1 Peter 1:10-12
10As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries,11seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.”
This is a fascinating passage. We know that the bible is the inspired word of God. This gives us a little insight into how it was done. The prophets somehow got these ideas. We’re not sure if they were dictated by God. Maybe they were ideas that came to them that somehow they knew, “this is of God”. However they came, they were intrigued by them. Almost like being told part of a story. We want to know the rest.
The central theme to scripture is the redemption of mankind. This was done by Jesus. Peter describes this as the “sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.” We are looking back at Christ and what He’s done. These prophets were looking forward. They were living in an Old Testament era and we the New Testament. They knew bits and pieces. I’m not sure if they knew He was divine. If so, that may have stirred up their curiosities even more. Would God come down and do this Himself? They knew He would suffer. How is it that God would suffer at the hands of His creation?
Peter says that they made careful search and inquiry into this. They would study the portions of scripture that they already had. Some prophecies usually had dual applications. Their words were a message meant for the people of their present time, but also had a future message. I’m sure some messages were specifically for the present or the future. So, atleast some of the messages were delivered to the audience at the time of the prophets. I’m sure there would be conversation. I’m sure the curious prophets would love to engage in this. Speaking of it with wonder.
Are we as interested in the things of God that we have the curiosity and the drive to learn more? Part of this is being a christian. Peter has this to say in the second verse of the next chapter, “like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation”. As we grow in salvation, we learn to become dependant on God’s word. Peter describes it as milk. The inference is of a baby. The newborn craves it and will cry for it. The more we spend in God’s Word, the more we want it.
Lord, thank You for Your Word, that It’s our nourishment. Help us to feed on it even more. Bless our pastors and teachers with insights to feed the people. Thank You for these few verses which show us a little about how the prophets dealt with the message and how scripture came to be.