December 10th
Revelation, 1
1: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3: Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 4: John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5: And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6: And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 7: Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 9: I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10: I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11: Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 12: And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13: And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14: His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15: And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16: And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17: And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 19: Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 20: The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
The Apostle John is banished for his faith; however Christ gives him this great vision, the greatest vision of Scripture. He takes John into heaven and into the future to see the fulfilment of all Gods promises to Israel. He sees Christ exalted in Glory; He sees the career of the tribulation and the Kingdom itself and he sees beyond that to the New Jerusalem and the Eternal state. In the beginning he blesses those who read it and in the last chapter he curses any that would tamper with it. This is effectively a letter from John to the Seven Jewish Synagogues of Asia. (The use of the word 'Church' here leads people to think that they were 'Christian' Churches but this is not the case. The word 'church' is used in the Greek OT over 70 times to mean a congregation of Jews - a Synagogue.) These were the seven congregations that are close to John’s heart, maybe they are the seven 'churches' that he ministered to before he was banished. The first thing John has to say is a description of Christ in glory. The letter is clearly Prophetic and Jewish in focus. John’s description of the second coming is the Coming of Christ to earth for Israel. After the vision of Christ John is directly commissioned to write this letter to the seven Jewish Churches – He is to write first the things which thou hast seen, and secondly the things which are, and thirdly the things which shall be hereafter. So John has a simple plan for his letter. It will be a revelation of Christ in Glory (The things which he has seen.) It will be a special message to the seven churches (the things which are (now) And lastly it will be a description of the things which will follow hereafter. (The events that occur after the church age has come to an end)
Steve
09/12/2010
Evening Bible reading
December 9th
Hosea, 3
Hosea takes back his wife
1: Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. 2: So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: 3: And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee. 4: For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: 5: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.
Hosea, 4
B Prophetic – The Lord and the unfaithful nation
The Lord finds Israel guilty
1: Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. 2: By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. 3: Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. 4: Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. 5: Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. 6: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. 7: As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. 8: They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. 9: And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. 10: For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD. 11: Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart. 12: My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God. 13: They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery. 14: I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall. 15: Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, The LORD liveth. 16: For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place. 17: Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. 18: Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye. 19: The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
The word of the Lord comes to Hosea again saying that he is to go and love her again even though she has committed adultery (This shows the fault of the idea that adultery breaks the marriage bond - it does not. If the marriage bond had been broken then Hosea would have been committing adultery himself). This was a picture of Israel’s relationship with the Lord they had committed spiritual adultery and been addicted to drunkenness. There will come a day when Israel will return to the Lord with a whole heart and they will be faithful to the Lord. In the next chapter The Lord describes the condition of Israel and why God is against them. There is no truth, mercy or knowledge of God in the land. They are full of false promises calling on God to confirm their lies, killing, stealing and sexual immorality and the blood runs in the street. The people are destroyed because of lack of knowledge but of the type in which they reject it. The Lord will reject them in turn. They are full of false religion but they have forsaken the Lord.
Steve
Hosea, 3
Hosea takes back his wife
1: Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. 2: So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: 3: And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee. 4: For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: 5: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.
Hosea, 4
B Prophetic – The Lord and the unfaithful nation
The Lord finds Israel guilty
1: Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. 2: By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. 3: Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. 4: Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. 5: Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. 6: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. 7: As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. 8: They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. 9: And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. 10: For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD. 11: Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart. 12: My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God. 13: They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery. 14: I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall. 15: Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, The LORD liveth. 16: For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place. 17: Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. 18: Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye. 19: The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
The word of the Lord comes to Hosea again saying that he is to go and love her again even though she has committed adultery (This shows the fault of the idea that adultery breaks the marriage bond - it does not. If the marriage bond had been broken then Hosea would have been committing adultery himself). This was a picture of Israel’s relationship with the Lord they had committed spiritual adultery and been addicted to drunkenness. There will come a day when Israel will return to the Lord with a whole heart and they will be faithful to the Lord. In the next chapter The Lord describes the condition of Israel and why God is against them. There is no truth, mercy or knowledge of God in the land. They are full of false promises calling on God to confirm their lies, killing, stealing and sexual immorality and the blood runs in the street. The people are destroyed because of lack of knowledge but of the type in which they reject it. The Lord will reject them in turn. They are full of false religion but they have forsaken the Lord.
