Revelations

The End of All Things

The book of Revelations is the description of the seven Gentile church ages through history from the time of Jesus' death to the present.  To write about it in detail is beyond the scope of this blog, about  which I stated a year ago, which was to write about my experience of reading the Bible through in one year.

This, for now, will be the final posting for this blog.

To my few faithful readers, I offer my humble thanks.

To anyone who would stumble across this blog, please feel free to peruse and comment on any entries.  Most of my later entries have been short, but there are many entries that are in-depth and descriptive.  Any and all comments are welcome.

Thank you and God Bless You and God bless the reading of His Word!!!

Your brother in Christ, Dale Knight.

Malachi

I Send Elijah

Malachi promised in chapter 4, verse 5, the the Lord will send the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord.  The Elijah spirit is much admired by God, to the point that He uses this spirit five times - Elijah, Elisha, John the Baptist, the Elijah of Malachi 4, and the Elijah in Revelation 11.

The Elijah spirit has easily enumerated attributes: Love of the wilderness, oddball, loner, hater of immoral women, no desire for fame or fortune, and an unbending fealty to the Word of God.  In these last days, an Elijah is promised.  Has he arrived and we missed him?

Zechariah

End-time Prophecy

The book of Zechariah covers a wide variety of subjects.  Primarily it is a series of messages to the ones rebuilding the Temple, the ones to whom Haggai prophesied.  Additionally, Zechariah has prophecies concerning the coming Messiah, the "Branch" and King of David.  Rich in symbolism and poetic language, this book offers hope to exiled Israel of a complete restoration of fellowship with God.

Haggai

Rebuild the Temple

Haggai is a call to the exiles who were allowed to return to Jerusalem.  The Lord directs the prophet to call to the returnees to rebuild the Temple.  In four short messages, Haggai covers the rebuke to those who had directed their energy to their own well-being while the Temple lie in ruins.  Second, he reminds the people that the Lord is with them, His presence will abide with them.  Third he directs them to purity within the law by a series of questions on the law.  Finally, he tells them the Lord will appoint Zerubbabel (a descendant of David and part of the lineage of Jesus) to be the king and leader and gives him a signet ring.

These four messages parallel nicely with the three works of grace that a Christian experiences.  First we must hear the call to build the temple of God in our lives.  We must cease living for ourselves and begin living for Him. Next, he justifies us and promises He will never leave us and will abide with us forever.  Secondly, the Lord sanctifies us - He calls us to lead a Holy life.  Finally, He, the royal seed of David, takes up kingship in our hearts through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Like the message of Haggai to the returning Jews, we as Christian must be willing to heed and obey His message to us.

Zephaniah

Judgment

Zephaniah, a descendant of the righteous king Hezekiah, prophesied in the early days of king Josiah, another righteous king of Judah.  His book is primarily a prophecy of judgment and apostate Judah and Israel.  He also prophecies judgment against Moab and Ammon.

His descriptions are some of the most graphic and disturbing of all the judgment prophets.  The tone is set right from the beginning, "I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth..." (1:2).

Habakkuk

Even Though

Habakkuk wrote during the time of Assyrian domination of Judah.  He is direct with God, asking the Lord "How long must I cry for help?"(1:2).  Habakkuk was upset that Judah remained under judgment from God and that the Lord allowed the Babylonians to continue to persecute them.  The Lord assures the prophet that the Babylonians are only a tool used for judgment and that they will not go unpunished (2:6-17).

Habakkuk slowly begins to understand how the Lord works.  He expresses that "Even though the fig trees have no blossoms and there are no grapes on the vine;" (3:17a)  meaning that Judah currently bears no evidence of Godly fruit and "even though the olive crops fail, and the fields lie empty and barren"(17b) meaning there is no oil of the spirit present and there is no way for Judah to feed herself.  "Even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty."(17c) meaning there are no sacrificial animals.  In spite of this, Habakkuk "will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!" (3:18)

In the face of dire circumstances, those faithful to the Lord will not be disappointed.

Nahum

Destruction of Nineveh

The book of Nahum is devoted to a prophecy predicting the destruction of the great Assyrian city of Nineveh.  Once the dominating kingdom of the east, their laxity and laziness ultimately leads to the downfall of the great city.

Chapter 1 provides a beautiful and poetic description of the power of Jehovah - a message that all of us should heed.

Micah

Then, You Beg


Note: This is posted a day late due to my being sick.

Micah is another book of prophecy written during the end of the kings (he was a contemporary of Hezekiah) and near the time of the destruction of Jerusalem.  In themes familiar to Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, this book condemns Israel and Judah for their sin and idolatry.

Chapter 3 is particularly graphic in its description, "You eat my people's flesh, strip off their skin, and break their bones. You chop them up like meat for the cooking pot." (v.3)  Here Micah is talking to the leadership of Israel and the shameful way they treated the common person.  Amassing great wealth to themselves and letting the people starve physically and spiritually.  Verse 4 condemns them, "Then, you beg the Lord for help in times of trouble! Do you really expect him to answer? After all the even you have done, he won't even look at you!"

Isn't that indicative of human nature yet today?  We ignore God and pursue our own lusts and only call on Him when we are in trouble or have a serious health issue.

Jonah

God Arranged

Jonah is unique as a book of prophecy in that it is almost entirely a narrative.  Jonah is a prophet but has his own ideas.  He blatantly disregards the Lord's command to go to Nineveh and prophecy its destruction.  Later, in 4:1, we learn that Jonah did not obey because he knew the Lord would be merciful!

There are three salvations in the book of Jonah.  First the men of the ship are impressed with the Lord Jehovah due to the calming of the storm, that they immediately repent of pagan worship and turn their worship and sacrifice to the true God.  Secondly, Jonah is saved from drowning by a great fish the Lord prepared.  Finally, the people of Nineveh immediately take to heart the prophecy of Jonah and repent of their sins thus averting the judgment of God.

For this, Jonah is mad.  The Lord uses a gourd He arranged to have grow, then destroys it with worm He arranges to eat the gourd.  Then the Lord arranges for a scorching wind to make Jonah uncomfortable. Ironically, Jonah grieves for the plant that is destroyed and the Lord points out that his grief and concern would be better spent of the souls of Nineveh.

Obadiah

Prophecy Against Edom

Obadiah is a prophecy against Edom - the nation of people descended from Esau.  It was most likely written after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians and is prompted by Edom's agreement and participation with the Babylonians in the destruction of Judah and the exile of the people.  Because Edom did not support and fight for their brothers (Jacob's descendants), then the Lord has Obadiah prophecy their destruction.

The sin of Edom manifested in two ways.  First they delighted in the calamity of Israel and Judah.  Verse 12 reads, "You should not have gloated when they exiled your relatives...You should not have rejoiced when the people...suffered."  This gloating was caused by the root of bitterness and envy originally manifested by Cain.  When the Lord asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" Cain replies, "Am I my brother's keeper?"  In the same way, Edom abandons their brother and takes no responsibility for their downfall.

Because of their Schadenfreude and their abandonment of Israel, Edom is prophesied to be totally destroyed and even "disappear from history." (v.15-16). And, in a theme common to all the exile prophets, Jerusalem and Israel are promised restoration.

Amos 5 - 9

I Will Never Completely Destroy

The remainder of Amos is a series of prophecies against sinful Israel and Judah.  The Lord was displeased with their arrogance and laziness. The people had grown apathetic to the things of God and were happy in their wealth.  Because of these attitudes, Jehovah ultimately destroyed Israel and Judah and Jerusalem and sent the people who survived into exile in Babylon.

Chapter 9 provides a ray of hope.  Verse 8 reads, "I, the Sovereign Lord, am watching this sinful nation of Israel.  I will destroy it from the face of the earth.  But I will never completely destroy the family of Israel..." This was eventually fulfilled in our day when Israel became a nation and the Jews returned to their homeland to rebuild their country.  Only by the tremendous grace of God has this occurred.

Amos 1 - 4

I Will Not Let Them Go Unpunished!

Amos starts with a series of prophecies against the nations surround Israel and Judah, nations which had persecuted the Jews.  However, Amos ends chapter 2 with a prophecy against Judah and against Israel.  The wording is exactly the same as the wording used against the heathen nations surrounding them, "The people of Judah [Israel, Moab, Ammon,...] have sinned again and again, and I will not let them go unpunished!"

