Resource Manager Posted June 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2016 26 June 2016 1 Samuel 5; 6Isaiah 51Revelation 12; 13 BEASTS, A DRAGON & A WOMAN What are we to make of the kaleidoscope of scenes that pass before our eyes as we read the Book of Revelation? Bible readers of each generation have read this last message of Jesus – and each have seen in their times various godless forces competing for power and dominance. Most, probably all, claim to be serving their particular “vision” of what God is – or in most recent generations, that Man himself is “monarch” of all that exists. They “imagine” how their God is going to reward them; this is particularly the case with the Muslims today – as it was in past centuries with Crusaders and the Rome dominated brand of Christianity which gained a bad name as people saw R.C. Priests with opposing armies blessing and praying to the same God for success in their fighting. In our reading today we have a “woman” in contrast to the dragon and the beasts. God miraculously protects her as both the “serpent” [Revelation 12:15] and the “dragon” [Revelation 12:17] pursue her and “make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” Those who are faithful to God are tested to prove their faithfulness. Often that “war” has taken a more subtle and dangerous form as true believers are tempted to water down God’s commandments and the testimony of Jesus and compromise their commitment to truth: this is very much the case today. In Revelation 13 we read of an awesome beast coming on the scene “uttering haughty and blasphemous words” [Revelation 13:5] and then another beast “deceives those who dwell on the earth” [Revelation 13:14] to support the first beast which is then revealed as bearing the number 666 and everyone is expected to bear “the number of his name” [Revelation 13:17] But, ignoring the chapter break, we next read, “Then I looked, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb” [Revelation 14:1] and then the “eternal Gospel” is proclaimed “to those who dwell on earth, to every nation …” [Revelation 14:6] This vision is parallel with Isaiah 2 particularly Isaiah 2:3. We long to see the Lamb stand on Mt. Zion, but until then we must resist the dragon and the beasts in whatever godless form they take in seeking to undermine our lives from maintaining a whole hearted commitment “to the testimony of Jesus.” -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted June 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2016 27 June 2016 1 Samuel 7; 8Isaiah 52Revelation 14 "PUT NOT YOUR TRUST IN PRINCES ..." The two chapters we read in 1 Samuel today convey a lesson of the kind of power human beings prefer to trust in. We read today how people experience the one, but, in the end, prefer the other. They are more “comfortable” with a humanly visible evidence of protection. 1 Samuel 7 tells us of the protection that came to Israel because they had a very godly man, Samuel, who “judged Israel all the days of his life” [1 Samuel 7:15] Eli was dead, his two worthless sons had been killed, the ark had been fearfully returned by the Philistines and Samuel exhorted them, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods … direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only and he will deliver you from the Philistines.” [1 Samuel 7:3]. And they did so. Now the Philistines came up against Israel and they were afraid of them [1 Samuel 7:7] and they implored Samuel to “cry out to the LORD our God for us.” [1 Samuel 7:8] and Samuel did so and “the LORD thundered with a mighty sound … and threw them into confusion and they were routed before Israel.” [1 Samuel 7:10] “So the Philistines were subdued … and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.” [1 Samuel 7:13] Now when Samuel became old the people started asking for a king rather than asking for another judge like Samuel. They wanted a display of human power rather than seeking further strong spiritual leadership. They “refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, ‘No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations” [1 Samuel 8:19,20] So they got their king and we know what a mixed up sort of person Saul proved to be. We know well the dramatic story of Goliath, who defied Saul and Israel until David came on the scene. The lesson for us? Look at the words of David – “Put not your trust in princes … in whom there is no salvation” [Psa. 146:3] “Offer right sacrifices and put your trust in the LORD.” [Psa. 4:5] And what are “right” sacrifices? Read Psalm 107:22; 116:17.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted June 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2016 28 June 2016 1 Samuel 9Isaiah 53Revelation 15; 16 "GREAT AND AMAZING" 1 Samuel 9 is about how God gave his people the type of king they desired. The LORD was later to emphasise to Samuel that “the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." [1 Samuel 16:7] For their first king the LORD allowed the people to have a king that was desirable by their standards. "Saul, a handsome young man ... From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people." [1 Samuel 9:2] There is a great contrast to this in today's chapter in Isaiah, Isaiah 53. This familiar and heart-moving chapter unfolds to reveal "the arm of the LORD" to discerning readers. Recall how this chapter challenged the thinking of the Ethiopian eunuch and led to his conversion [Acts 8:26-39] How the Ethiopian must have puzzled as he read, "He was despised and rejected" and became "acquainted with grief ... and we esteemed him not." [isaiah 53:3] This is the case today - in a different way! The true picture of Christ as revealed in the Gospels is blurred as a result of philosophies about 'the trinity' invented in later centuries. Thankfully the original scriptures are readily available today and can and must be absorbed into human thinking and understanding by those who truly desire a real relationship, day after day, with the Saviour which the Father, the Eternal God, has wondrously provided. We read in Isaiah 53:10-11 "... it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities." Our chapters in Revelation, Revelation 15;16, dramatically picture the 'prospering' his 'hand' is to accomplish! Ponder "the song of the Lamb" in Revelation 15:3-4: the words are " "Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." These are "revealed" after the events we read at the end of Revelation 14, our godless world will not find them so: indeed the very opposite! How awesome to imagine "the great winepress of the wrath of God." How much does our world deserve this wrath! Thankfully this will be followed by "great and amazing" deeds, causing "all nations (to) come and worship"! Let us be aware of who will be counted faithful believers! They are those “who stay(s) awake, keeping (their) garments on" [Revelation 16:15]. May it be that many, of both spiritual and natural Jews, “put on … beautiful garments" - as we read yesterday in Isaiah 52:1. What a “great and amazing” experience awaits them.