Thursday, January 28, 2016
John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
NOW IS THE VICTORY
The Savior here helps us to see how God was glorified in His death. He tells us that two great things would happen because the hour of His death had come. They are set off by the word "now."
"Now is the judgment of this world..." Now that Jesus' hour had come, a decision, a verdict, a judgment would be brought to bear upon the world. The cross of Christ was about to become the great divider of mankind.
On the one side of the cross stand those who with the religious leaders of that day reject Jesus. These doom themselves and sign their own death warrant, as it is also written (John 3:17-18): "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
On the other side of the cross are those who by God's grace trust in Him who was crucified. These rely upon Him in life and death and are declared not guilty of sin and will not face condemnation. So it is also written (Romans 5:1, 8:1): "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ ... There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus..."
This is true because a long cherished promise was about to be kept, indicated by the second "now."
"Now the ruler of this world will be cast out." Now that Jesus hour had come, the ruler of this world would be cast down and crushed. Satan, who established power over humankind, enslaving by means of sin and death, was about to have his head crushed as long promised (cf. Genesis 3:15). It is as echoed in the famous hymn (TLH 262:3): "...This world's prince may still Scowl fierce as he will, He can harm us none, He's judged; the deed is done; One little word can fell him."
The disciples needed to hear this because it would appear in His sufferings and death that Jesus was defeated and destroyed. When we see the Savior on Good Friday it may appear as if the world and Satan have had the last laugh in killing God's only Son. But in this case the Victor dies only to rise again the third day.
Let's think on this today, and take these words with us (Galatians 6:14): "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
