Revelation 19:11-21ESV
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
From heaven Christ comes, riding a white horse leading a righteous army mounted on white horses. His righteousness covers them all. He comes to battle the forces of the evil one and to judge mankind.
The eyes of fire and the many crowns on His head tell us this is the King of Kings and God Almighty. Only He knows His name, but He reveals it to those He chooses. He reveals it to those who love Him and take His name, the sons and daughters of God.
His identity is further confirmed by the references to the sword of His mouth and ruling with a rod of iron. The robe dipped in blood could carry a double connotation of His blood spilled for mankind and the blood spilled in treading the winepress of the wrath of God. We serve a mighty and awesome God.
A second end-time meal is mentioned here. The first was the marriage feast of the Lamb and Bride. This one is referred to as a supper. There will be plenty to eat at this gathering as well. The beast is defeated and his army slain. The word was spoken and so it is.
Isaiah 11:4
But with righteousness He will judge the poor,
And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth;
And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-11
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,
Isaiah 63:2
Why is your apparel red,
and your garments like his who treads in the winepress?
Isaiah 63:3-6
“I have trodden the winepress alone,
and from the peoples no one was with me;
I trod them in my anger
and trampled them in my wrath;
their lifeblood spattered on my garments,
and stained all my apparel.
4 For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
and my year of redemption had come.
5 I looked, but there was no one to help;
I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold;
so my own arm brought me salvation,
and my wrath upheld me.
6 I trampled down the peoples in my anger;
I made them drunk in my wrath,
and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”
Daniel 7:11
“I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire.
Isaiah 30:29-33
You shall have a song as in the night when a holy feast is kept, and gladness of heart, as when one sets out to the sound of the flute to go to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel. 30 And the Lord will cause his majestic voice to be heard and the descending blow of his arm to be seen, in furious anger and a flame of devouring fire, with a cloudburst and storm and hailstones. 31 The Assyrians will be terror- stricken at the voice of the Lord, when he strikes with his rod. 32 And every stroke of the appointed staff that the Lord lays on them will be to the sound of tambourines and lyres. Battling with brandished arm, he will fight with them. 33 For a burning place has long been prepared; indeed, for the king it is made ready, its pyre made deep and wide, with fire and wood in abundance; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of sulfur, kindles it.
Matthew 11:27
All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Genesis 32:29-30
Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”
There is one name given for men to be saved. This why we call on the name of The Lord.
Ezekiel 39:17-20
“As for you, son of man, thus says the Lord God: Speak to the birds of every sort and to all beasts of the field, ‘Assemble and come, gather from all around to the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you, a great sacrificial feast on the mountains of Israel, and you shall eat flesh and drink blood. 18 You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth—of rams, of lambs, and of he- goats, of bulls, all of them fat beasts of Bashan. 19 And you shall eat fat till you are filled, and drink blood till you are drunk, at the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you. 20 And you shall be filled at my table with horses and charioteers, with mighty men and all kinds of warriors,’ declares the Lord God.
Word for Life in Love— Scripture Meditations By Stephen Brown
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
Righteous Of God
Luke 1:5-6 ESV
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For
there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
There seems to be a contradiction here with regard to righteousness.
Believing God is the underlying principle and requirement necessary to be right with God. Abraham and Noah believed God and it counted as righteousness. This does not mean they did not sin, but they listened to and obeyed God.
Then God gave the Law through Moses to teach us about sin. We came to understand our helplessness to measure up to our Holy God.
Then we were ready to receive His Son Jesus Who was able to fulfill the Law and is able to restore all who believe in His name into fellowship with God.
Those who believe are free. Those who do not are still chained to the Law, which because of our weakness leads to death.
Believing God is the issue and question from the Garden to the day of The Lord. Salvation rests on belief.
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For
there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
There seems to be a contradiction here with regard to righteousness.
Believing God is the underlying principle and requirement necessary to be right with God. Abraham and Noah believed God and it counted as righteousness. This does not mean they did not sin, but they listened to and obeyed God.
Then God gave the Law through Moses to teach us about sin. We came to understand our helplessness to measure up to our Holy God.
Then we were ready to receive His Son Jesus Who was able to fulfill the Law and is able to restore all who believe in His name into fellowship with God.
Those who believe are free. Those who do not are still chained to the Law, which because of our weakness leads to death.
Believing God is the issue and question from the Garden to the day of The Lord. Salvation rests on belief.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Many Waters -Revelation 19:6-10
Revelation 19:6-10 ESV
6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Now a great multitude is signified by attributes associated with the Lord. The roar of many waters and mighty peals of thunder let us know these are children of God. It is upon the waters, the nations, that the woman and the beast held sway and inflicted the touch of the deceiver. Out of these waters comes a multitude crying "Hallelujah!". John describes it as a voice of the multitude giving exuberant praise to God. The time of the marriage feast has arrived. They are eager and ready because of the gift of mercy granted without merit. They were able to clothe themselves with the righteousness of Christ.
Grace and truth come through Jesus. The true word of God is the one we know as the Word of God. We are blessed in receiving that word and will be joined with the Word. His word does not return void. The Spirit of prophecy is the Holy Spirit of God. His testimony is true for it is the Word of God. Grace and truth come through Jesus.
The Spirit prepared us for His first coming and does likewise for His second coming. Through His word and indwelling Spirit we don the garments of clean linen, the righteousness of the Son. We too become sons and daughters of the Most High.
Revelation 14:2-5
And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, 5 and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.
Psalms 98:1-3
Psalm 98
Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord
A Psalm.
1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Isaiah 62:5
For as a young man marries a young woman,
so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you.
Hosea 2:19-23
And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. 20 I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.
21 “And in that day I will answer, declares the Lord,
I will answer the heavens,
and they shall answer the earth,
22 and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and they shall answer Jezreel,
23 and I will sow her for myself in the land.
And I will have mercy on No Mercy,
and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’;
and he shall say, ‘You are my God. ’”
Matthew 22:11-14
“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment? ’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Now a great multitude is signified by attributes associated with the Lord. The roar of many waters and mighty peals of thunder let us know these are children of God. It is upon the waters, the nations, that the woman and the beast held sway and inflicted the touch of the deceiver. Out of these waters comes a multitude crying "Hallelujah!". John describes it as a voice of the multitude giving exuberant praise to God. The time of the marriage feast has arrived. They are eager and ready because of the gift of mercy granted without merit. They were able to clothe themselves with the righteousness of Christ.
Grace and truth come through Jesus. The true word of God is the one we know as the Word of God. We are blessed in receiving that word and will be joined with the Word. His word does not return void. The Spirit of prophecy is the Holy Spirit of God. His testimony is true for it is the Word of God. Grace and truth come through Jesus.
The Spirit prepared us for His first coming and does likewise for His second coming. Through His word and indwelling Spirit we don the garments of clean linen, the righteousness of the Son. We too become sons and daughters of the Most High.
Revelation 14:2-5
And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, 5 and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.
Psalms 98:1-3
Psalm 98
Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord
A Psalm.
1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Isaiah 62:5
For as a young man marries a young woman,
so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you.
Hosea 2:19-23
And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. 20 I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.
21 “And in that day I will answer, declares the Lord,
I will answer the heavens,
and they shall answer the earth,
22 and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and they shall answer Jezreel,
23 and I will sow her for myself in the land.
And I will have mercy on No Mercy,
and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’;
and he shall say, ‘You are my God. ’”
Matthew 22:11-14
“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment? ’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Yet Even Now
Joel 2:12-13 ESV
12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
Isaiah 55:6-9
“Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
His purpose in creation has always been to be with us. We have not been easy to work with. Our hearts often stray from His voice, or ignore it altogether.
Yet He keeps calling, holding out the hand of love. The time approaches when judgement will come at last. Not wishing anyone would perish, He continues to offer mercy and forgiveness, yet even now.
12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
Isaiah 55:6-9
“Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
His purpose in creation has always been to be with us. We have not been easy to work with. Our hearts often stray from His voice, or ignore it altogether.
Yet He keeps calling, holding out the hand of love. The time approaches when judgement will come at last. Not wishing anyone would perish, He continues to offer mercy and forgiveness, yet even now.
We Are The Temple, Not The World
Joel 2:27-32 ESV
You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.
The Lord Will Pour Out His Spirit
28 “And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.
2 Corinthians 6:16-18
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
18 and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”
We know that He is in our midst because we have the Holy Spirit. We have become His temple, the place of His dwelling. His Spirit is poured out on each person that receives Him. Each person is changed in this transaction. We experience and serve Him in different ways, but it is the one Spirit manifest in us all. There is one temple, but we are the many stones and the building is still underway.
Because of Christ, we are able to call out to Almighty God as "Father". Because of Christ, He hears and answers.
