11/19/12

From dismal to delightful, in but a moment


Its cold in Florida today and the skies are overcast; it is a dismal day outside.  Somehow, it does even feel like I am in Florida.  When I noticed this picture, it cheered me up a bit as the sky has warm written all over it!!!  I can almost imagine standing on that outcropping of rock waiting for the wave to break over me and relieve my overheated body.  Simply wonderful to think of such things on such a dreary day!!!  Earth can be such a lovely place to live, but I know even the most pleasant day (or season, or eon for that matter) will pass into but a memory one day.  Will nothing endure?  But, wait, something will...

Mark, Chapter 13
 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

 As beautiful as this existence can be, there is something even more wonderful awaiting those who have followed the words of Jesus- heaven.  Heaven, a place of beauty and harmony and fellowship with the faithful and with GOD!!!  Just the thought of it brings a smile to my face.  And even though it is not pleasant outside; inside there is warmth and comfort and hope.  Maybe I will just go put some shorts on; I think things are going to be better from now on...

Bible Reading, Nov. 19


 
Nov. 19
Jeremiah 26-29

Jer 26:1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, came this word from Yahweh, saying,
Jer 26:2 Thus says Yahweh: Stand in the court of Yahweh's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in Yahweh's house, all the words that I command you to speak to them; don't diminish a word.
Jer 26:3 It may be they will listen, and turn every man from his evil way; that I may repent me of the evil which I purpose to do to them because of the evil of their doings.
Jer 26:4 You shall tell them, Thus says Yahweh: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,
Jer 26:5 to listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send to you, even rising up early and sending them, but you have not listened;
Jer 26:6 then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.
Jer 26:7 The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of Yahweh.
Jer 26:8 It happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that Yahweh had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold on him, saying, You shall surely die.
Jer 26:9 Why have you prophesied in the name of Yahweh, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant? All the people were gathered to Jeremiah in the house of Yahweh.
Jer 26:10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of Yahweh; and they sat in the entry of the new gate of Yahweh's house.
Jer 26:11 Then spoke the priests and the prophets to the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy of death; for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.
Jer 26:12 Then spoke Jeremiah to all the princes and to all the people, saying, Yahweh sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard.
Jer 26:13 Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of Yahweh your God; and Yahweh will repent him of the evil that he has pronounced against you.
Jer 26:14 But as for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as is good and right in your eyes.
Jer 26:15 Only know for certain that, if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city, and on its inhabitants; for of a truth Yahweh has sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.
Jer 26:16 Then said the princes and all the people to the priests and to the prophets: This man is not worthy of death; for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God.
Jer 26:17 Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,
Jer 26:18 Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus says Yahweh of Armies: Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.
Jer 26:19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Didn't he fear Yahweh, and entreat the favor of Yahweh, and Yahweh relented of the disaster which he had pronounced against them? Thus should we commit great evil against our own souls.
Jer 26:20 There was also a man who prophesied in the name of Yahweh, Uriah the son of Shemaiah of Kiriath Jearim; and he prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:
Jer 26:21 and when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uriah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt:
Jer 26:22 and Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him, into Egypt;
Jer 26:23 and they fetched forth Uriah out of Egypt, and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.
Jer 26:24 But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.
 

