In 1:10 and 11 Peter says, “Concerning which salvation the prophets, who prophesied concerning the grace unto you, sought out and searched out, searching into what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in them made clear, witnessing beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories after these.” In the foregoing message we pointed out that in verse 11 Peter refers not only to what time but also to what manner of time Christ would suffer and be glorified. It is rather easy to understand what time, but it is difficult to understand what Peter means by what manner of time.
Genesis 3:15 says, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; and it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” According to this verse, the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent, and the serpent would bruise his heel. This means that Christ would bruise the head of Satan and that Satan would bruise Christ’s heel. To bruise the head is to kill, but to bruise the heel is to hurt. This word concerning the serpent bruising Christ’s heel points to His suffering. When Christ came to deal with Satan on the cross, He suffered. If we research Genesis 3:15 carefully, we shall see that this verse speaks of the suffering of Christ. What is described in Genesis 3:15 is exactly what Christ did to Satan, and what Satan did to Christ.
Isaiah 53 speaks of what manner of time Christ suffered. If you research Isaiah 53, you will see that this chapter reveals the manner of time of Christ’s crucifixion. This chapter speaks clearly about Christ’s death in plain words, just as the New Testament does. But probably none of us has searched this chapter to find out the manner of time in which Christ died.
The first verse of Isaiah 53 says, “Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” This verse indicates that Christ came to suffer at a time that was full of unbelief, at a time when God’s people were not believing in Him. The prophet asked the question: “Who hath believed our report?” The prophet reported, preached, made an announcement, but no one listened to him. This means that when Christ came, the people of God were full of unbelief. That was the manner of time. Christ did not come at a time when the people of God were filled with faith and everyone had a strong belief in God. No, He came at a time when God’s people did not have belief in Him. The prophets knew this. They knew what manner of time Christ would come.
In Isaiah 6 the prophet indicates that God’s people were not willing to listen to His word: “And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.” (Isa. 6:9-10). The Lord Jesus quoted this word in Matthew 13, and Paul also quoted it in Acts 28. The quotation of this word by the Lord Jesus and by Paul indicates that the time Christ came to suffer for the accomplishment of God’s redemption was a time of unbelief.
Furthermore, according to Daniel 9, it was a time of captivity. If we read concerning the seventy weeks and study the context, we shall understand that the seventy weeks are a time of captivity. This is a further indication of the manner of time when Christ would come. It was to be a time of captivity. Christ actually did come at such a time. According to Daniel 9:26, “after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off.” This refers to the crucifixion of Christ, which was during a time of captivity. Both Isaiah 53 and Daniel 9 indicate the manner of time Christ would come to suffer for us.