Are you going through a dark time? Take comfort - it will not always be this way. Life is about seasons. Seasons of darkness can be very painful and otherwise unpleasant. But realize that God has a plan for you to prosper 'while' you are traveling through.
Isa 45:3 MKJV
(3) And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I am Jehovah, who calls you by your name, the God of Israel.
Darkness is where treasures lay. Gold and diamonds are rarely found laying out in broad daylight. To obtain that which really has value, you have to be willing to brave the dark places. If you have been curled up in the fetal position waiting for the dawn, I would encourage you to straighten up, grab a lamp and a shovel, and make the most of where you are. For me personally, I am still living off the interest of the treasures I found in the darkest times of my life.
Showing posts with label Isaiah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Isaiah. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Jesus the Builder - Pt3
How did Jesus learn so much, and who taught Him? This is the question the local experts wanted to know as well.
Joh 7:15 MKJV
(15) And the Jews marveled, saying, How does this man know letters, not being taught?
Isaiah had insight on this, as he wrote of the Messiah:
Isa 50:4-5 MKJV
(4) The Lord Jehovah has given Me the tongue of the learned, to know to help the weary with a word. He wakens morning by morning, He wakens the ear to hear as the learned.
(5) The Lord Jehovah has opened My ear, and I was not rebellious, nor turned away backwards.
Jesus was awakened in the morning - listening - to God. God gave Him ears to hear:
Rom 10:17 MKJV
(17) Then faith is of hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Remember, to be a follower of a rabbi is to become like the rabbi, not to learn what the rabbi knows! Jesus was a disciple of God Himself, and as we know, He was the very face of God.
Joh 7:15 MKJV
(15) And the Jews marveled, saying, How does this man know letters, not being taught?
Isaiah had insight on this, as he wrote of the Messiah:
Isa 50:4-5 MKJV
(4) The Lord Jehovah has given Me the tongue of the learned, to know to help the weary with a word. He wakens morning by morning, He wakens the ear to hear as the learned.
(5) The Lord Jehovah has opened My ear, and I was not rebellious, nor turned away backwards.
Jesus was awakened in the morning - listening - to God. God gave Him ears to hear:
Rom 10:17 MKJV
(17) Then faith is of hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Remember, to be a follower of a rabbi is to become like the rabbi, not to learn what the rabbi knows! Jesus was a disciple of God Himself, and as we know, He was the very face of God.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Quiet
One of the most challenging verses in all of scripture to me:
Psa 46:10a
(10) Be still, and know that I am God!
I often struggle with finding quiet. When my girls are sick, everything I hear is a baby crying. I hear it when the cat meows. I hear it when the ice maker knocks. I hear voices in the fan. I simply must learn... to be still.
Stillness is not easy to achieve. Honestly, there is for me a discipline to reaching it, which is why I'm not so good at it. Turn off the blasted TV. Or... at least turn off the world. Replace 'noise' with God. That can mean a book, a praise song, or a sermon. It's a conscious effort to do this, but boy does it bring peace!
Seek righteousness. It begins in the mind. It's not unlike a diet. If you haven't won the diet war in your mind, you can give up losing any weight. Look what righteousness brings:
Isa 32:17-18
(17) And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.
(18) My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
When I think of eternity, I often think of the endless praise service, or the party, or the breaking of bread with brothers and sisters and with the King. But I can guarantee this about the coming, fulfilled Kingdom of Heaven: it will be peaceful. There will be places of silence. There will be places of awe and reverence. It will be a kingdom of rest.
Psa 46:10a
(10) Be still, and know that I am God!
I often struggle with finding quiet. When my girls are sick, everything I hear is a baby crying. I hear it when the cat meows. I hear it when the ice maker knocks. I hear voices in the fan. I simply must learn... to be still.
Stillness is not easy to achieve. Honestly, there is for me a discipline to reaching it, which is why I'm not so good at it. Turn off the blasted TV. Or... at least turn off the world. Replace 'noise' with God. That can mean a book, a praise song, or a sermon. It's a conscious effort to do this, but boy does it bring peace!