Steve
08/12/2010
Morning Bible reading
December 9th
3 John, 1
1: The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3: For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4: I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 5: Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6: Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 7: Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8: We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth. 9: I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10: Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. 11: Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. 12: Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true. 13: I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: 14: But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.
This is another little letter from John to a friend and believer. John gives him a typical Jewish greeting. He says he wishes that he might prosper in life and in health to the same degree as their spiritual wellbeing. John says that he has written to the church but he wants to say more about Diotrephes. He says about him that he loves to have first place. In other words he likes to be in charge. And not only that but he refuses to receive the apostles. He says that when he comes to the church he will remember what he has done. Then John lists his misdemeanours. He has been malicious to John in word and not just that but he has been a divisive force in the churches. He does not receive the brethren and excommunicates those who do. This is the spirit of exclusivism creeping into the churches. It is a great evil, because it separates the body of Christ. John gives them a general exhortation to do good, i.e. to live righteously. John commends Demetrius. Then he closes with a desire to come and see them in person.
Steve
3 John, 1
1: The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 2: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3: For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4: I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 5: Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6: Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 7: Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8: We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth. 9: I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10: Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. 11: Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. 12: Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true. 13: I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: 14: But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.
This is another little letter from John to a friend and believer. John gives him a typical Jewish greeting. He says he wishes that he might prosper in life and in health to the same degree as their spiritual wellbeing. John says that he has written to the church but he wants to say more about Diotrephes. He says about him that he loves to have first place. In other words he likes to be in charge. And not only that but he refuses to receive the apostles. He says that when he comes to the church he will remember what he has done. Then John lists his misdemeanours. He has been malicious to John in word and not just that but he has been a divisive force in the churches. He does not receive the brethren and excommunicates those who do. This is the spirit of exclusivism creeping into the churches. It is a great evil, because it separates the body of Christ. John gives them a general exhortation to do good, i.e. to live righteously. John commends Demetrius. Then he closes with a desire to come and see them in person.
Steve
Evening Bible reading
December 8th
Hosea, 1
A. Personal – The Prophet and his wife
Hosea takes an unfaithful wife
1: The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. 2: The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD. 3: So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son. 4: And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5: And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. 6: And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. 7: But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen. 8: Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son. 9: Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.
Israel to return to the Lord
10: Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. 11: Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
Hosea, 2
1: Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ru-hamah. 2: Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts; 3: Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. 4: And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms. 5: For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. 6: Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. 7: And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now. 8: For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. 9: Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness. 10: And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand. 11: I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts. 12: And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them. 13: And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD.
The Lord loves His people
14: Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. 15: And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. 16: And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. 17: For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. 18: And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. 19: And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. 20: I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD. 21: And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; 22: And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. 23: And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.
Hosea was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel along with Amos and he knew Isaiah and Micah prophets to Judah. A good title for this book would be ‘God still loves his wayward people’. This book of 14 chapters was written about 715 BC. This book of Hosea is the first of 12 smaller prophetic books. Hosea writes to record the word of the Lord to Israel - the northern kingdom. He had been told to marry a wife, Gomer, although he knew she would be unfaithful to him as a picture of Israel’s relationship with God. It is a tragic love story - with a happy ending.
