Revelation 14
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Revelation 14:14-18, I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man[b] with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.”
Chapter 14 is another interlude, a reprieve of sorts, before the pouring out of the cups of God’s wrath in the next chapter. The interludes provide a respite for God’s persecuted people before the next bout of suffering, assuring them of God’s divine protection for them. The interlude scenes in this chapter are visions of comfort. Again, remember the original audience and what they were enduring. They needed to know that God was going to keep them safe in the Lord. This doesn’t mean they would not experience hardship, pain, and even torture, but they could be assured that God ultimately would care for them.
The first vision of comfort is the Lamb with the 144,000, standing on Mount Zion. This image would have been incredibly reassuring to those listening to this message. Mount Zion represents the hope of what’s to come, the final safe dwelling place for God’s people. The 144,000 are the “first fruits” of God’s people, those who have gone before, most likely through martyrdom. Even for those experiencing severe persecution, this vision points to how there is something amazing ahead, don’t lose hope.
The second vision of comfort is the angel flying in midair. This angel is proclaiming the Good News to all the earth. A second angel follows with more excellent news, Babylon has fallen. Babylon, the place of Israel’s exile, was a symbol for paganism, hedonism, and immorality. Finally, a third angel warns against being swayed by the temptation of the evil one. This would have been a warning to the faithful to not swear allegiance to the corrupt worldly system. As it is for believers right now, how easy it would be for those who professed faith in Jesus to gradually be absorbed into the majority culture, looking more Roman than Christian.
(Umm…this was a bit convicting.)
The third and final vision of comfort consisted of one like the Son of Man standing on the clouds with a sickle. Our focus verses illustrate this third vision. He’s wearing a victory crown. The Scripture says that the time to reap has come and the Son of Man reaps the grapes from the earth. Some see this as representing the time when God will gather up all the believers from the earth. Another angel comes to gather a second harvest and those grapes are thrown into the winepress of God’s wrath, another way of describing the judgement of the wicked. There is this emphasis on being found faithful and righteous when God returns so that we can be ripe for God’s harvest rather than his wrath.
And the visions of comfort are done. Prepare yourself, tomorrow will be a toughie.
Let’s pray…Lord, We thank you for your comfort in times of trial. There are times in which we simply need to rest in your lap. But help us also remember to stay faithful. I worry that sometimes I blend too neatly into the culture around me. Show me, Lord, how to be loving and grace-filled while also living out your truth. I seek to be in the world but not of it. In Your Name, Amen.
Revelation 13
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Revelation 13:15-17, The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
In today’s chapter, we meet the anti-Trinity – the dragon and the two beasts. The dragon certainly represents Satan and each of the beasts represent those who work for him. It’s been said that one of the beasts symbolizes the Roman Empire, which makes sense considering the context. The Roman Empire and its succession of oppressive emperors who harshly persecuted Christians would be large on the mind of John and the original listeners of this text. The other beast, the one with the healed wound, may serve to mimic Christ (the Antichrist). They are blasphemous to God and it says that there are people all over the world who follow them. This begs the question: who do we follow?
Let’s chat for a moment about the mark of the beast. This has taken on a life of its own in popular culture, most of which is not Scripturally-sound. In the ancient Roman world, it was normative to brand or tattoo criminals, prisoners, and sometimes slaves. Some followers of the imperial cult would mark themselves as well. The mark of the beast is in contrast to the mark of God which seals the believers (we read about this in chapter 7). Now, some of the Christians, possibly those who are benefitting from the evil or power of the empire, will be marked by the beast. The true faithful will only have the mark of God.
The real question for all of us: whose mark do we wear?
Let’s pray…Jesus, I belong to you. Help me behave that way. Help me love others as you love them, forgive others as you forgive, and live out your truth. More of you and less of me, Jesus. Amen.
Revelation 12
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Revelation 12:17, Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
The structure of Revelation changes drastically in this chapter. Please keep in mind that the chapters of Revelation do not occur in linear time line. Think of Revelation more like a kaleidoscope, in which images and themes appear in a circular manner, disappearing and reappearing. Something to think about - what themes have we already seen in the first 11 chapters?
In today’s chapter, we appear to be taken back to a time of cosmic conflict and the images and symbolism are rich. These are probably symbols that the early listeners to Revelation would have understood. Nineteen hundred years later, we don’t have the same understanding. One thing to notice is how in the first line, it states a sign had appeared from heaven. Typically, this means that God had completed some part of salvation history. This should peak our interest.
The pregnant woman conjures up images of Mary about to give birth to the Savior of the world. Biblical scholars have debated who this woman represents but Mary seems to be at the top of the list. Afterall, the text says that her child will rule over the nations with an iron scepter and that God took him up into heaven. Why else would the dragon, Satan, be so interested in capturing her child? Satan is angry about what this young child will ultimately do for humanity. He is angry that his own plan will be thwarted.
Then, there is a battle in heaven between the angel Michael and Satan. Michael wins and the dragon, Satan, is hurled back to earth. He pursues the woman but she is being protected. As a result, our focus verse says that he decides to wage war against the rest of her offspring, those who are believers in Jesus. Think about the first hearers of this text. They were being persecuted and oppressed for their faith. This gives them a deeper understanding. Yes, they were being pursued by the imperial soldiers, but the true source of the evil was Satan. The soldiers, the Roman government, the persecutors around them are all pawns in the hand of the evil one. There is something bigger going on that they can’t see. You might hear echoes of Luke 23:34 in this text, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Let’s pray…Lord, Help us remember that there is always more going on than we can see or understand. Help us be people of forgiveness even when it’s hard. When we are mistreated, may we treat others with the same grace and love that you treated your oppressors and with which you treat us. Thank you, Jesus. More of you and less of me. Amen.