Seek righteousness. It begins in the mind. It's not unlike a diet. If you haven't won the diet war in your mind, you can give up losing any weight. Look what righteousness brings:
Isa 32:17-18
(17) And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.
(18) My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
When I think of eternity, I often think of the endless praise service, or the party, or the breaking of bread with brothers and sisters and with the King. But I can guarantee this about the coming, fulfilled Kingdom of Heaven: it will be peaceful. There will be places of silence. There will be places of awe and reverence. It will be a kingdom of rest.
Monday, December 14, 2009
My Friend, You're Going To Die
John the Baptist is in prison. He is frightened, because chances are good that he is going to die. So he asks Jesus this very cryptic question.
Mat 11:3 MKJV
(3) And they said to Him, Are You he who should come, or do we look for another?
John, a rabbi, was doing something very rabbinic. He was prompting Jesus for an answer that only Jesus would give. What he actually asked was, "Are you the coming One?" This is a ramez, which I've explained in previous posts. Only this is a very difficult one to track down. We have to know where in the text Messiah was referenced to as the 'Coming One'. The reference is found in Zechariah:
Zec 9:9-11 HNV
(9) Rejoice greatly, daughter of Tziyon! Shout, daughter of Yerushalayim! Behold, your king comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
(10) I will cut off the chariot from Efrayim, and the horse from Yerushalayim; and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak shalom to the nations: and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
(11) As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water.
Why was John asking this in this way? Because the Coming One would set those free who were 'prisoners', and John was definitely this. Here is his question in western English, "Jesus, are you going to leave me in prison?"
What did Jesus say?
Mat 11:4-6 MKJV
(4) Jesus answered and said to them, Go and tell John again those things which you hear and see:
(5) the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel proclaimed to them.
(6) And blessed is he, whoever shall not be offended in Me.
If you do not think these men knew the text, this passage should prove to you differently. Jesus is quoting from 6 different places in Isaiah to John, who would have known all of this - by heart.
1) & 4)
Isa 42:6-7 MKJV
(6) I Jehovah have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand, and will keep You, and give You for a covenant of the people, for a Light of the nations;
(7) to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness out of the prison house.
(8) I am Jehovah; that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images.
(9) Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they happen, I cause you to hear.
2) & 3)
Isa 33:23-24 MKJV
(23) Your ropes are loosened, they do not hold the base of the mast; they could not spread the sail. Then the prey of a great spoil shall be divided; the lame take the prey.
(24) And an inhabitant, the people who live in it shall not say, I am sick; iniquity is taken away.
5)
Isa 26:19-20 MKJV
(19) Your dead ones shall live, together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is as the dew of lights, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
(20) Come, my people, enter into your rooms and shut your doors around you; hide for a little moment, until the fury has passed by.
6)
Isa 61:1 MKJV
(1) The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is on Me; because Jehovah has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
All of these references of the sick being made well and the ropes loosened, the lame walking and the ropes loosened, blind eyes opened and the prisoner set free, those made to hear and the prisoner set free, the dead live while the people are beckoned, and the Gospel is preached while the prison doors open. Yet Jesus tells John, "the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel proclaimed to them." What is missing? The captive is set free. John, my friend, it is all true, but you are going to die in prison.
But blessed is he... what? That aren't offended because of these things. What things in our text are so obviously offensive? It is so very hard to know... if you don't know the scriptures. This is a personal challenge - to me.
Mat 11:3 MKJV
(3) And they said to Him, Are You he who should come, or do we look for another?
John, a rabbi, was doing something very rabbinic. He was prompting Jesus for an answer that only Jesus would give. What he actually asked was, "Are you the coming One?" This is a ramez, which I've explained in previous posts. Only this is a very difficult one to track down. We have to know where in the text Messiah was referenced to as the 'Coming One'. The reference is found in Zechariah:
Zec 9:9-11 HNV
(9) Rejoice greatly, daughter of Tziyon! Shout, daughter of Yerushalayim! Behold, your king comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
(10) I will cut off the chariot from Efrayim, and the horse from Yerushalayim; and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak shalom to the nations: and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
(11) As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water.
