1
Christ is God’s centrality
And His universality;
He is God’s delight and joy
Throughout all eternity.
And His universality;
He is God’s delight and joy
Throughout all eternity.
2
He’s th’ embodiment of God,
In Him all God’s fulness dwells;
His unique supremacy
And His Godhead none excels.
In Him all God’s fulness dwells;
His unique supremacy
And His Godhead none excels.
3
All God’s purpose is for Him,
That He might be all in all;
All the things in heav’n and earth
With Himself are made withal.
That He might be all in all;
All the things in heav’n and earth
With Himself are made withal.
4
All creation is for Christ,
Everything was made by Him;
’Tis by Him all things subsist,
He’s the hub and He’s the rim.
Everything was made by Him;
’Tis by Him all things subsist,
He’s the hub and He’s the rim.
5
In redemption He is all,
All through Him is reconciled;
By His blood all things with God
Now in peace are domiciled.
All through Him is reconciled;
By His blood all things with God
Now in peace are domiciled.
6
He the great beginning is,
And the Church’s living Head;
He her life and content too,
And the firstborn from the dead.
And the Church’s living Head;
He her life and content too,
And the firstborn from the dead.
7
In God’s Kingdom He’s the King,
All the pow’r to Him is giv’n;
In His glory He shall rule
Over all in earth and heav’n.
All the pow’r to Him is giv’n;
In His glory He shall rule
Over all in earth and heav’n.
8
In new heaven and new earth
Center of all things He’ll be,
For the Godhead and for man
Throughout all eternity.
Center of all things He’ll be,
For the Godhead and for man
Throughout all eternity.
9
God intends in everything
Christ should have preeminence,
And that such a Christ of all
We should now experience.
Christ should have preeminence,
And that such a Christ of all
We should now experience.
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B. Christ as the Centrality and
Universality of God’s Economy
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In the Minor Prophets Christ as the centrality and universality of God’s economy is emphatically unveiled. In the Minor Prophets (not counting Zechariah, which reveals other aspects of Christ) this unveiling, this revelation concerning Christ, has sixteen points. We will now briefly consider these points according to the sequence of the facts.
1. In His Eternal Origin
We have pointed out that Micah 5:2c says that Christ’s “goings forth are from ancient times, / From the days of eternity. ” This refers to Christ’s eternal origin.
2. In His Human Birth in Bethlehem
Micah 5:2a says that from Bethlehem would come forth the One who would be the Ruler in Israel. This is the only verse in the entire Old Testament which tells us that Christ was to be born in Bethlehem.
3. In His First Coming as the Messenger of God
Malachi 3:1-3 reveals that in His first coming Christ came as the Messenger of God. As God’s Messenger, He brought people God’s word, God’s message. This word, this message, is actually Christ Himself. We may say that He is the letter sent by God to us.
4. In His Union with Israel as the Son of God Loved by God and Called Out of Egypt by God
Hosea 11:1 says, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, / And out of Egypt I called My son. ” This speaks of Christ in His union with Israel as the Son of God loved by God and called out of Egypt by God. The fulfillment of this prophecy is in Matthew 2 . Not long after Christ was born, while He was still in His babyhood, Herod tried to kill Him. But according to the word of an angel, Joseph took Jesus and His mother and departed into Egypt and remained there “until the death of Herod, in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son’” (v. 15).
5. In His Death and Resurrection for the Salvation of God to Sinners
A further aspect of Christ is typified by the prophet Jonah. Jonah was swallowed by a great fish and was vomited out of it for the spreading of God’s salvation to the Gentile Ninevites (Jonah 1:17 ; 2:10). This is a type of Christ in His death and resurrection for the salvation of God to sinners, even to the Gentiles (Matt. 12:39-41).
6. In His Being the Desire of All the Nations
In Haggai 2:7 we see that Christ is the Desire of all the nations. Even though the nations do not know Christ, they still desire to have Christ. All the nations desire to have peace and a good life, but the situation in the world is the opposite of this. Christ is peace; Christ is also the good life. For the nations to desire these things means that they actually desire Christ. He is the Desire of all the nations.