The first thing that Hosea is told to do is to go and take a wife who was a prostitute and the daughter of a prostitute. So he took Gomer as his wife and had a child from her that he named Jezreel. (Sown and sown again. The idea is that the kingdom is to be sown in the nations and then much latter still prophecy today, gathered and sown again in the land) The point of his naming is that soon God would cause the northern kingdom to cease. The army of Israel would be smashed in the valley of Jezreel. Then Gomer bore another - child a daughter that he called Lo-ruhamah. (Not loved) This name signified that the Lord would not have mercy on Israel anymore. But the Lord will have mercy on Judah and will save them but not by their own strength of arms. When the child was weaned she had another child – a boy that Hosea named Lo-ammi. This name means – not my people. The Lord said to Israel, l will not be your God. Yet the Children of Israel will continue to grow in number and in the very place were they are called not my people – there they will one day be called the sons of the living God. the judgment of god on Israel will be called Great. (All the time that Israel is in a state of having forsaken the Lord is called Lo-Ammi which means ‘Not my people’. This is the condition of Judah in the present day after the rejection of their Messiah. ‘I will not be ‘I am’ to you’.) The names of the children of Hosea were a living message to Israel. Hosea is to cast out his wife for her unfaithfulness as a picture to Israel of their spiritual unfaithfulness. Then the Lord will make the living of Israel to be hard so that they will return unto the Lord their God. (This gives a clearer vision of the Ministry of John and Christ and his apostles they called on unfaithful Israel to return unto the Lord their God. It was a call not to be saved but a call to repent – to think again and return to the God they had forsaken.) The Lord says l will deal with Israel in such a way that she will remember the Lord. He will entice her and speak kindly to her. In that day Israel will call the Lord ‘Ishi’ which means ‘my husband’ and will not call God ‘Baali’ which means ‘my Lord’. The affection of the married state will be the character of their relationship. In that day (which is yet future) the Lord will make peace with the wild animals, birds and creeping animals for the sake of Israel. And the Lord will destroy all the armies against them so that they will live in safety. Israel will be married to the Lord forever and the character of the Lord toward Israel will be righteousness, judgment (on their enemies) and love and mercy. The Lord will be exceedingly king to Israel. He will declare his love for them saying - I will say to them which were not my people, You are my people; and they will answer, You are my God.
Steve
Hosea, 1
A. Personal – The Prophet and his wife
Hosea takes an unfaithful wife
1: The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. 2: The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD. 3: So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son. 4: And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5: And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. 6: And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. 7: But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen. 8: Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son. 9: Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.
Israel to return to the Lord
10: Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. 11: Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
Hosea, 2
1: Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ru-hamah. 2: Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts; 3: Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. 4: And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms. 5: For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. 6: Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. 7: And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now. 8: For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal. 9: Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness. 10: And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand. 11: I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts. 12: And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them. 13: And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD.
The Lord loves His people
14: Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. 15: And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. 16: And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. 17: For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. 18: And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. 19: And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. 20: I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD. 21: And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; 22: And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. 23: And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.
Hosea was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel along with Amos and he knew Isaiah and Micah prophets to Judah. A good title for this book would be ‘God still loves his wayward people’. This book of 14 chapters was written about 715 BC. This book of Hosea is the first of 12 smaller prophetic books. Hosea writes to record the word of the Lord to Israel - the northern kingdom. He had been told to marry a wife, Gomer, although he knew she would be unfaithful to him as a picture of Israel’s relationship with God. It is a tragic love story - with a happy ending.