Why was John asking this in this way? Because the Coming One would set those free who were 'prisoners', and John was definitely this. Here is his question in western English, "Jesus, are you going to leave me in prison?"
What did Jesus say?
Mat 11:4-6 MKJV
(4) Jesus answered and said to them, Go and tell John again those things which you hear and see:
(5) the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel proclaimed to them.
(6) And blessed is he, whoever shall not be offended in Me.
If you do not think these men knew the text, this passage should prove to you differently. Jesus is quoting from 6 different places in Isaiah to John, who would have known all of this - by heart.
1) & 4)
Isa 42:6-7 MKJV
(6) I Jehovah have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand, and will keep You, and give You for a covenant of the people, for a Light of the nations;
(7) to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness out of the prison house.
(8) I am Jehovah; that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images.
(9) Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they happen, I cause you to hear.
2) & 3)
Isa 33:23-24 MKJV
(23) Your ropes are loosened, they do not hold the base of the mast; they could not spread the sail. Then the prey of a great spoil shall be divided; the lame take the prey.
(24) And an inhabitant, the people who live in it shall not say, I am sick; iniquity is taken away.
5)
Isa 26:19-20 MKJV
(19) Your dead ones shall live, together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is as the dew of lights, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
(20) Come, my people, enter into your rooms and shut your doors around you; hide for a little moment, until the fury has passed by.
6)
Isa 61:1 MKJV
(1) The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is on Me; because Jehovah has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
All of these references of the sick being made well and the ropes loosened, the lame walking and the ropes loosened, blind eyes opened and the prisoner set free, those made to hear and the prisoner set free, the dead live while the people are beckoned, and the Gospel is preached while the prison doors open. Yet Jesus tells John, "the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel proclaimed to them." What is missing? The captive is set free. John, my friend, it is all true, but you are going to die in prison.
But blessed is he... what? That aren't offended because of these things. What things in our text are so obviously offensive? It is so very hard to know... if you don't know the scriptures. This is a personal challenge - to me.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Great Tribulation
The end times present some scary scenarios. If taken out of context, the scriptures can be desparaging. If the Tribulation period is right around the corner (or have we turned that corner already?) what does that mean for Christians? Will Christians have to go through that horrific time?
Just to clarify, what is the Tribulation? The Tribulation is another word for Daniel's 70th week. In Daniel chapter 9, the angel Gabriel gives Daniel a prophetic timeline for just how the end-time scenario is laid out.
Dan 9:24-27 MKJV
(24) Seventy weeks are decreed as to your people and as to your holy city, to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
(25) Know therefore and understand, that from the going out of the command to restore and to build Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in times of affliction.
(26) And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of the ruler who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end of it shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined, until the end shall be war.
(27) And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease, and on a corner of the altar desolating abominations, even until the end. And that which was decreed shall be poured on the desolator.
Seventy weeks are decreed that Israel owes God. That's right. Israel. It's all about Israel. That's why this time is also known as the time of Jacob's Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7). These aren't just weeks of days... they are weeks of years. This 490 year period is divided up into 62 weeks (434 years) and 7 weeks (49 years) and finally in verse 27 comes the last week (7 years). From the information Gabriel gave, we know, historically, exactly when the edict was signed to restore and rebuild Jerusalem and what to add to that date in order to find out when the streets and walls were rebuilt, and then when Jesus was crucified 434 years later. Messiah 'was' cut off (crucified), but not for Himself (then for whom?). He was killed for 'us'.
Verse 27 talks about the final week which begins with a 7-year 'covenant' with Israel. Mid-way through this 7-year period this leader (the antichrist) violates his covenant and causes the sacrifice and offering to cease in the Jewish temple. This is his effort to change the Jewish customs.
