“…the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;” – 1 Corinthians 2:7-9

Notes:

Well the time has come, the bases loaded, and it is the last inning of the game.   Casting insults and spitting on the batter as he walks out of the dugout, the home crowd roars with excitement and with the sound of triumph in their voices, thinking the game is already over.  On the other hand, the away crowd stands on their toes, waiting to see what is about to take place. 

Then, there is the silence.  The whole stadium frozen in time as the batter slowly walks to the plate. The pitcher takes the mound.  He throws the pitch.  The batter swings, and it’s a bunt!  The ball slowly rolls on the wet grass and into the glove of the pitcher as he tosses it to the first baseman and takes the batter out. “Yes, finally!” the pitcher exclaimed as the sound of the ball enters into the glove of the first baseman. Thinking the game was over, the pitcher turns to see the runners on base touch home, and realizes then that the sacrifice of the batter caused the win for the team!

Defeated and powerless, the pitcher shouts in outrage and anger as the batter watches with joy His teammates touching home, one by one.  

When Jesus suffered and was nailed to the cross, myriads of angels in heaven were on their toes watching. I can only imagine them saying to the Father “Give us word and we will gladly go to the earth and smite all these that have done this wickedness to your Son!”  However, the Father knowing all things, gave no such orders, and watched as His beloved Son became the very thing that He himself hates the most: Sin.  

However, during this time while Satan and the rulers of this age were working inside the hearts of the people to bring about His suffering and death, God’s hidden wisdom was simultaneously at work, allowing evil to basically write its own death sentence! The Cross of Christ, destroying the power of the enemy, enables all those who choose to bow at the foot of it and cling to it, to touch home and get the victory.

Willing to Take the Challenge?

The profound truth here is that God often uses unpleasant circumstances in the life of His children to bring about an even greater good for them and others around them. We see this in Paul and Silas when they were beaten and thrown in prison for the gospel. At midnight, with stripes on their backs and singing praises to the Lord, and earthquake rushed through the jail, opening up all the cell doors. The jailer, shaken and afraid, fell at the feet of Paul and Silas, and received salvation through Jesus. His whole family also believed on the Lord later that night. Stand fast in hard times and tough circumstances, focusing upon the Risen Christ, and the glory of God will be brought to pass.