The Lord had stated that Israel was a chosen people, but because of their sin and idolatry, they had reached a point where they would be punished just like their enemies were punished.  The special position with Jehovah meant nothing in the face of idolatry and worship of pagan gods.  The Lord was compelled to punish them just like He punished the other nations.

In the prophecy against Judah (2:4-5), there are three sins listed:

1. They rejected the instruction (Torah) of the Lord.
2. They refused to obey God.
3. They allowed the lies that deceived their ancestors to deceive them.

These sins are still prevalent today among Christians.  If we do not subject ourselves to the Holy Spirit, then we cannot and and do not learn and heed His instructions.  This leads to rebellion and disobedience.  We refuse the leadership of the Holy Spirit. We reject the word of correction from the pulpit. With a spirit of rebellion, we then are open to every lie of the devil.  Lies that deceive and point us in the wrong direction.

In the case of Judah, the punishment was fire and destruction of Jerusalem.  Today, the only solution is a baptism of fire of the Holy Spirit to destroy the evil spirits in our lives.

Joel

Restoration

Joel is a point of controversy among Bible scholars as to when he prophesied.  He makes no references to the kings under which he served and provides scant clues to who his contemporaries were.  Many believe he live around the time of Elijah and Elisha and during the reign of Jeroboam, but none of this is certain by the scriptures.  In either case, his message is profound.

The land was severely plagued with locusts. The King James version identifies four stages: palmerworm, locusts, cankerworm, caterpillar.  The NLT identifies them as cutting locusts, swarming locust, hopping locusts, and stripping locusts. Suffice it to say, most scholars agree that these are four stages of the same insect.  Their ability to completely strip the land of everything is horrifying and told in great detail in chapter one.

Chapter two describes the encounter like an invading army.  The locusts swarm everywhere and nothing can stop them. The completely eat all vegetation, trees, crops, grain, etc done to a stump. The populace is left with no means to food themselves and are open to disease and famine.

But, the Lord promises in chapter 2, verse 25 to restore.  The Word repeats the stages in reverse order stating that the destruction caused by each stage of the locust will be restored.  In verse 28, the prophets gives a message pointing to the day of Pentecost in the book of Acts. "I will pour out of my Spirit..."

Thus, the Lord allowed the locust to bring Judah and Israel to their knees and repentance, and them promised a complete restoration.

Hosea 8 - 14

Fallow Ground

"Sow to yourself in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground" 10:12 (KJV).

From Hosea chapter 4 to the end of the book, the Lord speaks through the prophet in exhortation to Israel and Judah. He warns them against the coming judgment and cautions them that their lifestyle of idolatry and rebellion against Him will be tragic. Yet, as we read in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, the people did not listen and the terrible judgment of Jehovah fell on the nation.

The Lord continuously had a witness in Israel against evil in the form of a succession of prophets.  Hosea, at great personal sacrifice as we read yesterday, was no exception.  He remained true to the Lord and his Word.  The Lord tells the people of Israel to "sow in righteousness" and stop their sinning.  Only by doing this will they "reap in mercy."  Their sacrifices no longer were sincere.  The Lord no longer accepted their half-hearted worship.

Hosea instructs the people to "break up your fallow ground."  Fallow ground is good ground, but it is ground that has not been used.  It has become hard and crusted over.  It has remained dormant, weeds have invaded, dirt clods have formed and it is not in the correct condition to received good seed.  Thus Hosea tells them to break in up.  Put in the plow and break it up. Pull out the weeds and break up the clods.

Of course, we as Christians must do the same thing. We must break up any fallow ground and let the Word of God take root in our lives.  We must sow in righteousness so that we can reap the Lord's wonderful mercies.  Lord help us to break up our fallow ground.

Hosea 1 - 7

Strange Marriage

Hosea was a prophet during the time of the kings when the kingdom was divided into Israel and Judah. He prophesied to near the time of destruction of Jerusalem and the exile.  He must have led a sad life as a man because of his marriage to a prostitute (at the Lord's bidding) named Gomer.

The story of his marriage is symbolic of Israel's relationship to Jehovah, in that the Lord was "betrothed" to Israel, but Israel prostituted herself to Baal and idol worship and entertained and supported numerous evil kings. Thus, the Lord had Hosea marry Gomer knowing she was a prostitute or would become a prostitute and be unfaithful to Hosea.

Like Jehovah God, Hosea redeemed Gomer to live faithfully with him for the rest of their time together.  Chapter 2 (with a recapitulation in chapter 3) describes the process by which Hosea redeemed Gomer.  This types the three steps of redemption all Christian believers go through.  First, in 2:14 we read, "But I will win her back once again, I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there."  Chapter 3:1 states, "The Lord said to me, 'Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover.'" These two verses speak of justification and election.  In spite of our sinful condition and nature, the Lord calls us to be His.  He choses to love and redeem us.

Secondly, in 2:17 we read, "I will wipe the many names of Baal from your lips, and you will never mention them again." And in 3:3, "You must live in my house for many days and stop your prostitution. During this time you will not have sexual relations with anyone."  This is sanctification, the Lord cleaning up our lives.  Our desire to serve other Gods is removed from us.  We no longer engage in adulterous relationships with the world.

Then in 2:19 we read, "I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion."  This is representative of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  The Lord fully takes us as His own.  We are His forever.

Daniel 7 - 12

Prophecies of the End of Time

The second half of Daniel is a series of prophecies all concerning events future to the time of Daniel up to and including our day and the time of tribulation.  An in-depth discussion of these prophecies are beyond the scope of this blog.  Suffice it to say, there is a wide variety of interpretation and understanding of what Daniel saw.

The visions themselves are fantastic.  For Daniel they were frightening to the point of physical exhaustion and abject terror.  One vision kept him disturbed for three weeks (10:2).  It is remarkable to me that some modern-day "prophets" speak of visions and experiences in a way that does not seem to trouble them in the least.  Yet, in the Bible, virtually ever experience a man had (both Old Testament and New Testament) was awe-inspiring and holy-fear inducing. Even Paul was blind for three days after meeting the Pillar of Fire on the road to Damascus.

Two of the more touching verses in this second half are found in 9:23 and 10:12.
"...for you are very precious to God. (9:23).  Daniel was favored and precious to God because he was willing to humble himself before the Lord and honor every Word.

"Then he said, 'Don't be afraid, Daniel.  Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven.  I have come in answer to your prayer.'" (10:12).  Because Daniel took the time and had the desire to know and hear from God, the Lord was faithful and answered his prayer.  A lesson we all can learn.

Daniel 1 - 6

Highly Favored

Daniel was a person highly favored by man and by God.  He was of royal lineage (1:3) and erudite in law, science, and all academic subjects.  Daniel was also spiritually gifted and able to discern visions, dreams, and prophecy.  His impressive knowledge and unassuming and gracious manners made him and his friends the favorites of king Nebuchadnezzar's court.

Daniel is put to the test early in his exile when the king has a dream that no one can interpret.  The king himself cannot remember the dream and eventually Daniel is called to interpret it.  Not only does Daniel interpret the dream, he also can recall and retell it in great detail.  The dream is essentially a foretelling of the worldly gentile kingdoms from the time of Daniel to the present day.  The king, in the dream, sees a massive statue made of four metals: gold, silver, bronze, and iron with toes of iron and clay.  These metals become less valuable but increasingly harder and more useful as weapons as they progress.  Additionally, they represent the kingdom rule of Babylon, Media-Persian, Greece, and Rome. In the dream a rock that is cut out of a mountain, cut without hands, smashes the great image to nothing.  The rock is representative of Jesus Christ and the ultimate installation of His kingdom during the millennium.

What happens in chapter 2 is strange.  The king is highly impressed to the point of worshiping Daniel at the end of chapter 1.  Chapter 2 starts with king Nebuchadnezzar build a great 90 foot high image/statue out of gold.  Some scholars surmise that Nebuchadnezzar built an image based on his dream.  However, because the king could not recall the dream, I have trouble believing this interpretation.  I think the image was in the likeness of Daniel based on the verses in 1:46.  I also think this is why the friends of Daniel, renamed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, adamantly refused to worship the image.

In chapter 4, Daniel interprets another dream of king Nebuchadnezzar having to do with the king being humbled to behave like a wild animal for seven years because of self-aggrandizement. In chapter 5, there is a new king, Belshazzar, who forgets the humility of his predecessor and sees a hand write a message on the wall during a depraved party.  Again, only Daniel can interpret the message - which is the downfall of the kingdom and the ushering in of the "silver" age - the Medes and Persians.