Dan 7:25 MKJV
(25) And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and plot to change times and laws. And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and one-half time.
Notice, they shall be given unto the hand of the antichrist for 3.5 years. This is the last half of the Tribulation period known as the Great Tribulation. Regarding the Great Tribulation (last 3.5 years of the Tribulation) Jesus said this:
Mat 24:20-21 MKJV
(20) But pray that your flight is not in the winter, nor on the sabbath day;
(21) for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be.
Lets start with what we know. There will be saved people during the Great Tribulation. That seems obvious from the above verses. The antichrist will 'wear out the saints of the Most High'. Also, the book of Revelation mentions the tribulation saints:
Rev 7:14 MKJV
(14) And I said to him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are the ones who came out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes, and have whitened them in the blood of the Lamb.
Dan 7:21 MKJV
(21) I watched, and that horn made war with the saints and overcame them
Rev 13:7 MKJV
(7) And it was given to it to war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given to it over every tribe and tongue and nation.
Ahh it seems hopeless! We are destined to endure horrible things! Indeed... many of us are enduring horrible things every day. Followers of Jesus are imprisoned, tortured, and killed daily because of their testomonies. These are our brothers and sisters. But this is not the Tribulation, for even in the day of Jesus, men such as Steven were stoned because of his witness. Jesus, again, said "then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be."
It will be worse. But there is good news for the church.
1Th 1:10 MKJV
(10) and to wait for His Son from Heaven (whom He raised from the dead), Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come.
1Th 5:9-10 MKJV
(9) For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (10) who died for us, so that whether we watch or sleep we should live together with Him.
The church is not appointed unto wrath. Or perhaps we should ask this: at what point does anyone or anything - antichrist included - prevail over the church? At NO point!
Mat 16:18 MKJV
(18) And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Isa 54:17 MKJV
(17) No weapon that is formed against you shall be blessed; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the inheritance of the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness is from Me, says Jehovah.
So these saints spoken of in Daniel and Revelation are those truly blessed individuals who take advantage of their last chance to receive Jesus. Are they a part of the bride of Christ, the Church? No. The bride makes herself spotless and without blemish 'now', not later.
For those of us who are God-hungry Jesus-followers, we have a duty regarding the time of the end. We must be about the Father's business of winning souls and showing the love of Jesus. But we have a prayer duty as well:
Luk 21:36 MKJV
(36) Watch therefore, praying in every season that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things which shall occur, and to stand before the Son of Man.
Zep 2:3 DRB
(3) Seek the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, you that have wrought his judgment: seek the just, seek the meek: if by any means you may be hid in the day of the Lord's indignation.
Just to clarify, what is the Tribulation? The Tribulation is another word for Daniel's 70th week. In Daniel chapter 9, the angel Gabriel gives Daniel a prophetic timeline for just how the end-time scenario is laid out.
Dan 9:24-27 MKJV
(24) Seventy weeks are decreed as to your people and as to your holy city, to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
(25) Know therefore and understand, that from the going out of the command to restore and to build Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in times of affliction.
(26) And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of the ruler who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end of it shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined, until the end shall be war.
(27) And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease, and on a corner of the altar desolating abominations, even until the end. And that which was decreed shall be poured on the desolator.
Seventy weeks are decreed that Israel owes God. That's right. Israel. It's all about Israel. That's why this time is also known as the time of Jacob's Trouble (Jeremiah 30:7). These aren't just weeks of days... they are weeks of years. This 490 year period is divided up into 62 weeks (434 years) and 7 weeks (49 years) and finally in verse 27 comes the last week (7 years). From the information Gabriel gave, we know, historically, exactly when the edict was signed to restore and rebuild Jerusalem and what to add to that date in order to find out when the streets and walls were rebuilt, and then when Jesus was crucified 434 years later. Messiah 'was' cut off (crucified), but not for Himself (then for whom?). He was killed for 'us'.
