We are commanded in 1 Peter 5:6 to humble ourselves “under the mighty hand of God” so “that He may exalt [us] in due time.” What specifically does Peter mean by this? How does this relate to the Feast of Trumpets? And, how does this relate to our being exalted in due time?
This is vital for each Christian to understand, as a potential firstfruit (James 1:18), because such humbling is an individual requirement if we are to become the worthy bride that Christ will glorify at His return—and it is also a national requirement that we will help the nations learn, after His return.
There are two vital components to humbling ourselves under God’s mighty hand. We can gain important insight from King David, the Apostles Peter and Paul, and from Jesus Christ Himself into how we can understand and fulfill this duty.
David, Peter, Paul and Jesus
The first component is to acknowledge, trust in, and glorify God’s greatness and His majesty. What was ancient King David’s attitude about God’s greatness and His majesty? As an accomplished warrior and mighty human king, David’s attitude was such that he wrote, “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head over all” (1 Chronicles 29:11).
The second component is to completely surrender our will to His, understanding that, “Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might, in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all” (v. 12). King David’s attitude was one of acknowledging God’s greatness and surrendering to His will. Consequently, we know that God will exalt King David in the first resurrection, to rule under Christ as king over the twelve tribes of Israel (Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 34:23–24).
Peter echoes this same attitude. After Jesus’ resurrection, Peter committed himself to serving Christ, feeding His sheep, and yielding to His will, even to the point of his own death by crucifixion (John 21:15–19). Peter also acknowledged God’s greatness and learned to surrender to His will. So, Peter will also be “exalted in due time.” He will rule in the coming Kingdom of God as a king over one of the twelve tribes of Israel, under Christ (Matthew 19:28).
This level of trust, adoration and submission may seem beyond our ability to attain, and it is! Humanly—using our abilities—it is impossible. Paul addresses this challenge in Romans 7:23–25. Although we “will” to do good, our carnality “wars” within us to sin. Then, Paul asks: “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (v. 24)—a question he answers by thanking God that he is and will be delivered through Jesus Christ.
But, how does Jesus Christ “deliver” us? Again, Paul explains in Galatians 2:20 that he had confidence and faith in victory over sin because he had learned to surrender his will and his ambitions to Christ (being “crucified with Christ”). As did David and Peter, Paul also understood that we can accomplish what is humanly impossible if we let Christ live fully and unreservedly in us (Philippians 4:13).
Scripture is full of instruction in how we can both understand and live according to these admonitions. Fittingly, Jesus Himself provides our ultimate example.
Oneness
Prior to His arrest at Gethsemane, and aware of the terrible events about to unfold, Jesus beseeched the Father in heartfelt prayer. His supplications are recorded for us in John 17. Toward the end of His prayer, Jesus was taking strength and comfort from knowing that He and the Father had been at one, were at one, and would again be at one. He was at remembering the oneness in glory that He and the Father had possessed for eternity, and was looking forward to that oneness again, after the short but horrible scourging and death that He would soon face.
However, there is an additional element in Jesus’ prayer. He was also thinking of, and praying about us, His potential firstfruit harvest to be “raised incorruptible” at His return (1 Corinthians 15:52)!
Jesus was looking forward to the reality that those who would believe and be “made perfect” would also become “one” in spirit with each other, with Him and with the Father (John 17:20–23). This includes not just Peter and the other Apostles, but also the many other faithful saints through the ages—as well as those in God’s Church today, if we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior (2 Peter 3:18), and if we endure to the end (Matthew 24:13).
Jesus was required to live perfectly and blamelessly, personifying love, patience, kindness and forgiveness (Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 4:32). He was the perfect Lamb “without blemish and without spot” to the point of death (1 Peter 1:19). Likewise, He is preparing His Church to reflect these same qualities. He desires for us to be “a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27) so we may become His worthy bride, the “Lamb’s wife” (Revelation 21:9).
As members of the Church of God, do our thoughts and actions show our Lord that we really love and respect the brethren and the ministry and that we really want to be “one” with those whom God has now called? Are we working and growing together into a “Holy Temple” (Ephesians 2:19–22)? Having a heart to fulfill Jesus’ prayer in John 17 to be “one” means that we will do our part to become a cooperative and active part of His body (1 Corinthians 12:12–17; 1 Peter 5:5) in which there should be “no schism” (1 Corinthians 12:25).
Love is required. The saints with whom God is pleased are not self-righteous, detached, judgmental, apathetic, vindictive, antagonistic, arrogant or independent. Instead, the saints with whom God is pleased understand that although imperfect now, they have been called by God to become one with Him and Christ in this life, and for eternity (Ephesians 1:15–23)! As such, we must show Christ our love for Him by showing our love for each other (John 13:34–35). We are showing this love when we worship together in peace and harmony at Sabbath services (1 Corinthians 14:33), when we extend hospitality to the brethren (Romans 12:13; Galatians 6:10), when we are fervent in intercessory prayer for one another (James 5:16), when we visit and serve the fatherless and widows in their times of need (James 1:27), when we forgive and reconcile with our brother, understanding that this is required in order for God to hear and answer our prayers (Isaiah 1:14–17; Matthew 5:22–24; 1 Timothy 2:8)—and when we remain zealously committed to the Work of preaching the gospel to the world (Mark 16:15).
