John 12:27-33 (NIV): “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
Very few people have taken note of all that happened in the world, in the whole universe, when Jesus died and rose again. The potential salvation of all mankind (conditioned, of course, on their receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior, and committing themselves to live as God’s people), was actually only the beginning!
Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God’s name was glorified. This always happens when God’s people obey Him; how much more so when His beloved Son obeys Him all the way through the ignoble death of crucifixion!
At the same time, judgment came on the world, on everyone who rejects the salvation that God had provided through Jesus. This judgment fell immediately on those who had steadfastly set themselves against Jesus. And that judgment worked itself out over the next several years as they experienced their separation from God; their powerlessness (when Jesus’ followers demonstrated great power); their inability to hear God’s voice (while all around them people were listening to and hearing God quite clearly). Ultimately, this led to complete spiritual dryness, and spiritual death, because they would not repent.
At the same time, the prince of this world was driven out and cast down, and was no longer allowed to enter the heavenly courts to accuse God’s people (cf. Revelation 12:7-12). He became a defeated foe, whose only recourse since that day has been to try to steer people away from the gospel, and so prevent them from being saved. He also tries to lure those already in the kingdom away from God, through distractions, tribulation, and persecution – which he has been quite successful at.
At the same time, the doors of heaven were thrown wide open. Many point to the scripture that says that no one could come to Jesus unless the Father drew them (John 6:44). But in this speech, Jesus is showing how all of that will change with His death and resurrection. At that point, God began working on the hearts of ALL people to draw them to Jesus. Of course, each person must choose to respond, but the invitation now really is to “whoever believes in Him,” (John 3:16) because God deeply wants everyone to come to repentance. (cf. 2 Peter 3:9)
Salvation was the key thing that Jesus accomplished on the cross. But that salvation had immediate side effects that have reverberated throughout all creation ever since that day.
Father, thank You for this salvation, and for all of these amazing “side effects”! There really is way more to them that we usually believe! Amen.
Today's Scripture 