Behold Our God!

 Isaiah 40:9 Go on up to a high mountain,
    O Zion, herald of good news;
lift up your voice with strength,
    O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
    lift it up, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah,
    “Behold your God!”
10 Behold, the Lord God comes with might,
    and his arm rules for him;
behold, his reward is with him,
    and his recompense before him.
11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
    he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
    and gently lead those that are with young.

We were in this chapter earlier this week for the last Sunday of Advent, preparing our hearts for "the glory of the Lord to be revealed."  Yesterday we celebrated His coming.  Today our response should be to shout from the mountaintops how great our God is.  He is the gentle Shepherd of mercy, grace, and love, Who has sent His Son as a love gift.  But the chapter goes on to remind us that He is awesome Creator, All-Wise Judge, and inexhaustible Source of strength to keep us going in life. Indeed, with all He has proven in sending His Son, our Savior, we should shout and sing: "Behold our God!"

God's Zeal for Us

 Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

On this Christmas day we remember that God knows what we need - what is best for us - and He gives that to us.  We need This Child. We need someone to truly lead. We need the peace that only He can give. Moreover, God has the wherewithal to do this. He has a zeal for us, a jealously for us, which makes Him willing to pull out all the stops.  Stop today and receive His Gift; hold Him in your arms and say "thanks." Realize what a zealous, jealous love God has for you to send His Son.

His Steadfast Promise

 Psalm 89:1 I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
    with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
    in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
    I have sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
    and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah

This is one of the many psalms with Messianic overtones.  It was a promise the people of Israel clung to when they were scattered among the nations, and especially when they were under the harsh rule of powers like Rome. God had promised a King after David.  They anticipated Him, longed for Him. How could they do so after so many generations? God's steadfast love.  As we celebrate Christ's first Advent and await His second, we can also claim and cling to God's steadfast love for His people. This lengthy psalm goes on to recount God's faithfulness, leaving the psalmist and us to proclaim:

52 Blessed be the Lord forever!

Amen and Amen.

Picture Perfect Peace

 No Commentary Needed: What Christ Shall Bring:

Isaiah 11:1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
    and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
    the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and might,
    the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
    or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
    and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
    and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
    and faithfulness the belt of his loins.
6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
    and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
    and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
    their young shall lie down together;
    and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
    and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
9 They shall not hurt or destroy
    in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

The Mouth of the Lord

 Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
    and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
    that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
    double for all her sins.
3 A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
    make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
    and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
    and the rough places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
    and all flesh shall see it together,
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

As stated yesterday, Isaiah was used much by God in proclaiming the coming of the Messiah. He also is the one who announced one who would precede Him, calling on the people to prepare the way for His coming. Thus, Luke begins with accounts having to do with the voice coming, John the Baptist. But what He will say and proclaim will come from the same Source as Isaiah: The Mouth of the Lord.  He has spoken. He will keep His promises to send comfort and forgiveness through Christ.

Extra! Extra! Tell All About It!

 Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains
    are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
    who publishes salvation,
    who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
8 The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice;
    together they sing for joy;
for eye to eye they see
    the return of the Lord to Zion.
9 Break forth together into singing,
    you waste places of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people;
    he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord has bared his holy arm
    before the eyes of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see
    the salvation of our God.

The prophet Isaiah is the source in the New Testament for many fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah. When we look at the passage above, we think of the angels on the mountainside singing the Good News to the shepherds and Paul's reminder that the message first came to the Jews, but it was meant for the whole world. May we meditate upon and proclaim this good news message of joy over and over: Christ is born!

Deep to the Core

 Revelation 17:1 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.

As John has witnessed judgment after judgment, he is now taken off the beaten track to the home, the capital of wickedness, the hub of immorality and idolatry in the world.  Here is the source of not only the sin of the world, but the persecution of the saints.  At this point John marvels. He has seen much evil, but this astounds him.  From this harlot flow waterways taking wickedness to all the nations of the world. Ultimately in their wickedness the nations and their leaders will turn on the harlot and this "world", deep to the core with sin, will implode. In this midst of all this evil, John is given an encouraging reminder: 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.”

