Steven A. Bush - August 2, 2026
The Hour Ordained Before Time Began
In John 12:23-24, we find the words of our Lord: "And Jesus answered them, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.'" (ESV) Then in V-27 Jesus adds: "Now is My soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour." (ESV) There's a phrase we see used throughout the NT; first by Jesus as recorded by John and later by Paul & Peter: "Before the foundation of the world." The phrase is more than a prehistoric notion, in essence it’s saying, "before time" or better yet it's referring to, "eternity past." So when Jesus says, "But for this purpose I have come to this hour," the "hour" to which He speaks was foreordained by God way-way prior to creation as we know it! And what was Jesus' purpose--His plan? Mankind's Redemption! The plan was for Jesus to become sin for us that in Him we might become the righteousness of God! (See 2 Cor. 5:21) What love! What sacrifice! What perfect timing!
Scripture References: John 12:20-2033, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Peter 1:18-1821