WORD OF GOD

Of the first coming into the world of the Lord Jesus, John wrote, ‘And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth’, John 1. 14. That final phrase can also be read, ‘the fullness of true grace’, in the same sense in which the Lord Jesus was the true light, the true bread and the true vine. Not ‘true’ in contrast to ‘false’, but ‘true’ in contrast to that which is partial, indistinct and figurative. Before the incarnation of the Lord Jesus, the grace of God had been revealed partially in the provisions of the law, whereby atonement could be made for the sins of the people, thus averting judgment. But, in His coming as the eternal Word, the Lord Jesus declared fully, completely and forever all that can be known of the heart and character of the invisible God. ‘No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him’, John 1.18.

That first advent was an advent of grace in all its fullness, ‘For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men’, Titus 2.11. It is wonderful grace that brings us the Gospel, Acts 20. 24, and it is ‘by grace are ye saved through faith’, Eph. 2. 8.

But when John speaks of the Word of God in relation to His second advent he does not portray the Lord dwelling in meekness and lowliness of guise amidst scornful and unappreciative men. He presents to us a mighty, all-conquering sovereign who rides forth in majesty, ‘and in righteousness he doth judge and make war’, Rev. 19. 11. As the incarnate Word He revealed the loving heart of a God who ‘delighteth in mercy’, Mic. 7.18, but at His second coming He reveals the righteousness of God in the exercise of long-withheld judgement. When He first came, He humbled Himself and was wrapped in the swaddling bands of an infant. Here, He is manifested in great glory and comes forth ‘clothed with a vesture dipped in blood’, v. 13. His garments are stained with the blood of enemies already subdued and now He appears to finally defeat every foe. The advents are different, but in each the Word of God speaks.