Verse 27 talks about the final week which begins with a 7-year 'covenant' with Israel. Mid-way through this 7-year period this leader (the antichrist) violates his covenant and causes the sacrifice and offering to cease in the Jewish temple. This is his effort to change the Jewish customs.
Dan 7:25 MKJV
(25) And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and plot to change times and laws. And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and one-half time.
Notice, they shall be given unto the hand of the antichrist for 3.5 years. This is the last half of the Tribulation period known as the Great Tribulation. Regarding the Great Tribulation (last 3.5 years of the Tribulation) Jesus said this:
Mat 24:20-21 MKJV
(20) But pray that your flight is not in the winter, nor on the sabbath day;
(21) for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be.
Lets start with what we know. There will be saved people during the Great Tribulation. That seems obvious from the above verses. The antichrist will 'wear out the saints of the Most High'. Also, the book of Revelation mentions the tribulation saints:
Rev 7:14 MKJV
(14) And I said to him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are the ones who came out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes, and have whitened them in the blood of the Lamb.
Dan 7:21 MKJV
(21) I watched, and that horn made war with the saints and overcame them
Rev 13:7 MKJV
(7) And it was given to it to war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given to it over every tribe and tongue and nation.
Ahh it seems hopeless! We are destined to endure horrible things! Indeed... many of us are enduring horrible things every day. Followers of Jesus are imprisoned, tortured, and killed daily because of their testomonies. These are our brothers and sisters. But this is not the Tribulation, for even in the day of Jesus, men such as Steven were stoned because of his witness. Jesus, again, said "then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be."
It will be worse. But there is good news for the church.
1Th 1:10 MKJV
(10) and to wait for His Son from Heaven (whom He raised from the dead), Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come.
1Th 5:9-10 MKJV
(9) For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (10) who died for us, so that whether we watch or sleep we should live together with Him.
The church is not appointed unto wrath. Or perhaps we should ask this: at what point does anyone or anything - antichrist included - prevail over the church? At NO point!
Mat 16:18 MKJV
(18) And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Isa 54:17 MKJV
(17) No weapon that is formed against you shall be blessed; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the inheritance of the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness is from Me, says Jehovah.
So these saints spoken of in Daniel and Revelation are those truly blessed individuals who take advantage of their last chance to receive Jesus. Are they a part of the bride of Christ, the Church? No. The bride makes herself spotless and without blemish 'now', not later.
For those of us who are God-hungry Jesus-followers, we have a duty regarding the time of the end. We must be about the Father's business of winning souls and showing the love of Jesus. But we have a prayer duty as well:
Luk 21:36 MKJV
(36) Watch therefore, praying in every season that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things which shall occur, and to stand before the Son of Man.
Zep 2:3 DRB
(3) Seek the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, you that have wrought his judgment: seek the just, seek the meek: if by any means you may be hid in the day of the Lord's indignation.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Rock of Ages
Dan 2:31-35 MKJV
(31) You, O king, were seeing. And, behold! A great image! That great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before you. And its form was dreadful.
(32) This image's head was of fine gold; his breast and his arms were of silver; his belly and his thighs were of bronze;
(33) his legs were of iron; his feet were part of iron and part of clay.
(34) You watched until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image upon its feet which were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces.
(35) Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken to pieces together. And they became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. And the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
What a dream! Have you ever had a dream such as this? At face value, it doesn't seem to be such a horrible dream. Certainly it's nothing like Freddie chasing you down a dark alleyway. But there was something about this dream. In verse 1, it said "Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, with which his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. "
The explanation of the dream revealed a prophecy of the entirety of the last days, beginning with the very time of Daniel. It was a visual timeline. As Daniel described, the head of gold was Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian Empire, followed by the Meado-Persian Empire (breast/arms of silver), followed by Alexander's Greek Empire (stomach/thighs of bronze), the Roman Empire (legs of iron), and the final empire of man, the feet of iron and clay. The statue was that of a man to represent the best man could bring.