This age brings in king Darius who like Nebuchadnezzar, recognizes the brilliance and leadership of Daniel and makes him the second highest in the kingdom. The other leaders are jealous and trick the king into signing a law that ensures Daniel will be killed in a lion's den.  But, again, Daniel is saved by the Lord and solidifies in place in the kingdom of Darius.

Ezekiel 37 - 48

Ezekiel's Message

Note: This covers Friday and Saturday's readings.

The readings for the past two days contain one of the most famous prophecies in the Bible in chapter 37 - The valley of the dry bones.  Chapter 38 and 39 are prophecies concerning Gog.  Chapters 40 to 48 all deal in great detail with the plans for rebuilding the Temple - with detailed instructions on size, gates, location, etc.  Additionally, worship and animal sacrifice are described, as well as the location of all the tribes in the restored land.  At this point, I am still not certain of how these chapters relate to the present-day Christian.

Ezekiel 31 - 36

Shepherds

Chapter 34 of today's reading contains two sections: from verse 1 to 10 is a rebuke to the evil and lax shepherds of Israel, and verses 11 - 31 is a promise by the Lord Himself to be the great Shepherd of Israel.  This chapter has a dual meaning. First, it is a rebuke to the failed shepherds, the kings and religious leaders, of Israel and Judah and a promise of the Lord's deliverance of Israel and restoration of the Jews back to their homeland.

However, the deeper meaning is in the typology of shepherds as ministers.  Those who sold out to the popularity of sin and saw their position as a "paycheck" instead of a position of service to God and to the people.  "You feed yourselves instead of your flocks." (v.2).  In another words, instead of feeding the children of God the true Word of God, they feed themselves the monetary gain by dint of their position.  "You have not taken care of the weak.  You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured." (v.4)  No prayer for the sick, no praying with the spiritually weak.  "You have not  gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost." (v.4)  No counseling and urging the backslider back to Christ.  No witnessing to the lost on the goodness of God's salvation.

These are serious charges made by God to the leaders of the modern day church.  Instead of tending the God's business, they have lined their own pockets with money intended to spread the Gospel.  He speaks, "I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock." (v.10).

Ezekiel 25 - 30

Prophecy Against the Nations

The chapters in today's reading are all prophecies against the nations surrounding Israel. The lands of Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistia are all condemned to destruction and war in chapter 25.  Chapters 26, 27 and 28 are an extended message and elegy against the nation of Tyre - the great shipbuilding and commerce center.  The Lord prophecies that Babylon will utterly destroy Tyre because they rejoiced in the calamity of Israel.

At the end of chapter 28 is a beautiful reminder of the love the Lord has for Israel.  In verse 25 we read, "...The people of Israel will again live in their own land..."  Chapters 29 and 30 are prophecies against Egypt.  Again, the Lord will use Babylon to destroy Egypt.

Ezekiel 19 - 24

How Dare You Ask

The chapters in today's reading are particularly bleak, especially chapter 23.  The tone is set at the beginning with a funeral dirge for the kings of Judah and for Judah itself. Then in chapter 20, some leaders of Israel come to Ezekiel and have him request a message from the Lord.  Because of their sin and repeated idolatry, the had essentially taken themselves and their nation and all the people out of the economy of God.

The Lord gives a fateful message to Ezekiel for the leaders, "How dare you come to ask em for a message?  As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will tell you nothing."  This is a pathetic state for anyone to be in.  If the Lord refuses to speak to a person, then all that is left is doom and destruction.  After stating this, the Lord enumerates, through Ezekiel, all the reasons for His non-reply. The people have continually worshiped idols.  The people have continually rebelled.  They did not keep His Law.  They did not observe the sabbath. Their children were taught incorrectly and continue the process.

For us as Christians, the message of Ezekiel is one of warning.  If we refuse to heed the message of grace and refuse the Holy Spirit, we will be as those of ancient Judah and Israel - unable to hear from the Lord.  May God be with us. May we surrender our will to Him!

Ezekiel 13 - 18

Judgment and Parables

Today's reading continues the prophecies of judgment and contains several parables concerning Jerusalem and the leadership of Israel.  Chapter 13 is a clear judgment against false prophets.  Prophets who claim to have heard from the Lord but have not.  The Lord was not pleased with the prophets who predicted peace in Jerusalem after the Lord had already had Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophecy the destruction of that city.

Chapter 14 is a judgment against the hypocritical leaders who came to Ezekiel beseeching him to intercede with the Lord.  The Lord tells Ezekiel that the leaders are idol worshipers and not worthy of a blessing from God.  The second half of chapter 14 (starting with verse 12) tells of what will happen to the people of a country who sin against God.  The Bible employs repetitive rhetorical that answers rhetorical questions.  "Suppose I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending famine..." (v. 13)  "Suppose I were to send wild animals" (v. 15). "Suppose I were to bring war..." (v. 17). "Suppose I send an epidemic..." (v. 19).  In answer, the Lord states each time that even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, they would not be able to save the people. Only they would be saved by their righteousness.  

Notice that the four judgments match the four judgments of the forth seal: famine, wild animals, war, epidemic. This ties the judgment of apostate Jerusalem to the judgment of the apostate church in the last days.  The three prophets mentioned, Noah, Daniel, Job.  It is interesting to note that Daniel was probably not living at the time Ezekiel recorded this prophecy.  To me, it is possible that Noah represents the believers carried through the tribulation.  Job represented the man perfect in God's eyes, i.e. the Gentile bride, and Daniel represents the future prophet of the end-time.  This is just speculation on my part at this time, and thus needs to be examined more closely.

The remaining chapters in today's reading contain parables that all pertain to unbelieving and apostate Jerusalem.  Chapter 16 is quite descriptive describing Jerusalem as one born and abandon and saved and raised up by God only to become a vile prostitute.  The prostitute Jerusalem is immoral to the point that she no longer even charges for her activity and willingly seeks out and commits adultery and fornication. Only a slight ray of hope is proffered in 16:53, "Someday I will restore [...] you too.!"

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Ezekiel 8 - 12

God's Glory Leaves the Temple

Today's reading includes more prophecies of destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.  The progression is telling.  Chapter 8 names four abominations the people and leaders of Jerusalem are participating in.  All of them revolve around idol worship.  First, a large idol (most likely of Asherah) had been placed at the north gate of the temple for all to see. This ostensibly was to protect the people.  The reality is that is identified the Temple of Jehovah to heathen worship.  Second, the Seventy elders were in a secret chamber in the temple offering incense to idols and every vile thing.  Third, there were women near the north gate weeping for Tammuz, a Babylonian god.  Fourth, there were 25 men near the bronze altar, bowing to the ground to worship the sun.

These four abominations included people from the whole city - those going to the Temple, the spiritual leaders, women at the Temple and men at the Temple. Because of this blatant idol-worship, in chapter 9 the Lord has Ezekiel pronounce the coming slaughter of the idol worshipers.   Chapter's 10 and 11 discuss how the glory of the Lord will leave the Temple and also lays out the judgment of the leadership of Jerusalem and Judah.

There is a ray of hope listed in chapter 11.  "I, the Sovereign Lord, will gather you back from the nations where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel once again."

Ezekiel 1 - 7

The Destruction and Exile

Today we began another book of the prophets.  The Lord rose up Ezekiel at the time of the fall of Jerusalem and Judah to Babylon.  In fitting manner, his book starts the way Jeremiah's book ends with a prophecy of destruction and exile.  Only a small remnant of the people would be preserved and scattered to the other nations to learn to believe and respect Jehovah.

Chapter one tells of a fantastic vision that Ezekiel sees - four living creatures each with four faces that looked in all four directions.  The faces: man, lion, ox, and eagle - match the beasts in Revelations 4 and 5, thus tying this portion to that book.  Additionally, there were wheels that moved with the beasts.  These were supernatural wheels that had wheels in the wheels in perpendicular (orthogonal) directions, allowing them to move any any directions with the four beast.

Chapter 7 is a retelling, in poetic form, of the first six verses.  Israel and Judah have sinned beyond the point that the Lord will save them.  He will utterly destroy the land, Jerusalem, the Temple, and most of the people.  Only a small portion of the people will be preserved and scattered among the nations.

Lamentations 1 - 5

Are You Still Angry With Us?