If we strive to fulfill these scriptural commands, then the command not to forsake assembling ourselves together to worship and fellowship on the Sabbath day (Hebrews 10:25) will come naturally. Being a Christian in whom God is well pleased—and to whom God will give future glory—requires more than simply knowing the law and understanding prophecy. For that matter, by itself, a good understanding of the law and prophecy may still leave people as lukewarm Laodiceans, whom God will vomit out of His mouth for their refinement during the time of Satan’s wrath (Revelation 3:16; 12:17; 19:10).
In his November-December 2008 Tomorrow’s World article titled “Who Are You, Really?” Dr. Roderick C. Meredith wrote: “All of us—of every race and ethnic background—become ‘grafted’ into ‘spiritual Israel’ when we repent and are baptized into God’s Church today (Romans 11:19–23). We must all, whatever our backgrounds, be willing to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and cry out to Him for help in learning every lesson which He wants us to learn so we can be in His Kingdom for all eternity” (p. 8).
If we become lukewarm and detach ourselves from the Work that God is doing through His Church (Revelation 3:15–17), trusting in ourselves rather than God and His duly appointed ministry (Hebrews 13:17)—then can we honestly say to our High Priest that we heard His prayer that we become “one” and that we practiced love toward one another (John 13:34–35) and yielded to one another?
National Examples from the First and Second Exodus
Just as humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God requires us to individually acknowledge and glorify His greatness and His majesty, and to completely surrender our individual will to His, the same components are also required nationally. King David, Peter, Paul and Jesus illustrate for us what is required individually to please the Eternal and for Him to then glorify us “in due time.” But, God will also teach the nations to acknowledge and glorify His greatness and His majesty and to bring the national will under His in the Kingdom of God. The Exodus was not only an awesome example of God’s supernatural intervention to free His enslaved people; the Exodus was also a truly epic military maneuver. Under God’s great power—and through His appointed leadership—God witnessed to Egypt and freed Israel exactly 430 years after He had made His covenant with Abraham (Exodus 12:41; Galatians 3:17).
It was under the human leadership of Moses—a most humble man (Numbers 12:3), but also a most able military general who had years earlier brilliantly defended Egypt against overwhelming Ethiopian forces (Josephus, Antiquities, Book II, Chapter X, part 2)—that a few million Israelite ex-slaves exited their Egyptian bondage (Exodus 12:37–38). God indeed exalted His servant Moses “in due time” in his lifetime to be “a ruler and a deliverer” to ancient Israel (Acts 7:35), and God will exalt Moses again in His Kingdom!
When God brought Israel out of Egypt, He demonstrated His power and His glory at the national level. But, did the ancient Israelites glorify God and yield their will to Him? No! Consequently, God severely rebuked Israel for rejecting His authority and His law. “The house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments… they greatly defiled My Sabbaths” (Ezekiel 20:10–13).
Time and time again, the prophets record how ancient Israel went after foreign gods and pagan customs, doing what God considered abominable (1 Samuel 15:23; Jeremiah 9:13–14; Ezekiel 20:30; Hosea 11:2). But not only did the ancient Israelites refuse to practice true religion, they even conspired to remove God as their King. God’s will was to rule Israelites through His priests. But when Israel confronted a very real problem with Samuel’s corrupt sons (whom they feared would soon succeed the aging prophet), instead of trusting God to deal with the problem, The Israelites took matters into their own hands. They demanded to be “like all the nations” and have a human king appointed to rule over them (1 Samuel 8:3–5).
Did God approve of Israel’s human reasoning? No! God plainly states that Israel had not rejected His aged priest, but they had in reality rejected Him (v. 7)! From this moment until Christ’s triumphant return as King of kings, the house of Israel has nationally rejected God as its King. Thus, we sadly see that the people failed to conform their national will to God’s will. The problem or “fault” was with the people—not with God (Hebrews 8:8–9)!
But, the Bible foretells of a second Exodus that will likely occur not too many years from now. The second Exodus will occur after the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord—a time that will bring the entire earth to the brink of annihilation (Matthew 24:22). Individuals and nations will finally be ready to begin to learn to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God! During and after this second Exodus, Christ will again display His “mighty hand” (Ezekiel 20:33–34), but this time He will deploy His perfect, righteous and powerful firstfruit saints to teach and to reign under Him on the earth (Revelation 5:10). Will we be there with Christ, as His resurrected, immortal saints to help bring order, peace and healing to the world? We will, if we learn to humble our will under the mighty hand of God.