7. In Elijah’s Being Sent before Him to Prepare the Way for His Coming Back
Elijah will be sent before Christ to prepare the way for His coming back (Mal. 4:5-6 ; 3:1a ; Rev. 11:3-4).
8. In His Being Sent by God the Second Time with His Overcomers
“There cause Your mighty ones to descend, / O Jehovah! ” (Joel 3:11b). This reveals that Christ will be sent by God the second time with His overcomers. Today Christ is making overcomers, those who will be with Him in His coming back. When Christ comes back, He will come with His overcomers to fight against AntiChrist.
In the universe there are two sources: God and Satan. God is embodied in Christ, and Satan will eventually be embodied in AntiChrist. Both Christ and AntiChrist will have an army. In His coming back Christ will descend with His army, composed of the mighty ones, the overcomers. This indicates that at the time of His coming back, Christ and His army will defeat AntiChrist and his army.
9. In His Arising as the Sun of Righteousness with Healing in His Wings
As we have seen, according to Malachi 4:2 Christ will arise as the Sun of righteousness with healing in His wings.
10. In His Going Forth as the Dawn and Coming as the Rain, as the Latter Rain Which Waters the Earth
Hosea 6:3b says, “His going forth is as sure as the dawn, / And He will come to us as the rain, / As the latter rain which waters the earth. ” In 10:12 we are told that Christ will come and rain righteousness upon us. Christ’s going forth has not stopped. He is still going forth as the dawn. Also He will come as the rain, even as the latter rain. How much Christ is to us! He is the dawn, the rain, and the latter rain.
11. In His Second Coming as the Angel of the Covenant, Whom Israel Desires
“The Angel of the covenant, whom you desire, behold, He will come, says Jehovah of hosts” (Mal. 3:1b). This speaks of Christ in His second coming as the Angel of the covenant, whom Israel desires. The covenant of which He is the Angel is the new covenant.
12. In His Coming as the Mighty One with His Overcomers to Defeat AntiChrist and His Army
In Joel 3:11 Christ is unveiled in His coming as the mighty One with His overcomers to defeat AntiChrist and his army.
13. In His Judgment of the Nations
Christ is also unveiled in His judgment of the nations—the judgment of the living (Joel 3:2a , 12 , 14 ; Matt. 25:31-46 ; Acts 10:42 ; 17:31).
14. In His Dwelling in the Holy Mountain of Zion within Jerusalem to Reign among Israel
Joel 3 unveils Christ in His dwelling in the holy mountain of Zion within Jerusalem to reign among Israel to be their God, their shelter, and their stronghold (vv. 16-17 , 21b).
15. In His Reigning in Zion as David Their King, as Ruler in Israel, in the Millennium
David was a type of Christ as the King. In the Minor Prophets Christ is unveiled in His reigning in Zion as Israel’s King, the Ruler in Israel, in the millennium (Micah 4:7b ; 5:2b ; Hosea 3:5a ; Zeph. 3:15b ; Rev. 20:4 , 6).
16. In His Shepherding of Israel, Becoming Great and Being Their Peace
Finally, Christ is unveiled in His shepherding of Israel, becoming great and being their peace (Micah 5:4-5). In the millennium Christ will be not only the King and the Ruler but also the Shepherd.
Life-study of Hosea
Message 1 (LSM)
London, United Kingdom
Lord Jesus we love you! You are God's centre and universe. Be ours also. Be everything and all things to us. Amen.
San Francisco, California, United States
God intends in everything Christ should have preeminence and that such a Christ we should now experience. Christ must have first place in our church life, in our family life, in our personal life. We should say together with Paul: For to me, to live is Christ.
Romford, London, United Kingdom
Mozart was massively talented by the Lord. I think the Triune God is so happy when we sing this hymn to Him. Lord, as our Joshua, lead us into the enjoyment and experience of You as the reality of the good land.