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“And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24.31; emphasis mine, jb). Mark reported this same saying as follows, “And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.” (Mark 13.27; emphasis mine, jb). Our focus will be to note: 1) The Son of Man, 2) The Authority of Jesus, 3) His Elect, and 4) His Kingdom.

The Son of Man

The phrase, Son of Man, is used in about 191 biblical verses, with just over 100 of them being in the Old Testament. There are many, many places in the Old Testament where the phrase refers to an Old Testament prophet (e.g. over 90 references in Ezekiel to its author). However, the phrase is also used to refer to someone of very special origin and power. Daniel saw the coming Messiah as the Son of Man (Daniel 7.13). When one opens the New Testament, the usage of the phrase is significantly different. In the four Gospel records, it was never uttered by any lips other than by Jesus' own. Furthermore, when He did use it, He used the phrase exclusively in referring to Himself.

According to Jesus, the Son of Man: 1) Had power on earth to forgive sins (Matthew 9.6), 2) Had a future Kingdom (Matthew 16.28), 3) Would some day reward all men according to their works (Matthew 16.27), 4) Would rise from the dead (Matthew 17.9). 5) Had the specific mission of seeking and saving the lost (Matthew ), 6) Would sit on the Father's right hand after His ascension back into heaven (Luke 22.69), and 7) Had come down from heaven (John 6.62). It is also interesting that when Stephen was being stoned to death by enemies of the Cross, he saw the “...heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” (Acts 7.56).

Jesus was the Son of Man and He was also the Son of God. Jesus claimed this distinction, that of being the Son of God. John's record regarding the death and resurrection of Lazarus captures Jesus' own words when He referred to Himself as the Son of God (see John 11.4). This union of two characteristics, the traits of God and the traits of man, is what makes Him unique in the biblical record. Many prophets had the miraculous power that Jesus possessed, but none of them was the Son of God save He! As such, He possessed the attributes of Man as well as the attributes of God. It is important to distinguish here the vast difference between the gods of Greek mythology which were half god and half man; Jesus was not half man; He was fully man. Neither was He half God; He was fully God. He was all man and all God!

It is this union of might and human frailty that gives Him the unique perspective that we need to trust Him. As Man, He understands our plight in as much as He has literally walked in our shoes; as God He has the power to seek but also to save the lost (see Luke 19.10). He is the great Hight Priest who can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities in as much as He was tempted in all points just as we are, but this without sin (Hebrews 2.18 and Hebrews 4.15). God is too awesome for us to observe, but while robed in human flesh we not only look upon Him, we embrace Him passionately and lovingly! In this familiar form we find one who pulls us lovingly to His breast and who responds with the same passion that we possess for Him. In fact, it is this love for us that draws us inexorably to the Son of Man.

Questions:

1. Why is Jesus, the God-man, a being that we can approach and trust?

2. What assurance do we have that He can understand our plight as a human being?

3. Why is it important for us to know that he feels the same infirmities as we in the flesh?

4. RESEARCH: Which Old Testament prophet used the expression Son of God?

"Today's Little Lift" from Jim Bullington

Comfort in Isaiah II (12-14-10)