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these are centred in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The visible earthly life of Christ and
His witnessed resurrection are His eternal seal of truth to the record of the Bible.
When the Apostle Paul for two whole days went through with his compatriots the law
of Moses and the prophets (Acts 28: 23) he would have shown prophecy after
prophecy fulfilled. Paul would have shown to them, all the Temple ritual, furnishings
and commandments prefiguring Christ as the great antitype. Paul's Master had already
followed the same course of instruction with those two on the road to Emmaus:
"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the
Scriptures the things concerning Himself" (Luke 24: 27).
While from one point of view, Christ could say "it is finished", it is as well to consider
what was finished and what resulted from this finished work: (1) The transaction on the
cross was a foundation on which God could righteously cancel the sentence of death
passed on all mankind by the sin of Adam. (2) Redemption (loosing us from the result of
our sins) and atonement (making reconciliation and access to the Father) for those who
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and all that the Scriptures declare concerning His role of
Saviour of mankind.
These two results are by no means all. They themselves are only a foundation if we
dare to use the word `only'. We have constantly to review what we are building on this
precious foundation. The epistle describing our calling to the church of the One Body
delineates this foundation:
"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the
saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles
and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in Whom all the
building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; In Whom ye are
also builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph. 2: 19-22).
Notice here again the reference to "apostles and prophets".
The plans of God for the earth that went astray in the garden of Eden had already
found rebellion in heaven. The work of Christ covered by (1) and (2) above is found to
have additional and extended future results leading to the reinstatement of God's original
desires and goal. View the hints of such in John's wonderful visions:
"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The
kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of Christ; and He
shall reign for ever and ever" (Rev. 11: 15).
"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and
the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any
more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and
Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels
were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come
salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the
accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night"
(Rev. 12: 7-10).