1231. From Anticipation to Realization

From Anticipation to Realization

"But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

"From henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool" (Heb_10:12-13).

There is a glorious sense in which our Lord passed from anticipation to realization.

1. The Lord Jesus passed from the anticipation of His passion, to the realization of the completed task. By this we mean that Jesus Christ had lived with the Cross constantly before Him. Its shadows had fallen on His pathway far back in eternity, for He was a Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world.

Jesus Christ had marked every foreshadowing of His Cross from the day of the creation of Adam to the day of the immaculate conception.

Jesus Christ had been born of Mary with His Cross in full view. He knew He was destined to die. In His ministry He constantly spoke of that fact. He lived thirty-three years among men anticipating the drinking of the bitter cup–the death of the Cross.

However, a glorious day came; it was the day when Christ passed from anticipation to realization. When Christ rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.

He sat down because His work of redemption was consummated, completed. He knew that the task which the Father had given Him to do, was done–He had passed from anticipation to realization.

2. The believer, in union with Christ in His ascension, has passed from the anticipation of the eternal judgment into the realization of perfect peace. Before every sinner is a certain looking for of fiery judgment and indignation which will consume the adversary.

The sinner lives under the condemnation of God–he that believeth not, is condemned already.

The sinner has no peace now and anticipates no peace by and by. He is like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters continually cast up mire and dirt.

The unbeliever anticipates the very wrath that Christ anticipated; only this–Christ anticipated wrath, because of the sins of others, and the unbeliever anticipates wrath because of his own sins.

When salvation comes, the believer passes up with Christ far above the realms of fear and dread of judgment into the realization of peace, perfect peace. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace."

He knows that Christ completed his redemption; he knows that he is both saved and safe; saved from wrath and safe from the storm. He is anchored in a haven of rest.

He is just as far above the woes of coming wrath, as Christ is far above the woes of Calvary. Christ having died, dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over Him; the believer having died with Christ, dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him.

What a bane is the anticipation of the sinner; what a blessing is the realization of the saint.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR