Faith & Reason Nexus

In the moments leading up to His crucifixion, Jesus declared, “Father, the hour is come,” marking the culmination of God’s plan for the salvation of humanity. Each aspect of this “hour” represents a significant truth about God’s purpose in Christ.

1. It Was the Destined Hour
   • 1 Peter 1:19-20: “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.”
   • This hour was no accident. It was part of God’s eternal plan, destined before the creation of the world. Christ’s sacrifice was always part of God’s purpose, set in motion from the beginning of time.
2. It Was the Determined Hour
   • Daniel 9:25-26: “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until the Messiah, the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.”
   • Prophecy had foretold this moment. Jesus’ hour had been determined and predicted long before His arrival. The Old Testament prophets, including Daniel, spoke of the coming Messiah and the time when He would bring salvation through His sacrifice.
3. It Was the Divine Hour
   • Leviticus 16:29-34: “This shall be a statute forever for you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger who dwells among you…”
   • The hour of Jesus’ death was part of God’s divine plan to provide atonement for sin. Just as the Day of Atonement in Leviticus foreshadowed the need for a sacrifice, Christ’s death was the ultimate fulfillment of that sacrificial system.
4. It Was the Defined Hour
   • Hebrews 9:26: “He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”
   • Christ’s sacrifice was a defined moment in time. It was not a perpetual event but a singular, decisive act to deal with sin once and for all, as defined by God’s plan for redemption.
5. It Was the Demonstrated Hour
   • Romans 5:8-9: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
   • The “due time” came when Christ demonstrated God’s love in the most profound way possible—through His willing sacrifice on the cross. His death was a tangible demonstration of God’s grace and mercy.
6. It Was a Distinct Hour
   • Titus 2:11: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.”
   • This was a distinct moment in history when God’s grace, which had been hidden in ages past, was fully revealed through the appearance of Christ. It was a time when salvation was made available to all, marking a unique turning point in history.
7. It Was the Distinguished Hour
   • John 12:23: “But Jesus answered them, saying, ‘The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.’”
   • In this moment, the cross would mark both the darkest and most glorious hour in history. It was distinguished in time and eternity, where the final victory over sin and death would be achieved, bringing glory to God.

John 17:1

• “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.”
  • In this powerful prayer, Jesus acknowledges that the appointed time had arrived for His sacrificial death. He speaks of this hour as the moment that would bring glory to God and accomplish the Father’s eternal purpose of salvation for mankind.

This “hour” represents the fullness of God’s plan of salvation, marked by prophecy, divine purpose, atonement, and grace. It was a moment both appointed and fulfilled in time, securing eternal life for all who believe in Jesus Christ.