Will They Repent?

 Revelation 16:17 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. 21 And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.

Having introduced the seven bowls in chapter 15, John goes on to share their pouring out in this chapter, given in fast forward motion.  He records painful sores, blood in the seas then in the rivers and springs, scorching heat then cold darkness, deadly drought and war, and finally the description above -earthquakes and hail.  These are not new judgments, but their intensity is greater and the question to be answered is: will men be moved to repentance?  The answer: they cursed God.  People's hearts will continue to be hardened, just like Pharoah. 

Heading Toward Completion

 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. 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.”

In this brief chapter, we find seven more angels introduced, each with plagues to be spent upon the earth. The judgment of God will be completed when, and only when, these are completed.  This is the number of perfection, completion. There is a pause once again, for worship to the perfect God, the only truly Holy One.  In the end, after all the judgments are complete, it will fully be seen that God is and does what is righteous, holy, and true.  For this He is to be forever praised.  

The Grapes of Wrath

Revelation 14:6 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.”

In the last chapter we saw a call for endurance on the part of God's people, even in the face of persecution. In the middle of this chapter we find that call repeated, but also promoted, as we see the faithfulness of the 144,000 in the opening verses. Here we find a reminder to keep in mind the big picture. Judgement is coming, which involves both justice for God's people and punishment for those who have chosen worship of the beast instead.  The remainder of the chapter proceeds to describe the beginning of this judgment, known as "the grapes of wrath."

The Call to Endure

5 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 revelation John had been given had increasingly intensified, so he was not shocked by the two beasts he now sees in this chapter, nor by the fact that most in the world seem to follow after, even worship the beast and the dragon, which had given him such power over the world. He is not shocked that they are allowed to "make war on the saints and to conquer them."  After all, John himself was in exile and many of his fellow believers were suffering persecution.  Yet, he gives an exhortation for believers to endure and stand fast in their faith.  No matter what happens, no matter for how long, may we continue to trust Christ. 

Praise Our Lord!

Psalm 149:1 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!
3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
    making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!

Psalm 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!

It is fitting that the last two psalms would close the book with high praise. They are a call to praise God as our Creator and King.  There is much for which to praise Him: what He has done, and even more so for Who He is.  There is also much with which to praise Him: stringed instruments, rhythm instruments, wind instruments, and most of all, our very breath.  Today, may we all, with all we have and are, Praise the Lord!

Praise Him for Both!

 Psalm 148:11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
    princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and maidens together,
    old men and children!
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his majesty is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
    praise for all his saints,
    for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the Lord!

This psalm ends as it begins: Praise the Lord! The psalmist starts by calling on those looking down on the earth to praise Him: the angels and heavenly hosts, the sun, moon and stars; every form of moisture and gas that falls on the earth: rain, hail, snow, fire, and wind. Next, he moves on to his creations on the earth: sea creatures, animals, flying creatures, hills and valleys. Finally, in the concluding paragraph above, he moves to mankind, of all ages and station in life, and calls upon us to praise him not only for creation, but even more: His salvation. This "horn" is the One who is powerful to save. Can you praise Him for both today?

That Dragon!

Revelation 12:7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

This chapter begins with God protecting the woman and her male child from the dragon which sought to devour him from birth, but failed, finding himself instead cast out of heaven, no longer able to accuse the saints.  He finds himself here on earth wreaking as much havoc as he can. Since his original plan failed, he tries everything he can to get at God's people.

The Last Blast

Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
    who is and who was,
for you have taken your great power
    and begun to reign.
18 The nations raged,
    but your wrath came,
    and the time for the dead to be judged,
and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
    and those who fear your name,
    both small and great,
and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”
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.