Revelation 11
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Revelation 11:7-10, Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
This chapter includes a number of unusual events and their meaning is much disputed by scholars. First, John was told to measure the Temple but to leave the outer court alone, as that portion would be given to the Gentiles to trample on and destroy. What this suggests is that the inner court is being protected. The people of God are being protected. Just like the sealing of the 144,000, this is one more sign of divine protection for those who are faithful to Jesus.
Also interesting is that the outer court would be trampled on by Gentiles for 42 months. The three and a half year period mentioned here corresponds to the amount of time the Syrian emperor, Antiochus Epiphanes, took to torture the Jews and desecrate the Temple (what was considered the second Temple, as the first was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar when the Babylonians conquered Judah). The emperor sacrificed a pig on the sacred altar to the pagan god Zeus. This time period made such a huge impression on the Jewish people that it is often referred to when discussing any highly violent and sadistic actions perpetrated against God’s people.
We then are introduced to the two prophets who have come to testify to Jesus’ return. It is possible that these prophets represented Elijah and Moses, two Old Testament prophets that the Jews expected to return eventually and who both made their earthly exit in unconventional ways. Now, they have come back to testify that Jesus Christ is returning. But, like so many prophets before them, they are killed after testifying; the king of the Abyss comes and overpowers them. Then, their dead bodies are left for all to see in the streets. In that culture, burial was a sign of respect so having your dead body simply laying for all to see was shameful.
But after three days, God breathes life into the bodies, resurrecting them, and validating their testimony. Notice the similarities in the lives of these prophets to Jesus. That was not an accident. This whole vision, while strange to us, is pointing to the life and ministry of Jesus. He testified to the work of God in the world, he died a horrible death, was left in a tomb for three days, was resurrected by God, and all he said was validated by this new life.
The chapter closes with one last look into the throne room of God. The elders are worshiping God and praising his name. Remember, the chapter opened with John being asked to measure the earthly Temple. Now, it’s obvious the new Temple will be in heaven, where all believers will have access to the presence of God. He sees the ark of the covenant, a sign of God’s presence. For just a moment, we get a break from the difficult images of violence and evil and see what will be. It’s beautiful.
Let’s pray….Lord Jesus, We give thanks to you, Lord Almighty. You are the one who was, and is, and is to come. Your reign is great and powerful, your wrath is just. We trust you with our lives. We ask for wisdom in understanding these Scriptures. Give us ears to hear what you want us to know and give us courage to be the people you called us to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Revelation 9
Revelation 9:7-10, The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).
I think this was probably a difficult chapter for most of us! Let’s do our best to unpack it.
The fifth trumpet blows and a star falls from the sky. The star unlocks the key to the abyss. When the abyss is opened, all kinds of evil things come out of it. The people without the seal of God are forced to go through five months of torture at the hands of the scorpion-like locusts who have come from the abyss (five months is the life cycle of a locus). It’s all very graphic and hard to take in.
A wider look at the battlefield reveals that the one who rules over these terrible demonic creatures is the king of the abyss, Apollyon. There is a lot of symbolism here that John’s original listeners would have understood. The Greek name Apollyon means destroyer. It’s very similar to the name Apollos, the Greek god who was the favorite of the emperor of the time, Domitian (who reigned from A.D. 81 to 96). In fact, the emperor so identified with Apollos that he often called himself the reincarnation of the deity. Domitian was known for his reign of terror against both Jews and Christians. Just imagine, the original hearers of this text would have drawn immediate connections between the king of this abyss and their emperor, who was persecuting them relentlessly for their belief in Jesus. They would understand that while Domitian may be the source of persecution, the true source of suffering was Satan, the evil one, the one who reigns over the abyss.
Just when we think it might be over, the author says that it isn’t. The first woe has passed but there are more to come. Then ensues a wave of plagues. A third of humanity is killed and then another third. You would think this would be enough to scare the survivors into believing in Jesus. And yet, the Scripture says that they continue to be hardened. They don’t stop their evil behavior but persist in resisting God. Fear and terror have never been effective methods for leading people to a saving relationship with Jesus.
That begs the question – how do we effectively point people to Jesus? People are not frightened into the Kingdom (we are stubborn people!), people are not shamed into the Kingdom, lectured into the Kingdom, or forced into the Kingdom in any way. People are loved into the Kingdom. And even then, they have the choice to say yes or no to God’s free gift of grace.
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, We pray for those we know who do not yet know you. We pray for those in our community who do not yet know you. Help us be instruments of your love and grace. Give us openings to share your Good News with others, to have spiritual conversations, and to bless others in surprising ways. Help us point people to you over and over and over again not out of obligation but truly out of love. You love them so we should love them. In Your Name, Amen.
Revelation 8
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Revelation 8:1-2, When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
The interlude is over. It’s time for the seventh seal to be opened. After watching the last seals be opened, John is probably expecting something really big but this time, there is nothing but…silence. The Scripture says there is silence in heaven for about half an hour.
Silence is often a way to show reverence to God in worship. There are whole religious orders that take vows of silence before God. I don’t know about you but, as an extroverted extrovert, I struggle with silence. It is in long, extended periods of silence that we are faced with our own thoughts, our doubts, and our struggles. That’s not always fun. But I’ve also found tremendous value in silence - it’s in those long periods of silence that I take time to really engage with God and allow time for listening, for resting in the presence of God. Mother Teresa is quoted as saying, “We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature—trees, flowers, grass—grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence … We need silence to be able to touch souls.” Could it be that we learn the most from God in the silence? What has been your experience?
God can also use silence as a method of preparation. We find this in today’s Scripture. After the silence, things get pretty intense. The seven angels who stand before God are given seven trumpets. The prayers of God’s people (symbolized by the incense) make their ways to God’s nostrils. And then, the trumpets blow and God’s wrath is poured out on the earth. The purpose of the trumpet blows is to warn the unbelievers of God’s impending wrath and judgment. There is something about a trumpet that makes you take notice. It’s quite loud, so loud in fact that there is no way to NOT notice it. Take notice, these angels are saying. Pay attention! Turn from your wicked ways and acknowledge God!
Who do you know who has not yet acknowledged God? Are there people in your life that need to know the saving grace of Jesus Christ? Read the words of the apostle Paul from 2 Corinthians 6 and then take a moment and lift them in prayer right now.
2 Corinthians 6:1-4,
As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”[a]
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, May today be a day of salvation! We lift up those who do not yet know you. Help us point people to you in meaningful ways. Give us opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus with others. Remove any obstacles or sense of fear we have. In YOUR Name, Amen.
Revelation 7
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Revelation 7:4, Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
The first six seals have been opened. Before the seventh is opened, however, John takes an interlude. There is something else that needs to be shared. It starts with a vision of four angels standing at the corners of the earth. God is in control over all the earth. These angels emphasize that.
Then, the text speaks of putting a seal on all of God’s people. I don’t know about you but over the course of my life, I’ve heard people speak of the mark of the beast (or the evil one) far more often than the mark of God. We will discuss the mark of the beast more when we get to chapter 13 but certainly it’s worth noting that some in religious circles stir up fear. “Be on the lookout,” we hear Bible commentors say. What is our infatuation with things that are dark, mysterious, and sinful? Perhaps we should be more interested and passionate about ensuring that Christ-followers are living in such a way that the world around them will notice the mark of God in their lives. As ones who belong to Jesus, we don’t have to be fearful of Satan. We have the Spirit of the Living God within us and there is power in that! Ephesians 1:13-14 states, And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. The mark of God is far more powerful than the mark of the evil one, yesterday, today, or tomorrow.
Our focus verses specifically mention the number 144,000. Literal interpretations of this number have caused all kinds of problems! The Bible does all kinds of things with numbers that we don’t totally understand in our 21st century context. Obviously, 144,000 is 12 squared. Both the numbers 12 and 10 often represent completeness in Scripture. As we work our way through the chapter, we find that the heavenly population is expansive. Verse 9 reads, After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. Heaven is larger than our ability to fathom. There are no limits in relation to size and numbers when we are talking about God and heaven. All people from all tribes, nations, tongues, and time periods are invited to receive Jesus and spend eternity in glory. Think about the awesomeness of that truth! People from across the globe will spend eternity worshiping God together.
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, We praise your holy and powerful name. You are mighty, strong, and able to defeat evil in our lives and in our churches. We pray that it will be incredibly obvious that we have the mark of God on our lives. Help us live like people who represent you in all we do, through our words, through our actions, and through the way we love others. In Your Name, Amen.
Revelation 6
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Revelation 6:9-11, When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.
In this chapter, we find Jesus Christ receiving a preview of world history from the first century to his return. Each seal he opens reveals something different over the course of human history, none of which are desirable. As you read through the text, try not to get stuck in taking the words literally. Simply try to visualize what John is describing. Each aspect of the text has deep meaning but wasn’t intended to be taken literally. What these visions symbolize, however, are quite extraordinary.
When Jesus opens the first four seals, each action brings forth a rider on a horse. The first four riders represent pretty horrible things for humanity, such as military conquest (the first rider), warfare (the second rider), famine (the third rider), and death (the fourth rider). Wherever the first three go, death is sure to show up as a result. As horrible as these four scourges are for the human race, the symbolism here indicates that Christ limits their power. They could be worse. God allows these aspects of our sin and brokenness to exist but he will not allow them to overtake the world.
Just a small but interesting point: generally, we think of the number 4 in the book of Revelation as representing the world or the things of the world. The first four horsemen have trampled all around the world throughout the course of history, devastating humanity. But Christ has and will continue to limit their power. He is the one who holds the keys to death (John 1:18). Remember the first listeners to this message. These words would remind them that there was more going on in the world, particularly in the spiritual realm, than they could see. All the horrors they were experiencing on earth were real but there was something bigger going on. Oh yeah, and Jesus would have the final word.
After the fifth seal was opened, something else shows up on the scene – an altar. We find this in today’s focus verses. Under the altar were the martyrs of the faith. These were people who had been slain for their belief in Jesus. They call out to Jesus, calling him Sovereign Lord, righteous and true. But these souls are asking Jesus for justice, when their deaths will be avenged? This is a grim reminder that Christians have and will continue to be killed for their belief in Christ. How easy it is for us as Americans to set this reality aside, to forget that believers are being killed, tortured, or oppressed for their faith right now in various parts of the world. What might God be calling us to do about it?
The sixth seal is a reminder of the natural calamities that have devastated the earth over thousands upon thousands of years. Humans react by hiding or blaming God. But before Jesus’ second coming, we can be assured that the earth will continue to experience disasters of all kinds. The last line of the chapter is worth a mention. It expresses that the day of the Lord’s wrath is coming. The world will experience military conquest, warfare, famine, death, martyrdom, and natural disasters between Jesus’ first and second coming. These things are part of being human and part of living in this world. But ultimately, Jesus will prevail. He will come in all his glory and judge all of the world. I know we struggle with concepts like judgement. But we have nothing to fear if we belong to Jesus. While trouble is guaranteed as part of life, Jesus’ people can rest assured that we don’t have to be afraid. We know the one who saves. We know the one who will have final victory. We can seek God’s Kingdom now and actively look for glimpses of the new creation to come. Rest in that.