You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I am the Lord your God and there is none else.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.
The Lord Will Pour Out His Spirit
28 “And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.
2 Corinthians 6:16-18
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
18 and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”
We know that He is in our midst because we have the Holy Spirit. We have become His temple, the place of His dwelling. His Spirit is poured out on each person that receives Him. Each person is changed in this transaction. We experience and serve Him in different ways, but it is the one Spirit manifest in us all. There is one temple, but we are the many stones and the building is still underway.
Because of Christ, we are able to call out to Almighty God as "Father". Because of Christ, He hears and answers.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Valley Of Decision
Joel 2:30-32 ESV
“And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.
Joel 3:11-12
Hasten and come,
all you surrounding nations,
and gather yourselves there.
Bring down your warriors, O Lord.
12 Let the nations stir themselves up
and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
for there I will sit to judge
all the surrounding nations.
Joel 3:1-3
1 “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, 3 and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it.
Joel 3:13-17
Put in the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe.
Go in, tread,
for the winepress is full.
The vats overflow,
for their evil is great.
14 Multitudes, multitudes,
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and the moon are darkened,
and the stars withdraw their shining.
16 The Lord roars from Zion,
and utters his voice from Jerusalem,
and the heavens and the earthquake.
But the Lord is a refuge to his people,
a stronghold to the people of Israel.
The Glorious Future of Judah
17 “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God,
who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.
And Jerusalem shall be holy,
and strangers shall never again pass through it.
God has not forgotten Israel. The nation will be restored when the judgement for transgressions is complete. Through this people came the salvation of the world. That same grace and mercy will save some in Israel. As it is with Gentiles, it is with the Jews. Many will be called, few will be chosen. Wide is the path of destruction and narrow is the way of life. In both cases a remnant will be left.
The nations will be judged.
We are in the valley of decision, between the mountain of God and the lake of fire.
Either way we will know He is God.
“And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.
Joel 3:11-12
Hasten and come,
all you surrounding nations,
and gather yourselves there.
Bring down your warriors, O Lord.
12 Let the nations stir themselves up
and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
for there I will sit to judge
all the surrounding nations.
Joel 3:1-3
1 “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, 3 and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it.
Joel 3:13-17
Put in the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe.
Go in, tread,
for the winepress is full.
The vats overflow,
for their evil is great.
14 Multitudes, multitudes,
in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and the moon are darkened,
and the stars withdraw their shining.
16 The Lord roars from Zion,
and utters his voice from Jerusalem,
and the heavens and the earthquake.
But the Lord is a refuge to his people,
a stronghold to the people of Israel.
The Glorious Future of Judah
17 “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God,
who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.
And Jerusalem shall be holy,
and strangers shall never again pass through it.
God has not forgotten Israel. The nation will be restored when the judgement for transgressions is complete. Through this people came the salvation of the world. That same grace and mercy will save some in Israel. As it is with Gentiles, it is with the Jews. Many will be called, few will be chosen. Wide is the path of destruction and narrow is the way of life. In both cases a remnant will be left.
The nations will be judged.
We are in the valley of decision, between the mountain of God and the lake of fire.
Either way we will know He is God.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
No Wedding Garment
Matthew 22:11-14 ESV
“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment? ’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
In this parable Jesus seems to be telling us it is not enough to answer the call only. It is necessary to clothe ourselves in a manner that only comes through obedience. Saying yes superficially or without intention does not result in salvation. The king addresses the man as "friend", but the fact remains that he does not belong at the feast. Many will cry "Lord, Lord!", but He will say "I never knew you". To know The Lord is to be known by The Lord. All who call on the name of The Lord will be saved. We call through obedience and we love Him in the same way.
“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment? ’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
In this parable Jesus seems to be telling us it is not enough to answer the call only. It is necessary to clothe ourselves in a manner that only comes through obedience. Saying yes superficially or without intention does not result in salvation. The king addresses the man as "friend", but the fact remains that he does not belong at the feast. Many will cry "Lord, Lord!", but He will say "I never knew you". To know The Lord is to be known by The Lord. All who call on the name of The Lord will be saved. We call through obedience and we love Him in the same way.
Rejoicing In Heaven -Revelation 19:1-5
Revelation 19:1-5 ESV
1 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for his judgments are true and just;
for he has judged the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality,
and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
3 Once more they cried out,
“Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”
4 And the twenty- four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And from the throne came a voice saying,
“Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
small and great.”
Praise resounds around the throne in heaven. Jubilation from a great multitude. Judgement is complete and final.
The elders and the living creatures confirm the cry of the multitude by falling down to worship the living God, the great Amen.
There are those small and great in both camps, the believers and the dead. God is no respecter of person beyond the matter and truth of the heart.
This first vision of a multitude were are told are in heaven, and are with the living creatures and elders. The next vision seems to speak of another multitude.
Psa 150
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!
3 Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
5 Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
Psalms 149:1-2
1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the godly!
2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
Jude 1:5-7
Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
Jude tells us that Jesus is the Lamb, Jesus the King, the mighty hand of God, even God Himself. It is He Who saves and He Who judges. Many are unable to admit or conceive that there is one God and He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. They maintain the God of the New Testament is different from the God of the Old Testament. Reading the whole Bible and believing God will resolve that misconception.
Revelation 15:7-8
And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever, 8 and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
There will be a time during the plagues that the doors of the sanctuary will be closed. Could this be the time that is shortened, less no man be left?
1 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for his judgments are true and just;
for he has judged the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality,
and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
3 Once more they cried out,
“Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”
4 And the twenty- four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And from the throne came a voice saying,
“Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
small and great.”
Praise resounds around the throne in heaven. Jubilation from a great multitude. Judgement is complete and final.
The elders and the living creatures confirm the cry of the multitude by falling down to worship the living God, the great Amen.
There are those small and great in both camps, the believers and the dead. God is no respecter of person beyond the matter and truth of the heart.
This first vision of a multitude were are told are in heaven, and are with the living creatures and elders. The next vision seems to speak of another multitude.
Psa 150
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!
3 Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
5 Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
Psalms 149:1-2
1 Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the godly!
2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
Jude 1:5-7
Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
Jude tells us that Jesus is the Lamb, Jesus the King, the mighty hand of God, even God Himself. It is He Who saves and He Who judges. Many are unable to admit or conceive that there is one God and He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. They maintain the God of the New Testament is different from the God of the Old Testament. Reading the whole Bible and believing God will resolve that misconception.
Revelation 15:7-8
And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever, 8 and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
There will be a time during the plagues that the doors of the sanctuary will be closed. Could this be the time that is shortened, less no man be left?
Monday, September 24, 2012
Has Poured Out
Joel 2:28-29 ESV
28 “And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
Acts 2:32-36
This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
The Lord no longer dwells apart from His people, but He is with us, within us. Rather than speaking from a mountain top, we hear words instead rising from the indwelling Holy Spirit.
He resides with us as individuals, even though we are in the one body. In a sense, we have become the mountain of the Lord. The fire of His presence burns within. We do not stand at a distance from the mountain in fear as did Israel. We are able to call on God as Father.
28 “And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
Acts 2:32-36
This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
The Lord no longer dwells apart from His people, but He is with us, within us. Rather than speaking from a mountain top, we hear words instead rising from the indwelling Holy Spirit.
He resides with us as individuals, even though we are in the one body. In a sense, we have become the mountain of the Lord. The fire of His presence burns within. We do not stand at a distance from the mountain in fear as did Israel. We are able to call on God as Father.
No More -Revelation 18:9-24
Revelation 18:9-24 ESV
And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,
“Alas! Alas! You great city,
you mighty city, Babylon!
For in a single hour your judgment has come.”
11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.
14 “The fruit for which your soul longed
has gone from you,
and all your delicacies and your splendors
are lost to you,
never to be found again!”
15 The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,
16 “Alas, alas, for the great city
that was clothed in fine linen,
in purple and scarlet,
adorned with gold,
with jewels, and with pearls!
17 For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.”
And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18 and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,
“What city was like the great city?”
19 And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,
“Alas, alas, for the great city
where all who had ships at sea
grew rich by her wealth!
For in a single hour she has been laid waste.
20 Rejoice over her, O heaven,
and you saints and apostles and prophets,
for God has given judgment for you against her!”
21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,
“So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence,
and will be found no more;
22 and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters,
will be heard in you no more,
and a craftsman of any craft
will be found in you no more,
and the sound of the mill
will be heard in you no more,
23 and the light of a lamp
will shine in you no more,
and the voice of bridegroom and bride
will be heard in you no more,
for your merchants were the great ones of the earth,
and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
and of all who have been slain on earth.”