In this chapter John continues to be included in what is going on, being given a measuring rod with which to measure the inner temple court - another picture from the prophets of preparing for judgment. The two witnesses appear, powerfully giving testimony from the temple, then being killed by the beast, being raised, and then ascending to God's temple in heaven. It is now time for the final woe, the seventh trumpet, announcing God's reign over heaven and earth, and the judgment coming upon His enemies. It is a blast introducing the greatest demonstration of His power ever. 

Not Good News

Revelation 10:8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”

To this point John was pretty much a passive observer to what was taking place before him. He was taking note of everything, but the events did not directly affect him. That now changed, as he was called on to do something similar to the prophet Ezekiel, who had been called on to give God's people a difficult message. John to was now being called on to take this message to the rebellious; it would affect him personally. God calls on us not just be observers, but voices of warning and woe. 

Despite the Double-Barrell

Revelation 9:20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, 21 nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

In chapter 8 we saw the judgements of the trumpets coming one right after the other, wreaking havoc on the earth, then a pause of warning that things were about to get even worse. This chapter records the next two woes of judgments. The fifth one lasts for five months, affecting only unrepentant mankind, making them wish they were dead. The sixth trumpet brings in plagues that kill a third of mankind.  After all this, we find the summary above: a refusal to repent of idolatry and immorality.  Despite this double barrel of trumpet blasts and their accompanying woes, it is in the nature of most to refuse to give God, His Word, and His will their proper place, and refuse to change. 

The Calm Before the Storm

Revelation 8:1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, 4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

As John continued to see the connection between things in heaven and on earth, there came this point when the last seal was opened.  There was silence. Most of us have been in situations where intense silence has been almost unnerving.  Unlike the slow, detailed descriptions of the seals, we now have a rapid and loud blowing of trumpet after trumpet - one disaster after another. After the fourth trumpet the angel warns earth to brace herself for the last three. This will be intense indeed.

The Lord Alone Does This

Psalm 146:3 Put not your trust in princes,
    in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
    on that very day his plans perish.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
7     who executes justice for the oppressed,
    who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8     the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
    the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the sojourners;
    he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
    but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted

    and binds up their wounds.

4 He determines the number of the stars;

    he gives to all of them their names...

6 The Lord lifts up the humble;

    he casts the wicked to the ground...

8 He covers the heavens with clouds;

    he prepares rain for the earth;

    he makes grass grow on the hills.

9 He gives to the beasts their food,

    and to the young ravens that cry...

13 he strengthens the bars of your gates;

    he blesses your children within you.

14 He makes peace in your borders;

    he fills you with the finest of the wheat.

15 He sends out his command to the earth;

    his word runs swiftly.

16 He gives snow like wool;

    he scatters frost like ashes.

17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;

    who can stand before his cold?

18 He sends out his word, and melts them;

    he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.

No commentary necessary... The Lord does it all!

Faithful Words, Kind Works

Psalm 145:14 The Lord upholds all who are falling
    and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand;
    you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 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 this psalm David praises God for how He deals with His people and primes the pump for all the things about Him that should be passed on from generation to generation. It is a description of God's character. The whole psalm flows smoothly and is worth reading in its entirety.  The best-known verses of the psalm give a good snapshot description of God as He relates to Man: 

8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,

    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

9 The Lord is good to all,

    and his mercy is over all that he has made.

These are the truths which are worth meditating on and proclaiming for all to hear. 

The Great Crowd

Revelation 7:9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

This chapter begins with the 144,000 of the tribes of Israel, then beyond that this innumerable crowd gathered to worship the God the Father and the Lamb. When John inquires: "Who are they?", he is told that they are those who have come for shelter and provision under the care of the Lamb, who is also The Shepherd.  They have been made white by being washed in the blood of the Lamb, finding forgiveness and salvation by trusting in Him. It is so life-changing that they give themselves to serve and worship Him. Will you be in that great crowd?

Sovereign Lord!

Revelation 6:9 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.

