallowed up the Egyptian sorcerers’ rods, we find another demonic vision. The devil cannot create anything, only imitate for a time. Interestingly enough, Rabbi Meir Soloveichik points out the word “serpent” used there means much more than just a snake. Most likely, he says, it was not a snake but a crocodile. That really livens the miracle. Also of interest, the word “serpent” used in Genesis for the snake in the garden simply means “snake.” So we have the snake tempting the second Adam to tempt God and choose sin, for the first Adam was fully aware His action was sinful.

The temptation ends with angels ministering to Jesus. A fallen angel, who’d disobeyed, tempted Him, and Jesus refused to obey what was sin, then God’s ministering spirits obeyed and did what they were created to do (Hebrews 1:14). That Jesus quoted the Word in His replies is more than speaking verses that He remembered. He said, “Man shall live by every WORD OF GOD,” and “Thou shalt worship the LORD THY GOD,” and “Thou shalt not tempt the LORD THY GOD.” All of which were Himself. He knew who He was, His Father had just declared it at His baptism, and cousin John felt the irony of that moment. “Who am I to baptize you?” he asked.

There’s more. The Good Shepherd became a sheep, laid in a manger, and the first eyewitnesses were shepherds who guarded flocks meant for sacrifice in the temple. The wise men brought gifts when Jesus was about two years old: the gold of kings, the spice frankincense used in temple worship, and myrrh a spice used for burial. What were John’s words when he saw Jesus? “Here in the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” Jesus was the temple they worshiped in, the Lamb slain on the altar, and He is the High Priest forever. He is the First; He created all things and for Him were they created. He is the Last. There is no more sacrifice for sin. He’s it. He is the Beginning where God’s life and light were spread across this earth, and He is the Ending where there will be no more death.

Yet He is never-ending, eternal, infinite.

“What Jesus Christ was yesterday, and is to-day, he remains for ever.” (Hebrews 13:5, Knox)

One more: Jesus walked on the water of the Sea of Galilee during the height of a storm and calmed the waters with His Word, in order to calm the waters of the demoniac and send the storm inside him into the Sea of Galilee. What came from the abyss was sent back to the abyss.

Image by Alan Frijns from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com