First Fruits
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of angels await His coming. As they approach, the escorting angels
address the company at the gate in triumphant tones:—
“Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
And be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors;
And the King of glory shall come in.”
“Who is this King of glory?” the waiting angels inquire.
“The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
Even lift them up, ye everlasting doors;
And the King of glory shall come in.”
Again the waiting angels ask, “Who is this King of glory?” and
the escorting angels reply, in melodious strains, “The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory” (
Psalm 24:7-10
). Then the portals of the city
of God are opened wide, and the angelic throng sweep through.
There is the throne, and around it the rainbow of promise. There
are seraphim and cherubim. The angels circle round Him, but Christ
waves them back. He enters into the presence of His Father. He points
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to His triumph in this antitype of Himself—the wave sheaf—those
raised with Him, the representatives of the captive dead who shall come
forth from their graves when the trump shall sound. He approaches
the Father, and if there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents,
if the Father rejoices over one with singing, let the imagination take
in this scene. Christ says: Father, it is finished. I have done Thy will,
O My God. I have completed the work of redemption. If Thy justice
is satisfied, “I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with
me where I am” (
John 17:24
). And the voice of God is heard; justice
is satisfied; Satan is vanquished. “Mercy and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other” (
Psalm 85:10
). The
arms of the Father encircle the Son, and His voice is heard, saying,
“Let all the angels of God worship him” (
Hebrews 1:6
).
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Christ, Our Divine Sin Bearer