1 Peter: Lesson Five

"For prophecy never came

by will of man,but

holy men of God spoke

as they were moved

by the Holy

Spirit."

2 Peter 1:21

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Let us begin with prayer....

"Father God in heaven, thank You for giving us this study today so we may learn more abot You and Your salvation given to us. Thank You for bestowing upon us the righteousness of heaven that we might be called children of God.

We seek forgiveness of our sins knowing that our sin keeps us from true fellowship with You. Cleanse us this day and place inside us a clean pure heart. Help us to hold each thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus.

I pray for each person reading this study that You might change them through the reading and studying of Your word. Encourage them, edify them, and lift them up where they are so that they might do the good works of Christ to the glory of God the Father. Amen."

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A Heavenly Inheritance

It has been awhile since I have written in this study of Peter. Mostly because I took time off from writing in order to serve the Lord in Slovakia at an English Camp for children there as part of the International Needs missionary network.

I felt called to go and teach God's word to the children and some adults there 2 years ago, but the Lord said not yet. I was pleased that He finally said, "Go!" this year and so I went. As hard as it was to leave family behind, I was that much more blessed to be there serving the Lord. But more on that later....

Now it is time to rejoin Peter as he writes to fellow believers dispersed throughout Asia minor to encourage them through their various trials and tribulations.

1 Peter 1:10-11-

"Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow."

In our last study, we learned about suffering through trials and the rewards of following Christ leading to our salvation. We learned that suffering is a part of being a Christian: for if Christ suffered, why would we think we are exempt from suffering?

Peter taught us about having blind faith....faith in a Christ we have never seen! He seems to be amazed at how so many people believed in a Jesus they had never seen. Jesus called us blessed! Praise God.

Today we will look further at that reward of the salvation of our souls.

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Prophecy

Peter presents before us the authority of what he writes: the authority of the Prophets who wrote beforehand of salvation that was to come. He wants his readers to remember that salvation through Jesus was no new doctrine as unbelievers would want them to believe and question.

NO! Peter tells us that the prophets searched carefully, or "diligently" which in the Greek alluded to minors digging into the earth breaking through rock and continued digging until they reached the ore they were looking for (Matthew Henry's Commentary, 1961). With those words, we get a mental picture of how hard the prophets sought understanding of this salvation the Holy Spirit laid upon their hearts.

How hard do we seek to know God's word? Do we search diligently for understanding?

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Jesus Christ became the main subject of their searching and understanding. Is He the main subject of our search? Do we diligently seek Him daily?

"Searching what or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow."

The sufferings of Jesus were foretold in the Scriptures. Therefore, the Jewish leaders, who claimed to be such scholars of the Scriptures, knew about these prophecies when they stood face-to-face with their Messiah:

Please read:

Psalm 22:1-21

Isaiah 53: 1-12

If they truly were scholars of the Scriptures, then they would have remembered these verses and realized who Jesus was: The Messiah.

Moses wrote of the coming Christ:

Deut 18:18-19

In their ignorance, the High Priests did not see Jesus. In their sin, they missed Him. In their arrogance, they killed the Messiah of Scriptures.....but by God's grace this pleased Him because it fulfilled the Scriptures that the Christ was to suffer.

And His obedience would mean His glorification....

John 7: 37-39

How was Jesus glorified?

John 12:16

Rom 5:19

Phil 2:8

Jesus desires our obedience to God's word more than anything....

Luke 8:21

Just as God desires our obedience over our sacrifices....

1 Sam 15:22

Jesus and God are ONE.

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Life Application

Do you seek the Holy One? Do you search diligently for Him in the hard rock of this world? Is He ever present in your mind? Doyou have toruble taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ?

I know I do.

When I think of the prophets of old dilgently searching for God....searching for what the salvation of our souls was, I am humbled. I know I take it for granted that I received salvation. But when I stop and truly think about those who came before us who were given inspiration by the Spirit of Christ to desire this grace I am inspired to tell others about that grace that I have received. Even the angels are amazed by the gift of salvation! We will look at that in future lessons.

Take time today to really meditate on the gift of your salvation from God's perfect wrath. It is His grace and mercy that has set you free from that eternal damnation known as hell. Take time to diligently seek Him in His word today. Read about that free gift of salvation and truly be humbled by it.....and know that it was all because of the obedience of Christ that you live today.

In Jesus name....

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"The doctrine of man's salvation by Jesus Christ has been the study and admiration of the greatest and wisest of men. Those who would be acquainted with this great salvation, and the grace that shines therein, must enquire and search diligently into it."

-Matthew Henry Commentaries, 1961