The first thing that Hosea is told to do is to go and take a wife who was a prostitute and the daughter of a prostitute. So he took Gomer as his wife and had a child from her that he named Jezreel. (Sown and sown again. The idea is that the kingdom is to be sown in the nations and then much latter still prophecy today, gathered and sown again in the land) The point of his naming is that soon God would cause the northern kingdom to cease. The army of Israel would be smashed in the valley of Jezreel. Then Gomer bore another - child a daughter that he called Lo-ruhamah. (Not loved) This name signified that the Lord would not have mercy on Israel anymore. But the Lord will have mercy on Judah and will save them but not by their own strength of arms. When the child was weaned she had another child – a boy that Hosea named Lo-ammi. This name means – not my people. The Lord said to Israel, l will not be your God. Yet the Children of Israel will continue to grow in number and in the very place were they are called not my people – there they will one day be called the sons of the living God. the judgment of god on Israel will be called Great. (All the time that Israel is in a state of having forsaken the Lord is called Lo-Ammi which means ‘Not my people’. This is the condition of Judah in the present day after the rejection of their Messiah. ‘I will not be ‘I am’ to you’.) The names of the children of Hosea were a living message to Israel. Hosea is to cast out his wife for her unfaithfulness as a picture to Israel of their spiritual unfaithfulness. Then the Lord will make the living of Israel to be hard so that they will return unto the Lord their God. (This gives a clearer vision of the Ministry of John and Christ and his apostles they called on unfaithful Israel to return unto the Lord their God. It was a call not to be saved but a call to repent – to think again and return to the God they had forsaken.) The Lord says l will deal with Israel in such a way that she will remember the Lord. He will entice her and speak kindly to her. In that day Israel will call the Lord ‘Ishi’ which means ‘my husband’ and will not call God ‘Baali’ which means ‘my Lord’. The affection of the married state will be the character of their relationship. In that day (which is yet future) the Lord will make peace with the wild animals, birds and creeping animals for the sake of Israel. And the Lord will destroy all the armies against them so that they will live in safety. Israel will be married to the Lord forever and the character of the Lord toward Israel will be righteousness, judgment (on their enemies) and love and mercy. The Lord will be exceedingly king to Israel. He will declare his love for them saying - I will say to them which were not my people, You are my people; and they will answer, You are my God.
Steve
07/12/2010
Morning Bible reading
December 8th
2 John, 1
1: The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; 2: For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. 3: Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4: I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. 5: And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6: And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. 7: For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8: Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9: Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10: If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 12: Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13: The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
This is the second letter of John and it is written to ‘The Elect Lady’. We do not know who she was but she was greatly loved by John. Was it his wife? Or was it the Mother of the Lord? We don’t know. Johns call is again to love. He says this is the commandment of Christ from the beginning. He says love is expressed in keeping the Mosaic law. John describes the heresy of his day which he wrote about in his first letter. That is that Christ was not fully human (or not human at all) John describes this heresy as a deception and as an antichrist. One who stands in opposition to Christ. Those who do not teach the true doctrine of Christ are not to be received into your house nor are they to be given Gods speed! Because the person who blesses them partakes in their evil doctrine. John says l have so much more to say and l hope to speak to you in person. So that our mutual joy might be complete.
Steve
2 John, 1
1: The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; 2: For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. 3: Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4: I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. 5: And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6: And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. 7: For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8: Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9: Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10: If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 12: Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. 13: The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
This is the second letter of John and it is written to ‘The Elect Lady’. We do not know who she was but she was greatly loved by John. Was it his wife? Or was it the Mother of the Lord? We don’t know. Johns call is again to love. He says this is the commandment of Christ from the beginning. He says love is expressed in keeping the Mosaic law. John describes the heresy of his day which he wrote about in his first letter. That is that Christ was not fully human (or not human at all) John describes this heresy as a deception and as an antichrist. One who stands in opposition to Christ. Those who do not teach the true doctrine of Christ are not to be received into your house nor are they to be given Gods speed! Because the person who blesses them partakes in their evil doctrine. John says l have so much more to say and l hope to speak to you in person. So that our mutual joy might be complete.