The kings and merchants and those who trade by sea all stand far off, giving space and witness to Babylon's destruction. Smoke rises from the fire of her torment and judgement , as when Abraham looked in the distance at the smoke of Sodom. Though they have been spared, they mourn the loss of their comfort and livelihood.
Her fate is summed up in the phrase "no more". Those days are over.
Jeremiah 50:45-46
Therefore hear the plan that the Lord has made against Babylon, and the purposes that he has formed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the little ones of their flock shall be dragged away; surely their fold shall be appalled at their fate. 46 At the sound of the capture of Babylon the earth shall tremble, and her cry shall be heard among the nations.”
Genesis 19:28-29
And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.
29 So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.
1 John 2:16-17
For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life —is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Proverbs 24:19-20
Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
and be not envious of the wicked,
20 for the evil man has no future;
the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
Jeremiah 51:49
Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel,
just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth.
And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,
“Alas! Alas! You great city,
you mighty city, Babylon!
For in a single hour your judgment has come.”
11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.
14 “The fruit for which your soul longed
has gone from you,
and all your delicacies and your splendors
are lost to you,
never to be found again!”
15 The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,
16 “Alas, alas, for the great city
that was clothed in fine linen,
in purple and scarlet,
adorned with gold,
with jewels, and with pearls!
17 For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.”
And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18 and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,
“What city was like the great city?”
19 And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,
“Alas, alas, for the great city
where all who had ships at sea
grew rich by her wealth!
For in a single hour she has been laid waste.
20 Rejoice over her, O heaven,
and you saints and apostles and prophets,
for God has given judgment for you against her!”
21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,
“So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence,
and will be found no more;
22 and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters,
will be heard in you no more,
and a craftsman of any craft
will be found in you no more,
and the sound of the mill
will be heard in you no more,
23 and the light of a lamp
will shine in you no more,
and the voice of bridegroom and bride
will be heard in you no more,
for your merchants were the great ones of the earth,
and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
and of all who have been slain on earth.”
The kings and merchants and those who trade by sea all stand far off, giving space and witness to Babylon's destruction. Smoke rises from the fire of her torment and judgement , as when Abraham looked in the distance at the smoke of Sodom. Though they have been spared, they mourn the loss of their comfort and livelihood.
Her fate is summed up in the phrase "no more". Those days are over.
Jeremiah 50:45-46
Therefore hear the plan that the Lord has made against Babylon, and the purposes that he has formed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the little ones of their flock shall be dragged away; surely their fold shall be appalled at their fate. 46 At the sound of the capture of Babylon the earth shall tremble, and her cry shall be heard among the nations.”
Genesis 19:28-29
And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.
29 So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.
1 John 2:16-17
For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life —is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Proverbs 24:19-20
Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
and be not envious of the wicked,
20 for the evil man has no future;
the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
Jeremiah 51:49
Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel,
just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
This Day Is Holy
Nehemiah 8:9-12 ESV
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
The Lord is with us. Everyday we celebrate the joy of our salvation. Each day is holy for are called to be holy just as He is holy. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
The Lord is in His temple, and we are that temple. Hasten the day of its revealing. Come Lord Jesus come.
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
The Lord is with us. Everyday we celebrate the joy of our salvation. Each day is holy for are called to be holy just as He is holy. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
The Lord is in His temple, and we are that temple. Hasten the day of its revealing. Come Lord Jesus come.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Fallen, Fallen -Revelation 18:1-8
Revelation 18:1-8 ESV
1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. 2 And he called out with a mighty voice,
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
She has become a dwelling place for demons,
a haunt for every unclean spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
3 For all nations have drunk
the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,
and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her,
and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,
“Come out of her, my people,
lest you take part in her sins,
lest you share in her plagues;
5 for her sins are heaped high as heaven,
and God has remembered her iniquities.
6 Pay her back as she herself has paid back others,
and repay her double for her deeds;
mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.
7 As she glorified herself and lived in luxury,
so give her a like measure of torment and mourning,
since in her heart she says,
‘I sit as a queen,
I am no widow,
and mourning I shall never see. ’
8 For this reason her plagues will come in a single day,
death and mourning and famine,
and she will be burned up with fire;
for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.”
More is given on the fall of Babylon. She has reaped at last the judgement she deserved. Instead of bricks used to form the tower of Babel, she was able to reach up into heaven using her wicked deeds, heaped one on another too numerous to count.
Her destruction and fall come quickly, described here as a single day. The day of the Lord is coming.
Her arrogance and self-complacency can remind us of Christ's letter to the church in Laodicea. This same spirit was present in that congregation. It is present in many churches today. The warning in that letter applies to us all.
Isaiah 47:8-9
Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures,
who sit securely,
who say in your heart,
“I am, and there is no one besides me;
I shall not sit as a widow
or know the loss of children”:
9 These two things shall come to you
in a moment, in one day;
the loss of children and widowhood
shall come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries
and the great power of your enchantments.
Isaiah 48:20-22
Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,
declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,
send it out to the end of the earth;
say, “The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob!”
21 They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;
he made water flow for them from the rock;
he split the rock and the water gushed out.
22 “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”
Isaiah 13:19
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms,
the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans,
will be like Sodom and Gomorrah
when God overthrew them.
Jeremiah 51:7-10
Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord's hand,
making all the earth drunken;
the nations drank of her wine;
therefore the nations went mad.
8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken;
wail for her!
Take balm for her pain;
perhaps she may be healed.
9 We would have healed Babylon,
but she was not healed.
Forsake her, and let us go
each to his own country,
for her judgment has reached up to heaven
and has been lifted up even to the skies.
10 The Lord has brought about our vindication;
come, let us declare in Zion
the work of the Lord our God.
We are reminded that the Lord has His hand in the affairs of the world and that His purpose is accomplished in the midst of these things we don't understand. He shows us that all our troubles come to an end and how they will end. Justice will be served and mercy will be given. Tears and sorrow will be forgotten, replaced by joy and praise. He is with us and we will be with Him.
Jeremiah 50:35-38
“A sword against the Chaldeans, declares the Lord,
and against the inhabitants of Babylon,
and against her officials and her wise men!
36 A sword against the diviners,
that they may become fools!
A sword against her warriors,
that they may be destroyed!
37 A sword against her horses and against her chariots,
and against all the foreign troops in her midst,
that they may become women!
A sword against all her treasures,
that they may be plundered!
38 A drought against her waters,
that they may be dried up!
For it is a land of images,
and they are mad over idols.
Jeremiah 51:58
“Thus says the Lord of hosts:
The broad wall of Babylon
shall be leveled to the ground,
and her high gates
shall be burned with fire.
The peoples labor for nothing,
and the nations weary themselves only for fire.”
Jeremiah 50:31-32
“Behold, I am against you, O proud one,
declares the Lord God of hosts,
for your day has come,
the time when I will punish you.
32 The proud one shall stumble and fall,
with none to raise him up,
and I will kindle a fire in his cities,
and it will devour all that is around him.
1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. 2 And he called out with a mighty voice,
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
She has become a dwelling place for demons,
a haunt for every unclean spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
3 For all nations have drunk
the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,
and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her,
and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,
“Come out of her, my people,
lest you take part in her sins,
lest you share in her plagues;
5 for her sins are heaped high as heaven,
and God has remembered her iniquities.
6 Pay her back as she herself has paid back others,
and repay her double for her deeds;
mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.
7 As she glorified herself and lived in luxury,
so give her a like measure of torment and mourning,
since in her heart she says,
‘I sit as a queen,
I am no widow,
and mourning I shall never see. ’
8 For this reason her plagues will come in a single day,
death and mourning and famine,
and she will be burned up with fire;
for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.”
More is given on the fall of Babylon. She has reaped at last the judgement she deserved. Instead of bricks used to form the tower of Babel, she was able to reach up into heaven using her wicked deeds, heaped one on another too numerous to count.
Her destruction and fall come quickly, described here as a single day. The day of the Lord is coming.
Her arrogance and self-complacency can remind us of Christ's letter to the church in Laodicea. This same spirit was present in that congregation. It is present in many churches today. The warning in that letter applies to us all.
Isaiah 47:8-9
Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures,
who sit securely,
who say in your heart,
“I am, and there is no one besides me;
I shall not sit as a widow
or know the loss of children”:
9 These two things shall come to you
in a moment, in one day;
the loss of children and widowhood
shall come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries
and the great power of your enchantments.
Isaiah 48:20-22
Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,
declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,
send it out to the end of the earth;
say, “The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob!”
21 They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;
he made water flow for them from the rock;
he split the rock and the water gushed out.
22 “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”
Isaiah 13:19
And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms,
the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans,
will be like Sodom and Gomorrah
when God overthrew them.
