Resource Manager Posted December 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2017 26 December 2017 Job 35; 36Zechariah 11Revelation 12; 13 "ENDURANCE AND FAITH" "Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints" [Revelation 13:10]. The AV Bible uses the word "patience" here, one of seven significant occasions when the word occurs in this book – we should best read it as "patient endurance." This statement was true then – and it is just as true today; it is vital it becomes the guiding principle in our lives. Honesty should compel all dedicated students of God's word to admit that a good number of things in the Bible are a "challenge" – in particular to understand and try to be specific in expounding prophecy; all to often time has proved such efforts misguided. We can see the wonderful framework, but filling in the details has led all expositors into trouble at times. That said though, it is clear from what is written that there is to be, and has been throughout history, continuing frustration in learning and understanding that which is true and right in relation to what God has revealed. All too often human perversions threaten to confuse our understanding. It was so in the time of Jesus and we read several times of Jesus condemning the religious leaders for teaching their own traditions [Matthew 15:3-6]. Such are represented in Revelation by a dragon and a beast. We read of a beast that looks somewhat like a lamb [Revelation 13:11] but when it opens its mouth it is clear it is not. A lesson in life is that one never judges simply by appearances! This is why it is essential to read and absorb the teachings of the Bible for ourselves. In past Centuries, those represented by the symbols of the beast and the dragon, often persecuted those who followed the lamb and sometimes they became martyrs – which is what happened to some of the first disciples. Today, we also have to contend with more and more dogmatic statements by those who believe in evolution! Only a fool believes life has developed by pure chance – by an incredible countless number of accidents – and there is no Creator! The outcome today is a world abounding with even greater immoral behaviour. There is "no fear of God before their eyes" [Romans 3:18]. So the call for "endurance and faith" is more important today than ever. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2017 27 December 2017 Job 37Zechariah 12Revelation 14 "STRENGTH THROUGH THE LORD OF HOSTS" Nine times we read the phrase "on that day" in just 15 verses in Zechariah 12 through to the first 2 verses of Zechariah 13. We note the prelude to these pronouncements, "Thus declares the LORD who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him" [Zechariah 12:1]. These words fascinate us as a way to announce the character of God, a declaration of his absolute almightiness as the originator of all that exists. It is the first "on that day" that has captivated the attention of believers throughout our lifetime. "On that day" we read, "I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it." [Zechariah 12:3] Jerusalem will be the centre of attention in the Middle East, attracting more and more the attention of the whole world since Israel became a nation again in 1948 after being "dead" since AD 70. In recent years the USA tried hard to "lift" the stone to solve the problem: it seems to have only made matters worse. The influences of Islamic countries have grown greater and it now seems clear that someday, maybe soon, an "explosion" will occur. The next "on that day" is when God "will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness" [Zechariah 12:4]. Today men have invented a great variety of "vehicles" to replace the horse. They get around at great speed. What is this madness? We suggest it means totally irrational behaviour in a situation which gets totally out of control. Now notice the declaration in the next verse. "The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the LORD of hosts their God." We are strongly inclined to believe this happens because God has poured out on "Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him they have pierced, they shall mourn" [Zechariah 12:10]. This portrays the wonder of the return of Christ, the Jews recognise their Messiah at last; but Zechariah 13:8,9 appears to indicate they first experience a traumatic time when God will "refine them". There is an incredible turnaround of events "the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives" [Zechariah 14:4] from where Jesus ascended [Acts 1:9-12]. But also "on that day there shall be a fountain opened for … the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness" [Zechariah 13:1]. This will be a most momentous climax – will we witness it?-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2017 28 December 2017 Job 38Zechariah 13; 14Revelation 15; 16 "FINE LINEN IS THE RIGHTEOUS DEEDS OF THE SAINTS" Today's reading of the last chapter of the prophet Zechariah starts with, "Behold a day is coming for the LORD … will gather all nations against Jerusalem …" and our reading in Revelation contains the only verse in the Bible with the word ARMAGEDDON. We read there how "demonic spirits" (totally irrational attitudes? Now seen in many countries! These " go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God Almighty. Behold I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake … and they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon" [Revelation 16:14-16]. The word Armageddon used to crop up in our Newspapers quite a lot, sometimes in relation to climate change and fearsome weather events. It was also used in relation to the world-wide financial instability, which is still far from solved, but kept hidden for fear of destabilising the potentially erratic world economy which has become sort of supercharged so that it needs continuous massive spending. This is the NOW generation, we must have everything NOW. The money crisis has been kept at bay by Governments like the USA throwing a heap of largely "invented" money into the system. Of course, money is no longer gold and silver, which was its foundation, even 60 years ago. Money has become a "beast" which people worship. It is interesting that Revelation 16 says a replica (image) of the beast causes "harmful and painful sores" on "those who bore the mark of the beast and worshipped its image" [Revelation 16:2] We ponder the possible application to the "image" of money that we use today. Zechariah's chapter also describes Armageddon without using the word! Remember our thoughts yesterday. After the LORD goes forth to fight "… the mount of Olives shall be split in two" [Zechariah 14:3-4]. We noted that Revelation 16:18 speaks of "a great earthquake such as there has never been since man was on earth." Zechariah also states that "all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, their tongues will rot in their mouths" [Zechariah 14:12]. That sounds horribly like radiation. But then, writes Zechariah, "the LORD will be King over all the earth then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship in King, the LORD of Hosts …" [Zechariah 14:9,16]. We have read almost the same in Revelation, "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" [Revelation 15:4]. The challenge to us - we quote again "Blessed is the one who stays awake keeping his garments". We note Revelation 19:8 - "fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints". We must be with those who are awake, keeping our garments in the very best condition – that is - with our Lord's help - humanly possible (see Revelation 16:15).