Steve
Evening Bible reading
December 7th
Daniel, 11
1: Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. 2: And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. 3: And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. 4: And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those. 5: And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion. 6: And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. 7: But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail: 8: And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. 9: So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. 10: But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. 11: And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. 12: And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. 13: For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. 14: And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. 15: So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand. 16: But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. 17: He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him. 18: After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. 19: Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. 20: Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. 21: And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 22: And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. 23: And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 24: He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. 25: And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. 26: Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. 27: And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. 28: Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. 29: At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. 30: For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. 31: And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. 32: And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33: And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. 34: Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. 35: And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. 36: And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. 37: Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. 38: But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. 39: Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. 40: And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. 41: He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. 42: He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43: But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44: But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. 45: And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
Daniel, 12
1: And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2: And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3: And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. 4: But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. 5: Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. 6: And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? 7: And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. 8: And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9: And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10: Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. 11: And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12: Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. 13: But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
The Prophesies of Daniel is so completely amazing and detailed that this book has come under very strong attack by sceptics. When Alexander the Great came to conquer Jerusalem he was met by the high priest who told him that his coming had been foretold and he was introduced to a copy of the Book of Daniel. Alexander was surprised to say the least and worshipped the God of heaven. (Flavius Josephus) In this chapter Daniel gives the date again of the Prophecy. (Those who try to suggest a late date for this book have great difficulty regarding the dates of all the Prophecies.) Daniel stands to try to strengthen Darius the Mede. Yet he tells him the truth of his visions. First he describes three Persian kings and of a forth who was much richer than all of them. He will stir up the kingdom of Greece. Then he speaks of a mighty king who will rise and rule with great authority but his kingdom will be broken and he will be scattered into four regions. And the king of the south will be strong and one of his princes will be very great indeed. Then the king of the north will make a treaty with the king of the south through his daughter. Yet from your ancestors an army will invade and conquer some of the northern kingdom and carry away huge numbers of captives to Egypt. Yet the king of the north will come and the king of the south will engage in battle. This back and forth between the north and the south will continue for many years. Eventually the northern kingdom will conquer completely and yet the king will die. A vile ruler will take the kings place and he will move south with a small force and spoil the land of Israel so that the southern king will rise up against him. This king will seek to pollute the sanctuary of the Lord. The people who know the Lord will be strong and will do exploits. The King (The antichrist will exalt himself over everyone and call himself god) He will have no respect for the God of heaven, not his Son (Christ – the desire of women). He will honour the ‘god of forces’. He will conquer the whole of the middle east including Egypt and Libya. Yet he will be destroyed and none will help him. In the last chapter Daniel describes the archangel Michael who will stand up in the time of trouble (the tribulation) he describes the resurrection to damnation and blessing. Those that are wise will shine like the heavens and they will effective evangelise. Then Michael says to Daniel shut up the words of this prophecy until the time of the end. This means that these things will not be understood generally until the end times. He says that in the end times transportation will be more prevalent and knowledge will increase. Then Daniel saw two angels and one asked, when will these thing take place? and the answer came back after 3½ years. (The 3½ years at the end of all things prior to the kingdom is called by Christ the Great tribulation. Matt 24) Daniel asked for further detail and he was told that these things are not revealed yet but from the time f the abomination of desolation until the end of the times of the Gentiles (the end of the 70th week would be 2290 days. There is a special blessing on those who wait even for 1335 days. Then Daniel is told to wait and that he will die yet he will stand again (in resurrection) in his allotted place in the end of those days.
