Saved, Lost, Saved Again.

1 Pt 10-12. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched dillgently. To show how great a priviledge it is to possess this glorious salvation, Peter refers first to the Old Testament prophets. To describe the excitement and wonder of the prophets concerning salvation and grace, verse 10 uses two emphatic compound words. The objects of this industrious research on the part of the prophets were first, the person specifically in whom all these messianic prophecies would be fulfilled, and second the precise moment of fulfillment ( Gr kairos ). The prophets knew a great deal about the coming salvation and the coming Saviour. They knew that their prophecies reached far beyond their own times, and even beyond the bounds of their own nation. These things were supernaturally revealed to them. There were cetain aspects of the glorious salvation which they prophesied which continually escaped them, and Peter's point is that the glorious objects of the prophetic inquiry have now been openly proclaimed and fulfilled in the preaching of the apostles.
The priviledge of living in the age of fulfillment should overwhelm us. This priviledge is further emphasized by Peter as he refers in verse 12 to the angels; which things the angels desire to look into. The last word in the verse, look into , means graphically "stooping down close to get a peek at". The picture is that this is something the angels had always wanted to do (Greek present tense) but have never been able to accomplish. This stresses the point that although prophets and angels have been unable to satisfy themselves as to precisely what salvation is all about, we have the priviledge not only of full exposition, but of real possession.

Benjamin C. Chapman, Ph.D. Former Professor of Rligion, Liberty University B.R.E., Grand Rapids Baptist Colledge; B.D.,M.R.E.,Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary; Th.M., Calvin Theological Seminary; Ph.D., Bob Jones University.

God Bless!