Jer 27:1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, came this word to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,
Jer 27:2 Thus says Yahweh to me: Make bonds and bars, and put them on your neck;
Jer 27:3 and send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the children of Ammon, and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah;
Jer 27:4 and give them a command to their masters, saying, Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, You shall tell your masters:
Jer 27:5 I have made the earth, the men and the animals that are on the surface of the earth, by my great power and by my outstretched arm; and I give it to whom it seems right to me.
Jer 27:6 Now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the animals of the field also have I given him to serve him.
Jer 27:7 All the nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the time of his own land come: and then many nations and great kings shall make him their bondservant.
Jer 27:8 It shall happen, that the nation and the kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, says Yahweh, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.
Jer 27:9 But as for you, don't you listen to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreams, nor to your soothsayers, nor to your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon:
Jer 27:10 for they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land, and that I should drive you out, and you should perish.
Jer 27:11 But the nation that shall bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, that nation will I let remain in their own land, says Yahweh; and they shall till it, and dwell therein.
Jer 27:12 I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.
Jer 27:13 Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?
Jer 27:14 Don't listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, You shall not serve the king of Babylon; for they prophesy a lie to you.
Jer 27:15 For I have not sent them, says Yahweh, but they prophesy falsely in my name; that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you, and the prophets who prophesy to you.
Jer 27:16 Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus says Yahweh: Don't listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, Behold, the vessels of Yahweh's house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon; for they prophesy a lie to you.
Jer 27:17 Don't listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: why should this city become a desolation?
Jer 27:18 But if they be prophets, and if the word of Yahweh be with them, let them now make intercession to Yahweh of Armies, that the vessels which are left in the house of Yahweh, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, don't go to Babylon.
Jer 27:19 For thus says Yahweh of Armies concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that are left in this city,
Jer 27:20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon didn't take, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem;
Jer 27:21 yes, thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of Yahweh, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem:
Jer 27:22 They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be, until the day that I visit them, says Yahweh; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place.
 

Jer 28:1 It happened the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was of Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of Yahweh, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
Jer 28:2 Thus speaks Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Jer 28:3 Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of Yahweh's house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried to Babylon:
Jer 28:4 and I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, who went to Babylon, says Yahweh; for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Jer 28:5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people who stood in the house of Yahweh,
Jer 28:6 even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: Yahweh do so; Yahweh perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring again the vessels of Yahweh's house, and all them of the captivity, from Babylon to this place.
Jer 28:7 Nevertheless hear you now this word that I speak in your ears, and in the ears of all the people:
Jer 28:8 The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.
Jer 28:9 The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet shall happen, then shall the prophet be known, that Yahweh has truly sent him.
Jer 28:10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck, and broke it.
Jer 28:11 Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus says Yahweh: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon within two full years from off the neck of all the nations. The prophet Jeremiah went his way.
Jer 28:12 Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the bar from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
Jer 28:13 Go, and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus says Yahweh: You have broken the bars of wood; but you have made in their place bars of iron.
Jer 28:14 For thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the animals of the field also.
Jer 28:15 Then said the prophet Jeremiah to Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah: Yahweh has not sent you; but you make this people to trust in a lie.
Jer 28:16 Therefore thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will send you away from off the surface of the earth: this year you shall die, because you have spoken rebellion against Yahweh.
Jer 28:17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
 

Jer 29:1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the residue of the elders of the captivity, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon,
Jer 29:2 (after that Jeconiah the king, and the queen mother, and the eunuchs, and the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem),
Jer 29:3 by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), saying,
Jer 29:4 Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, to all the captivity, whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon:
Jer 29:5 Build you houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
Jer 29:6 Take wives, and father sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply you there, and don't be diminished.
Jer 29:7 Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yahweh for it; for in its peace you shall have peace.
Jer 29:8 For thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: Don't let your prophets who are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither listen you to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.
Jer 29:9 For they prophesy falsely to you in my name: I have not sent them, says Yahweh.
Jer 29:10 For thus says Yahweh, After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end.
Jer 29:12 You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
Jer 29:13 You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.
Jer 29:14 I will be found by you, says Yahweh, and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, says Yahweh; and I will bring you again to the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive.
Jer 29:15 Because you have said, Yahweh has raised us up prophets in Babylon;
Jer 29:16 thus says Yahweh concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who haven't gone forth with you into captivity;
Jer 29:17 thus says Yahweh of Armies; Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that can't be eaten, they are so bad.
Jer 29:18 I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an object of horror, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations where I have driven them;
Jer 29:19 because they have not listened to my words, says Yahweh, with which I sent to them my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear, says Yahweh.
Jer 29:20 Hear you therefore the word of Yahweh, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
Jer 29:21 Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall kill them before your eyes;
Jer 29:22 and of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captives of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, Yahweh make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;
Jer 29:23 because they have worked folly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I didn't command them; and I am he who knows, and am witness, says Yahweh.
Jer 29:24 Concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak, saying,
Jer 29:25 Thus speaks Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, saying, Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
Jer 29:26 Yahweh has made you priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest, that there may be officers in the house of Yahweh, for every man who is mad, and makes himself a prophet, that you should put him in the stocks and in shackles.
Jer 29:27 Now therefore, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who makes himself a prophet to you,
Jer 29:28 because he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, The captivity is long: build you houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them?
Jer 29:29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
Jer 29:30 Then came the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah, saying,
Jer 29:31 Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus says Yahweh concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, and I didn't send him, and he has caused you to trust in a lie;
Jer 29:32 therefore thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed; he shall not have a man to dwell among this people, neither shall he see the good that I will do to my people, says Yahweh, because he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh.