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted June 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 29 June 2016 1 Samuel 10Isaiah 54Revelation 17; 18 "GOD HAS REMEMBERED …" Babylon was the greatest city in the earth at the time of Nebuchadnezzar. We read of its greatness in Daniel. But when John received the visions that are in Revelation, the original city had long been in ruins. It had been destroyed “to rise no more” as Jeremiah prophesied (Jeremiah 51, note the last verse) In recent years the late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, visited the ruins and in 1982 his workers began building a 600 room palace for him there! It all came to nothing. The description of ‘Babylon the Great’ in Revelation is a challenge to understand! Nebuchadnezzar was told he was the “head of gold” of the image he saw in his dream, and he was a failure. The ‘Babylon’ in Revelation is a counterpart – a dominant head that that proves to be a spiritual failure. Today we read of “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations’ [Revelation 17:5], a “woman drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” [Revelation 17:6] So we identify Babylon as the power that made martyrs out of those who truly followed Jesus, they believed and practiced what he taught – and taught the same. History shows that down the centuries, for well over 1,000 years, the Roman Catholic Church has made martyrs of true believers, especially those who proclaimed her teaching wrong. In her power she dominated many nations and some kings came to be crowned by the Pope! It is remarkable that today most nations have a diplomatic relationship with the Vatican. She has a unique standing among the nations, members of the British royal family and even the Russian leader have visited the Pope. We read today of her riding on a beast [Revelation 17:3] “arrayed in purple and scarlet” [Revelation 17:4] but she comes to a dramatic and sudden end “in one hour” [Revelation 18:10]. It says, “her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine and she will be burned with fire for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her” [Revelation 18:8] Have her actions been purely spiritual? No, she has exercise much influence in all ways of life. It is fascinating that when we is destroyed the “merchants … shipmasters” etc. “wept and mourned.” [Revelation 18:15,17] . Some see that because the European Union was established by the “Treaty of Rome” that there is a connection here. Is there a form of judgement God will bring upon it? But the subject is too vast for us to comment further. But we note how John also says, “I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues for … God has remembered her iniquities ..." [Revelation 18:4-5] The Almighty has unlimited ability to remember! May He remember the reality of our faith. Let us remember what we read in 1 John 5:4 earlier this month. “…everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the worldour faith.” How close are we now to the end of “the last hour” – from God’s perspective? Let us be “be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" was the warning of our Lord. [Luke 12:40]-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted June 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 30 June 2016 1 Samuel 11; 12Isaiah 55 Revelation 19; 20 “COME, EVERYONE WHO THIRSTS” This is how Isaiah 55 commences. Of course it is not about physical thirst – but the thirst our minds need to have for eternal things - and these are beyond wonder! If we fully grasp them, this is spiritual food! It is an invitation – “"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." The Isaiah 55:2 is equally interesting - and challenging! It asks, "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which does not satisfy?" That is - to satisfy our minds, opening them up to an eternal vision! If we are just living for the day or the week - or the month - life is not genuinely satisfying. Isaiah 55:3 invites us to "Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live ..." If we do not do this we will not "live" - that is, live eternally; but we need to respond with all our heart to this invitation. If we do, says the LORD, "I will make with you an everlasting covenant ..." just as he made with David. Jesus is referred to as the "Son of David" 16 times in the gospels. Those who become brothers or sisters of Christ also share in this "everlasting covenant." Isaiah 55:6-7 jump out and into our minds (if our "hearts" are listening!) "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Few hearts are listening today, they think they have learnt every possible thing there is - that is important or of interest to them. But look at the friction nearly everywhere in the world! Nearly all hearts are listening, or eyes absorbing the wrong things - godless things! Look at what the LORD "declares" in Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways" But we can be conscious of God's ways and thoughts, look at Isaiah 55:11! "My word … that goes out from my mouth ... shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose ..." The "purpose" will be accomplished by the return of God's Son to the earth - and then "you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace" [isaiah 55:12] For "everyone who thirsts" - these words quench their thirst, and rid them of all sense of emptiness in their minds as to the eternal meaning of life - they open up a vision of their future when they "Come" to their Creator and his Son and "quench their thirst." They come to Jesus, who told those who would listen and understand, “For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.” [John 6:55] They do not thirst! Do you?-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts