TFTBR - December 2013

[Resource Manager]

26 December 2013

Job 35; 36
Zechariah 11
Revelation 12; 13

"PATIENT ENDURANCE"

"Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints" [Revelation 13:10.] The A V 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 on 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 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.
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- DC

[Resource Manager]

27 December 2013

Job 37
Zechariah 12
Revelation 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 has been 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.

The USA has 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 some day, 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 turn around 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] The most momentous climax possible to human history. Will you be there on that day?
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- DC

[Resource Manager]

28 December 2013

Job 38
Zechariah 13; 14
Revelation 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 in many countries) " … 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 crops 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, especially in Europe. The world's economy in the last 20 years has been supercharged so that it needs massive continuous spending. This is the NOW generation, we must have everything NOW.

The money crisis is kept at bay by Governments throwing a heap of largely borrowed money into the system. Of course, money is no longer gold and silver, which was its foundation, even 100 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]

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. [see Revelation 16:15]
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- DC

[Resource Manager]

29 December 2013

Job 39
Malachi 1
Revelation 17; 18

"BUILT TOGETHER"

Malachi is the last prophet God sent to his people Israel before John the Baptist and Christ came on the scene. After Malachi there is silence in Israel, no inspired man from God appears. Of course the records of the messages of the prophets are available; indeed they are carefully preserved as we can see from the discovery of so many scrolls in the caves by the Dead Sea in 1947-50.

So was there anything significant in the message God sent through the last prophet? The first half of his short book is a lament by God that the people only give in sacrifice to him what we might call the 'leftovers.'

The prophet's message is, "You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished." [Malachi 1:13,14]

Have these words any application today for those who say they believe and serve God? It certainly has! While there is no temple for us to bring our offerings, there is a spiritual temple. Paul wrote, "we are the temple of the living God; as God said, I will make my dwelling among them …" [2 Corinthians 6:16]. Paul made the same point to the believers at Ephesus saying that, "In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." [Ephesians 2:22]

Gatherings of believers must sense the wonder of this happening, the wonder of God's involvement in their lives. But do many only give to God the leftovers of their time today? Do some feel, as we read in Malachi, "What a weariness this is" [Malachi 1:13] when they feel obliged to find some time to use in a spiritual way. God even felt it would be better if someone "would shut the doors" to the temple so they "might not kindle fire on my altar in vain." [Malachi 1:10].

So if we only give to God our 'left over' time will not God also say of us, "I have no pleasure in you … I will not accept an offering". If we struggle to fit in time, and often do not succeed, in joining with fellow believers in acts of worship and in the reading and study of God's word, will God not have the same attitude toward us as he did in the days of Malachi? If we make a New Year's resolution on this ­ how quickly will it be broken? It depends on how well we sense the presence of God ­ and the climax of the book of Job gives us a lesson on this.
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- DC

[Resource Manager]

30 December 2013

Job 40
Malachi 2
Revelation 19; 20

"THE BOOK OF LIFE"

The symbolic language of the book of Revelation never fails to challenge the reader. Some of the symbology is quite clear. It is hard if not impossible to believe that God has a literal book, yet we believe that a divine record exists. The believers at Sardis were told "I know your works" [Revelation 3:1] and what was known was not good, but there was still time to change. We know today how much information can be packed into infinitesimally small "chips" - humans have discovered more and more of the wonders built into creation.

They have also learnt to "tame" some of the greater wild beasts and learnt the intriguing ways of many animals; but how few humans have learnt to have a meaningful relationship with God - look at the effort it needed for Job to achieve this.

In our heading we take some words from Revelation 20:12 about the opening of "the book of life." We read, "the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done … and if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life … he was thrown into the lake of fire." [Revelation 20:12,15]

"Death and Hades" are also "thrown into the lake of fire" [Revelation 20:14] so it is evident that the "lake of fire" is a symbol of the complete and final removal of these things, Hades means 'tombs, graves'. Revelation 21 says in plain language "death shall be no more" and "behold I make all things new" [Revelation 21:4,5] and we are given the ultimate situation in the future of the annihilation of all things that are ungodly, paradise is restored, a wonder of life unfolds which is far beyond our minds to grasp - it waits those who names are "found written in the book."

Yet no one whose names are "found written" will have earned that privilege. Eternal life we are told, is a "gift" that will be the result of the genuineness of our faith. Paul makes this point several times, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not the result of works that no one may boast" [Ephesians 2:8,9]. Faith is the vital ingredient in our minds, faith that changes the way we think and therefore act - remembering what we read last week in Jude, "build yourselves up in your most holy faith … keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life" [Jude 1:20,21] .
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- DC

[Resource Manager]

31 December 2013

Job 41; 42
Malachi 3; 4
Revelation 21; 22

"FOR BEHOLD ... "

Today, as 2013 ends, we complete reading both the Old and New Testaments.

Our first reading today in Malachi opens with the words "The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come ..." [Malachi 3:1]. The previous chapter had concluded with the words, "You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, 'How have we wearied him?'" [Malachi 2:17]

 

Two answers are given to that question - the first - you weary him "by saying, 'Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD'" Is the same being said today? The second answer given is, "by asking, where is the God of justice?" [Malachi 2:17] The point is people "weary" God by asking - why doesn't God intervene to bring justice? He will, but he will choose the time. God is "wearied" by human distortions of his ways.

His word, the Bible, is not read so that we know his ways. But it is available for all to read, but less and less do - and of those who do, so many fail to try to thoroughly digest the totality of its message; a surface reading gives some the impression that God always turns a 'blind eye' to the evil on the earth.

Now Malachi, the final prophet God sent to Israel, gives the same overall message as in Revelation - that God will suddenly act. In both Revelation [Revelation 20:12] and Malachi [Malachi 3:16-18] we read of "books" being written before God - and then opened! Malachi calls it a "book of remembrance". We read that those named in the book "shall be mine" says the LORD, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them …" In Revelation we read of those who will be called God's people that "he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for the former things have passed away." [Revelation 21:4]

We must, however, be aware of what else happens when "the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come …" "For behold" Malachi also writes, "the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts … But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings." [Malachi 4:1,2] We must live now in a way which shows we fear, that is, we are in awe of God's name - his reputation. This is made very clear to those who read his word, the Bible every day; for they know how much they need good food for their minds and the wonder of a real relationship with God that such food brings. May we all more earnestly seek that food in 2014.
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- DC