The Salvation of God will ultimately prevail

The Salvation of God Will Ultimately Prevail

    “Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.”  Luke 1:1-5 (KJV)

    Luke wrote to tell the life story of Jesus the Son of God.  He wanted to make available the full history of Christ Jesus.  Jesus Himself said: “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.”  Luke 24:44-45 (KJV)

    John wrote to tell that the Eternal Word came as a human-being to shine the Light of God into our world.  Matthew wrote to show that Jesus is the promised Jewish Messiah who came to save the world.  Mark wrote to show Jesus as the Power of God who did amazing things.

    1. An angel announces God’s Act to shepherds.

    “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”  Luke 2:13-14 (KJV)

    Glory to God in highest heaven: This short hymn is known as the Gloria in excelsis Deo first line of the Latin translation. The Messiah's coming brings glory to God in the heavens and peace to humans on earth. • peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased: Peace indicates total well-being, not just the absence of hostility. The traditional translation, "on earth peace, good will toward men" (kjv), is based on the reading of some late manuscripts.  Peace comes to those who receive and accept God's grace.  Mary kept all these things in her heart: Perhaps Mary thought about what all these events meant and wondered about Jesus' destiny. It is also possible that Luke says this because Mary was his source of information on these events.

    2. Blessed art thou among women.

    “And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.  And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.  And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.” Luke 1:41-45 (KJV)

    3. Blessed is she who believed.

    “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.  For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.  For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.”  Luke 1:46-49 (KJV)

    Mary's song is the first of three songs of praise in the birth narrative. It is called the Magnificat ("magnifies"), from the first word in the Latin translation. The song has many parallels to Hannah's prayer in 1 Sam 2:1-10. The fact that God cares for the oppressed and reverses their fortunes is a common theme throughout Luke's Gospel. The coming of God's Kingdom brings salvation to rejected and outcast people.

    All generations will call me blessed: In Middle Eastern culture, honor and shame were extremely important, and one's legacy to future generations was highly cherished.  As a Jewish teenager Mary deserves great honor as the human mother through whom the Son of God came into our world.

    “My Saviour. Mary, by this word, reckons herself among that which was lost. She obtained salvation, not from herself, but from Jesus.—Bengel.”  Call me blessed. Pronounce me highly favored, or happy in being the mother of the Messiah. Abraham was blessed in being the father of the faithful; Paul in being the apostle to the Gentiles; Peter in first preaching the gospel to them; but who would think of worshiping or praying to Abraham, Paul, or Peter?” —People's New Testament [Johnson’s Notes]

    4. The Lamb of God came to conquer death.

    “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.  Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.”  Rev 1:17-19 (KJV)

    God has placed us in a world of Time.  Death is real – but Jesus conquered death.  He has authority even over death and Hades [the world of the dead].  He will raise everyone from death at His Coming!  Write. John is to preserve this vision so that all may share its message.  Now. Current events, dating from the First Coming of Christ.   Afterward. Those things which had not yet happened. The curtain of both the present and the future is lifted in the Book of Revelation [when properly understood].

    “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”  John 5:28-29 (KJV)