Steve
Daniel, 11
1: Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. 2: And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. 3: And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. 4: And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those. 5: And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion. 6: And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. 7: But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail: 8: And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. 9: So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. 10: But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. 11: And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. 12: And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. 13: For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. 14: And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. 15: So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand. 16: But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. 17: He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him. 18: After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. 19: Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. 20: Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. 21: And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 22: And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. 23: And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 24: He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. 25: And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. 26: Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. 27: And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. 28: Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. 29: At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. 30: For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. 31: And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. 32: And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33: And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. 34: Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. 35: And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. 36: And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. 37: Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. 38: But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. 39: Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. 40: And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. 41: He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. 42: He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43: But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44: But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. 45: And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
Daniel, 12
1: And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2: And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3: And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. 4: But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. 5: Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. 6: And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? 7: And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. 8: And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9: And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10: Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. 11: And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12: Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. 13: But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
The Prophesies of Daniel is so completely amazing and detailed that this book has come under very strong attack by sceptics. When Alexander the Great came to conquer Jerusalem he was met by the high priest who told him that his coming had been foretold and he was introduced to a copy of the Book of Daniel. Alexander was surprised to say the least and worshipped the God of heaven. (Flavius Josephus) In this chapter Daniel gives the date again of the Prophecy. (Those who try to suggest a late date for this book have great difficulty regarding the dates of all the Prophecies.) Daniel stands to try to strengthen Darius the Mede. Yet he tells him the truth of his visions. First he describes three Persian kings and of a forth who was much richer than all of them. He will stir up the kingdom of Greece. Then he speaks of a mighty king who will rise and rule with great authority but his kingdom will be broken and he will be scattered into four regions. And the king of the south will be strong and one of his princes will be very great indeed. Then the king of the north will make a treaty with the king of the south through his daughter. Yet from your ancestors an army will invade and conquer some of the northern kingdom and carry away huge numbers of captives to Egypt. Yet the king of the north will come and the king of the south will engage in battle. This back and forth between the north and the south will continue for many years. Eventually the northern kingdom will conquer completely and yet the king will die. A vile ruler will take the kings place and he will move south with a small force and spoil the land of Israel so that the southern king will rise up against him. This king will seek to pollute the sanctuary of the Lord. The people who know the Lord will be strong and will do exploits. The King (The antichrist will exalt himself over everyone and call himself god) He will have no respect for the God of heaven, not his Son (Christ – the desire of women). He will honour the ‘god of forces’. He will conquer the whole of the middle east including Egypt and Libya. Yet he will be destroyed and none will help him. In the last chapter Daniel describes the archangel Michael who will stand up in the time of trouble (the tribulation) he describes the resurrection to damnation and blessing. Those that are wise will shine like the heavens and they will effective evangelise. Then Michael says to Daniel shut up the words of this prophecy until the time of the end. This means that these things will not be understood generally until the end times. He says that in the end times transportation will be more prevalent and knowledge will increase. Then Daniel saw two angels and one asked, when will these thing take place? and the answer came back after 3½ years. (The 3½ years at the end of all things prior to the kingdom is called by Christ the Great tribulation. Matt 24) Daniel asked for further detail and he was told that these things are not revealed yet but from the time f the abomination of desolation until the end of the times of the Gentiles (the end of the 70th week would be 2290 days. There is a special blessing on those who wait even for 1335 days. Then Daniel is told to wait and that he will die yet he will stand again (in resurrection) in his allotted place in the end of those days.
Steve
06/12/2010
Morning Bible reading
December 7th
1 John, 5
1: Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2: By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3: For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4: For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5: Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 6: This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7: For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8: And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9: If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10: He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11: And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12: He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13: These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14: And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 16: If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 17: All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. 18: We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. 19: And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 20: And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 21: Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
John is so simple and so clear in his statements. He says whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. He now sets out the believer’s assurance of salvation. We can look at ourselves and when we see our own love for God we know that we are born of God. The world does not love God. Our love for God is seen in the believers desire to live a life pleasing to him. And in this way we overcome the influence of a world opposed to God. John has written his little letter so that the believers might know that they have eternal life. God does not want us to be in doubt but to have confidence in God and in the salvation he has given. Perhaps the greatest message of this little letter is the clear separation that John sees between the believer and the world. Are we separate to the world?
Steve
1 John, 5
1: Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2: By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3: For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4: For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5: Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 6: This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7: For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8: And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9: If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10: He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11: And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12: He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13: These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14: And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 16: If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 17: All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. 18: We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. 19: And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 20: And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. 21: Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
John is so simple and so clear in his statements. He says whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. He now sets out the believer’s assurance of salvation. We can look at ourselves and when we see our own love for God we know that we are born of God. The world does not love God. Our love for God is seen in the believers desire to live a life pleasing to him. And in this way we overcome the influence of a world opposed to God. John has written his little letter so that the believers might know that they have eternal life. God does not want us to be in doubt but to have confidence in God and in the salvation he has given. Perhaps the greatest message of this little letter is the clear separation that John sees between the believer and the world. Are we separate to the world?
Steve
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