Tag: chapter 1

Just added, a new message in our series on 1 Corinthians:

1 Corinthians Chp 15 vs 25 – He Must Reign – The Eternal Kingdom of the Son of Man – JS Gillespie – 23082016

Outline notes for the above message:

We saw last week that Christ’s ultimate rule and dominion over this world and beyond is the 4^th in a series of reasons arguing for the necessity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

1. Proof of the Gospel (v1-11)

• Text of Scripture (v3-4)
• Triumph of Resurrection (v4)
• Testimony of Eye Witnesses (v5-8)
• Transformed Life of Paul (v9-11)

2. Problem of Denying the Resurrection (v12-19)

We need a living Saviour for:

• Justification by Faith (Isa 53; Roms 4)
• Relationship with God (Roms 5)
• Atonement / Reconciliation (Rroms 5)
• Redemption (Roms 8)
• High Priestly ministry of Christ (Hebs 2,4,7)
• Eternal Security (Heb 7:25)
• Resurrection (John 11)
• Home in Heaven (John 14)

3. Picture of Resurrection (v20-23)

Firstfruits

Not only a Feast of Jehovah and part of Gods redemptive plan but following on after the passover and in fact on the morrow after the Sabbath – that is the Sunday, the 1^st Day of the week.

4. Purpose of God in Human Politics (v24-28)

An unusual / unexpected angle on resurrection

The resurrection and victory of Jesus Christ over the grave and over death was an essential part of the fulfilment of Gods Purpose for the universe.

“He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet” (1 Co 15:25)

If Christ is to subdue all enemies under His feet, He cannot reign over a world which still remains affected by death.

If Christ is to possess all rule and all authority and power (15:24) then there can be no rebellion against Him.

No rebellion against Him, means no rebellion against God.

No rebellion against God means no sin

No sin means no death!

A victory over all for Christ necessitates a victory over sin and death.

Christ could not truly be described as so ruling if the world remains in:

• Rejection
• Rebellion

Secondly

Not only is Christ’s victory over this world, sin and death an essential part of Gods purpose for His Son but Christ’s Victory over this World, Sin and Death is an essential part of God Purpose for me personally!

As we see and become convinced that Gods purpose in Christ has been and will be fulfilled in every detail, as we become convinced that God is indeed driving, steering, breaking and accelerating all of human history, this revelation has a purpose. On this foundation of assurance I base my every day decisions, plans and purposes for the future. Decisions such as:

• Lordship Spiritual realm – in my consecration and spiritual life (v29), only makes sense if Christ is victorious and sovereign. I am hardly going to enter into baptism, leaving my old life behind me to back a loser. I will surely only take such a step of declaring myself dead to the old life and alive to Christ if I am convinced He is the winner! If I am convinced of His Lordship over all, it is empty lip service and hollow praise indeed indeed unless I acknowledge His Lordship over my little life too! If I do truly appreciate and believe that He is sovereign over all things then my life will reflect that. I don’t truly believe in a sovereign Christ over all if I cannot bow in obedience to His demands upon my life, my time, talents and treasures. Empty praise indeed that acknowledges Him as Lord of all but I have something more important at the moment, too busy today to obey Christ.
• Lordship in Service (v30-32)
• Lordship in Speech (v33)
• Lordship in Sanctification (v34)

But the question is then, is Christ Lord of all?

‘Must He Reign’ (v25) ?

We looked back at one of the great foundational prophecies in Daniel chp 2:

• Head of fine Gold (v32)
• Breast and arms of Silver (v32)
• Belly and thighs of brass (v32)
• Legs of Iron (v32)
• Feet of Iron and clay (v33)

all replaced with the Stone cut without hands (v34).

In Daniel chapters 2 & 7 God sets out His plan and purpose for the whole of human history.

We note 4 great world empires running from the time of Nebuchadnezzar:

1. Babylonian Empire

• Egypt, Arabia, Cyprus, Persia, Iraq, Turkey, Syria

2. MedoPersian Empire
3. Greek Empire
4. Roman Empire

Something strange happens to the final Kingdom – the Roman Empire, it passes through a further stage of development; Clay and Iron.

The might of the 4^th Kingdom would appear yet in some way compromised, pictured in feet and 10 toes, an unstable union of 10kings in a quai-democratic re-emergence.

These 10 Kings appear to exist simultaneously (Dan 2:44)

This final one of man’s Kingdoms will give rise to an eternal kingdom (v44) which will ‘stand forever.’