Let’s pray…Come, Lord Jesus, Come. How we need you. Help us to bring more of your Kingdom into this place right now, today. More of you and less of me. Amen.
Revelation 5
The Lamb worthy to open the scroll (Rev. 5:1-14)
Focus Verse: Revelation 5: 4-5, “4 And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Background:
The scene that began in chapter four continues. Whereas the theme of chapter four can be stated as “God is on His throne!”, the theme of this chapter may be called “Worthy is the Lamb!” John’s attention is drawn to a scroll in the right hand of God. Written on the inside and the back, it is sealed with seven seals.
A strong angel proclaims, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to lose its seals?” At first, there seems to be none in heaven and on earth deemed worthy to open the scroll or look at it. This prompted John to weep (1-4).
Observation:
5:2 The specific identity of the strong angel is probably unknowable; John did not reveal it. This angel's loud voice indicated his authority and the importance of what he said. One with sufficient authority was necessary to open (Gr. anoixai) the scroll and, by breaking its seals, to unleash the judgments on the world that it contained. Any prophet could have revealed this information, but it took someone with adequate power to both reveal the events foretold and to execute them.
5:3 No created being in heaven, on earth, or under the earth (i.e., no dead person) had the authority to break the seals or even to look into it in order to learn of God's plans contained in the scroll (cf. Phil 2:10). "What simpler and more sublime way of picturing God's ultimate sovereignty over all history could be found than this picture of the scroll resting in the hand of God? However strong evil becomes, however fierce be the satanic evils that assail God's people on earth, history still rests in God's hand."
5:4 John's continual weeping reflected his great sorrow that the revelation of God's plans and their execution would remain hidden because no one apparently had sufficient authority ("was found worthy") to open the scroll or to look into it. John said, “I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to into it (investigate). His weeping reflected his deep sorrow that no one would be worthy to carry out the plan of God and their execution would be hidden. "He did not want to see God's vindication of His people as a part of the OT Messianic hope deferred for an undetermined period. He knew that God could not deliver a message to a man unless there is a man to receive it.
Application:
Sometimes life circumstances, situations, or issue causes us to weep (Psalm 37:25). One thing that can paralyze us is fear especially when we feel we have no hope. When we are unsure, it is easy to let fear paralyze us. Sometimes we even choose not to decide because we think we are going to mess up. Don’t be afraid of uncertainty. There is hope!
Hope was expressed by One of the 24 Elder who reminded John not to weep! This Elder comforted John with the news that Jesus Christ would be able to open the scroll. The elder described Jesus as the Lion from the tribe of Judah (Gen 49:9) and the root of David (Isa. 11:1, 10; Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Matt. 22:42-43; Rom. 15:12) which are both titles of his divine salvation and rule appear to together for the first time in the bible.
As God's ultimate Anointed One, Jesus alone possessed the authority necessary as a Lamb worthy to open the scroll. He provided us with the one who has victory over our circumstances, situations, issue, and enemies in our lives, because Christ overcame Satan, sin, and death, so He alone could implement God's purposes for the future that this scroll revealed. We are overcomers due to God having Jesus as our sacrificial Lamb to stand in the gap on our behalf.
Prayer:
Father, Your Word says that I am an overcomer because of the blood of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the word of my testimony—that in Jesus, all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and I have been given fullness in Christ and share in His authority over every spiritual power and authority!
But I confess that I do not feel like an overcomer, and I often give in to the influence of this world instead of submitting to Christ. O God, save me from me! Help me to have self-controlled be alert, knowing that the enemy of my soul is prowling, looking for an opportune moment to defeat me.
In Jesus’ name, strengthen me to submit, resist the enemy, and stand firm in my faith! Give me, I pray, your perspective of the situations I face, and may I live victoriously, as a conqueror, because of Jesus’ sacrifice and His love for me. May I be full of faith and Your Word, for I belong to You, Jesus, for You have overcome the world!
Revelation 4
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Revelation 4:9-11, Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
We’ve moved from the concerns of the churches to the heavenly realm in chapter 4. John describes heaven’s throne room with God on the throne. Human words fail John at this moment and he can only describe God as having the appearance of jasper and ruby. I’ve tried to envision this. Jasper is a beautiful stone that can be either a deep red or dark green. Ruby is obviously a brilliant red. So God, in John’s vision, includes the flashing radiance of reds and greens. Take a moment, close your eyes, and try to imagine what John is seeing.
The main throne is surrounded by twenty-four other thrones occupied by twenty-four elders. Scholars have debated for years as to who these elders might be but it probably isn’t all that relevant. What is relevant is the majesty of it all. From that central throne, there are flashes of lightning and the sounds of thunder. There are seven blazing lamps around the throne, symbolizing the Holy Spirit.
What is most interesting to me are the four creatures who surround the throne. They seem to serve as guardians of some kind. They are covered with eyes and they each have six wings. They are similar to the fantastic beings described in Ezekiel (chapters 1 and 10). And these beings never stop praising God. All the time, never-ending praise: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’who was, and is, and is to come.” When the four creatures give praise, the twenty-four elders do as well, falling down and worshiping God.