Jeremiah 51:7-10
Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord's hand,
making all the earth drunken;
the nations drank of her wine;
therefore the nations went mad.
8 Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken;
wail for her!
Take balm for her pain;
perhaps she may be healed.
9 We would have healed Babylon,
but she was not healed.
Forsake her, and let us go
each to his own country,
for her judgment has reached up to heaven
and has been lifted up even to the skies.
10 The Lord has brought about our vindication;
come, let us declare in Zion
the work of the Lord our God.
We are reminded that the Lord has His hand in the affairs of the world and that His purpose is accomplished in the midst of these things we don't understand. He shows us that all our troubles come to an end and how they will end. Justice will be served and mercy will be given. Tears and sorrow will be forgotten, replaced by joy and praise. He is with us and we will be with Him.
Jeremiah 50:35-38
“A sword against the Chaldeans, declares the Lord,
and against the inhabitants of Babylon,
and against her officials and her wise men!
36 A sword against the diviners,
that they may become fools!
A sword against her warriors,
that they may be destroyed!
37 A sword against her horses and against her chariots,
and against all the foreign troops in her midst,
that they may become women!
A sword against all her treasures,
that they may be plundered!
38 A drought against her waters,
that they may be dried up!
For it is a land of images,
and they are mad over idols.
Jeremiah 51:58
“Thus says the Lord of hosts:
The broad wall of Babylon
shall be leveled to the ground,
and her high gates
shall be burned with fire.
The peoples labor for nothing,
and the nations weary themselves only for fire.”
Jeremiah 50:31-32
“Behold, I am against you, O proud one,
declares the Lord God of hosts,
for your day has come,
the time when I will punish you.
32 The proud one shall stumble and fall,
with none to raise him up,
and I will kindle a fire in his cities,
and it will devour all that is around him.
Friday, September 21, 2012
The Wilderness
A place of danger and beast
Where we find and meet God
A unique experience and opportunity extended to man
A place of testing and discovery
Where it is possible to find the fire of God
A burning bush
For we are made in His image
To become like Him
This fallen earth and time
Is our wilderness
The journey in the night
Which will end
With the dawn of the morning star
We take leave of the desert
And enter the city of God
Where we find and meet God
A unique experience and opportunity extended to man
A place of testing and discovery
Where it is possible to find the fire of God
A burning bush
For we are made in His image
To become like Him
This fallen earth and time
Is our wilderness
The journey in the night
Which will end
With the dawn of the morning star
We take leave of the desert
And enter the city of God
Sum Of Your Word
Psalm 119:160 ESV
The sum of your word is truth,
and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.
The sum of the word includes the Holy Spirit. The words themselves do not become alive until they are mixed with the Spirit of truth. Only then do they speak for they are Spirit words and can only be heard by a spirit made alive and able to hear.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Mystery Babylon -Revelation 17:1-18
Revelation 17:1-18 ESV
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations.” 6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 7 But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. 9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”
15 And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. 16 And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”
Many interpret this woman to be a revival of the Roman empire. It was, was not, and appears yet to come.
The beast is wounded and came back to life. The Caliphate was ended in 1924 and is coming back.
Nahum 3:1-4
Chapter 3
Woe to Nineveh
1 Woe to the bloody city,
all full of lies and plunder—
no end to the prey!
2 The crack of the whip, and rumble of the wheel,
galloping horse and bounding chariot!
3 Horsemen charging,
flashing sword and glittering spear,
hosts of slain,
heaps of corpses,
dead bodies without end—
they stumble over the bodies!
4 And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute,
graceful and of deadly charms,
who betrays nations with her whorings,
and peoples with her charms.
Revelation 19:2
for his judgments are true and just;
for he has judged the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality,
and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
Revelation 17:4-6
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations.” 6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
When I saw her, I marveled greatly.
The blood she has spilled is blood that will be required.
Jeremiah 51:7
Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord's hand,
making all the earth drunken;
the nations drank of her wine;
therefore the nations went mad.
Everything serves the Lord. He saw the end from the beginning. We will understand in the end.
Revelation 18:23-24
and the light of a lamp
will shine in you no more,
and the voice of bridegroom and bride
will be heard in you no more,
for your merchants were the great ones of the earth,
and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
and of all who have been slain on earth.”
The light of Babylon is extinguished. The deception underneath her prosperity has been exposed. The bride and bridegroom are no longer heard shows an end to life. It can also remind us that salvation is no longer held out to this entity of rebellion.
Daniel 11:36-37
“And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. 37 He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all.
The decree has gone out. What has been spoken will come to pass.
Ezra 9:10-11
“And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, 11 which you commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land that you are entering, to take possession of it, is a land impure with the impurity of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations that have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness.
The earth is filled with the impurity of the people living on earth. What Israel did not do, the Lord is accomplishing. He is doing a new thing. He is taking possession and restoring a land lost and broken.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-10
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
All deception will be revealed in the light of truth. His word is truth. Those that ignore His word, ignore salvation and are thus perishing. The mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Satan can no longer deceive those who have received the Gospel. The mystery of God's salvation has been revealed, to be consummated at His second coming.
1 Peter 1:20-21
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
We are given a unique and wonderful opportunity to know and believe God. No other creature can be "in Christ". No other creature can commune with God and be at one with God. We are blessed. To Him is the praise and glory.
Psalms 21:8-10
Your hand will find out all your enemies;
your right hand will find out those who hate you.
9 You will make them as a blazing oven
when you appear.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
and fire will consume them.
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
and their offspring from among the children of man.
The Lord will defeat the enemies of God.
Jeremiah 51:13-14
O you who dwell by many waters,
rich in treasures,
your end has come;
the thread of your life is cut.
14 The Lord of hosts has sworn by himself:
Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts,
and they shall raise the shout of victory over you.
The waters will be stilled and made clean.
Revelation 2:10-11
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death. ’
Being faithful through to death defeats death and brings life. Listening to the Spirit gives us the grace and power to conquer and overcome.
James 1:13-15
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
The seed of lawlessness resides in every person. Desire is part of who we are. We are given choice so that we could love. Making the wrong choice brings death instead. Both ends start in the heart.
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations.” 6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 7 But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. 9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”
15 And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. 16 And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”
Many interpret this woman to be a revival of the Roman empire. It was, was not, and appears yet to come.
The beast is wounded and came back to life. The Caliphate was ended in 1924 and is coming back.
Nahum 3:1-4
Chapter 3
Woe to Nineveh
1 Woe to the bloody city,
all full of lies and plunder—
no end to the prey!
2 The crack of the whip, and rumble of the wheel,
galloping horse and bounding chariot!
3 Horsemen charging,
flashing sword and glittering spear,
hosts of slain,
heaps of corpses,
dead bodies without end—
they stumble over the bodies!
4 And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute,
graceful and of deadly charms,
who betrays nations with her whorings,
and peoples with her charms.
Revelation 19:2
for his judgments are true and just;
for he has judged the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality,
and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
Revelation 17:4-6
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations.” 6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
When I saw her, I marveled greatly.
The blood she has spilled is blood that will be required.
Jeremiah 51:7
Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord's hand,
making all the earth drunken;
the nations drank of her wine;
therefore the nations went mad.
Everything serves the Lord. He saw the end from the beginning. We will understand in the end.
Revelation 18:23-24
and the light of a lamp
will shine in you no more,
and the voice of bridegroom and bride
will be heard in you no more,
for your merchants were the great ones of the earth,
and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
and of all who have been slain on earth.”
The light of Babylon is extinguished. The deception underneath her prosperity has been exposed. The bride and bridegroom are no longer heard shows an end to life. It can also remind us that salvation is no longer held out to this entity of rebellion.
Daniel 11:36-37
“And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. 37 He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all.
The decree has gone out. What has been spoken will come to pass.
Ezra 9:10-11
“And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, 11 which you commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land that you are entering, to take possession of it, is a land impure with the impurity of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations that have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness.
The earth is filled with the impurity of the people living on earth. What Israel did not do, the Lord is accomplishing. He is doing a new thing. He is taking possession and restoring a land lost and broken.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-10
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
All deception will be revealed in the light of truth. His word is truth. Those that ignore His word, ignore salvation and are thus perishing. The mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Satan can no longer deceive those who have received the Gospel. The mystery of God's salvation has been revealed, to be consummated at His second coming.
1 Peter 1:20-21
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
We are given a unique and wonderful opportunity to know and believe God. No other creature can be "in Christ". No other creature can commune with God and be at one with God. We are blessed. To Him is the praise and glory.
Psalms 21:8-10
Your hand will find out all your enemies;
your right hand will find out those who hate you.
9 You will make them as a blazing oven
when you appear.
The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath,
and fire will consume them.
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
and their offspring from among the children of man.
