The evening session at the 2010 Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology started with a reading from Micah 4:1-2 and the singing of A Mighty Fortress is our God. If you’ve never had the opportunity to sing with the choir at Tenth, you really have no idea how incredible it is. The quality of our worship is not a function of our musical ability, but this is overrealized eschatological singing if I’ve ever heard it.
J. Ligon Duncan, President of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, spoke for a few minutes regarding the Alliance, Tenth Presbyterian, and Phil Ryken, who will be leaving Tenth to become the President of Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL.  Dr. Ryken read from Revelation 1:9-20 given us a foretaste of the material yet to come in the conference.  We then we proceeded to sing Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken and My Hope is in the Lord, another majestic hymn.
At this point Sinclair Ferguson came to the pulpit to deliver his evening message. He clued us in to the fact that he was a substitute. Â He proceeded to speak of the fact that he had declined Rick Phillips’ original invitation, but Friday’s speaker had backed out. There was much joking and much laughter, especially between Rick Phillips and Ligon Duncan seated behind Dr. Ferguson. Rick Phillips even became a “supererogator in merit” apparently telling Dr. Ferguson just how much he had done for Sinclair, his church, etc.
Needless to say, Dr. Ferguson agreed. When asked what was the given topic, Rick Phillips told him he could do anything, so long as it was related to Christ. Ferguson said he’s not going to do “anything” but “everything” in this message. And that he did. Using Genesis 3:15, the proto evangelium as his entry point, Ferguson led the attendees through a guided tour of God’s overarching plan of redemption throughout history.
Ferguson then shifted to Luke 24 and the account of the road to Emmaus. The disciples experienced Christ expanding the Scripture to them. As he unfolding this amazing account, Ferguson said that he has become more and more convinced that Jesus would have started this Scriptural tour with Genesis 3:15.
The reason the Son came into the world was to destroy the works of the devil (cf Col 2; Heb 2). And analogous to how the history of philosophy is a footnote to Plato and Aristotle, the whole of the Bible is a series of footnotes and expressions on the victory pronounced in Gen 3:15. And we see this played out again. Satan returns in Revelation as a giant serpent, a red dragon. This picture in Gen 3:15 is colorfully caught up in showing to us Christ, and one day this victory will be visible from sea to sea. The history of redemption demonstrates that Christ is its meaning, king and lord.
1) Jesus Christ is the Meaning of History
This passage projects us into a deep understanding that Jesus Christ is the meaning of history. History is His Story (Michael Jackson?). The whole of human history is seen through the lens of these two powers/seeds (Kline?). There is the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent; the contrasts between Seth/Cain, David/Goliath, Church/Roman Empire – there is a clear leitmotif.
Similar themes of reset and provision appear. Â Eve’s statement “I have gotten a man with the help fo the LORD” anticipates Noah (which sounds like the Hebrew “rest”) and points forward to Isaac. Â Isaac asked “where is the sacrifice?” only to find God’s provision in the hour of need. Â The sacrifice is a type of Christ, the priest after the order of Melchizedek will come. Â All of Biblical history contains hints of Jesus Christ, the greater realization.
Hebrews 1 testifies that in these last days God has spoken to us in His Son. Christ is the meaning of history. Brilliant minds have searched to no avail, but the simplest reader of Scripture has the answer.
2) Jesus Christ is the King of History
Jesus had come to consummate his kingdom; to reserve the kingdoms of the world. This is precisely what Satan tempted him with. The king has come to reclaim his territory, but it must be done in his time according to his plan. We see the enemy at work throughout history trying to thwart this plan. At the climax of history, Christ’s death/resurrection, the demonic presence was in unprecendented measure. All the forces of the present evil age were moving to curtail what the king of history had come to do. But they could not stop him and he demonstrated not only his kingship, but also that he is history’s lord.
3) Jesus Christ is the Lord of History
What does it mean that Jesus is the Lord of history? One implication is that his word of gospel grace must to be proclaimed to the ends of the earth. Â His lordship also speaks to his present activity in bringing his good work to completion. Our Lord has not imagined that the crushing of the serpent is the end of the battle. Indeed it is the guarantee of victory, but Christ continues to build his church. And he will return to judge the powers of this age
One of the most hopeful pictures in the New Testament is that found in 1 Cor 15:20ff. Paul speaks about the hope of the resurrection and the glorified bodies that await those united to Christ. Â And though we look to that hope and are guaranteed of its arrival, we don’t yet see all things under his feet. We await the consummation. Therefore we must look to Christ. And at this point, Dr. Ferguson said that he thinks his congregation may not believe he knows how to finish a sermon – simply because they all end in the same way. “Don’t you think it is the greatest thing in the world to be a Christian?”
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve. (Romans 16:17-18)