In this chapter, Christ, the only One worthy to do so, begins to open the seals on the scroll. As he does so, it is revealed to John all of the devastation which would come on the earth: wars, murders, famine, pestilence, "natural" disasters. Among these terrible things is the fifth seal above.  This was to help the believers to whom John was writing to keep perspective in the midst of persecution.  Their plight was not being overlooked; they were being watched over and "sealed" until the time was right in the plan of God. Notice the plea that they make, addressing Christ as "Sovereign Lord, holy and true." This takes us back to Acts 4, and how the apostles, when they were persecuted cried out to God for boldness to stand firm in the faith.  They fully trusted Him, and He saw them through. These saints, and those of today, need to so the same. 

One Worthy

Revelation 5:1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

At this point in his record, John brings us back to the central theme of the book introduced in chapter 1: Christ. He is the focus throughout.  Having given an overview of the tragedy on earth in chapters 2 & 3, then the infinite glory of God in chapter 4, how in the world can the two be brought together? The answer is simply Christ. He and He alone can open the scroll to show the way forward.  This announcement once again brings an overwhelming wave of worship in heaven. 

A Wonderful Shock

Revelation 4:6 And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
    who was and is and is to come!”
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they existed and were created.”

What a shock John must have had after the last two chapters of examining the Church on earth. Given this tour of heaven, he finds everything focuses on the worship of Eternal God. There everyone calls Him holy; everyone bows down to do his will; everyone recognizes Him as Creator and Master-Planner; everyone applauds Him for Who He is and what He has done.  It was (and will be) a wonderful shock. 

Disgustingly Lukewarm

Revelation 3:14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. 15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 

This is the last stop on the tour of the Asian churches that John was taken to see.  Despite the idolatry and immorality seen at the other six, this one is the most disturbing: lukewarmness, having a semblance of spiritual fire, but more concerned with their own comfort and self-sufficiently.  It is indeed scary as we look at the churches in our culture, believing we are "safe", having lost our full dependency on the Spirit of God for our existence and growth.  Most of all there is no perceived need for sanctification - to be refined like gold and cleansed into Christlikeness.  How easy it is to stray from God's intention for His Church. 

In War and Peace

 Psalm 144:9 I will sing a new song to you, O God;
    upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,
10 who gives victory to kings,
    who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.
11 Rescue me and deliver me
    from the hand of foreigners,
whose mouths speak lies
    and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

In this Psalm David begins by praising God as his Rock and His Love, Who protects him in battle and gives him victory.  David praises Him as being far higher than mortal man and asks Him to come down and show Himself powerful in providing victory.  We then come to the verses above where David sings a song of praise to celebrate and anticipate that.  In the rest of the psalm David goes on to ask for the blessings of peace to follow: strong and healthy sons and daughters, full silos and multiplying sheep and cattle, peace in their streets and their hearts.  David then concludes with a proclamation of thanksgiving:

15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!

    Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

May we continue with such a heart of thanksgiving as we enter into Advent.

Why are you cast down, O my soul?

Psalm 42:1 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
    as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
    and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
    a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation 6 and my God.

Psalm 43:3 Send out your light and your truth;

    let them lead me;

let them bring me to your holy hill

    and to your dwelling!

4 Then I will go to the altar of God,

    to God my exceeding joy,

and I will praise you with the lyre,

    O God, my God.

These two psalms are to be studied together as they share the same refrain, found above in 42:5, and again in 42:11 and 43:5 - Why am I so upset, when my hope is in God?  Once again, David cries out as he is being pursued and persecuted and therefore cannot go to the tabernacle to worship. He longs to do so, and he looks forward to the time when rather than restrict him from doing so, others will lead him and join him into the presence of the Lord.  May we have such a passion for God's presence. 

Room for Repentance

Revelation 2:1“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. '"

As we saw yesterday, everything we read in Revelation needs to be seen through the Grace of God in Christ.  Included in that grace is understanding that God gives it in love.  This church at Ephesus had well applied the grace of God in service, perseverance, and discernment, but they had gotten into a rut and lost their love for Christ and one another.  It is one thing to understand and agree upon what to "believe" and do; it is another thing altogether to comprehend the love of God and let it consume our hearts and lives. As we prepare for Christ's coming, there are a lot of things we will sing, say, and do.  Are they done in love?  

