December 17 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Philippians 2:5–11

Devotional

Christ did not think being equal to God robbery, because it was no robbery. The divine majesty had been resting upon Him from all eternity. He Himself was God, therefore, the fact that Christ was in the form of God and was clothed with divine glory and majesty was no robbery. But for Adam it was robbery. Adam wanted to steal the divine cloak, because he wanted to be as God. The devil said, “Ye shall be as gods” (Gen. 3:5). That, then, is what Adam attempted. He was a robber of God’s honor, when he wanted to be as God. He wanted to be autonomous and he wished to be placed above all laws and decrees. Philippians 2 tells us that Christ did not rob glory from God, because He was God: “Being in the form of God.” The form of God is His awesome glory, His eternal Majesty. He is God of God, and Light of Light. He is King of kings, and Lord of lords.

Moses once asked God: “I beseech thee, shew me thy glory” (Ex. 33:18). God’s answer was, “No, Moses, ‘Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live’” (Ex. 33:20). It was in this same glory that the exalted Christ revealed Himself to John on Patmos. John fell as dead at His feet. The majesty of God is unexplainable. We read in Isaiah that even the holy angels cover their faces when they stand around the throne. They cry out, “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isa. 6:3). The cherubim and the seraphim, Michael and Gabriel, all the angelic hosts, and all the legions of angels all obey Him at His beckoning; He is God. When Christ was born, He laid all this glory aside. He laid off His divine garment of majesty. That is what the coming of Christ into this world means: He, who was equal to God, now becomes equal to humanity. He became subject to all miseries, yes, to condemnation itself.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.