(Daniel 7:13-14) “...I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
14 “And to Him was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations and men of every [b]language
Might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed..."
This is the first time in the Bible that Jesus is referred to as the Son of Man. And very clear it says - He is coming! Jesus was going to come to earth, as 100% God and 100% man. We can know this from scriptures like...
(John 1:1-14) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
As well, Jesus referred to Himself as "Son of God, so the Israelites would have recognized that term. They would have known it well, because it referred to their Messiah - which they were waiting for. How did they not see and accept? Although, at some point this particular Pharisee, Nicodemus, becomes a believer and a secret follower of Jesus. He could very well have been "born again" right after this secret conversation with Jesus. After Jesus explains how a person can be "born again", Jesus gives Nicodemus some insight as to why Jesus came to earth...
(John 3:9-16) Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Jesus was here on earth the first time to complete the work on the cross which would bless all nations, which was one aspect of the Abrahamic covenant that the Israelites did not quite understand.
No comments:
Post a Comment