This book ends with a question - "Are you still angry with us?"  Jeremiah, the presumed author of these poems of lamentation, discusses one of the lowest points in Israel's history.  A series of acrostic poems (where each verse begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet) these capture the abject terror and destruction of Jerusalem and Judah.  The city is utterly destroyed.  The people are starving to the point of cannibalism.  There is no hope for anyone.  Even the Temple is destroyed and all of its wealth taken.

From these Lamentations we can see the ultimate end of sin and idolatry.  Because the people would not repent, even after the Lord sent prophets and raised up kings that honored Him, the nation had to suffer under the judgment of Jehovah.

Jeremiah 42 - 52

Disobedience Yields Destruction

Note: This combines yesterday's and today's readings.

This last part of Jeremiah completes the historical narrative through chapter 43.  Chapters 42 and 43 are remarkable in that Jeremiah tells Johanan and the rest of the remnant still in Judah the answer to a prayer that THEY ASKED HIM to PRAY!!!  After Jeremiah prays and gets an answer from God, he tells them in clear, concise, and certain language that they are to stay in the land and not flee to Egypt.

In verse 5, the people tell Jeremiah, "Whether we like it or not we will obey the Lord our God to whom we are sending you with our plea."  Yet ten days later (v. 7) when Jeremiah give his impassioned answer to them, their reaction is directly against God and borders on insanity. "You lie! The Lord God hasn't forbidden us to go to Egypt!" the say in 43:2.  This defiance of God seals their fate and they are destroyed when Nebuchadnezzar invades Egypt.

The rest of the chapters are various and ominous prophecies against the nations that persecuted Israel.  In particular the prophecies against Babylon are particularly dire.  These are in chapters 50 and 51.  Many of the passages seem to have a dual purpose in that they prophecy destruction to ancient Babylon but have similar language to that of Revelations and its prophecy against spiritual Babylon (see 51:6-10 and 51:41-44).

Ultimately, Jeremiah is a tragic book and a sad book.  The price the prophet paid and the life he had to live because of Judah's disobedience are pathetic and sad.  But Jeremiah was a faithful prophet, fearless in speaking the Word of the Lord regardless of the personal consequences he suffered.  He is an example to every true minister of God who cries out against sin.

Jeremiah 37 - 41

Jerusalem Falls

All of the prophecies of Jeremiah concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah and the capture and exile of the people to Babylon begin to come true in the chapters of today's readings.  What is remarkable is how that King Zedekiah kept hoping against God that the prophecy was not true.  Because he did not heed Jeremiah's warnings to surrender to the Babylonians, he came to an ignominious end.

Jeremiah was treated horribly by the leaders of Jerusalem up to the time that the city was captured.  The king of Babylon instructed his army to find and set Jeremiah free and to treat him with great respect and allow no harm to come to him.  The irony is that the enemy of Jerusalem treated the prophet better than the people did.

Jeremiah 32 - 36

Writing the Word of God

Chapter 36 of today's reading give us a good insight into how the Lord protects and preserves His Word.  Jeremiah was the prophet to Judah and Israel just prior to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of Jerusalem, Judah, and Israel.  He had prophesied many times that this would happen and that the people would go into exile.  The Lord had Jeremiah call Baruch and dictate to him all the prophecies the Lord had given through His prophet.

Jeremiah dictated and Baruch wrote them all in a scroll.  He then read the scroll in the temple and later to the king Jehoiakim.  This king was so disturbed by the prophecy that he cut away the columns as they were read and burned them in the fire place.  This was against the protestations of his advisors.  Because of his wicked act, the Lord promised that he would die in infamy and shame and that none of his sons would serve as kings.

The Lord then had Jeremiah dictate to Baruch again and this time the scroll was preserved.

Jeremiah 27 - 31

A Tremendous Promise

Note: This was posted a day late

Chapter 29 carries a promise to those who will be exiled in Babylon for 70 years.  Jeremiah prophesies the captivity and exile in chapter 25. Because the people of Israel and Judah refused to hear their prophets and continued in their idol worship, the Lord promised destruction of Israel and Jerusalem, and exile in Babylon.

The message is ominous.  "This entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her neighboring lands will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years. Then after the seventy years of captivity are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and his people for their sins." (25:11-12).

Then in chapter 29, Jeremiah makes this promise: "You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the palns I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  In those days, when you pray I will listen." (10-12). This is a tremendous promise of delivery and restoration.  God preserved a remnant and the land of Israel for His name's sake.

Jeremiah 22 - 26

Drink From This Cup

Note: This is posted a day late

The Bible is full of symbols and symbolism and Jeremiah is no exception. I find it remarkable that the sovereign Lord, who can do what He pleases, how He pleases, chooses to manifest His grace by having man participate in His plan.  Many places in the Bible, the Lord has someone do something symbolic before the actual event takes place.  In the more abstract analysis, much of the Old Testament is a Biblical type of what occurs in the new testament.

In chapter 25, the Lord tells Jeremiah, "Take from my hand this cup filled to the brim with my anger, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink from it. When they drink from it, they will stagger, crazed by the warfare I will send against them." (v.15-16) This symbolic act of Jeremiah foreshadowed the destruction of Israel and Jerusalem and the 70 year exile Jeremiah speaks of earlier in the chapter (v.11-12) which Daniel speaks about in chapter 9 of his book.

Jeremiah makes all the nations drink from the cup, from Egypt to Babylon. This sets in motion the event which ultimately come to pass in the years that occurred after the prophecy.  All the nations listed are nations that persecuted Israel and Judah over which the Lord did not leave them unpunished.

Jeremiah 17 -21

No Deliverance

These chapters of Jeremiah continue the ominous prophecies of destruction and exile and Israel and Judah.  In chapter 18, the Lord has Jacob observe a potter with clay.  When the clay does not conform to the potter's wishes, the figure being created is smashed and the potter starts over.  Thus, if the Lord is not happy with a people or nation, he destroys it and starts over.

In chapter 19, the Lord again users clay - this time a clay pot - and has Jeremiah take a clay potter to the valley of Bin-Hinnom, to a place where broken pots are discarded.  The Lord has Jeremiah destroy the pot and then has him prophesy the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah stating, "I will shatter the people of Judah and Jerusalem beyond all hope or repair. They will bury the bodies here in Topheth, the garbage dump, until there is no more room for them." (19:11).

In chapter 20, a temple priest hears Jeremiah's prophecy and has him arrested and beaten.  This seals the fate of Pashur and death is prophesied for him and his family. In chapter 21, King Zedekiah sent Pashur to speak with Jeremiah and ask the prophet to intercede on behalf of Judah since King Nebuchadnezzar is laying siege to the city of Jerusalem. The Lord's reply through Jeremiah is harsh. "I will make your weapons useless against the king of Babylon [...]  I myself will fight against you with a strong hand..." (21:4-5). All of this because the people wickedly served other Gods and did not repent.

Jeremiah 12 - 16

Complete Rejection

The series of prophecies in today's reading leave no doubt that the Lord had utterly and completely rejected Judah and Jerusalem.  Because the non-stop worship of idols and other God's, the Lord will no longer hear the cries of the people.  Their fasts, their offerings, their pleas will all fall on deaf ears. (14:11).

Chapter 12 is one of the saddest chapters in all of Jeremiah's book (possibly in all the Bible), because the Lord declares His abandonment of His people (12:7).  He will no longer protect them.  They planted wheat but will harvest thorns. They will only harvest a crop of shame (12:13).

Chapter 15 also contains an ominous prophecy.  The Lord declares four kinds of destroyers against the sinful people: The sword, the dog, the vulture, and wild animals.  All because of the wickedness of Manasseh (15:3-4).  The sword will kill, the dog will drag away, the vulture will devour the flesh, and the wild animals will devour what is left.  The imagery is unimaginable, but the ways of sin and the denial and mockery of God only lead to utter destruction.

Chapter 16 also contains more prophecies and declarations of destruction, but does end with a slight ray of hope, and a hint of restoration.  Verse 15 has this, "I will bring them back to this land that I gave their ancestors."  So even if the destruction of the wicked is unabated, the Lord still will restore Israel and Jerusalem. Praise Him for His Mercy.

Jeremiah 7 - 11

Mind, Might, Money

Jeremiah is a difficult book to read. It is almost a continual declaration of judgment against Israel and Judah for the wickedness and sin to which they had fallen under the godless succession of kings.  One king would make an effort to correct the people, but not completely obey all of the covenant, and then his son would become king and undo all the good the previous king had attempted.  For this, the Lord declared and prophesied horrific judgment and exile - which ultimately came to pass.