The Lord will defeat the enemies of God.
Jeremiah 51:13-14
O you who dwell by many waters,
rich in treasures,
your end has come;
the thread of your life is cut.
14 The Lord of hosts has sworn by himself:
Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts,
and they shall raise the shout of victory over you.
The waters will be stilled and made clean.
Revelation 2:10-11
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death. ’
Being faithful through to death defeats death and brings life. Listening to the Spirit gives us the grace and power to conquer and overcome.
James 1:13-15
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
The seed of lawlessness resides in every person. Desire is part of who we are. We are given choice so that we could love. Making the wrong choice brings death instead. Both ends start in the heart.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
It Is Done -Revelation 16:17-20
Revelation 16:17-20 ESV
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.
The seventh bowl poured out, its contents released into the prince of the air's domain. From the throne in the temple come the words "It is done!" Just as He said "It is finished!" on the cross, Jesus now speaks from the temple in heaven. The end has come.
Isaiah 66:6
“The sound of an uproar from the city!
A sound from the temple!
The sound of the Lord,
rendering recompense to his enemies!
Jeremiah 25:15-16
15 Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. 16 They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword that I am sending among them.”
Matthew 24:21-22
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
Revelation 18:9-10
And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,
“Alas! Alas! You great city,
you mighty city, Babylon!
For in a single hour your judgment has come.”
"They will stand far off". Though they trafficked with Babylon and wail at her demise, they are spared. The eyes of the nations now see a different reality than they saw before.
Revelation 11:19
Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
Revelation 6:14-17
The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
John 19:30
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Jesus drank the sour wine of our sin so He could provide living water to all that are thirsty. He also provides something for those who do not thirst for living water. They will drink from cup of God's wrath, which they helped fill.
Daniel 12:7-9
And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. 8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.
The words are no longer shut up and sealed. The temple curtain was torn open when Jesus died on the cross. We are in the last days. The end of time approaches.
Revelation 21:6-8
And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Jesus obeyed and fulfilled the will of God when He came the first time. So it will be when He comes again. "The beginning and the end".
Isaiah 49:26
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,
and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.
Then all flesh shall know
that I am the Lord your Savior,
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
Again we see the language seems to imply the focus of this punishment is on the enemies of Israel. This is compatible with Daniel 12:7-9, which speaks of the end of "the shattering of the power of the holy people".
Ezekiel 13:13
Therefore thus says the Lord God: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end.
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.
The seventh bowl poured out, its contents released into the prince of the air's domain. From the throne in the temple come the words "It is done!" Just as He said "It is finished!" on the cross, Jesus now speaks from the temple in heaven. The end has come.
Isaiah 66:6
“The sound of an uproar from the city!
A sound from the temple!
The sound of the Lord,
rendering recompense to his enemies!
Jeremiah 25:15-16
15 Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. 16 They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword that I am sending among them.”
Matthew 24:21-22
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
Revelation 18:9-10
And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,
“Alas! Alas! You great city,
you mighty city, Babylon!
For in a single hour your judgment has come.”
"They will stand far off". Though they trafficked with Babylon and wail at her demise, they are spared. The eyes of the nations now see a different reality than they saw before.
Revelation 11:19
Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
Revelation 6:14-17
The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
John 19:30
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Jesus drank the sour wine of our sin so He could provide living water to all that are thirsty. He also provides something for those who do not thirst for living water. They will drink from cup of God's wrath, which they helped fill.
Daniel 12:7-9
And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. 8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.
The words are no longer shut up and sealed. The temple curtain was torn open when Jesus died on the cross. We are in the last days. The end of time approaches.
Revelation 21:6-8
And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Jesus obeyed and fulfilled the will of God when He came the first time. So it will be when He comes again. "The beginning and the end".
Isaiah 49:26
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,
and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.
Then all flesh shall know
that I am the Lord your Savior,
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
Again we see the language seems to imply the focus of this punishment is on the enemies of Israel. This is compatible with Daniel 12:7-9, which speaks of the end of "the shattering of the power of the holy people".
Ezekiel 13:13
Therefore thus says the Lord God: I will make a stormy wind break out in my wrath, and there shall be a deluge of rain in my anger, and great hailstones in wrath to make a full end.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
The Bowls -Revelation 15:7-8. 16:1-16
Revelation 15:7-8 ESV
And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever, 8 and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
The presence of God in the sanctuary is usually accompanied by smoke. We see that no one is able to escape the wrath of God at this point. The door has been closed. It is the Lord that opens and shuts, and none can do otherwise.
Revelation 16:1-16
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.
4 The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,
“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
for you brought these judgments.
6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!”
7 And I heard the altar saying,
“Yes, Lord God the Almighty,
true and just are your judgments!”
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. 15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) 16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
The saints and prophets in view here are those of Israel. They are the ones under the alter and told to wait a little longer. God said He would repay those who harm His people. Just as God judged the Jewish nation, so He will punish the wicked and those who follow after the beast.
Exodus 9:8-9
8 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw them in the air in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 It shall become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and become boils breaking out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.”
Jeremiah 10:25
Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not,
and on the peoples that call not on your name,
for they have devoured Jacob;
they have devoured him and consumed him,
and have laid waste his habitation.
Ezekiel 22:31
Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have returned their way upon their heads, declares the Lord God.”
Exodus 7:17-19
Thus says the Lord, “By this you shall know that I am the Lord: behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood. 18 The fish in the Nile shall die, and the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will grow weary of drinking water from the Nile.”’” 19 And the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, their canals, and their ponds, and all their pools of water, so that they may become blood, and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone. ’”
Revelation 11:4-8
These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. 6 They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. 7 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, 8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
The pouring of the bowls could be linked to the two witnesses. Plagues, fire, and blood are within their power and authority. Part of the challenge of understanding this book is trying to extract ourselves from our experience of time and how that shapes our perspective. The events described in this book are not sequential as we are prone to think.
John recounts his visions and experiences which present a mosaic interpretation of the end times. Each piece provides information. They are not to be understood laid out in a straight line, one after another. It is only when we begin to fit them together in an image that is multidimensional that the pieces begin to go slide into place.
John relies on Old Testament references and imagery to convey the meaning of his words. Trying to interpret this book independent of other Scripture, the Old Testament in particular, makes the task all but impossible.
Isaiah 49:26
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,
and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.
Then all flesh shall know
that I am the Lord your Savior,
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
They will gnaw their tongues in agony and their blood will be spilled, even as they spilled blood, in double measure.
Revelation 6:9-11
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
Again we may see here a reference to these souls as Israel, for they are slain for the word of God and the witness they had borne. This is different from the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 41:2-4
Who stirred up one from the east
whom victory meets at every step?
He gives up nations before him,
so that he tramples kings underfoot;
he makes them like dust with his sword,
like driven stubble with his bow.
3 He pursues them and passes on safely,
by paths his feet have not trod.
4 Who has performed and done this,
calling the generations from the beginning?
I, the Lord, the first,
and with the last; I am he.
It is given to this army from the east to amass and battle the saints. It is the Lord Who allows these things for His purpose. It is that same Lord Who allows us to live. It is His merciful will that will prevail and be done.
Exodus 8:6-7
So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 But the magicians did the same by their secret arts and made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.
Three demons likened to frogs issue forth from the unholy trinity of Satan. Performing the magic of deception, they lead this army of rebellion in the way prepared and predicted.
1 Timothy 4:1-3
Chapter 4
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
1 Kings 22:21-23
Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him. ’ 22 And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means? ’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. ’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so. ’ 23 Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.”
Revelation 20:7-10
7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Luke 12:36-40
and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Are you ready?
And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever, 8 and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
The presence of God in the sanctuary is usually accompanied by smoke. We see that no one is able to escape the wrath of God at this point. The door has been closed. It is the Lord that opens and shuts, and none can do otherwise.
Revelation 16:1-16
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.
4 The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,
“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
for you brought these judgments.
6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!”
7 And I heard the altar saying,
“Yes, Lord God the Almighty,
true and just are your judgments!”
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. 15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) 16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
The saints and prophets in view here are those of Israel. They are the ones under the alter and told to wait a little longer. God said He would repay those who harm His people. Just as God judged the Jewish nation, so He will punish the wicked and those who follow after the beast.
Exodus 9:8-9
8 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw them in the air in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 It shall become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and become boils breaking out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.”
Jeremiah 10:25
Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not,
and on the peoples that call not on your name,
for they have devoured Jacob;
they have devoured him and consumed him,
and have laid waste his habitation.
Ezekiel 22:31
Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have returned their way upon their heads, declares the Lord God.”
