FRIDAY
Verses 1-9 are just so good that I wanted to spend most of our time on it this week and I will likely only preach on those verses. (Remember, I’m writing this the week before I preach on it.) I still want to cover this passage in the devotional so, here we go.
1 Peter 1:3–12 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
In these verses Peter is expounding on the salvation theme that he mentions at the end of verse 9. Peter is again trying to encourage his readers by reminding them of the great privilege they have of living this side of the Messiah. Jesus even mentions this privilege in Luke 10:23-24. The prophets suffered persecution at the hands of even God’s people and they never experienced God’s salvation through the Messiah Jesus. Again, Peter is reminding them that although they suffer now, they have this great privilege of knowing and experiencing God’s salvation in the Messiah.
It’s likely Peter has in mind prophesies like Isaiah 52:13-53:12. Isaiah prophesied this 700 years before Jesus, yet described the suffering of Jesus on the cross. If you have time today, it would be a good idea to read that passage. Also, you could look at Daniel’s prophecies in chapters 8 and 9. Daniel prophecies about the Son of Man, a favorite self-reference of Jesus. God revealed the kingdoms that would come before the Messiah. God even revealed the timing of the Messiah to Daniel.
In these verses Peter makes a couple of curious statements:
- He calls the Spirit who indicated the time and person of the Messiah the Spirit of Christ. Instead of the Spirit of God he refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Christ. The point seems to be that the Spirit who descended on Jesus at his baptism and empowered his ministry is the same Spirit who is in the believers now and the same Spirit who revealed these truths to the prophets in the Old Testament. They are simply the next step in redemption history.
- Second is the statement that even angels long to look into these things. The point here seems to again emphasize their great privilege in knowing God’s salvation in the gospel. He doesn’t get into the theological details too much so I won’t either. It’s not clear that the angels can’t look into these things. Instead, I think he is simply stating that the gospel is the object of their inquisitive longing. But his point is that the believers should cherish the gospel message they have heard and believe in, even if it means suffering. They are privileged to know and look into what the angels long to look into.
Reflection
Reflect on the great privilege we have in living this side of Jesus. We can know and experience born again life in the Messiah.