Tucked in among all of this is a gem of a scripture, Jeremiah 9:23-24. I prefer the lyrical prose of the King James Version for this particular reading.  "Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth, glory in this: that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord that exercise lovingkindness,  judgment and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord."

Notice, the Lord leaves no question that it is He who speaks by bookending the verses the "Thus saith the Lord, ..., saith the Lord."  The Lord lists three things that men always boast about: his mind, his might, his money.  But the Lord takes no delight, no pleasure in these things.  None of these glorify God, they only point to what a man does for himself.

The verse details what the Lord does delight in: Man's understanding and knowledge of the Lord.  Irrespective of a persons wealth, and mental capacity, and power, it is only the knowledge and understanding a person has of the Lord that is relevant.  If all the other pass away to nothing, a person's intimate relationship with God endures.  For a Christian, this means the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, God fully manifesting Himself through humans.

For each of the three things man boasts of, God provides an answer: lovingkindess, judgment, righteousness.  God's love replaces man's mind - his wisdom.  1 Corinthians 13:2 declares (paraphrasing), if I have all knowledge and have not love, I am nothing.  God's judgment replaces man's might - his power and ability.  A man without discernment of God's will is helpless regardless of his strength or ability (see Hebrews 5:14).  It is  the righteousness of God that replaces man's money - his wealth, his transactional power.  A man with the holiness and righteousness of God is far richer than any billionaire without God (see Matthew 6:19).

Thus, among the prophecies of doom and destruction, God permits Jeremiah to write a key to delighting the Lord.  Let us glory in our knowledge of Him!

Jeremiah 1 - 6

Proclamations of Judgment Against Judah

The opening chapters of Jeremiah are frightening and disturbing in their near lack of mercy.  Both Israel and Judah have forsaken God and have turned to idols.  The snub their nose at the Lord and ignore and kill the prophets.  God's continual judgment against them is not heeded and the people redouble their efforts to sin even more.

The tone of all of these prophecies are dire.  Both kingdoms have totally and utterly turned themselves to idol worship. The Lord calls them prostitutes and states in 2:33 "Even an experienced prostitute could learn from you!"  This pathetic condition of Judah and Israel cause Jeremiah to prophecy awful, unmerciful judgment on them.

The disaster is one of annihilation.  "I looked at the earth, and it was empty and formless. I looked at the heavens, and there was no light. I looked at the mountains and hills, and they trembled and shook.  I looked, and all the people were gone.  All the birds of the sky had flown away. I looked and the fertile fields had become a wilderness. The towns lay in ruins, crushed by the Lord's fierce anger." (4:23-26).  Sadly, in the face of such destruction, the people continued to rebel and not hearken unto the voice of the prophet.

Isaiah 61 - 66

Restoration and Judgment

In these final chapters of Isaiah we read of the glorious restoration of Jerusalem.  She will be given a new name by the Lord. She will no longer be called the "Forsaken City" or the "Desolate Land" but will not be called "The City of God's Delight."  No enemy will ever destroy that city again.  The children will not die young.  Everyone will live a full life.  Prosperity will abound.

For those who forsake the Lord and deny Him glory, judgment will be upon them quickly.  Others will look in utter horror at the judgment of God on the unbeliever and scoffer. Chapter 65 verses13-14 explains their fate:
My servants will eat,
but you will starve.
My servants will drink,
but you will be thirsty.
My servants will rejoice,
but you will be sad and ashamed.
My servants will sing for joy,
but you will cry in sorrow and despair.

The Lord promises to restore Jerusalem and He promises to resurrect and catch away His Bride.  Praise the Lord!

Isaiah 56 - 61

Fast For Others

Isaiah 58 contains a beautiful and wonderful lesson on fasting.  First, the Lord rebukes those who come to the temple in self-righteousness and false piety, pretending to enjoy the Word of the Lord.  They ask for the blessings of God but their heart is far from the obedience the Lord wants.  I  verse 3 we read, "We have fasted before you!...Why aren't you impressed?" The sheer bravado of a person to ask God this question shows the insincerity of their heart.

The Lord explains in verse 3 to 5 that they are fasting only for themselves. They fast but continue to oppress others.  They fast but continue to quarrel and fight.  They are only going through the motions of penance, thinking that the outward show will somehow get God's attention.  It is true that they have His attention but not for their piety but for their sin!

In verse 6 and 7, the Lord explains the type of fast He desires.  One that causes the person fasting to "free those who are wrongly imprisoned and lightens the burden of those who work for you."  He wants them to share their food with the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, and clothes to those in need.  In other words, to let their fasting be for others.

The Lord is not interested in how we can demonstrate to Him how holy and righteous we are.  When we attempt this we only fool ourselves.  We may fool others, but in the long run our folly and hypocrisy are made manifest.  The Lord wants us not to demonstrate our Christianity, but to allow Christ to live in us and demonstrate Jesus to the world.  By fasting for the correct motive, we get ourselves out of the way and give the Holy Spirit full reign in our lives.

Isaiah 51 - 55

Who Has Believed Our Report?

Isaiah prophecies the crucifixion of Jesus in chapter 53 with startling accuracy.  "There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance" (v.2) because Jesus appeared to be just a common man, dressed in common clothing, associating with everyday people.  He was not the regal Messiah coming down to Earth with a blast of trumpets accompanied by the heavenly host to smite the Romans and install the Jewish priesthood as the leaders.  No, He was just a plain looking, plain dressed man.

"He was despised and rejected-a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief."  Once He began preaching the message of Love, of Grace, of Forgiveness, they hated Him. He disrupted their ways.  He challenged their greed.  He was heretical to their theology,  yet He was the Word and the Son of God.

He carried all our sorrows and weaknesses.  He bore all of our burdens. He suffered for all of us. And by His stripes are we healed.  Undeniably, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 45 - 50

Isaiah 47

King James Version                                                  My Version - As it applies to America

1 Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: [there is] no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.  2 Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.  3 Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet [thee as] a man.  4 [As for] our redeemer, the LORD of hosts [is] his name, the Holy One of Israel.  5 Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms.  6 I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.  7 And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: [so] that thou didst not lay these [things] to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it.  8 Therefore hear now this, [thou that art] given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I [am], and none else beside me; I shall not sit [as] a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:  9 But these two [things] shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, [and] for the great abundance of thine enchantments.  10 For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I [am], and none else beside me.  11 Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, [which] thou shalt not know.  12 Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.  13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from [these things] that shall come upon thee.  14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: [there shall] not [be] a coal to warm at, [nor] fire to sit before it.  15 Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, [even] thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.

1 Abase yourselves, American citizens, sit down in shame: you no longer rule, O daughter of Washington:  for you shall no more be respected as unique, as a leader of nations. 2 Do the common work of peasants.  Your banality is exposed as a naked woman. Your covering is a sham. 3 You are exposed and sit in shame for all to see.  The Lord will exact vengeance for your iniquity.  You are no longer respected.    4  Our redeemer, The Lord Almighty, is the Holy One of Israel. 5 No one listens to you anymore, you are not a light to the world, O child of Lincoln: you are not the leader of the free world. 6 I am upset with those who call themselves a Christian nation but have followed denominational teaching instead of my Word. You have mocked my ministers and burdened them. 7 You have said, “I will rule forever!” But you have not considered the consequences of your actions. You have not planned wisely or with God in mind. 8  Therefore, Listen! You are obsessed with entertainment.  You live recklessly as fools.  You say you are invincible, that your men are great men, your children have much to inherit. 9 But you have destroyed your future generations with abortion.  You have made a mockery of fatherhood and motherhood. You have trusted modern science and medicine and pharmaceuticals and not the healing Hand of God. 10  You thought that your secrets would remain hidden.  Your wisdom and knowledge has seduced you.  You think you are the greatest nation on Earth, that none can defeat you. 11 However, you shall be destroyed border to border and coast to coast. Sudden and complete destruction shall come upon you. Not one stone will be left on top of another. The bombs with your name on it lie waiting in the silos, ready to be launched. 12 Go ahead and deceive yourself with missile defense systems, treaties, and with pacts with your enemies. Trust in the almighty dollar.  Go forth, in fear, thinking you will win. 13  Listen to your Cabinet, your Czars, your advisors, the wise politicians.  Look at your poll numbers, the perceptions, what the media predicts will happen and convince yourself -  you are safe. 14 Yet someday, you will be destroyed by atomic fire.  The bombs in the silos will find their targets and blast great holes in the ground. There will not be a safe haven to which you can escape. 15 Those who once admired and feared you (and even your friends) will desert you. None will lift a finger to help you in your time of trouble.