Exodus 7:17-19
Thus says the Lord, “By this you shall know that I am the Lord: behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood. 18 The fish in the Nile shall die, and the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will grow weary of drinking water from the Nile.”’” 19 And the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, their canals, and their ponds, and all their pools of water, so that they may become blood, and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone. ’”
Revelation 11:4-8
These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. 6 They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. 7 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, 8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
The pouring of the bowls could be linked to the two witnesses. Plagues, fire, and blood are within their power and authority. Part of the challenge of understanding this book is trying to extract ourselves from our experience of time and how that shapes our perspective. The events described in this book are not sequential as we are prone to think.
John recounts his visions and experiences which present a mosaic interpretation of the end times. Each piece provides information. They are not to be understood laid out in a straight line, one after another. It is only when we begin to fit them together in an image that is multidimensional that the pieces begin to go slide into place.
John relies on Old Testament references and imagery to convey the meaning of his words. Trying to interpret this book independent of other Scripture, the Old Testament in particular, makes the task all but impossible.
Isaiah 49:26
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,
and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.
Then all flesh shall know
that I am the Lord your Savior,
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
They will gnaw their tongues in agony and their blood will be spilled, even as they spilled blood, in double measure.
Revelation 6:9-11
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
Again we may see here a reference to these souls as Israel, for they are slain for the word of God and the witness they had borne. This is different from the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 41:2-4
Who stirred up one from the east
whom victory meets at every step?
He gives up nations before him,
so that he tramples kings underfoot;
he makes them like dust with his sword,
like driven stubble with his bow.
3 He pursues them and passes on safely,
by paths his feet have not trod.
4 Who has performed and done this,
calling the generations from the beginning?
I, the Lord, the first,
and with the last; I am he.
It is given to this army from the east to amass and battle the saints. It is the Lord Who allows these things for His purpose. It is that same Lord Who allows us to live. It is His merciful will that will prevail and be done.
Exodus 8:6-7
So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 But the magicians did the same by their secret arts and made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.
Three demons likened to frogs issue forth from the unholy trinity of Satan. Performing the magic of deception, they lead this army of rebellion in the way prepared and predicted.
1 Timothy 4:1-3
Chapter 4
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
1 Kings 22:21-23
Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him. ’ 22 And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means? ’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. ’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so. ’ 23 Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.”
Revelation 20:7-10
7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Luke 12:36-40
and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Are you ready?
Monday, September 17, 2012
A Better Word
Genesis 4:8-12
Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
We have two examples of blood being spilled. One that speaks of hate and involves taking another' life. The second speaks of love and involves the giving of one's own life.
The blood of Jesus speaks a better word. Life is given rather than taken. Let us choose that way.
Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
We have two examples of blood being spilled. One that speaks of hate and involves taking another' life. The second speaks of love and involves the giving of one's own life.
The blood of Jesus speaks a better word. Life is given rather than taken. Let us choose that way.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Seven Plagues -Revelation 15:1-7
Revelation 15:1-7
1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished.
2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
“Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!
4 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.”
5 After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, 6 and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests. 7 And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever,
The wrath of God is about to be revealed in the pouring out of these plagues. The fire of the Lord has entered the sea. The wrath of the Lord has descended upon the people who have followed the beast.
For those who overcame the beast, peace and joy in the presence of God is reflected in their song. They worship and give glory to their Savior. Two songs are mentioned, of Moses and the Lamb, but they sing together. Both sing of the one Lord and His deliverance.
Leviticus 26:21-22
“Then if you walk contrary to me and will not listen to me, I will continue striking you, sevenfold for your sins. 22 And I will let loose the wild beasts against you, which shall bereave you of your children and destroy your livestock and make you few in number, so that your roads shall be deserted.
Psalms 145:17-20
The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished.
2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
“Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!
4 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.”
5 After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, 6 and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests. 7 And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever,
The wrath of God is about to be revealed in the pouring out of these plagues. The fire of the Lord has entered the sea. The wrath of the Lord has descended upon the people who have followed the beast.
For those who overcame the beast, peace and joy in the presence of God is reflected in their song. They worship and give glory to their Savior. Two songs are mentioned, of Moses and the Lamb, but they sing together. Both sing of the one Lord and His deliverance.
Leviticus 26:21-22
“Then if you walk contrary to me and will not listen to me, I will continue striking you, sevenfold for your sins. 22 And I will let loose the wild beasts against you, which shall bereave you of your children and destroy your livestock and make you few in number, so that your roads shall be deserted.
Psalms 145:17-20
The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
In Jerusalem
Ezra 7:11-15 ESV
This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a man learned in matters of the commandments of the Lord and his statutes for Israel: 12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven. Peace. And now 13 I make a decree that anyone of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom, who freely offers to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. 14 For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand, 15 and also to carry the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
There are many viewpoints and contentions with regard to Jerusalem and whether it belongs to the Jews. Long before there was no question.
This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a man learned in matters of the commandments of the Lord and his statutes for Israel: 12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven. Peace. And now 13 I make a decree that anyone of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom, who freely offers to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. 14 For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand, 15 and also to carry the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
There are many viewpoints and contentions with regard to Jerusalem and whether it belongs to the Jews. Long before there was no question.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Two Sickles -Revelation 14:14-20
Revelation 14:14-20 ESV
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.
The time for reaping is at hand. Two sickles are swung. The first is in the hands of Jesus, the Son of Man. He waits until the command is given from the Father to bring His children home. The harvest from the earth is reaped, being fully ripe.
Two different Greek words are both translated as "ripe". For the harvest reaping the word is: ξηραίνω xērainō. This has the meaning of the drying and readiness of wheat for harvest. The sickle swing results in "reaping", a positive and joyful activity that is reward for the endurance of the saints.
The other word, ἀκμάζω akmazō, has the meaning of being in full bloom and in its prime, like a grape whose time has come. This sickle swing results in the gathering rather than a reaping. The grapes are thrown into the "winepress of God's wrath". The wrath of God unfolds before us in the seven plagues that now follow.
The flow of blood is given, which is about 180 miles, or the length of Israel.
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.
The time for reaping is at hand. Two sickles are swung. The first is in the hands of Jesus, the Son of Man. He waits until the command is given from the Father to bring His children home. The harvest from the earth is reaped, being fully ripe.
Two different Greek words are both translated as "ripe". For the harvest reaping the word is: ξηραίνω xērainō. This has the meaning of the drying and readiness of wheat for harvest. The sickle swing results in "reaping", a positive and joyful activity that is reward for the endurance of the saints.
The other word, ἀκμάζω akmazō, has the meaning of being in full bloom and in its prime, like a grape whose time has come. This sickle swing results in the gathering rather than a reaping. The grapes are thrown into the "winepress of God's wrath". The wrath of God unfolds before us in the seven plagues that now follow.
The flow of blood is given, which is about 180 miles, or the length of Israel.
Friday, September 14, 2012
The Tree And The Law
1 Corinthians 15:56-58 ESV
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
The tree in the Garden and the law given in the desert were vehicles of choice.
There is a connection between the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the law given in the wilderness.
Disobedience brought death, the result of sin. The law showed us what sin is,
The tree of disobedience in the garden opened the eyes of Adam and Eve. With their eyes opened, they found themselves naked. They saw their poverty and distance from God.
The law opened our eyes to sin and our distance from God. Our poverty and nakedness was suddenly before us.
Eating the fruit of disobedience brought death. The law brought knowledge and accountability of sin, which brings us to the understanding of grace and our need for grace, which is the way to life.
Disobedience holds us captive, expelled from the Garden. The sword of truth guards the gate to Eden.
The law was given to bring us back.
Adam stood before the tree in the Garden.
Israel stood before the mountain in the wilderness.
We stand in the shadow of the cross.
The tree of the forbidden fruit brings us to the need for the Law, and its discipline of instruction and wisdom. The fruit from this tree becomes the word of God, Scripture which helps us understand good and evil, between the divine and the profane.
The Law brings us to Christ, Who sets us free from the law, and brings us back into the presence of God and to the tree of life. He led the captives free.
If we are faithful to Him, we will eat from the tree of life.
We followed Satan in his expulsion from God. Satan is cast down to ground and we return to the earth at our death without Jesus. Dust to dust.
We find ourselves in the wilderness governed by Satan, where we are tempted and might learn to trust and follow God. Jesus led by example, the word of Scripture providing the answer. We will overcome the same way, remembering what He said.
We can be raised and return to God.
We stand before the two trees: of life and death.
Satan has already been judged.
We choose which resurrection we will join: the resurrection of Jesus or the resurrection of judgement.
There has always been that choice.
The righteous requirement of the law remains. It is fulfilled in Christ, thus freeing all trusting in Him. It cannot be met any other way.
The law of liberty is written on the heart by the finger of God, in the form of His Son and in the fire of His Spirit. The eternal flame of life sheds its light within and to the world.
