Ministering Not to Themselves, But to Us

"THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER"

Ministering Not To Themselves, But To Us (1:10-12)

Already in Peter's epistle we have seen several blessings enjoyed by the "elect" of God.... The "elect" are born again to a "living" hope - 1 Pe 1:3. The "elect" having a joy "inexpressible and full of glory" - 1 Pe 1:8.

As one continues in verses 10-12, he finds that Peter expands upon the topic of the "salvation" Christians enjoy as a result of their faith (please read) “Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them. To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.” If one takes the time to contemplate upon what is found in this passage, he should not fail to be impressed with how privileged we are in God's sight. For there we learn that we are the recipients of a gospel that was prophesied and has come to us only through the efforts of a very distinguished company of individuals! And in their efforts, they were ministering not to themselves, but to us who are now Christians!

To illustrate just how privileged we are, let's begin identifying those who have ministered to us... We have been served by 'Prophets", which is the main thought of this passage. When the prophets prophesied, they were often intrigued by what they revealed - 1 Pe 1:10-11 “Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them.” This is because they were inspired or moved by the Holy Spirit, and not by their own will - 2 Pe 1:21 “For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.” Therefore, they often expressed perplexity concerning those things they prophesied - for example, Dan 7:28 “Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts much troubled me, and my countenance was changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.”; 8:26-27 “And the vision of the evenings and mornings which hath been told is true: but shut thou up the vision; for it belongeth to many days to come. And I, Daniel, fainted, and was sick certain days; then I rose up, and did the king’s business: and I wondered at the vision, but none understood it.” But as pointed out in our text, it was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but us! - Dan 12:8-9 “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my lord, what shall be the issue of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed till the time of the end.”

Consider the implications of this point. We who are Christians have been served by such people as Moses, Samuel, and David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. These men (and many others) spent their lives, and in many cases even gave their lives, in service to you and me! Yes, these great "heroes of faith" suffered much in their service to God and to us who are now in Christ - He 11:36-38 “and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth.” Does this not indicate that we must be very special in God's sight? We who have been ministered unto by the prophets of Almighty God, and who endured all these things for our sake?

And yet, there is even more... We have been served by "the Holy Spirit"! This thought is also expressed in our text. For it was the Holy Spirit who inspired the prophets to proclaim things to come - 1 Pe 1:11 “searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them.” It was He who inspired David and Isaiah to foretell the sufferings of Christ - see, Ps 22 and Isa 53. It was He who likewise moved the prophets to proclaim the glories to follow:

1) the resurrection of Jesus - Ps 16: 9-11 “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; My flesh also shall dwell in safety. For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

2) His ascension and coronation - Dan 7:13-14 “I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”

And it was the Holy Spirit who inspired the apostles to reveal the gospel - 1 Pe 1:12 “To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.” As Jesus promised He would, in His discourse to His apostles - Jn 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come.” As Paul said He did, in writing to the Ephesians - Ep 3:5 “which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;”

We will pause here and consider the implications of this truth when we continue this lesson in a second part.