Isaiah 40 - 44

Her Sad Days Are Gone

The tone of Isaiah changes beginning in chapter 40.  Whereas the first part of Isaiah primarily dealt with prophecies concerning the destruction of Israel and the exile of the people as well as prophecies about the nations that attack Israel, the second part of Isaiah is about comfort and restoration and the glory and greatness of Almighty God.

The first words of Isaiah, employing epizeuxis for emphasis, set the tone with  "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God." (1:1).  Then the second verse expresses the mercy of God. "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned. Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over for all her sins."  Because of the sin in Israel, she was punished twice over, i.e. Israel and Jerusalem were destroyed and the people were exiled. John the Baptist is prophesied in 1:3-6 and the remainder of the chapter is a glorious description of the Lord.  He has no equal, needs no advice, and there is no one or no thing that can be compared to Him.

In chapter 41:18-20, Isaiah talks about planting seven different types of trees in the desert.  Each of these are representative of a quality of the Lord.  This is a subject I will pursue later.

Isaiah 29 - 39

God's Promise

Note: This covers Monday and Tuesday's readings.

In chapters 36 - 29, the reign of Hezekiah is repeated.  I wrote about the miracle of the sun going backwards ten degrees when we read 2 Kings 16 - 20.  In this retelling, Judah is threatened by the King Sennacherib of Assyria in which he essentially demands that Hezekiah and the people of Judah immediately surrender to his rule. His envoys brag and boast about their previous conquests and how the gods of other nations could not save them. In true sinful form, they explain that the God of Israel Himself has ordered them to take over Judah.

Hezekiah is outraged and sends for the prophet, Isaiah.  Isaiah hears from the Lord, and in reality, the battle is already over.  The rest of the proceedings are just a confirmation of the truthfulness and accuracy of the prophecy of the Lord through Isaiah.  King Sennacherib will never fire so much as an arrow at Jerusalem.  He will return to his own country and be killed.  His army will be utterly defeated.

The impudence of Sennacherib is manifest when he masses his troops to lay siege to Jerusalem.  But during the night, 185,000 troops are killed by the angel of the Lord.  His army is terrified and flees.  Sennacherib returns to Assyria in defeat and is murdered by his own sons.  Thus, the prophecy is fulfilled to the letter.

Isaiah 23 - 28

Endtime Prophecy

Chapter 23 is a prophecy of the downfall of Tyre, the prosperous sea-coast commercial center.  Because they trusted in their wealth and business acumen, they fell only to rise again and fall again.  They were a type of all people who trust in their own ability and resources.  Additionally, Tyre is typed as a prostitute, one who is willing to sell themselves to anyone.

Chapters 24 - 27 are prophecies concerning the endtime. Chapter 24 has wording that indicate atomic destruction (1-4), civil unrest (10-13) and full scale war (17-20).  Chapter 25 is describes those who will be saved and the mountain of the Lord. Chapter 26 continues the theme discussing the city of the Lord.  Chapter 27 is a description of how the Lord will protect his "fruitful vineyard."  Finally, chapter 29 is a prophecy against Samaria/Ephraim.

Isaiah 18 - 22

More Prophecy

These chapters contain prophecies against Ethiopia, Egypt, Babylon, Edom, and Arabia. Additionally, chapter 22 is a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem with a personal prophecy to a man named Shebna who had planned an elaborate tomb and funeral for his inevitable death.  Because of his hubris, the Lord rebuked him and allowed him to die in shame and poverty.

One notable section is in chapter 20, when the Lord is rebuking Egypt and Ethiopia. He had Isaiah walk around naked and barefoot for three years as a symbolic gesture for the fate of these nations.

Isaiah 12 - 17

Desolation

This series of chapters starts off with a moving song of salvation (chapter 12) after the prophecy of chapter 11 that a branch will come from David's family - speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, the rejected Messiah. The song in chapter 12 is wonderfully descriptive of the coming of salvation through the Messiah. Yet, we know his own rejected Him.

The next chapters are all prophecies against the nations that conquer and lay Israel and Judah desolate.  This occurs because Israel did not live according to the laws of Jehovah and thus had to been severely punished.  Because of the correctness of God's justice, the nations that destroy Israel are also cursed to destruction. These prophecies are for Babylon (13-14), Assyria (14), Philistia (14), Moab(15-16), Damascus(17), and Israel(17).

Particularly disturbing is the prophecy against Israel in chapter 17:4-18.  Even though they call on the Lord, they have waited too late because they have forgotten their Rock (17:10).  The imagery is dire. They plant a vineyard but harvest pain and grief.

Isaiah 7 - 11

A Virgin Shall Conceive

In the midst of dreadful prophecies about the fate of Israel and Judah and the vengeful destruction of Assyria, there are several interspersed prophecies concerning the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Even the names of Isaiah children are indicative of the destruction and dispersement of Israel and ultimately its restoration.

Isaiah's older son is named Shear-jashub and means "a remnant will return."  However because of the wickedness of Israel and Judah, the Lord had Isaiah father another son and name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz which means "swift to plunder and quick to carry away."  Both of these names were symbolic of the dispersement and destruction because of sin and the restoration because of the promised Messiah.

The first Messianic prophecy is in 7:14-16, "Behold a virgin shall conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel, which means God with us. ..."  The next prophecy is in 9:6-7, "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. ..."

The names are notable: Wonderful Counselor - indicating the joy of His wisdom and leadership. Mighty God - showing the power of His kingship and rule. Everlasting Father - demonstrating the continuity and eternal presence of His care for us.  Prince of Peace - displaying the environment of His reign.

The third Messianic prophecy is in 11:1-5, with 6 to the end of the chapter talking about the millennium. "Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot- yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root."  Verse 3 lists four spirits that will reside on this "new Branch:"  the Spirit of the Lord; the Spirit of wisdom and understanding; the Spirit of counsel and might; and the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.

Isaiah 1 - 6

Messages of Judgment

Our reading returns back to the Old Testament and the prophets.  We are in the seventh, and final, phase of our reading.

The tone of Isaiah at the beginning is dire. Isaiah was the prophet in Judah during the reign of several evil kings.  Because the kings did not obey the Word of the Lord, Judah and Jerusalem are in ruins.  The people live in constant fear and torment from the enemies of Israel and God.

The first five chapters are prophecies of the doom and restoration of Judah (the southern kingdom) and Jerusalem. The people had reached a point in their worship where there was no sincerity.  "I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle." says the Lord in 1:11.  "Stop bringing your meaningless gifts;" he says in 1:13.  They were just going through the motions of worship and not honoring God with a pure heart.  He wanted their worship to be pure and holy and not contrived and legalistic.  He wanted their obedience (1:19).

Chapter 6 is one of the more notable passages in Isaiah and all of the the scripture.  Isaiah recounts a dream where he is in the Holy Temple of God and saw the Lord in all His glory with seraphim praising Him continuously.  Isaiah felt as though he were a dead man and realized he was sinful and lived among sinful people. One of the seraphim touched the prophet's lips with a coal of fire from the altar before God to purify Isaiah. And then the Lord asked, "Whom should I send as a messenger to this people?" (v.8) Isaiah replied, "Lord send me!"

The dream ends ominously with the Lord stating that all of Israel will be reduced to a stump.  "All the towns will be empty, their houses deserted, and the whole country a wasteland."  This was how great the sin of Israel and Judah was and this is the type of judgment to be visited on them for their sin.  Lord, be merciful to us.

Jude

All Glory to God

Jude is one of those books in the Bible that, while short in length, contains a plethora of spiritual material. He starts his epistle exhorting those "who are sanctified by God" (1) to "earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints."(3).  Jude, like the other writers, was concerned about false teachers coming among the laity perverting the pure Gospel of Christ.  He also was concerned about laxity and lack of fervor for the things of God.