There was one way to disobey in the Garden.
Eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Then was given the one way back to the presence of God.
It is through Jesus Christ Who fulfilled the law.
Both give sight to good and evil, bringing into view the difference.
Man could not obey either command.
Life was beyond our reach.
The hand of His mercy reached out for us.
Upon eating of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden and clothed in animal skins.
Upon eating of the bread of heaven, we are clothed in righteousness, we "put on Christ".
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
The tree in the Garden and the law given in the desert were vehicles of choice.
There is a connection between the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the law given in the wilderness.
Disobedience brought death, the result of sin. The law showed us what sin is,
The tree of disobedience in the garden opened the eyes of Adam and Eve. With their eyes opened, they found themselves naked. They saw their poverty and distance from God.
The law opened our eyes to sin and our distance from God. Our poverty and nakedness was suddenly before us.
Eating the fruit of disobedience brought death. The law brought knowledge and accountability of sin, which brings us to the understanding of grace and our need for grace, which is the way to life.
Disobedience holds us captive, expelled from the Garden. The sword of truth guards the gate to Eden.
The law was given to bring us back.
Adam stood before the tree in the Garden.
Israel stood before the mountain in the wilderness.
We stand in the shadow of the cross.
The tree of the forbidden fruit brings us to the need for the Law, and its discipline of instruction and wisdom. The fruit from this tree becomes the word of God, Scripture which helps us understand good and evil, between the divine and the profane.
The Law brings us to Christ, Who sets us free from the law, and brings us back into the presence of God and to the tree of life. He led the captives free.
If we are faithful to Him, we will eat from the tree of life.
We followed Satan in his expulsion from God. Satan is cast down to ground and we return to the earth at our death without Jesus. Dust to dust.
We find ourselves in the wilderness governed by Satan, where we are tempted and might learn to trust and follow God. Jesus led by example, the word of Scripture providing the answer. We will overcome the same way, remembering what He said.
We can be raised and return to God.
We stand before the two trees: of life and death.
Satan has already been judged.
We choose which resurrection we will join: the resurrection of Jesus or the resurrection of judgement.
There has always been that choice.
The righteous requirement of the law remains. It is fulfilled in Christ, thus freeing all trusting in Him. It cannot be met any other way.
The law of liberty is written on the heart by the finger of God, in the form of His Son and in the fire of His Spirit. The eternal flame of life sheds its light within and to the world.
There was one way to disobey in the Garden.
Eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Then was given the one way back to the presence of God.
It is through Jesus Christ Who fulfilled the law.
Both give sight to good and evil, bringing into view the difference.
Man could not obey either command.
Life was beyond our reach.
The hand of His mercy reached out for us.
Upon eating of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden and clothed in animal skins.
Upon eating of the bread of heaven, we are clothed in righteousness, we "put on Christ".
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Judgement Has Come -Revelation 14:6-13
Revelation 14:6-13 ESV
6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”
9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”
Three messages from heaven are delivered to those on earth. The time has arrived to choose between God and the beast, a last plea for the sake of mankind.
Babylon faces judgement. There is a sharp contrast between the 144,000 and those who drank from the cup of her sexual immorality. This speaks of a rejection of God. Today the flow from her cup continues and grows.
The passage goes on to refer to this misdirected worship, signified by the taking of its name, throwing their lot in with the beast. The consequence and punishment of this decision is bluntly pronounced.
During this time many will believe, persevere, and will die in the Lord. They will give witness, along with the 144,000, to gospel and glory of Christ. Their reward awaits them. Whoever confesses His name as Lord will rest before God.
1 Corinthians 2:14-15
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
The message of the gospel will remain as foolishness to the ones who are foolish. They come by it naturally.
John 12:26
If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
Jeremiah 2:3
Israel was holy to the Lord,
the firstfruits of his harvest.
All who ate of it incurred guilt;
disaster came upon them,
declares the Lord.”
Here we see Israel referred to as the "firstfruits of his harvest". It was this people that was first called called by God.
James 1:18
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
The Jews were given the oracles of the living God. That truth revealed and prepared us for the coming Christ. Those that believed in His name are likened to a "kind of firstfruits". This may be compared to Paul's explanation of wild olive branches grafted in a cultivated olive tree.
Jeremiah 25:15-16
15 Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. 16 They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword that I am sending among them.”
Psalms 2:6-8
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
Psalms 132:13-14
For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
Joel 2:32
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.
It may be construed here that Mount Zion could refer to Israel and Jerusalem to the Church, the Bride of Christ. We are told elsewhere they are both of God.
Hebrews 12:22-24
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Luke 12:8-10
Acknowledge Christ Before Men
8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”
9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”
Three messages from heaven are delivered to those on earth. The time has arrived to choose between God and the beast, a last plea for the sake of mankind.
Babylon faces judgement. There is a sharp contrast between the 144,000 and those who drank from the cup of her sexual immorality. This speaks of a rejection of God. Today the flow from her cup continues and grows.
The passage goes on to refer to this misdirected worship, signified by the taking of its name, throwing their lot in with the beast. The consequence and punishment of this decision is bluntly pronounced.
During this time many will believe, persevere, and will die in the Lord. They will give witness, along with the 144,000, to gospel and glory of Christ. Their reward awaits them. Whoever confesses His name as Lord will rest before God.
1 Corinthians 2:14-15
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
The message of the gospel will remain as foolishness to the ones who are foolish. They come by it naturally.
John 12:26
If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
Jeremiah 2:3
Israel was holy to the Lord,
the firstfruits of his harvest.
All who ate of it incurred guilt;
disaster came upon them,
declares the Lord.”
Here we see Israel referred to as the "firstfruits of his harvest". It was this people that was first called called by God.
James 1:18
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
The Jews were given the oracles of the living God. That truth revealed and prepared us for the coming Christ. Those that believed in His name are likened to a "kind of firstfruits". This may be compared to Paul's explanation of wild olive branches grafted in a cultivated olive tree.
Jeremiah 25:15-16
15 Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. 16 They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword that I am sending among them.”
Psalms 2:6-8
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
Psalms 132:13-14
For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place:
14 “This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
Joel 2:32
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.
It may be construed here that Mount Zion could refer to Israel and Jerusalem to the Church, the Bride of Christ. We are told elsewhere they are both of God.
Hebrews 12:22-24
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Luke 12:8-10
Acknowledge Christ Before Men
8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
144,000 -Revelation 14:1-4
Revelation 14:1-4 ESV
1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb,
The 144,000 from the tribes of Israel appear with the Lamb. They are assembled and found with Christ on the holy Mount Zion. This lets us know this is taking place on earth. They have been redeemed from the earth, as only a kinsman could do. They have stayed true to God.
Uniquely called the "firstfruits for God and the Lamb", they are able to sing a song that know one else can sing, for they were descended from a people chosen by God. God had covenanted with their fathers, which depended solely on God. God does not fail. At last the remnant begins its mission of witness.
The song they sing is of joy and worship rises to the throne above where the elders are gathered.
Ezekiel 9:4-5
And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” 5 And to the others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him, and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity.
Revelation 7:4
And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
Hebrews 12:22-24
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Psalms 2:6-9
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”
Revelation 5:13-14
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Revelation 1:15-16
his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two- edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb,
The 144,000 from the tribes of Israel appear with the Lamb. They are assembled and found with Christ on the holy Mount Zion. This lets us know this is taking place on earth. They have been redeemed from the earth, as only a kinsman could do. They have stayed true to God.
Uniquely called the "firstfruits for God and the Lamb", they are able to sing a song that know one else can sing, for they were descended from a people chosen by God. God had covenanted with their fathers, which depended solely on God. God does not fail. At last the remnant begins its mission of witness.
The song they sing is of joy and worship rises to the throne above where the elders are gathered.
Ezekiel 9:4-5
And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” 5 And to the others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him, and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity.
Revelation 7:4
And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
Hebrews 12:22-24
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Psalms 2:6-9
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”
Revelation 5:13-14
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Revelation 1:15-16
his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two- edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
In Jerusalem
[ESVi] Zech. 12:6 ¶ “On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a blazing pot in the midst of wood, like a flaming torch among sheaves. And they shall devour to the right and to the left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem shall again be inhabited in its place, in Jerusalem.
This might be confirming that Jerusalem is not only a city in the world, but a people, a city of God. The new Jerusalem from above is in view.
This might be confirming that Jerusalem is not only a city in the world, but a people, a city of God. The new Jerusalem from above is in view.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
To Be Marked -Revelation 13:15-18
Revelation 13:15-18 ESV
And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. 16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.
Just as the two "olive trees" gave witness to God, these beasts witness to Satan. The breath of God entered into the two slain after they lay in the street unburied. They then rise and are taken to heaven.