Notice, however, that a single solitary stone strikes the statue upon its feet. The final world empire of man will be destroyed by a single stone - the Stone the Builders rejected (Matt 21:42). The destruction by this single event will be so definite, so final, that Daniel saw it as chaff being blown away by the wind. Have you ever taken a hand full of hay and thrown it up into the wind? It is perhaps one of the most inconsequential things that can be done. Chaff in the wind cannot harm even the smallest of flying insects.
Where are we now? I'd say right about the ankles. There will be no other great world empires until the empire of iron and clay comes to power.
Then this Stone, which destroyed the last great empire of man, grows until it becomes a mountain so large it fills the entire earth.
Isa 9:7 There is no end of the increase of His government and peace on the throne of David, and on His kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from now on, even forever. The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts will do this.
During a time when our representatives are not representing the will of those who elected them, and during a time when the highest of offices are not only pushing unpatriotic ideals but flat-out traitorous ideals, there is something that comes into my mind. There is a Stone coming your way. It's bigger than you think, and the astronomers aren't going to pick this one up in time. Get ready.
(31) You, O king, were seeing. And, behold! A great image! That great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before you. And its form was dreadful.
(32) This image's head was of fine gold; his breast and his arms were of silver; his belly and his thighs were of bronze;
(33) his legs were of iron; his feet were part of iron and part of clay.
(34) You watched until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image upon its feet which were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces.
(35) Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken to pieces together. And they became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. And the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
What a dream! Have you ever had a dream such as this? At face value, it doesn't seem to be such a horrible dream. Certainly it's nothing like Freddie chasing you down a dark alleyway. But there was something about this dream. In verse 1, it said "Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, with which his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. "
The explanation of the dream revealed a prophecy of the entirety of the last days, beginning with the very time of Daniel. It was a visual timeline. As Daniel described, the head of gold was Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian Empire, followed by the Meado-Persian Empire (breast/arms of silver), followed by Alexander's Greek Empire (stomach/thighs of bronze), the Roman Empire (legs of iron), and the final empire of man, the feet of iron and clay. The statue was that of a man to represent the best man could bring.
Notice, however, that a single solitary stone strikes the statue upon its feet. The final world empire of man will be destroyed by a single stone - the Stone the Builders rejected (Matt 21:42). The destruction by this single event will be so definite, so final, that Daniel saw it as chaff being blown away by the wind. Have you ever taken a hand full of hay and thrown it up into the wind? It is perhaps one of the most inconsequential things that can be done. Chaff in the wind cannot harm even the smallest of flying insects.
Where are we now? I'd say right about the ankles. There will be no other great world empires until the empire of iron and clay comes to power.
Then this Stone, which destroyed the last great empire of man, grows until it becomes a mountain so large it fills the entire earth.
Isa 9:7 There is no end of the increase of His government and peace on the throne of David, and on His kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from now on, even forever. The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts will do this.
During a time when our representatives are not representing the will of those who elected them, and during a time when the highest of offices are not only pushing unpatriotic ideals but flat-out traitorous ideals, there is something that comes into my mind. There is a Stone coming your way. It's bigger than you think, and the astronomers aren't going to pick this one up in time. Get ready.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The Millennium
One Thousand years of peace! Guys, it isn't that far off. I'm telling you, it's not. God reveals things to His people - and those who are seeking Him in this are all saying the same thing: aint much time left. We have to be particularly careful to NOT fall into the group Peter said would emerge:
2Pe 3:3-4 LITV
(3) first, knowing this, that during the last days scoffers will come walking according to their own lusts,
(4) and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For from which time the fathers fell asleep, all things remain so from the beginning of creation.
These are all church people, by the way. Worldly people don't know He's coming and don't care.
Back to the 1000 years... where will you be? What will your purpose be? Suppose for a moment the Tribulation begins next year some time. That puts the Millennial beginning 8 years from now, approximately. Could it happen? There is no doubt. Will it? Watch and see - that's what I'm doing.