The major portion of the epistle is concerned with false teachers. These are those who go "in the way of Cain" and run "greedily after the error of Balaam" and "perish in the gainsaying of Korah." (11).  Cain slew Abel for envy.  Balaam attempted to sell out Israel for money.  Korah denied the God given authority of Moses.  All of these are hallmarks of false teachers.  The metaphors employed by Jude are telling, "shameless shepherds," "clouds without rain," "dead trees," "wild sea waves," and "wandering stars in darkness." (12-13).

For the believer, Jude gives the following directions  (20-22):
1. Build each other up in faith.
2. Pray in the Spirit.
3. Wait for the mercy of the Lord.
4. Show mercy to others.
5. Rescue others from judgment.

May the Lord bless you.

2 John and 3 John

Love One Another

Note: I am combining today and tomorrow's reading.

Both of these short epistles were written late in John's life.  In 3 John he writes as "John, the elder" indicating his authority, from God, as an apostle and leader of the church.  1 John was written to the "little children" in the Lord. 2 John was written to the "elect lady" and 3 John was written to the well-beloved brother, Gaius.  All of these are intimate letters essentially exhorting the believers to love another, to remain in the truth, and to mark those that cause division in the church.

John could see the church being attacked by heresy and formalism and knew that only a true walk with Christ would forestall and prevent the destruction of the believing church.  From 2 John and 3 John, he expresses his deep concern stating that he didn't "want to write it with pen and ink. For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face-to-face."  He knew he would have more influence by being present with them.

May God bless you and bless His Word.

1 John 3 - 5

Whoever has the Son, has Life

John continues the themes of love, life, and truth through the end of this epistle.  In chapter 3 he explains how a Christian does not sin.  This thought may seem contrary to the human mind since we are assailed by sin daily, even hourly, but John explains in 3:2, "we are already God's children..." and thus have been empowered by His Holy Spirit.  If we continue in sin, then we show that we are not His child (3:4) but Jesus came to take away our sins.  "Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin." (3:6).

The verse just quoted may sound like it is in direct contradiction to 1:8, "If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth." but it is not.  We have sin and we have sinned, but for those who are in Christ, we have had our sins removed. He (God) no longer holds them against us or even remembers them.  God sees the perfect sacrifice of Christ and thus does not see our sin. If we abide in Him, then we cannot sin.

1 John 1-2

Light, Love, Truth

John's first epistle is an extension of his gospel and continues to present Jesus Christ as God. Many date the epistle after John wrote the book of Revelations and had the tremendous experiences and visions on the isle of Patmos when he wrote the book of Revelations.  Thus, it is no surprise that John declares, "God is Light!" in 1:5.  He had seen the light of God and knew that that light revealed all things and contained not even a hint of darkness.  In that Light, nothing can be hidden.

John then continues his epistle with the "new commandment" that "You love another" (1:7) proclaiming that it is really the old commandment brought to life and fully demonstrated by Jesus Christ. Now that we have His spirit in us, we also will demonstrate the love of Christ to one another.

In chapter 2, John writes that we must also live in truth - which is the expected result of the first two subjects: light and love.  We must allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into truth (2:20) and ignore the lure of falsehood and heresy. The determination of spiritual truth is easy, a liar is "anyone who says the Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son" (2:21-22).  So as we walk in the light of His light and manifest His love, His truth is revealed to us and in us.

2 Peter

Everything We Need

Note:  The spreadsheet mistakenly omitted this book.  I have shifted the reading of 1 John to cover Saturday and Sunday putting us back on schedule by Monday.

Second Peter chapter one provides a complete list of everything we need to live a Christian life. This epistle is remarkable in its brevity covering a large array of subjects in just a few verses.  For example, 1:5-7 provides a list of everything a Christian needs to live a Godly life.  Faith (the foundation), virtue (moral excellence), knowledge (discernment of God's will), temperance (self-control),  patience (the willingness to wait for God's time), godliness (manifesting Christ), brotherly kindness (affection and concern for others) and love (agape-love, divine love, the capstone).  All Christians must have these virtues in their lives.

Chapter 3, verses 5-7 provide one of the briefest overall history and disposition of creation in all the Bible. He covers creation, the flood, all of history, and the final destruction of the world through God's judgment in just 3 verses!

May the Lord bless the reading of His Word.

1 Peter

Living As Foreigners

Note: This covers Wednesday and Thursday's readings.

Peter's first epistle is an exhortation to the believers to continue in their life of holiness.  We have been born again by the Word of God (1:23) to be examples of salvation to the world.  As we grow deeper in our Christian experience we become more alienated from the world, living as foreigners in this world.

Peter reiterates what Paul (see Eph 5) taught stating that believers in Christ respect authority, including human authority, as an example of an honorable life (2:15). He instructs slaves to obey their masters, wives are to obey their husbands, and husbands are to respect their wives. Christian should be of one mind loving their brothers and sisters and keeping a humble attitude (chapter 2-3).

All of this will bring on persecution and suffering (4:1) but our attitude should remain strong and joyful that we are found worthy to suffer for His name's sake.  Peter concludes this epistle with advice for elders in caring for their church. They are to willingly serve the people and not rule but lead by example.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

James 1 - 5

The Twelve Tribes

Note: This covers Monday and Tuesday's readings.

James' epistle is one of the earliest written epistles and written at a time when the nascent Christian church was still primarily composed of Jewish converts.  James was a "brother" to Jesus, i.e. Joseph was James' father and thus his first impressions of Jesus were those of Jesus a human.  His conversion came after Jesus' resurrection (see 1 Cor. 15:7) and he later became a leader in the church at Jerusalem (see Acts 15:13-22).

This epistle is Jewish in tone, being addressed to the "twelve tribes" scattered abroad.  James emphasizes works, personal behavior, and ethics in his writing.  This is not in conflict with Paul's writings, rather the emphasis is different.  For James, the mere confession of Jesus as Lord was not adequate since "even the demons believe and tremble in terror" (2:19), a Christian should demonstrate his faith through works - works of the Holy Spirit, not just "good deeds."   "But don't just listen to God's Word. You must do what it says." (1:22). From this we see the influence of Jewish thinking on James' experience.

James also wrote specifically about behavior.  Chapter 3 is a scathing rebuke to mankind about the looseness of our tongue in speaking, calling the tongue "a flame of fire." (3:6). A man who can control is tongue is a perfect man (3:2) and has the ability to control the rest of his being.

In chapter 4 James continues his exhortation on actions and ethics warning believers to be considerate in their objectives while praying. We must pray, but we must pray for His will and not our selfish desires.  We must actively resist the Devil.  We must not speak evil against others and criticize our fellow believers.  James even discusses the pitfalls of great wealth and pities the rich for the spiritual battles they will face.

This epistle touches many aspects of the everyday life of believers and is one that we should all heed.

Hebrews 11 - 13

Faith

The book of Hebrews concludes a prayer by Paul for the recipients of his epistle and, by extension, all believers (see 13:20-21). "May he equip you with all you need for doing his will."  This equipping is a direct result of faith which Paul extols in chapter 11 - the faith chapter.

Paul begins by defining faith as a "substance" or "confidence," and an "evidence" or "assurance."  It is what allows the Christian to believe and fully accept our expectations will materialize and further allows us to believe in the unseen work of God in our lives (11:1).  He then explains that "without faith it is impossible to please God." (11:6) citing that Abel's faith in offering his more excellent sacrifice still cries out to us and against Cain to this day.  Paul provides many examples of faith from the Old Testament explaining that "All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised." (11:39).

Hebrews 8 - 10

I Will Remember No More

Some of the most encouraging words in the Bible are contained within these chapters. Paul, speaking to the Hebrew Christians, thoroughly and completely explains that the Aaronic priesthood and the Law were only a type and shadow of the dispensation of Grace ushered in by Jesus Christ.  He is now our perfect high priest. The first covenant was good but inadequate to divorce mankind from their sin.  The animal sacrifices only put off the judgment of God until His Son Jesus could be the perfect sacrifice.  "For if the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it." (8:7).

The Jewish priest entered into the Holy place daily to offer sacrifices, but once a year Aaron entered into the Holy of Holies (sometimes referred to as the Holiest place) once a year, "not without blood" (9:7) to make an offering for the people to forestall the judgment of God.  But Christ become a high priest and "by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." (9:12, KJV).  He does not have to enter once a year, but only once!  And our sins are not atoned for one year, but eternally!

This point is made again by Paul in chapter 10. Once Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice, our redemption was secured forever.  This does away with the Law. This also does away with modern reinventions of the Law such as transubstantiation and legalism.  "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right had of God." "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." (10:11-12, 14, 17  KJV).  This is beautiful beyond words.

