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The Bible Says
John leaned on Jesus’ breast and our Lord whispered the answer to his question (John 13:21-26). Daniel was God’s man in a foreign land. He was a member of the Royal Family and, had the nation of Judah survived, he might have one day become her king. But Judah had been conquered by Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel and his three friends were now captives of the Babylonian Empire. Then God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a dream that he could not understand. He even forgot the dream, but he knew it was a message from God. He then confronted those so called “wise men” (who claimed to be able to foretell the future). The King demanded they bring back the dream and reveal its meaning to him. These men were a little more honest than some of the “wise” men of our day. They acknowledged that only God could reveal the future. (Daniel 2:10,11). Nebuchadnezzar was about to kill all these men, including Daniel; but Daniel and his friends prayed until God lovingly revealed His secret plans to Daniel. Following is the quote:
“Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, ‘The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot reveal to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days . . .” (Daniel 2:27-28).
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name that is above every name: (Phil. 2:5-8 KJV).
“And He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”(Matt. 26:39 NKJB). This was the yielded prayer of a human being, (The Son of man). That was not the way Adam prayed — but this is the “second Adam” (I Cor. 15:45). Sin came from man’s disobedience, therefore “only a SINLESS man could redeem SINFULL man.” That Redeemer must take the punishment for EVERY sin that was ever committed. God knew before He created man that mankind would fail and need a Redeemer. God’s Son volunteered at that time to be man’s Redeemer: “Then said I, in the volume of the book it is written of Me --- to do your will, O God” (Heb. 10:7 NKJB). That promise was made by the Son of God, some time in the eternal past. Now it must be fulfilled by the “Son of man.” Had Christ failed to “drink that cup,” all mankind would have been forever lost!
“Jesus answered and said to him, if anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our home with him” (John 14:23 NKJB). “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26 NKJB). A friend of mine works long hours daily, doing hard dirty work. Recently he was confronted by a fellow worker who wanted to know why he was always happy and cheerful. My friend said, “The answer is in my dinner bucket.” The man went with him to the car, expecting to get a helping of drugs. To his surprise all he got was a gospel tract that explained the way of Salvation. That was what he really needed!
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed --- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (I Cor. 15:52 NKJB).
Read: I Thess. 4:16-18.
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