-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2017 29 December 2017 Job 39Malachi 1Revelation 17; 18 "I HAVE LOVED YOU' SAYS THE LORD" Today we started reading the last book of the Old Testament, by the prophet Malachi. This was the final message of God; he sent no more prophets until John the Baptist and Jesus Christ came. It was a time of divine silence similar to today, but they did have the writings of the prophets and patriarchs and we also have God's word. Malachi's message begins, "The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. 'I have loved you,' says the LORD, But you say, 'How have you loved us?'" God's answer to their question is just as relevant today. There is a lot of talk in Church circles that "God is love" – is that talk meaningless? Why did the people of Malachi's day ask this question? It was because they expected the LORD to endlessly show his love regardless of how they behaved. Their lives had become full of problems; as a result, they cannot see any evidence of God's love. God causes Malachi to respond, "the LORD of hosts says to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, 'How have we despised your name?' By offering polluted food upon my altar … when you offer those that are lame, or sick, is that not evil?" [Malachi 1:7-8] They offered to God the things that were no longer of value to them. What is the equivalent today? One answer is – our time! Are we too busy to make the time to read God's word? When we do read it, does it stir us into action to use our particular talents in some area of service? Malachi's message is very relevant to many attitudes today; note Malachi 1:13 "… you say, 'What a weariness this is.'" Today, much more than then, there are interesting and humanly exciting things to do than to give more than a passing thought to God – at the very best to find a couple of hours to spare from the 168 hours in the week to offer a form of "worship" – and maybe the main interest then is in "fraternization"? Some may see participation in Christmas time activities as showing "love" to God? Singing carols perhaps? The words of one popular carol particularly struck us, we chanced to hear it sung by a popular entertainer, "Man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day!" What nonsense. Disasters followed Malachi's time and the message at the start of Malachi 4 is even more relevant today: "For behold, the day is coming … when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble … but for you who fear my name …" Let us fear God's name and use our time in 2018 in ways that show we do. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2017 30 December 2017 Job 40Malachi 2Revelation 19; 20 "EVERYONE WHO DOES EVIL IS GOOD ..." After Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament was written, there was silence; no inspired message from God until John the Baptist came on the scene 400 years or so later. No wonder John attracted so much attention. Through Malachi God again predicted the coming of Jesus, his special messenger, but Jesus states that John had also been predicted [Luke 3:15] in the words we will read in Malachi 3:1, "Behold I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me." Malachi's message, like those of many prophet's before him, fell on deaf ears. The religious leaders, the Levites, were misrepresenting God. "You have wearied the LORD with your words' he tells them. They ask, "How have we wearied him?" His response was , "By saying everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them." [Malachi 2:17] How could they say that? Well we can see today how much "whitewash" is painted over ways of living that God declares is wrong. By representing God as being merciful, by twisting the application of the Law almost no matter how they lived the religious leaders in the time of Jesus were also misrepresenting God. Finally, a terrible judgement fell of them. What about today? There is a near silence in the established churches about the latter day warnings in God's word. Malachi's warnings apply to today when we read, "behold the day is coming , burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming will set them ablaze" [Malachi 4:1]. In contrast, how wonderful is the other side of the message! Let's make sure we fix the gaze of our thinking on the other side ... "for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall arise …" [Malachi 4:2]. Malachi mentions the book of life of which we read in Revelation today [Revelation 20:12]. Malachi calls it a book of remembrance and writes, "Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them …" [Malachi 3:16-17]. Let us live so we become one of God's treasured possessions?-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted December 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2017 31 December 2017 Job 41; 42Malachi 3; 4Revelation 21; 22 "BUT FOR YOU WHO FEAR MY NAME ..." If you believe in God, are you in awe of him? This is the underlying sense of the word "fear." God does not want us to be scared of him as we might be scared of a bully or an evil person. The closing words of the Old Testament we read today show how God will in the climax of human godlessness deal with its' evil, "Behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evil doers will be stubble" [Malachi 4:1]. These are words which compare with the awesome parts of the Revelation chapters we read yesterday. Then God reveals to Malachi an opposite vision. "But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet … says the LORD of hosts" [Malachi 4:3-4] Again, Revelation helps us to "see" the meaning of the imagery of this wording. There are comparisons here with the words of the LORD to Job in his final chapter which we also read today. We noted what Job acknowledged concerning God; "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted" [Job 42:2]. This is Job's response to God's question, "Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?" Job says "I have uttered what I did not understand … I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself and repent …" [Job 42:3,5,6] It was Job's lack of "knowledge" in the sense of knowing, of having a relationship that was his shortcoming. And for us, a "real" prayer life is an essential step toward achieving this ourselves. Do we talk or write about things we do "not understand" at times? Hasn't this proved to be the case with some of our attempts to interpret and "understand" prophecy over the years? Job had known God in theory and, in that sense, had spoken "what is right" about him [Job 42:7], not like the "friends" with whom God is angry. Job now "sees" the awesome reality of what he had been talking to the "friends" about. Job is surely one of those God was referring to in his words through Malachi, "But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise." Let us all as 2017 ends develop a frame of mind, a spirit of meditation so that this is also true of us – and our "fear" – that is awe of the "name" - this is our sense of the awesome character and power of the Creator is ready for when the "day" that "is coming" actually comes! How awesome! What "real" faith we will surely need – and the time to make sure we have it is now! 2018 has all the indications of being the ultimate faith testing year.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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