As awesome as the account of the first Exodus is, it is simply a foreshadowing of the second Exodus. Jeremiah 23:7–8 reveals about the second Exodus that people will no longer say, “‘As the Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.’”
The Feast of Trumpets pictures Christ’s return as conquering King of kings (Revelation 11:15; 19:11–19), when He will crush all opposition during the terrible “Day of the Lord” (Joel 2:1). Satan’s rule will be quickly crushed, and the Devil will then be bound for a thousand years (Revelation 20:2). During Christ’s ensuing millennial reign, He will simply not indulge rebellion—individually or nationally. Notice God’s proclamation: “‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face. Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you,’ says the Lord God” (Ezekiel 20:33–36).
What a tremendous promise! Not only will God rescue His people, but He will rule over them with a mighty hand. While Christ is the good and kind Shepherd (John 10:11), during this millennial rule, He will rule with a “rod of iron” when needed (Revelation 19:15). He will not permit harm, rebellion or idolatry (Isaiah 11:9). All nations will honor, worship and submit to the Eternal (Isaiah 56:6–8). Nations that were once enemies will learn to live in peace, and all nations will be blessed by the Eternal as they learn to submit to His will (Isaiah 19:24–25).
Glorification under God’s Mighty Hand
Who will assist Christ, the resurrected Apostles, King David, Abraham, Moses and others in teaching, governing, healing and rebuilding the nations in the Kingdom of God? The resurrected firstfruit saints will (Isaiah 61:4; Jeremiah 33:7; Acts 15:16)! The Feast of Trumpets is an annual reminder that at the seventh trumpet the glorified saints will join the triumphant King of kings (1 Corinthians 15:52, Revelation 11:15) to rule under Him during the Millennium (Revelation 5:10).
However, national obedience will not come automatically (Zechariah 14:17–19). But, Christ and the resurrected saints will teach the nations how to live and worship righteously (Isaiah 30:21). Christ and the saints will also lead the efforts to reclaim, rebuild and recover the multiple millions of acres of land ravaged and destroyed during the Great Tribulation (Isaiah 41:18–20). Shortly, because Israel and all the nations will begin to learn to submit under God’s mighty hand, abundance, life and good health will flourish, with blessings flowing first from Israel (Ezekiel 36:33–37), and then throughout the entire earth (Isaiah 27:6; Jeremiah 30:17)!
The Kingdom of God promises blessings and abundance! But, just as ancient Israel rebelled against God, so does most of the world today. And rebelliousness can even infect some of God’s saints. Sadly, what Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote in Lesson 37 of the Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course applies not just to the world, but even to some Christians: “Most human beings cannot grasp this marvelous truth. They are unwilling to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God and wait to be exalted in His due time.”
All of us must “search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the Lord” if we find we are in error (Lamentations 3:40). But will we? Will we hear Jesus’ prayer now to be “one” in Christ with each other (John 17:20–21) now, under God and under His appointed human authority in His Church (1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Timothy 2:7)? Those who say they are spiritually “rich” and “have need of nothing” are violating 1 Peter 5:6 and are not humbling themselves under the mighty hand of God.
Some have become apathetic, and are not zealously working out their own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Others have rejected authority and have drifted off into small, ineffective groups, not only not learning submission now, but also incapable of powerfully doing the work of warning the world as required in Mark 16:15 and elsewhere.
Others, with “itching ears” are pursuing unsound doctrines (2 Timothy 4:3), and following false ministers and self-appointed prophets whose preaching may once have been founded on truth, but has become demonstrably fallacious and even heretical because of their rebelliousness.
Still others, using human reasoning like those in Samuel’s day, have rejected godly government, have watered down doctrine, and have made “doing the Work” a secondary priority. Some have adopted a Babylonish religious custom—practiced by most false churches, from the Catholics and Eastern Orthodox who “elect” their Popes and Patriarchs, to the Baptists or Protestants who “elect” their ministry—and have decided to vote for who and what they want. However, from Genesis to Revelation there is not a single verse that endorses balloting for offices within God’s Church! Note that “casting lots” was not voting—the lot was thrown and God decided how the lot fell. It was not a tabulation to determine the majority opinion (Proverbs 16:33; John 19:24; Acts 1:26)!
God does not intend us to be apathetic or divided, and Christ is judging us now (1 Peter 4:17) regarding whether or not we will choose now to live by every word of God (Luke 4:4).
Will we make excuses and stray from the faith (1 Timothy 6:20–21)? Will we even completely leave the faith (2 Peter 3:17)? Can we learn to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand now? Or, will we fall into Satan’s hand during the coming Great Tribulation (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 12:12; Revelation 13:7)?
God desires to lose none whom He has called (John 6:39), that we may be part of the firstfruit harvest that Christ will raise up as His glorified saints at the seventh trump (1 Corinthians 15:52)! Let us learn to be “one” now (John 17:22), humbling ourselves under God’s mighty hand now, so we may be exalted in due time (1 Peter 5:6)!