THE PLEASURE OF THE LORD

Ezek 18:23

Morning Meditation 1/31/2013

Ezekiel 18:23, "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?"

We ought to be exceedingly interested in what the Lord takes pleasure; we also should be interested in what He does not take pleasure in.

THE LORD HAS NO PLEASURE IN THE DEATH OF THE WICKED

Ezekiel 33:11, "Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?"

That the wicked will die is certain if they do not repent; but that God has no pleasure in their death is just as certain. God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

THE PLEASURE OF THE LORD WITH REGARD TO CHRIST

Matthew 3:17, "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Peter says in 2 Peter 1:17: “For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus claimed that He pleased the Father in all things that He did: John 8:29: “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.”

It pleased the Lord to bruise Him; Isaiah 53:10, "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand."

Colossians 1:19, "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;"

The word fulness is pleroma and means the sum total of divine power and attributes. The word dwell means to be permanently at home in Him. In other words the Lord Jesus was the manifestation of God to man. The divine fulness was not something that was added to His being; it was naturally His. It was “permanently at home” in Him.

HIS DIVINE PLEASURE IS SEEN WITH REGARD TO HIS WORD

Isaiah 55:11, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

Jesus had the power to forgive sins; He has the power over the elements; He brought immediate calm to a storm tossed sea. He has power over death. He stood at the grave of Lazarus and cried with a loud voice “Lazarus come forth” and Lazarus came forth. Death has no power over Him. When the rapture takes place He will call His children to meet Him in the air and they will come forth. No problem for Him.

1 Corinthians 1:21, "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." He saves any who respond to the gospel being preached; He saves them who believe. How He does this is a mystery. He is present and ready to save any person who responds in faith in the gospel. In Him all fulness dwells.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White