Think of it – praise to God all the time; continuous, nonstop worship and praise. In heaven, God is being worshiped constantly without breaks or pauses. Why? Because he is God. Because he is creator, because he is sustainer, because he is Savior and Lord of all. Ceaseless praise.
How much time do we spend praising God in our lives on earth? Be honest. What’s your praise level? How might we begin to worship and praise God on a continuous (or at least daily) basis? How might this change how we view God? How might this change how we view the world?
Let’s pray…Holy, holy, holy are you, Lord Almighty. You are the one who was, who is, and who is to come. We give you all the glory and praise. We worship and praise your holy and precious name. In Jesus’ Powerful Name, Amen.
Revelation 3
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Revelation 3:14-20, “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
In chapter 3, John continues to proclaim the visions that Jesus has given him about the churches. Chapter 2 focused on Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and Thyatira. This chapter addresses the rest of the churches of Asia Minor, including Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Since we focused on the structure and flow of the letters yesterday, I wanted to highlight the message to one particular church today – Laodicea.
For those who were in worship on Sunday, I actually preached on this passage. But I think it is incredibly important for all of us who are part of the American church.
Laodicea was a very wealthy city. It was on a main trade route and it had several prosperous industries. It was known for its banking. It was also known for a black dye that it produced which was used to make black wool, quite a luxurious commodity in those days. It also had a respected medical school which developed an eye medicine that was quite sought after.
But despite its wealth, the one really big problem that Laodicea had was lack of a water supply. Its northern neighbor, Hierapolis, had these amazing hot springs. It’s other close neighbor, Colossae, to the east, had a lovely refreshing cold water supply. As a result, Laodicea built an elaborate system to pipe the water from both those places into their city. But by the time it got there, it was not hot, nor cold, but simply lukewarm.
Jesus has harsher words for Laodicea than any of the other churches. He says that just like their water, they are lukewarm! Hot water heals, cold water refreshes, but lukewarm water is useless. They are spiritually lukewarm; they are spiritually useless!
The thing is that they looked good on the outside. They went through all the motions. They worshiped, read Scripture, and sang hymns. But it was phony piety. Their hearts were far from God. There was no passion for Jesus.
And they didn’t even realize this. In fact, because of their wealth and prosperity, they thought they were doing quite well. Largely sheltered from the persecution that other Christian communities in the area experienced, they were free to do as they pleased. And what they were doing was not pleasing to God. They were self-reliant, complacent, lazy, and passionless. Not good traits for a church.
But despite their spiritual mess, Jesus loves them and still yearns for them. He stands at the door and knocks, waiting for them to answer it. He wants a real relationship with them. He wants them to be passionate for his love.
Think about the American church. Think about our church for that matter. Are we lukewarm? Do we resemble Laodicea. In which ways? I’m not saying this to be critical but because I’m convicted. Do we serve God with passion? Are we simply going through the motions? Have we become stagnant? I asked these questions on Sunday but I think it’s worth a review.
Rate your passion level based on the following:
-Do you experience joy and excitement in your prayer life?
-Do you read Scripture with expectancy of hearing from the Lord?
-Do you have spiritual conversations with non-Christians?
-Do you actively seek out relationships with non-Christians so you can demonstrate the love of Christ to them?
-Do you look for ways to serve Jesus and reach out to those who are struggling/hurting in our community?
-What’s the last time you felt really excited about your spiritual walk with Jesus?
-As a church, are we passionate about making more and better followers of Jesus? Are our hearts close to God?
I’ll stop there but do take some time to let this all sink in a bit. God wants our whole heart and life, not just some of it. He wants us to be passionate as individual believers and a church.
Will we open the door for him? Will we sit at the table with him and be in meaningful, life-changing relationship? And will we bring others to the table as well?
Let’s pray…Lord, How we need you. Forgive us for being lukewarm. Forgive us for our lack of passion. Fill us with your Holy Spirit in a way we have never experienced it before. More of you, less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
Revelation 2
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Revelation 2:7, Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
John’s first vision from the risen Lord includes messages to the seven churches of Asia Minor. We can think of these as “love letters” of sorts. Remember, Jesus knew the churches inside and out. He knew the pastors, the participants, the struggles, and the joys. He loved each church very much and wanted them to be effective and fruitful.
Each church letter starts with this message, “to the angel at the church of…” Who were these angels? In the ancient Greek, the word angel is usually translated messenger. Who were the messengers? Most scholars agree that the messengers would have been the pastor of the church. As the shepherd of the flock, they were to bring the message to the people. The message itself was from Jesus. He is the one who holds the seven stars and walks among the lampstands (referring to the churches), he is the first and the last who came to life again, he is the one who has the sharp, double-edged sword, and he is the one whose eyes are blazing fire and feet are burnished bronze. These may not be typical images we have for Jesus but they give us another perspective of our Lord and Savior. Remember, he is the one who will return to defeat Satan and conquer evil forever. He is the lamb of God but he is also so much more.
Each love letter to a church also lists the things the church is doing well (compliments) and things that are going wrong (criticisms). Remember, Jesus wants to encourage them but he also wants them to be who they are called to be. Kind of like our children, we want to see them grow and thrive and so discipline is important. We all need accountability. Without it, we will drift away from God. Because Jesus loved these churches so much, he provides them the remedy to fix whatever their problems were. At times, his words seem harsh. They need to be. This is a matter of eternal importance. It’s urgent.
The letters close with a commitment from Jesus. We find one of the commitments in our focus verse for today. To those who have ears to hear, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to them. This means not simply hearing it, but heeding it. If they do, then Jesus gives them a promise. In this case, it’s to eat from the tree of life, which means to have eternal life with God. The paradise of God could be thought of as heaven. Think of what the first hearers of this message must be experiencing. How they needed to focus on this promise!