Stone cut without hands:

1. Isaiah 28:16; 1 Peter 2:6
2. Psalm 118:22; Matt 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7
3. Isaiah 8:14

We want to turn to Daniel chp 7 tonight to put some flesh on the bones of this statement by Paul that; ‘He must reign’:

Dan 7:2 – The great sea – may be the Mediterranean sea – 4 Mediterranean Kingdoms

The troubled sea is used elsewhere of the agitated nations (Isaiah 57:20)

Four creatures in this vision just as we had 4 parts to the image of Daniel 2

1. Lion with Eagles wings

Lion symbol of royal authority, of ferocious power and strength

Judges 14:18; ‘what is stronger than a lion?’ & Prov 30:3

The ‘fierce lion’ is spoken of in Job 4:10; 10:16; 28:8

Linked with destruction in Jer 2:30; 4:7; Hose 13:8; Nah 2:12; 1 Peter 5:8

This places the lion in a similar position to the head of gold in the statue of Daniel chp 2; ‘thou O King art the head of gold,’ starting with the strongest and most ferocious of all beasts.

The Lion was also used in Babylon as a symbol of Babylonian Imperial power appearing on coins and on the Processional Way leading from the Ishtar Gate of Babylon.

Eagles wings – symbol of speed:

• Deut 28:49 ‘as swift as the eagle flieth’
• Job 9:26 ‘as the eagle that hasteth to the prey’
• Hab 1:8 ‘their horseman shall come from far, they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.’

v4 – ‘wings were plucked’ – the experience of the humbling of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4:10ff)

2. Bear (Dan 7:5)

Raised on one side – an unbalanced Empire

Medo Persian empire

Daniel 5:31 – Darius the Mede (probably Gubaru a Mede appointed ruler of Babylon by Cyrus the Great), Babylon was taken in 539 BC, Gubaru was born in 601 BC – aged 62, cf Daniel 5:31

The prophecy on the writing on the wall was for the Kingdom to be taken by the Medes and Persians (Dan 5:28)

Medes initially dominated in the empire but eventually giving way to the Persians

Medo Persian Empire runs from 550 BC to 330 BC

3 Ribs: history books, as well as commentaries seem fairly consistently agreed that the MedoPersian Empire was marked by 3 large and significant victories:

• Conquest of Lydia – 547 BC
• Conquest of Babylon – 539 BC
• Conquest of Egypt – 525 BC

Founded by Cyrus the Great and based on a model of centralised bureaucratic administration through Satraps under the King of Kings. Generally the Emperor did not interfere with the local customs or religions.

3. Leopard

Alexander the Great defeats the Persian armies beginning in 334 BC

Leopard marked by speed

4 wings – speed

Alexander took command of the armies of Greece aged 18 years

Alexander becomes King in 336 age 20 years

Military campaign of 12 years dies aged 32

Alexander takes Persia, Babylon, India, Macedonia, Egypt

All in 12 years! Cf this to the Roman Empire which gradually builds up over about 400 years

Leopard is marked by speed cf. Hab 1:8

4 heads: 4 successors to Alexander:

4 Generals:

1. Antipater – Greece and Macedonia
2. Lysimachus – Thrace and Asia Minor
3. Seleucus – Asia and Palestine
4. Ptolemy – Egypt

4. Beast

Iron teeth (v7) – connects to the image of chapter 2 – 4^th phase – limbs of iron

Iron first use in the Bible is an instrument of murder (Num 35:16)

• Iron often speaks of strength (Deut 3:11; 28:48; Josh 17:16; Judges 1:19; 4:3; Job 40:8; Psalm 2:9; Ps 107:10; Jer 28:13; 28:14; Ezek 4:3; Micah 4:13.)
• Speaks at times of intensity (Deut 4:20; 1 Kings 8:51)
• Speaks of endurance (Deut 33:25)
• Used by Goliath (1 Sam 17:7)
• Used for cruel oppression (2 Sam12:31; 1Kings 8:51; 1 Chron 20:3; Jer 11:4)

Daniel 2:40 “as strong as iron”, “iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things”

10 horns = 10 kings (Dan 7:7,24)

10 Kings yet to emerge (Rev 17:12)

All of this to be subverted under the :

• “ancient of Days” (7:9) cf (Rev1:13ff)
• “Son of Man” (Dan 7:13) cf. (Matt 24:30; 26:64)