Running With Endurance

I'm still working through John's rock-solid introduction to The Revelation of Jesus Christ. He writes,

I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. - Rev 1:9 ESV

Tribulation and patient endurance! These themes echo again and again in The Revelation:

"'I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. ... "'I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. - Rev 2:2, 19 ESV 

Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. - Rev 3:10 ESV 

And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name." Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. - Rev 14:11-12 ESV

 The Apostle Paul recognized the importance of endurance as well:

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, - Rom 15:4-5 ESV

Just today my wife and I began to make plans to celebrate our upcoming wedding anniversary. I suggested that we go to a local steak house. Now you don't have to ask me to endure the eating of a fine steak washed down with a good mug of my favorite beer. Endurance applies rather to things like my heart bypass operation several years back and the later recovery process. Our spiritual life in Christ is more like that than Sylvia's and my upcoming anniversary celebration. God's Word does indeed speak of Christ's return to carry us as His bride to celebrate in the Father's house. Even now the wedding feast is ready. But we have not yet reached the king's dining hall.

"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast."' ... Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.' - Mat 22:2-4, 8-9 ESV 

Meanwhile, however, we face opposition, conflict, temptation and—what's John's word here?—tribulation ! He calls himself our brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance. The parallel word for tribulation is persecution, something I wrote about in the immediately previous blog. We have great enemies out there in the world, enemies led by the prince of this world (Eph. 6:12; John 8:44; 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). And they do not back down.

Aware of that reality we need to teach and preach the truth about the Christian life. Yes, there are victories. Yes, there are miracles. Yes, Jesus is with us always. But tribulation, opposition, conflict and suffering in both body and spirit are ours as well. But let us not be discouraged. Listen again and again to the apostles as they offer encouragement in the Name of the Risen Christ.  

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. - Heb 12:1-3 ESV

God's Right Hand Man Is At Our Right Hand

In previous blogs I made it clear that the Christian church has from the beginning to the present day seen the Angel of the LORD passages in the OT to be speaking to us about Jesus Christ, God's Son and our Savior. Numerous other blogs support and clarify this position. Examples from a Google search reveal:

• "The Angel of the Lord" by Wil Pounds
• "Genesis 16:7–13 The Angel of the LORD" 
• Christ in the Old Testament 4 

There are many others. But what are the lessons to be learned from this? The Apostle Paul writes, 

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. - Rom 15:4 ESV

Endurance, encouragement, hope—important concepts, vital words. How do these OT stories encourage us to persist and move toward the high goal of our calling? The writer to the Hebrews tells us to study the lives of OT believers and be encouraged. In one well-known passage he describes Jesus as both the founder and perfecter of our faith.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hbr 12:1-2 ESV

The founder (archagos in Greek) refers to the prime leader, the one who has gone ahead of us all, the captain or the author. Perfecter (teleiotes in Greek) points to the one who raises up the highest example of faith. Its a word unique to this one passage in the NT.

So if we go back to the numerous stories in the OT about the Angel of the LORD what do they tell us about Jesus, the One who endured the shame of the cross for us all and is now returned to the seat of power at God's right hand?

We learn from David before he became King of Judah and Israel. King Saul in jealousy hated David and was out to kill him. David and his men fled for their lives. Having neither food nor weapons, the priest Ahimelech of the village of Nob fed them with the sacred Bread of the Presence. Further, he armed David with the great sword of Goliath. When David and his men fled to Gath, some 20 miles west of Bethlehem, David had to pretend to be insane to escape capture by Achish the king of Gath. For assisting David, Saul murdered Ahimelech and 84 other priests. Things were bleak and frightening indeed. Reflecting back upon this experience David later wrote Psalm 34, "Taste and See that the LORD is Good."

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! - Psa 34:6-8 ESV

David knew the stories of how the Angel of the LORD had appeared to Abraham, Hagar and Jacob. He knew how the Angel of the LORD led, fed and protected God's people in the wilderness. He cried to this same LORD in his great hour of peril. He took refuge in him. And he discovered that "the angel of the LORD" does indeed surround, guard and deliver those who put their trust in Him.

This Angel, this Messenger of the LORD is the same One who came among us in flesh and blood to endure our shame and deliver us from eternal death. Like the sacred bread set week by week before the LORD, Jesus is present to feed us with His own body and blood. Taste and see. The LORD is good, kind and rich. He will indeed deliver each one of us who trusts Him.