What will life be like on earth? Perfect utopia under a Wise King. Will there be sin? Yes, in the hearts of mortal man. This is because some will survive the Tribulation Period. These will have children and grandchildren, and they will ALL have a decision to make about whether or not to follow Jesus. Some will choose not to, in their heart.
This will serve to prove that even when satan is bound and falling for a thousand years, man will still have the capacity to do his own thing, go his own way, and live for himself. We have a sin nature.
But meanwhile, life here will be pretty good for those who are mortal. Perfect peace and wise government, along with the blessing of God upon the world and no satanic influence. We are talking about a remnant of people who come out of tribulation and will prosper to enormous proportions. By the end of the 1000 years, there will probably be more people living on earth than ever. Maybe even more than have ever died to that point. Isn't that a mind-blower? But such is the way living in a utopia would be. No war - no disaster... only peace. Until they reopen the pit for a season... more on that later. Mull over this verse:
Isa 65:20 BBE
(20) No longer will there be there a child whose days are cut short, or an old man whose days have not come to their full measure: for the young man at his death will be a hundred years old, and he whose life is shorter than a hundred years will seem as one cursed.
2Pe 3:3-4 LITV
(3) first, knowing this, that during the last days scoffers will come walking according to their own lusts,
(4) and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For from which time the fathers fell asleep, all things remain so from the beginning of creation.
These are all church people, by the way. Worldly people don't know He's coming and don't care.
Back to the 1000 years... where will you be? What will your purpose be? Suppose for a moment the Tribulation begins next year some time. That puts the Millennial beginning 8 years from now, approximately. Could it happen? There is no doubt. Will it? Watch and see - that's what I'm doing.
What will life be like on earth? Perfect utopia under a Wise King. Will there be sin? Yes, in the hearts of mortal man. This is because some will survive the Tribulation Period. These will have children and grandchildren, and they will ALL have a decision to make about whether or not to follow Jesus. Some will choose not to, in their heart.
This will serve to prove that even when satan is bound and falling for a thousand years, man will still have the capacity to do his own thing, go his own way, and live for himself. We have a sin nature.
But meanwhile, life here will be pretty good for those who are mortal. Perfect peace and wise government, along with the blessing of God upon the world and no satanic influence. We are talking about a remnant of people who come out of tribulation and will prosper to enormous proportions. By the end of the 1000 years, there will probably be more people living on earth than ever. Maybe even more than have ever died to that point. Isn't that a mind-blower? But such is the way living in a utopia would be. No war - no disaster... only peace. Until they reopen the pit for a season... more on that later. Mull over this verse:
Isa 65:20 BBE
(20) No longer will there be there a child whose days are cut short, or an old man whose days have not come to their full measure: for the young man at his death will be a hundred years old, and he whose life is shorter than a hundred years will seem as one cursed.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Pillars
Isa 6:1-4(1) In the year that King Uzziah died I then saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.(2) Above it stood the seraphs; each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.(3) And one cried to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of Hosts; the whole earth full of His glory.(4) And the doorposts moved at the voice of the one who cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
In this temple vision that Isaiah had, he sees the glory of God filling the temple. He describes great grandeur; the whole earth is filled with His glory!
Then there's a subtle little statement... the doorposts moved. Some translations say the foundations - others say 'the pillars'. The temple pillars moved at the sound of His voice.
Every congregation has pillars. We discussed these just the other night - the 5-fold ministry as given in Ephesians chapter 4. Apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists are the pillars of the church. They NEED to shake and be moved at the sound of His voice.
In this temple vision that Isaiah had, he sees the glory of God filling the temple. He describes great grandeur; the whole earth is filled with His glory!
Then there's a subtle little statement... the doorposts moved. Some translations say the foundations - others say 'the pillars'. The temple pillars moved at the sound of His voice.
Every congregation has pillars. We discussed these just the other night - the 5-fold ministry as given in Ephesians chapter 4. Apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists are the pillars of the church. They NEED to shake and be moved at the sound of His voice.
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