Lightning
Some time back I had a dream about lightning, and in the context of the dream it spoke to me of the judgment of God. Then I saw Jesus hanging on a cross on this exposed hill called Golgotha – like a lightning conductor for the wrath of God.
The picture above which I found on the internet, accurately depicts what I saw in my dream. I came to realise that the Cross was our protection from the judgment of God and sensed that we had to stay under the shadow of the Cross to be safe.
In all four Gospels we read the moving historical account of how Jesus endured a bogus trial, mocking, lashing, a torturous crucifixion and ultimately died for us. But rather than focussing on the historical narrative let’s look deeper at the theological significance of what was taking place…
Rom 3:23-26 ..all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (25) God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— (26) he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
As we reflect on this passage,
Let’s Consider Three Important Things About God
The Wrath of God
Verse 23 says we have all sinned. As a result we are deserving of God’s wrath or judgment. On several occasions in the Old Testament, God sent destructive fire from heaven as Judgment. We have the examples of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah being destroyed by fire and brimstone, of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu being killed by fire for being irreverent, of Korah and his 250 rebellious followers being reduced to ash. We also read that Elijah called down fire from heaven and toasted two delegations of 50 soldiers sent to arrest him. Small wonder preachers warn of the fire of God’s wrath!
Rom 1:18 says, The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness… Here the present continuous tense is used. This implies that wrath is continually being revealed.
Sometimes God’s judgment comes in this present life. But, thankfully we live in the dispensation of grace in which God is purposefully, in most instances, withholding His judgment – not willing that any should perish.
We do have a serious problem though; our sinful nature causes us to incur the wrath of God. We are born with this inbuilt bias toward sin. (Eph 2:3 says that we are “by nature objects of wrath…” and Col 1:22 describes us in our sinful state as being, “alienated from God” and as “enemies of God”).
Thankfully God visited His wrath on Jesus!
Getting back to our main text… Rom 3:25 (NIV) ...God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement… (NKJV) ...whom God set forth as a propitiation…
(Christ’s innocent, sacrificial blood provides “atonement”, or a covering for our sins. The word “propitiation” conveys a similar thought. A propitiation is that which satisfies and turns aside God’s wrath.)
The Cross took care of the wrath of God. We sing this beautiful song…
In Christ alone, who took on flesh Fullness of God in helpless babe This gift of love and righteousness Scorned by the ones He came to save 'Till on that cross as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied For every sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live
So we’ve made the sobering discovery that the wrath of God is real and is not to be trifled with. At the same time we’ve made the fantastic finding that those who believe in Jesus are “under the blood” and therefore are protected from God’s judgment.
Now let’s consider another very important attribute of God…
The Justice of God
Psa 11:7 For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice...
Being a God of justice, the Father does not simply ignore our sin, He punishes it! Sin has consequences – death! Rom 6:23 says, For the wages of sin is death… Fortunately for us, Jesus, the sinless Son of God was offered up as our substitute and died in our place.
Justice was still served though; the Cross was a demonstration of God’s justice. Rom 3:25 ..He did this to demonstrate his justice… A huge travesty of human justice was somehow miraculously used by God as an expression of His divine justice.
If you want to see what God thinks of sin you only have to look at the Cross. Consider the Saviour, battered, bruised and bleeding, marred beyond human recognition and dying an agonising death.
I want to make two statements:
1. Sin ought to be punished. 2. Sin has been punished
Now let’s consider the third important attribute of God. Praise God for…
The Mercy of God
At the same time as being a demonstration of the justice of God, the cross was an also an amazing expression of the mercy of God. There are two sides to the character of God – He is both just and merciful at the same time. As the Psalmist wrote very poetically…
Psa 85:10 Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.
At the Cross of Christ, God showed himself to be both merciful and just. At the cross of Christ, mercy triumphed over judgment. Jas 2:13 Mercy triumphs over judgment!
Just as blood and water flowed from Jesus’ riven side… Mercy, grace, love and compassion pour out to us from the Cross.
"Mercy is not getting what you do deserve". (Punishment)
Whilst "grace is getting what you don’t deserve". (E.g. Receiving the gift of eternal life, Adoption into God’s family, the privilege of sonship, becoming a co-heir with Christ. It is said that G-R-A-C-E is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense).
Rom 3:24 …(we) are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Tit 3:5 … he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
This is the Gospel, the Good News. Where my efforts to be good failed miserably, Christ has done it for me. I don’t have to rely on my own works, but on the finished work of the Cross.
So I’d like you to think of it the way I saw it in my dream…
Christ is Our Lightning Conductor
The fiery wrath and indignation of God against the rebellion and wickedness of humankind was poured out on Christ as He hung on the Cross.
If we believe in Christ as our substitute and come under the shadow of the Cross we are saved from God’s wrath – we are justified!
Yes, there is mercy, protection grace and favour under the cover of the Cross.
So let me ask you an important question…
Are You Under Cover?
God’s mercy extends to those who fear Him. Luk 1:50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
The benefits of Calvary only pertain to those who receive them by faith. (His sacrifice is sufficient for all, but only brings salvation to those who believe).
Have you surrendered your life to God at the foot of the cross? If not, it’s time for you to get covered!
Pray the “sinner’s prayer”. Ask Jesus to be your “lightning conductor”, to save you from the wrath of God by forgiving your sins. Invite Him into your life to be your Lord, Saviour and Friend.
But now I need to ask another important question…
Have You Compromised Your Cover?
We believers, who call ourselves born again Christians, can be doing things which anger God and as a result compromise our cover. I honestly don’t understand how these things all work and fit together theologically, but the words of the following Scriptures are quite plain!
Mat 7:1 Do not judge, or you too will be judged…
Jas 2:13 … judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.
Mat 6:15 ...if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Heb 10:26-27 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
Make sure you haven’t compromised your cover! If you are erring in any of these areas, heartfelt confession and repentance is in order.
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