Hebrew 5 - 7

Melchizedek

Christ is our Melchizedek.  He is the high priest forever before the throne of God, His blood the perfect atonement for our sin and fulfilling every requirement of the Law.  Melchizedek was introduced to us in Genesis 14 when Abraham met him after the slaughter of the kings.  He, Melchizedek, had to be God in a human form.  Many scholars state that he was a human priest, but the scripture does not support this theory.  "Without father, without mother, with out descent, having neither beginning of days, or ending of life: but made like unto the Son of God; abiding a priest continually." (Heb 7:3).

This person can only be God.  Christ is now our (the spiritual seed of Abraham) Melchizedek having offered once, for all, the perfect sacrifice of His blood.  Hebrews 7:26, "He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin."

Praise the Lord!

Hebrews 1 - 4

Rest

The epistle to the Hebrews is compelling to the Christian in that Paul (I agree with the scholars who place Paul as the author) ties the Old Testament covenant of rest (in chapters 3 and 4) and priesthood (in chapters 5 - 8) and sacrifice (in chapters 9 and 10) to the present dispensation of grace.  The epistle begins by firmly establishing Jesus Christ as the undisputed Son of God and the ruler and creator of this world.

Chapters 3 and 4 discuss the great subject of "rest" (see the link to my teaching) and tie the Sabbath and menuchah rest of the Old Testament to the anapausis and katapausis rest in the New Testament.  The Creator Himself establishes the concept and necessity of rest during the creation on the seventh day.  God also ties rest to holiness (qodesh) by requiring the Sabbath to be hallowed and sanctified.  This served as a foreshadow and type of the eternal Rest that is available, and even required, of all Christians through the baptism of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Philemon

Put It On My Account

This letter, written by Paul, to Philemon is a beautiful type of the how Christ takes our sins upon Himself and asks the Father to forgive us as sinners.

Onesimus, a servant of Philemon, had stolen from his master and then left.  While gone, he met Paul and was converted and became a servant of Christ.  Paul writes to Philemon (a person Paul knew well and most likely a convert of Paul's - see v. 19) and begs him to forgive Onesimus and restore him not just as a servant, but also as a brother in Christ.  Paul states that he will be fully responsible and will fully repay Philemon for what Onesimus took.

We, the followers of Jesus Christ, are Onesimus.  We stole from God (typed by Philemon), we showed Him disrespect and dishonored His name.  We purposely ran as far from God as we could.  But Christ (typed by Paul) finally got our attention and led us to salvation.  Then, in His mercy, Jesus Christ has God impute all of our sins to Him! He pays the debt we owe.  Jesus also beseeches the Father on our behalf and asks Him to restore fellowship with us, not just as servants, but as brothers in Christ.  Because of Jesus' intercession on our part, we are completely forgiven and fully restored forever (v. 15) to God.  Praise the Lord!

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Titus

Church Elders

Note: Titus was Tuesday's reading.

Titus 3:9 speaks of four things which a faithful minister (elder) must avoid:

1. Foolish questions
2. Genealogies
3. Contentions
4. Striving about the Law

Each of these are "time-wasters" and a trick of Satan to draw the ministry away from its true work.  Foolish questions are those things that people ask when they have a hidden agenda.  Perhaps they will quote some obscure scripture out of context and then attempt to engage in discussion with a clever question.  Many times, the person wants to get a point across or has some controversial doctrine they want to share but are fearful of rebuke and thus will has "foolish questions."  Other times, a person will ask a question when they could easily research and find the answer themselves.  This is based in spiritual laziness.

Genealogies refer to one's past. A person may be wrapped up in what Father or Mother believed, or how spiritual Grandma was, using this as an excuse to not make their own salvation secure.  Our spiritual well-being is not tied to our past, but through the baptism of the Holy Spirit we have become heirs with Christ.  Our spiritual genealogy begins and ends with Him!

Contentions are arguments.  This are colossal time-wasters and never lead to reconciliation but always to division.  Good never comes from arguing about the scripture.  We can reason with each other and we can discuss our understanding, but to argue is an implication that one is right and another is wrong, when the reality is that if there is an argument, both are wrong! 

Striving about the Law is just another way for Satan to get people off track.  He will put a religious spirit on a person and drive them to legalism.  On another he will anoint with an apathetic spirit, a spirit that says "anything goes" since we are under grace.  Both are wrong and not edifying to the believer. Instead of nitpicking everyone else's life and trying to make everyone else line up to some legal interpretation of the Bible, a believer is better off doing what Paul states in 1 Corinthian 11:28, "But let a man examine himself..."

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 and 2 Timothy

Church Order and Doctrine

Note: These two books were covered by Friday through Monday's readings.

First and second Timothy, as well as Titus, all cover church order. The epistles to Timothy and the church in Ephesus, focus more on doctrine and less on the more prosaic matters of church order, while Titus focuses more on the qualifications for the ministry in the local church.  As the Christian church began to grow and incorporate more members and people with diverse thinking, Paul instructs those in whose ministry he was influential on the proper way to conduct service and daily church business.

Paul reminds Timothy that primary among the mission of the church is the salvation of the lost and preaching to sinners. He warns Timothy against ministers who seek money and fame and those who attempts to convert people to themselves instead of Christ.  Both epistles speak clearly about ministers being blameless, sober, patient, and not covetous.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Notice

To my faithful readers:  I have been unable to blog about my Bible reading for the past 5 days.  Please forgive me.  I shall continue blogging on either Wednesday or Thursday and will get back to consistently writing.  I have not failed to keep up with the reading and strongly encourage you to continue reading daily.


God bless you.
Dale

2 Thessalonians

Persecution

Paul writes his second epistle to the Thessalonians (many scholars believe it was written soon after the first epistle) encouraging them to stand firm in the faith in the face of persecution which they were suffering.  Additionally, false teachers had come in presenting the idea that the Lord had already come.  Paul clears this up in chapter two providing more details on what he had already brought in 1 Thessalonians 4.

Instead of fighting the persecutors, Paul exhorts them to prayer reminding them that the Lord is the judge and He will visit justice upon those who teach heresy and persecute the church.  In addition to the persecution and false teaching, this church was afflicted by laziness on the part of some members. These felt that they had the right to not work but still live off of the other believers.  Paul exhorts the true believer to warn the offenders and pray for them.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Thessalonians

Christian Guidelines

Note: This covers Tuesday and Wednesday's readings.

The first epistle to the Thessalonians is written by Paul such that each chapter provides guidelines for the various aspects of the Christian life.  Chapter one discuss how the church body is to behave. They have a "work of faith," "a labor of love," and a "patience of hope" (1:3) waiting for the return of the Lord Jesus.  The church rests in the election of God and demonstrates the power of the Holy Spirit.  In chapter two, Paul uses himself as an example of the Christian servant and minister.  He bears the sufferings of Christ gladly and behaves holy and unblamable before the church body (2:10).

Chapter three continues with a description of the Christian brother and believer.  Paul uses Timothy as an example. Chapter four explains the Christian walk and ends with a description of the resurrection and catching away in the end-time.  He provides a step-by-step description of how the Lord will descend with a shout, a voice, and the trumpet of God, to raise the dead in Christ and gather them with the living saints to be taken to meet the Lord in the air!

Paul closes First Thessalonians by continuing his discussion of the Christian walk. He ends the chapter with a beautiful exhortation: Rejoice evermore; pray without ceasing; give thanks for everything; do not hinder the Spirit; do not despise prophesying; prove all things; hold tightly to every good thing; and abstain from even the appearance of evil.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

Colossians 3 - 4

A New Life in Christ

In the conclusion of the Colossian epistle, Paul details the practical, everyday aspects of Christian life.  A Christian is to shun immoral and vulgar behavior. Greed, lust, cursing, sexual immorality should never be named among believers.(3:5-10).  A believer is to be clothed with humility, kindness, and love, displaying the grace and mercy of Christ, forgiving those who offend them, and binding themselves together with other believers.

Paul reiterates what he wrote to the church in Ephesus in Ephesians 5:  Wives submit to husbands, husbands love  wives, children obey parents, parents do not provoke children, slaves obey masters, and masters treat slaves with respect.  This may sound prosaic, but it is essential to living a Holy Ghost filled life and a life that brings honor to the Lord Jesus.

May the Lord bless you and bless the reading of His Word.