What about you?
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Your words are powerful and true. Help us hear what it is you want us to hear and heed it. Help us apply your truth to our lives in ways that make a difference for your Kingdom. More of you and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
Revelation 1
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Revelation 1:1-3, The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Today we begin one of the most difficult and misunderstood books of the Bible. It’s going to be a great journey! The book was written by the apostle John, much later in his life, while he was exiled on the island of Patmos. Revelation was sent as a circular letter to the seven churches of Asia Minor, to be passed from church to church and read aloud. It was intended to address the real needs of real people. For some churches, it was a word of encouragement in the midst of terrible persecution to give them a bigger perspective; there was more going on in the world than they could see or imagine. To other churches, it was a word of conviction. But most of all, it was prophecy. Let’s be careful to not mix up prophecy with prediction. Prophecy is a divine message. Thus, Revelation is a word from God by his angel to John. It is God revealing that which was previously unknown.
The beginning of today’s chapter, verses 1-8, serves as a kind of prologue. It introduces the author and general theme of the book. Then, the book goes right into four visions that John received from the risen Lord. In our culture and reading style, we tend to be very concerned with words. Revelation is really more about images. My encouragement would be to not get caught up in taking the words literally but focus more on the images that your mind sees as you read the passage. Remember, this was intended to provide a broadened perspective, a more eternal one, for people who were being harshly persecuted and even tortured for their faith. This book demonstrates that while evil may feel overwhelming, it will NOT have the final word. There is more to the world than that which we see with our human eyes. There is a battle going on. And in the end, Jesus wins.
One additional note on our focus verses for today. The Scripture says that those who read it will be blessed, as are those who hear it and take it to heart. First, try to imagine how those words must have resonated with the first hearers of this message. It was the end of the first century and Christians were very much harassed and oppressed in many of these areas. How encouraging it would have been for them to hear this word of promise and blessing. While we live in a different time and culture, the Scripture also applies to us. I trust that we will also be blessed by reading this book and blessed as we try to understand it and take it to heart. I ask that we all pray for open hearts and minds as we begin this journey into this exciting and complex book of the Bible!
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Thank you for your words in the book of Revelation. Give us wisdom and discernment as we begin our study. May we be blessed and maybe even convicted as we dwell in your Word. I pray for changed hearts and lives. In Your Name, Amen.
2 Kings 25
2 Kings 25: 1-10 (NIV)
25 So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it. 2 The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.3 By the ninth day of the fourth[a] month the famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat. 4 Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians[b] were surrounding the city. They fled toward the Arabah,[c] 5 but the Babylonian[d] army pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, 6 and he was captured. He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where sentence was pronounced on him. 7 They killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. 8 On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, an official of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 He set fire to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building, he burned down. 10 The whole Babylonian army under the commander of the imperial guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem.
The 25th chapter of 2 Kings is one of the Old Testament chapters which is challenging to read. The king of Babylon’s armies laid siege to the royal city of Jerusalem for approximately 17 months. They built a “fort” around the walls. Famine ensued and in Ezekiel we read that during this time they practiced cannibalism, eating their children. The temple built by King Solomon burnt to the ground and the sacred adornments and vessels, made according to God’s specifications of precious metals, taken. The prophet Jeremiah attempted to persuade the king to surrender, but he stubbornly refused. King Zedekiah attempted to escape but the Babylonian army captured him and his sons. A council of war tried him and forcibly made him witness the slaying of his sons. Zedekiah eyes were put out, leaving him with the vision of his sons’ deaths as his last visual memory. The Babylonian army destroyed the city walls and took the inhabitants captive. (An interesting note, the Romans burnt the second temple the same day and same month as the first temple. The estimated date being August 10th.)
Judah’s “sin problems” were of their own doing from the time of Moses. Jehovah’s chosen people’s disobedience resulted in wandering in the desert 40 years instead of the 11-day direct route journey. They ate manna and complained. God sent them quail to eat for a month because God’s anger burned against them. The account of this disobedience is quite graphic in Numbers 11. After the quail came a plague which scholars believe was due to a disease quails carry. When they reached the Promised Land, they failed to destroy the inhabitants and intermarried contrary to His command, and problems continued to plague them. They rejected God and demanded kings as their rulers against Samuel’s warnings, most of whom have the notoriety as “bad” kings. The victories they gained were not due to their own strength or military prowess, but to the covenantal protection and divine intervention of Jehovah on their behalf. In 2 Kings, the kings and the people were corrupt, godless, and once again offended Jehovah.
When God rises up in anger against our sin, it is so that we learn to trust and obey Him. The Israelites failed to learn contentment and understand God knew what was best for them. Judah paid an extremely high price for utterly forsaking Jehovah’s Word and the warnings sent to them by His prophets- more than once. In Proverbs 1: 24-28 God tells us, “But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you -when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me.” First Corinthians 10:11 says, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.” The Amplified Bible text of 2 Timothy 3:16 teaches us, “All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage].” God holds us to an even stricter accountability since we now have the written Word teaching us of His wrath and judgment upon human rebellion. In the he last verse of Proverbs chapter one God says, “…but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”
It is easy to think because they had Moses, Joshua, David, and the prophets, without the distractions of “the world” as we know it, that the Israelites faith journey would be easier. I certainly used to think that way. Conversely, we have the written Word in its entirety available in many forms. We have Jesus’ blood atonement and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. We have permanent housing, electricity, transportation and do not have to wander in a desert picking our food off the ground every morning. We have climate-controlled buildings with comfortable seating, not hot scorching sand and extraordinarily little shade. We would do well to heed the teachings of God’s Holy Scripture and walk with Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit, lest we, too, become like the people of Judah!