The second beast is able to give breath to the image of the first beast. The world marvels, but some will see through this deception and will reject the beast.
The number of its name is 666. Various individuals and entities have been identified over time, as there have been dates predicted for the second coming which have come and gone. We have seen that Scripture can speak on several levels and have multiple applications which are true at the same time. Types appear in history, yet inform us today, a shadow and prophesy of things to come.
One might get the sense that Rome represents the world empire that is forming in our headlong descent into a "new world order" and Islam continues to increase its violence and persecution of Jews and Christians alike. The idea of Jesus being the Christ, the Son of God, is blasphemy to those who kill in the name of God. It embodies both ideas of Antichrist and beast. Wiping Israel off the face of the earth is a repeated and loud call by those surrounding Jerusalem. Satan is indeed furiously waging war on the offspring of the seed, for he knows his time is short.
The number does reflect the number of man, 6, and is grouped as 3, which could represent divinity, to be in the place of God. This is what Satan is all about. A mark on the forehead represents taking the name, or following the beast. Those that belong to God take His name and become children of God, and are marked with the Spirit of the living. The Spirit leads us into the mind of Christ, renewing and transforming the believer into new creatures, a new creation. Those that follow the beast remain tied to the fate of the beast, and bear the mark of destruction, making their way down the path away from God. Those that take the mark of Christ are sealed with the Holy Spirit. This is done in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.
Revelation 16:2
So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
Revelation 20:4-5
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.
Galatians 6:17
From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
Revelation 15:2
And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.
And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. 16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.
Just as the two "olive trees" gave witness to God, these beasts witness to Satan. The breath of God entered into the two slain after they lay in the street unburied. They then rise and are taken to heaven.
The second beast is able to give breath to the image of the first beast. The world marvels, but some will see through this deception and will reject the beast.
The number of its name is 666. Various individuals and entities have been identified over time, as there have been dates predicted for the second coming which have come and gone. We have seen that Scripture can speak on several levels and have multiple applications which are true at the same time. Types appear in history, yet inform us today, a shadow and prophesy of things to come.
One might get the sense that Rome represents the world empire that is forming in our headlong descent into a "new world order" and Islam continues to increase its violence and persecution of Jews and Christians alike. The idea of Jesus being the Christ, the Son of God, is blasphemy to those who kill in the name of God. It embodies both ideas of Antichrist and beast. Wiping Israel off the face of the earth is a repeated and loud call by those surrounding Jerusalem. Satan is indeed furiously waging war on the offspring of the seed, for he knows his time is short.
The number does reflect the number of man, 6, and is grouped as 3, which could represent divinity, to be in the place of God. This is what Satan is all about. A mark on the forehead represents taking the name, or following the beast. Those that belong to God take His name and become children of God, and are marked with the Spirit of the living. The Spirit leads us into the mind of Christ, renewing and transforming the believer into new creatures, a new creation. Those that follow the beast remain tied to the fate of the beast, and bear the mark of destruction, making their way down the path away from God. Those that take the mark of Christ are sealed with the Holy Spirit. This is done in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.
Revelation 16:2
So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
Revelation 20:4-5
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.
Galatians 6:17
From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
Revelation 15:2
And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Another Beast -Revelation 13:11-14
Revelation 13:11-14 ESV
11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
Out of the earth rises the second beast. It is described as a lamb in appearance, but speaking as a dragon. The unholy trinity is now revealed. Satan is truly unbound and floods the world with deceit.
Without the eyes of God, the wonders performed by this minion of Satan convinces those of the earth that this creature is from God.
It turns the world from merely following after the beast to worshiping the Beast. Like the two witnesses of God, it causes fire to come down from heaven. Elijah, the man of God performed such a miracle. The disciples James and John offered to call down fire for Jesus. The power of the dragon is given to this beast.
Those who dwell on the earth, that is the unbelievers, will be deceived. They have rejected the Spirit who allows seeing through the deception of Satan. He disguises himself as an angel of light. On the inside, darkness reigns. His prophets repeat his lie and spread the word of destruction, and many drink from that cup he holds out.
Deuteronomy 13:1-4
Chapter 13
1 “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.
1 Kings 18:38-40
Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
Luke 9:54-56
And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 And they went on to another village.
Matthew 24:24-28
For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
2 Kings 1:10
But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
Matthew 7:15-19
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
2 Thessalonians 2:6-12
And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
Out of the earth rises the second beast. It is described as a lamb in appearance, but speaking as a dragon. The unholy trinity is now revealed. Satan is truly unbound and floods the world with deceit.
Without the eyes of God, the wonders performed by this minion of Satan convinces those of the earth that this creature is from God.
It turns the world from merely following after the beast to worshiping the Beast. Like the two witnesses of God, it causes fire to come down from heaven. Elijah, the man of God performed such a miracle. The disciples James and John offered to call down fire for Jesus. The power of the dragon is given to this beast.
Those who dwell on the earth, that is the unbelievers, will be deceived. They have rejected the Spirit who allows seeing through the deception of Satan. He disguises himself as an angel of light. On the inside, darkness reigns. His prophets repeat his lie and spread the word of destruction, and many drink from that cup he holds out.
Deuteronomy 13:1-4
Chapter 13
1 “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.
1 Kings 18:38-40
Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
Luke 9:54-56
And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 And they went on to another village.
Matthew 24:24-28
For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
2 Kings 1:10
But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
Matthew 7:15-19
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
2 Thessalonians 2:6-12
And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Given A Mouth -Revelation 13:5-10
Revelation 13:5-10 ESV
And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty- two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear:
10 If anyone is to be taken captive,
to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
with the sword must he be slain.
Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.
The words of the dragon are given voice. The beast gives utterance to blasphemies against God. Heaven is where God dwells. He is on His throne and in the heart of every believer. The animosity against Christians in the world is evidence of His presence, just as it is evidence of Satan. One cannot believe in God and dismiss the idea of Satan. Believing in God means believing God.
Jesus overcame temptation and was victorious over death. Anyone who listens to His word and places faith in Him will have life. The choice is not predetermined, but foreseen. It calls for endurance and faithfulness.
Daniel 7:8
I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
Daniel 7:21-22
As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.
Daniel 11:36
“And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.
2 Thessalonians 2:2-4
not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so- called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
Matthew 25:34
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
In the story of creation God rested on the seventh day. He finished His work, the word was spoken and we partake in its fulfillment.
Jeremiah 43:11-12
He shall come and strike the land of Egypt, giving over to the pestilence those who are doomed to the pestilence, to captivity those who are doomed to captivity, and to the sword those who are doomed to the sword. 12 I shall kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them and carry them away captive. And he shall clean the land of Egypt as a shepherd cleans his cloak of vermin, and he shall go away from there in peace.
We can choose between doom and salvation, between death and life. Each path has its end, a destination. Jesus invites all to follow Him.
Hebrews 6:10-12
For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
1 Peter 1:20-21
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty- two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear:
10 If anyone is to be taken captive,
to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
with the sword must he be slain.
Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.
The words of the dragon are given voice. The beast gives utterance to blasphemies against God. Heaven is where God dwells. He is on His throne and in the heart of every believer. The animosity against Christians in the world is evidence of His presence, just as it is evidence of Satan. One cannot believe in God and dismiss the idea of Satan. Believing in God means believing God.
Jesus overcame temptation and was victorious over death. Anyone who listens to His word and places faith in Him will have life. The choice is not predetermined, but foreseen. It calls for endurance and faithfulness.
Daniel 7:8
I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
Daniel 7:21-22
As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.
Daniel 11:36
“And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.
2 Thessalonians 2:2-4
not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so- called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
Matthew 25:34
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
In the story of creation God rested on the seventh day. He finished His work, the word was spoken and we partake in its fulfillment.
Jeremiah 43:11-12
He shall come and strike the land of Egypt, giving over to the pestilence those who are doomed to the pestilence, to captivity those who are doomed to captivity, and to the sword those who are doomed to the sword. 12 I shall kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them and carry them away captive. And he shall clean the land of Egypt as a shepherd cleans his cloak of vermin, and he shall go away from there in peace.
We can choose between doom and salvation, between death and life. Each path has its end, a destination. Jesus invites all to follow Him.
Hebrews 6:10-12
For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
1 Peter 1:20-21
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
I Will Do It
Isaiah 46:8-11 ESV
“Remember this and stand firm,
recall it to mind, you transgressors,
9 remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
10 declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
11 calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it.
In the beginning God
In the end God
As He purposed
So it will be
“Remember this and stand firm,
recall it to mind, you transgressors,
9 remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
10 declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
11 calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it.
In the beginning God
In the end God
As He purposed
So it will be
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