“Anticipation.” A word used to describe the feelings of a child the night before his birthday party all the way up to a CEO the night before a big business deal. Anticipation is where people are looking to something eagerly and want to receive it. Imagine an event that has been prophesied of over 100 times by plenty of different people and even angels are involved in wanting to know about it. All of this would build up the anticipation of this event to enormous heights. But then, it’s not exactly what the people receiving it had in mind. This is what is referred to in 1 Peter 1:10-12.
This section discusses the interest of the prophets and angels in the coming salvation of Christ. But according to the Jewish mind it would be a different than what is revealed. Of what did the prophets testify? The sufferings of Christ? That does make sense. Our Christ is supposed to come and restore Israel and set up His kingdom.
Despite the misunderstanding, God chose to go this way with Christ. He went through spiritual restoration and not physical. He was the one who suffered for our sins so that we could be put into a right relationship with God. But imagine for a minute that all of this has been working and you are one of the few who truly believe in Christ. Then you receive these words of salvation. How would it make you feel if for thousands of years men of God testified of the days you were in and the salvation of which you have taken part? How would you feel if the angels of God were interested in how God was going to reveal this salvation? And you are the one who obeyed the salvation of God. My friends, I believe part of the reason Peter writes this is because he wants to encourage these Christians in the persecution they are going through, and what a great way to do it by assuring them that this is the salvation that your ancestors spoke of!
Then Peter says because of this you need to “gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hopefully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; …” I’d say that is quite an admonition. He says tighten up your mind and focus, be sober (awake and fully aware) and rest your hope, not partially but fully on the grace that will be revealed. He is saying look to the greater promises of God that He has planned for you because this is THE salvation that God determined for man.
Now, as obedient children, don’t go back to the mold of conduct the world follows because that was where you were in your ignorance. Be a separated people (1 Peter 2:9-10)! I think it is clear that Peter is showing that we need to get our lives out of the way of the world because this is the salvation that has been planned out to the minutest of detail. It wasn’t salvation that came about by random occurrences. Now because of the God who called us, there is a specific kind of lifestyle we are supposed to lead: a life of holiness to the Lord. Next time, Lord willing, we will continue our study go into detail on what Peter means by these statements in vss. 15-16.
Shane Millard