Prayer: St. Teresa of Avila
Lord, grant that I may always allow myself to be guided by You,
always follow Your plans,
and perfectly accomplish Your Holy Will.
Grant that in all things, great and small,
today and all the days of my life,
I may do whatever You require of me.
Help me respond to the slightest prompting of Your Grace,
so that I may be Your trustworthy instrument for Your honour.
May Your Will be done in time and in eternity by me,
in me, and through me.
Amen
Becky Jordan
2 Kings 24
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2 Kings 24:10-14, At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it, and Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city while his officers were besieging it. Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles and his officials all surrendered to him.
In the eighth year of the reign of the king of Babylon, he took Jehoiachin prisoner. As the Lord had declared, Nebuchadnezzar removed the treasures from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace, and cut up the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made for the temple of the Lord. He carried all Jerusalem into exile: all the officers and fighting men, and all the skilled workers and artisans—a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest people of the land were left.
For hundreds and hundreds of years, God warned his people: Obey the covenant, do not worship other gods, do not neglect the poor. And with just a few exceptions, the people disobeyed. There were judges and prophets sent to warn the people. In fact, there was no shortage of warnings. Yet, the people continued to turn away from God, to be influenced by the culture around them, and to follow the ways of the pagans. In today’s Scripture, we see God lifting his hand of protection. His people have not held up their end of the covenant and he is finally allowing them to experience the consequences of their actions. It’s hard to read and yet, we know it had to happen for the next stage of the journey to occur. More tomorrow…
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, How thankful I am that we live on the other side of the cross and that your grace is incredibly abundant. And yet, I know that you still allow me to experience the consequences of my behavior; there is still accountability. Lord, help me grow to reflect you more and to gradually live a life characterized by your holiness rather than my own inclination to sin. More of you, less of me. Amen.
2 Kings 23
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2 Kings 23:3, The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.
As we read today’s chapter, it becomes evident just how prevalent and extensive the worship of other gods had become in Judah. There were altars to other gods throughout the land, in people’s homes, and even in the temple of the Lord! After generations of sinful kings, idolatry had become a regular part of their culture. Josiah cleans everything up. He destroys the high places, he gets rid of every form of pagan worship, including temple prostitutes, pagan priests, and all those horrible altars.
While Josiah was faithful and did all he could to renew the covenant with God, as we see in today’s focus verse, it simply wasn’t enough. Despite repeated warnings, the kings and people of Judah had failed to uphold the covenant. They had disobeyed God over and over again. Josiah’s best efforts couldn’t make up for the hundreds of years of sin. God honored Josiah’s faithfulness, however, and ensured that he would not see the destruction to come. We see Josiah killed in today’s chapter. I don’t know about you but I immediately got a sense of foreboding, knowing that things are about to get really bad for Judah. The scene has been set and we are about the watch it play out.
Let’s pray…Lord, Forgive us for the many times we fall short of your standard. Help us to stay focused on you and not the distractions of the world. Help us be examples of faithfulness in our families, neighborhoods, and communities. Help us remember who and whose we are. In Your Name, Amen.
2 Kings 22
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2 Kings 22:2, He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.
In today’s chapter, we meet King Josiah. To say Josiah was the product of a dysfunctional family would be a gross understatement. His grandfather was evil and his father was evil. They worshiped other gods; they did everything wrong in the eyes of Yahweh. His father was so disliked that his own servants end up assassinating him. I can only imagine how terrible it was to live in the palace at the time.
Josiah comes to the throne at age eight. Today’s Scripture says that he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. I can’t help but wonder how Josiah knew to follow Yahweh. We really don’t know many details about his life. But somehow, someway, Josiah knew right from wrong and chose to do right. At age eighteen, he starts to rebuild the temple (which had fallen into disrepair after so many sinful kings), and the Book of the Law is discovered. Josiah tears his clothing, a sign of grief and sorrow, when he hears the words of the law read aloud and realizes just how far the nation of Judah had drifted from God’s standard.
A couple things jump out at me after reading today’s text. First, just because someone’s family is dysfunctional, abusive, evil, or lost, doesn’t mean they are doomed to the same fate. Josiah’s family history was atrocious but he didn’t fall into the same pattern as his father and grandfather. We serve a God who redeems people, rescues, provides freedom and a path for true transformation. Maybe you grew up in a really messy family situation; that does not define you! Who you are in Jesus Christ is what truly defines you. Partnering with God, your legacy can be different from your past. There is always hope, always room for redemption.
One other reflection from this text is that the Word of God read aloud has power. When Josiah heard the Book of the Law read for the first time, he was forever changed. He was repentant. He was convicted. His heart was transformed and he had the desire to serve God and lead others to do the same. Never discount the power of God’s Word.
Let’s pray…Lord Almighty, Help us always seek you, choosing to do what is right in your eyes, even when it’s hard or unpopular. Lord, I also pray that I can fall more in love with your Word, allowing it to transform my heart and life. I love you, Jesus, and I need you. More of you, less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
2 Kings 21
SOAP, 2 Kings 21: Monday, July 11, 2022
Welcome to the Daily SOAP from New Hope. This is Paton Cadwallader, your guest host for today.
Today we will be reading from 2 Kings 21 and focusing on verses 1-6. If you haven’t already done so, please take the time to read the entire chapter to get the full context. I will be reading from the NIV version.
“Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem I will put my Name.” In the two courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.”
