Word for Life in Love— Scripture Meditations By Stephen Brown
Mark 10:35-37 (ESV)
35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
He who serves in the kingdom of heaven to build and edify the body of Christ will find honor. This is the glory of Jesus and all those who follow Him.
Jesus said He is the beginning and end, yet He has no beginning or end. He is the beginning and end of man made in the image of God.
John 4:25-26 (ESV)
25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
The Messiah has come and will come again. He came as the Son of Man so we could become sons of God. He is the beginning and end of the the union of God and man. He never left His disciples alone, for His Holy Spirit remains leading us into the truth.
Ezekiel 5:11-12 (ESV)
11 Therefore, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will withdraw. My eye will not spare, and I will have no pity. 12 A third part of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed with famine in your midst; a third part shall fall by the sword all around you; and a third part I will scatter to all the winds and will unsheathe the sword after them.
The four horsemen that proceed from the opened seals of Revelation represent the judgment of God on Israel. Israel is the focus of Revelation as the wrath of God is fully poured out in the great tribulation, known as the time of Jacob’s troubles. The world will tremble at that outpouring which will lead to the return of Christ.
Galatians 6:3 (ESV)
For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
God is and man is not. Man is only something when he is in Christ. To think otherwise is to deceive one’s self.
Ezekiel 3:22-24 (ESV)
22 And the hand of the LORD was upon me there. And he said to me, “Arise, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you.” 23 So I arose and went out into the valley, and behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, like the glory that I had seen by the Chebar canal, and I fell on my face. 24 But the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and he spoke with me and said to me, “Go, shut yourself within your house.
The glory of the Lord is the Son of God. He is the glory of all creation. His Spirit entered Ezekiel and began to speak to Him.
When we enter the body of Christ, we have entered the glory of the Lord. His Spirit descends upon us to abide with us. We are raised from the dead to stand before the Lord, as lampstands that lifts His light into the world. Let us stand firm in our faith we have placed in Him.
Ezekiel 2:1-2 (ESV)
Ezekiel's Call
1 And he said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 2 And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.
Ezekiel is a son of man who receives visions and the word of God through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is the Son of Man who is the word of God and is one with the Spirit. He is God with us.
In both instances the word of God is given to mankind.
