John 17:1–5 (NKJV) Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was."

The HOUR Has Come: The HOUR of His Victory

The hour has come. It was with these words that our Savior Jesus began what has often been called His High Priestly Prayer. In this prayer Jesus asked that the Father glorify Him in His suffering and death and that He also might also in turn glorify the Father. Jesus glory isn’t only to be found in a shining countenance on the Mount of Transfiguration, but in a swollen and bloodied face on Mount Calvary.

 

The hours of glorifying the Father by sinless living and perfect obedience as a man were coming to a close. The hours of living for the sake of sinners was nearly complete. He did all of it to glorify the Father who sent Him. He did it that we too might see His Heavenly Glory, the glory that He possessed even before this world was called into existence.

 

The hour will also come that we pass from this life, from this sinful existence, into His glory. We will see and understand fully what now seems only vaguely visible, like looking into a mirror fogged up with steam. We will experience a peace that passes all human understanding, a peace that never ends.

 

Those endless hours are ours because of the hours of humility and suffering that He endured. "When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun" (Worship Supplement 200, 777:4)

 

Jesus, be with us every hour until we reach eternity with you.