Given By Grace

 

Revelation 1:4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

As the apostle John began this letter to be taken throughout the circuit of churches, he begins with the usual Christian salutation: grace and peace.  But these were not gifts from him, but from God through Christ. This book is dedicated to Him as the One who loved us, died for us, and is coming for us.  These things need to be kept in mind throughout the book, even when both shocking and terrible things, as well as wonderful and worshipful events, will be shared.  Always keep in mind Who Christ is and what He's done.

Right Reactions

Jude: 17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

Like Peter, Jude was concerned about the influence of false teachers upon this early church.  Though they shared a common foundation of faith, they were beginning to be affected by their apostacy. People within the congregation were turning back to ungodly lifestyles, twisting scripture, and causing division, which steals the testimony of the church before the world.  How should they respond? Avoid their lifestyle, do not approve it; but also have mercy on them and keep building each other up in the faith, praying fervently, and loving each other in a Biblical manner. Don't give them such sway over your reactions. 

Keeping This All In Mind...

II Peter 3:14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Having reminded these believers of what God had said in His Word, and warning them that false teachers would come trying to lead all astray, Peter now reminds them of the Lord's return to judge and to make a new heavens and earth.  With all this in mind he gives a final call to faithfulness on their part - one marked by purity, peace, and patience.  Only in that way will we be able to stand strong and stable, growing roots deep in the knowledge of God and bringing Him glory. 

Repeat Performance

II Peter 2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

The word "but" here shows us that a contrast is being made with the end of chapter 1: that God had sent His word, His truth, His revelation through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As in all of history, when God says or does something good and creative, there is a negative reaction which is false and destructive.  It happened at the fall, after Mt. Sinai, and in the early church, and it happens yet today.  People want their own way; they are greedy, and they do not want a Lord and Master.  Such a path leads to destruction, and they will want to take God's people out along the way.  They will want to make God's people look like the bad guy and do everything possible to make our lives miserable.  Peter goes on to give a very descriptive picture of what things are like for these false teachers (the rest of the chapter is a worthy read), but in the end their threat is empty.  Do not be discouraged by them.  Remain true to God and His Word. 

Set a Guard, Lord

 

Psalm 140:4 Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
    preserve me from violent men,
    who have planned to trip up my feet.
5 The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
    and with cords they have spread a net;
    beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah

Psalm 141:3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;

    keep watch over the door of my lips!

4 Do not let my heart incline to any evil,

    to busy myself with wicked deeds

in company with men who work iniquity,

    and let me not eat of their delicacies!

In both of these psalms of David we see again that recurrent theme: "Lord, protect me from those who are out to get me. " As we have seen before, this was more than a perceived threat; David was often pursued by his enemies on both sides.  In the former psalm David cries out to God, sure that He will hear him again, confident in His justice and mercy.  In the second, the threat from outside is still there as he asks God to "give ear to his voice," but David is also very aware of something else he needs to be guarded against: himself.  His own heart, thoughts, words, and actions can do him in, unless he himself truly believes that God is in charge.  So, David once again cries out: "Guard me from the trap!" May He guard us today.

Search Me, O God!

Psalm 139

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

Many are familiar with the words above.  If you are not, welcome to a wonderful psalm that combines the infinite wisdom and knowledge of God with His love and concern for each and every one of us.  The psalmist goes on to note that there is nowhere one can hide from God; He is and sees everywhere. That has been true all along: before anyone else could see us, God saw us in the womb and was involved in our development.  It seems unfathomable to the author that anyone could reject God, His love, and His involvement in his life.  After wishing judgment on any such infidel, the author looks within and begs: 

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!

    Try me and know my thoughts!

24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,

    and lead me in the way everlasting!

May we join him in that prayer today.

Keep on Growing...

I Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Like in Paul's letters to the Thessalonians, Peter was writing to a group of believers facing persecution. They had been exposed to the truth and trusted in Christ, but they were under pressure to turn away from the faith. Because of this, Peter gave no prolonged introduction but immediately reminded them to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. In short, they were to keep growing in Christ. Peter's foundation for saying this was to remind them (and us) of the source of his instruction: witnesses who saw and heard the Word of God - both Scripture, and the Word of God in the flesh: Jesus Christ. Stick to what you know to be true and keep on growing. 

Pray for Us!

 

II Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Throughout these two letters to the Thessalonica church, Paul had praised God for His work in their lives and prayed that they would continue in the faith that they had received after his ministry to them there. But Paul never shied away from asking others to pray for him and his missionary team.  It is a joy to be able to pray for others and see God work; it is an overwhelming honor to have others pray for you. Paul loved seeing God at work in others' lives, but he also found encouragement when he saw that God was also still at work in his own life, protecting him, teaching him more, being the object of the love of God.  Never be afraid or ashamed to ask others to pray for you.  It is a blessing to you both.  

Fair Warning

II Thessalonians 2:1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 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. 

Paul now turns his attention to the second coming of Christ, just as he had in his former letter.  People get all excited when they think about this, and rightfully so.  But the things we get excited about are also the things we can get fearful about.  As followers of Christ, they had no need to fear.  There would be "fair warning" to His coming, including an obvious imposter. After describing the deceiver's delusion, Paul goes on to remind them that they were saved, being sanctified and sealed by the Spirit of God.  They were not to be shaken but stand firm and the faith and serve well until the Savior returns. The same is true of us.

Righteous Judgment

II Thessalonians 1:5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 

After a brief positive opening statement, Paul jumps right in to address the persecution that these believers were facing for their faith.  In his first letter Paul had written of the coming of Christ extensively, reminding them to live holy lives in light of that coming so that we are ready for His return.  As that persecution had increased, he now goes back to the other aspect of that coming: righteous judgment.  Their persecutors will receive what they rightly deserve, while they themselves, as believers, will receive the deliverance, the relief, the peace and rest.  But most of all God will receive the Glory that He deserves. Based on this, Paul prays for the grace we need to remain steadfast in hope and sanctified in our living. 

Diligent Waiting

 I Thessalonians 5:12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.  Be at peace among yourselves.  And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Do not quench the Spirit.  Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast to what is good.  Abstain from every form of evil.

The end of chapter 4 and beginning of chapter 5 are all about the return of Christ, but Paul does not want the believers to slack off which waiting for Him to come back.  Waiting is an active thing. Positively, it means respect, love, encouragement, patience, doing good, rejoicing, praying, giving thanks, and clinging to sound doctrine. It also involves admonishing slackness and abstaining from sinfulness.  The call today is no different today than it was in that one.  As much as we may be sure that the “signs of the times” indicate His imminent return, we cannot let down our guard, but must diligently wait.  

Wherever You Are!

 

Psalm 137:4 How shall we sing the Lord's song
    in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
    let my right hand forget its skill!
6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
    if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem
    above my highest joy!

Psalm 138:4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,

    for they have heard the words of your mouth,

5 and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,

    for great is the glory of the Lord.

6 For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,

    but the haughty he knows from afar.

In the past two psalms we saw what the pilgrims would sing when they got to Jerusalem.  What about those who were not able to make it? What about those people of God who had no temple to go to? Psalm 137 is a psalm from the heart of those who had been exiled after the fall of Jerusalem and Psalm 138 is a psalm attributed to David, who lived before the temple and was often on the run and could not go to the tabernacle to worship.  What we they to do? Worship God and sing His praises anyway, anywhere they were. They were to remember their calling to teach the songs of God to those foreign lands with foreign gods, even when those peoples mocked them.  The Joy of the Lord was to come out of their hearts and out of their mouths wherever they were.  May thanks and praise to God come out wherever you are today. 

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