To understand the significance of this text, I believe we need to go back and recall the reign of Manasseh’s father, Hezekiah. Hezekiah was a king after God’s own heart who worked hard to correct the sins of the kings before him. He did what was right in God’s eyes and had much success. In 2 Kings 20, we see that God healed Hezekiah from grave illness and added 15 years to his life. His son, Manasseh, was born during this timeframe. However, with all that Hezekiah did right, we see sins of pride and selfishness get in the way. When envoys from Babylon came to greet Hezekiah, he lavishly displayed all of his wealth and grandeur. Due to his pride, God spoke through the prophet, Isaiah, and told Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20 verse 17, “The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord.” Most shocking, though, is Hezekiah’s response. He says in verse 19 “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,”…for he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?” Hezekiah didn’t care that everything would be taken away, because it wasn’t going to happen in his lifetime. He was selfishly focused on himself and his own comfort. This leaves me to wonder…If Hezekiah was not so selfishly driven to follow the Lord for his own gains, would his son Manasseh have turned out differently? I am not placing the blame of Manasseh’s evil actions on Hezekiah. But, as a parent, it seems like Hezekiah truly missed the big picture and the opportunity to share his love of the Lord with his son. Put simply, Hezekiah was focused on the tree, but missing the forest. He did not see past himself and the implications his actions had on his loved ones and family. He was too concerned to check off the box and do what was right for the Lord, without doing it for the right reasons. We must all be cautious to not just do religious work for the sake of religious work, but to do everything with the focus of sharing Christ’s love with others. Let us keep focused on the big picture, Christ Jesus, and our desire to make more and better followers of Him.
Let’s close in prayer.
Dear Lord, help us to stay focused on you, not on ourselves. May our actions not just be busy religious work, but actions focused on furthering your kingdom. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and guide us, Lord, because we cannot do it on our own. Left to our own devices, even with the best intentions, we fall short in so many ways. Lord, we need you. Direct us, Lord, so that all that we may do will glorify and honor you. In the precious name of Jesus, we pray. Amen
2 Kings 20
2 Kings 20:1-6 (NIV)
20 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. 6 I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’”
At the beginning of the chapter, 39-year-old Hezekiah became extremely ill and was at the point of death. Isaiah came to him and gave Hezekiah a message from the LORD to put his house in order because he would not recover but die. We see Hezekiah weeping bitterly and pouring his heart out to God, reminding him of his faithfulness. The Hebrew word used for his prayer is palal, which means to "fall down" to the ground in the presence of one in authority to plead a cause. Hezekiah begged for his life. He founded his angst on The Law or Old Covenant of blessings and curses sent by God based on obedience or disobedience. Dying young without heirs would have meant displeasing God.
Under the Old Covenant, there was not a confident assurance of life beyond death. The LORD heard Hezekiah's pleading and spoke to Isaiah again. Before leaving the palace, God instructed him to return and deliver the message to Hezekiah that he would receive healing and live another 15 years. An extended life was vital to Hezekiah because he was of the lineage of David and had not married and produced a male heir to succeed him on the throne. (see Matthew chapter 1) Hezekiah received the gifts of healing and an extended life. Did he use those gifts well? We find the answers in the remaining verses of this chapter and in 2 Chronicles 32 and Isaiah 39.
The word testament means covenant. God's law represents the Old Testament or covenant. He gave detailed rules to His chosen people for worshipping him and how to live a life that honored Him. Jesus is our New Covenant. He offers Himself the ultimate sacrifice, which sets us free from our sins and old covenant sacrifice requirements. As believers of the New Covenant, we have hope founded in the resurrected Jesus and his blood atonement.
The New Testament (Covenant) is rich with promises of salvation and redemption. The first Bible verse many of us learn is John 3:16," For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." In Galatians 3: 13-14, we find these words," Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole." [b] 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.". Hebrews 9:15 teaches us assurance of the New Covenant in these words, "For this reason, Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." Peter reminds us of the high price paid for our redemption in 1 Peter 1:18-19, "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." It is easy to read the story of Hezekiah with our hindsight of biblical teaching and shake our heads in disbelief. However, we must ask ourselves are we really any different?
Prayer: God of mercy and grace, forgive us when we fail to acknowledge that You know what is best for us and that your plans for us are better than anything we can conceive, when we take our eyes off You, and when we take breach the boundaries You have set for us. Thank you for your Son, Jesus, whose blood atoned for all our sin. And it is in His Precious Name I pray. Amen.
(Also see 2 Chronicles 32 and Isaiah 38)
Becky Jordan
2 Kings 19
Scripture
2 Kings 19
Focus Scripture: 2 Kings 19:15
And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: “Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the Earth. Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes Lord and see. Listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.
Observation
Here we see the Israelites surrounded by enemies. Enemies who have conquered many lands and territories, each time burning the land’s false gods. They assume once again that the God of Israel will be one more to fall. They mock God in a letter to Hezekiah. The Israelites are outgunned and things look bleak. In the focus verse above, we see a prayer of desperation as Hezekiah calls out to God. As we read on, we see our God answers and will not be mocked.
Application
Have you ever prayed a prayer of desperation? Have you ever been at the end of your rope? That’s a special prayer. It’s often preceded by repentance. It’s often happens right after our pride breaks and we finally understand that this is bigger than us. It’s bigger than our power and our abilities. What do you need to cry out to the living God today about? I am convinced he is able. We can’t see the big picture. He can. In his infinite wisdom, he can calm storms, and often more important, calm the passengers in the boat amongst the storm.
Prayer
Living God. Help. We are desperate for you. -Amen