Saturday, March 24, 2007
Revelation 13:8 The Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.
ATONEMENT -- FROM ETERNITY TO ETERNITY
I sometimes ask grade school children if they know the longest word in the English language. They are quick to offer the old stand-bys. I then suggest the word "smiles" -- and point to the fact that there is a mile between the first "s" and the last one.
But there's no trick involved in showing that while the English word "atonement" may date from 1525 or so, the fact it describes has been in existence far, far longer. Indeed, the atonement predates all human language. It predates time. In eternity God planned our salvation in such detail that Peter would later state by inspiration of the Spirit that it was by God's set purpose and foreknowledge that Jesus was arrested and bound over to Pilate for crucifixion (Acts 2:23).
The sacrifice by which Christ reconciled us to God through the remission of sins was no desperate last-minute remedy. God's plan was so firmly in place before the creation of the world that it was as good as accomplished in the mind of our Maker. Thus our Savior is described as the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world (Revelation 13:8).
While the atonement of Christ was conceived in eternity, it was carried out in time. It is an historical fact, a once-for-all-time event, one that needs to be proclaimed to sinners until the end of time. And that will not be the end of it either. For when we are given a glimpse of heaven's halls through the vision accorded the Apostle John, we hear the eternal choirs singing of the atonement.
"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:12)