Nov. 19
Hebrews 5

Heb 5:1 For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.
Heb 5:2 The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness.
Heb 5:3 Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself.
Heb 5:4 Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was.
Heb 5:5 So also Christ didn't glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, "You are my Son. Today I have become your father."
Heb 5:6 As he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek."
Heb 5:7 He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,
Heb 5:8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered.
Heb 5:9 Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation,
Heb 5:10 named by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Heb 5:11 About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing.
Heb 5:12 For when by reason of the time you ought to be teachers, you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God. You have come to need milk, and not solid food.
Heb 5:13 For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby.
Heb 5:14 But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

Revelation, Chapter 15, Mark Copeland

                        "THE BOOK OF REVELATION"

                            Chapter Fifteen

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To see how the stage is set for the final outpouring of God's wrath
   on the beast and upon those who followed him

2) To note the comforting scene of those victorious over the beast
   praising God for His righteous judgment

SUMMARY

With the main adversaries identified (the dragon, the sea beast, the
land beast, and Babylon) and the people of God reassured of ultimate
victory (chs. 12-14), the full out-pouring of God's wrath is about to
be shown.  Chapter fifteen is a "prelude" to the seven bowls of wrath
described in the next chapter.

We are introduced to seven angels who have the seven last plagues in
which the wrath of God is complete (1).  Before the seven angels are
given their bowls, however, John sees those victorious over the beast
standing on a fiery sea of glass having harps of God.  Singing the song
of Moses and the song of the Lamb, they praise God for His righteous
judgments (2-4).  This scene is reminiscent of the Israelites praising
God for their victory over the Egyptians after crossing the Red Sea
(cf. Exo 14:30-15:21).

The seven angels with the seven plagues then proceeded out of the
temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven, clothed in bright
linen and chests girded with gold bands.  One of the four living
creatures gave them seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God.  At
that point the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and
His power, preventing anyone from entering the temple until the seven 
plagues were completed (5-8).  Perhaps this scene was designed to
convey that the time of God's longsuffering was over, and the
outpouring of His wrath was the result of fulfilling the covenant He
had with His people.  God is about to avenge His saints!

OUTLINE

I. PRELUDE TO THE SEVEN BOWLS OF WRATH (1-4)

   A. A GREAT AND MARVELOUS SIGN IN HEAVEN (1-2)
      1. John sees seven angels
         a. Having the seven last plagues
         b. In which the wrath of God is complete
      2. John sees a sea of glass mingled with fire, and a great
         multitude
         a. It is those who have the victory over the beast, his image,
            his mark, and the number of his name
         b. They are standing on the sea of glass, with harps of God

   B. SINGING THE SONG OF MOSES AND OF THE LAMB (3-4)
      1. The multitude is singing the song of Moses, and the song of 
         the Lamb
      2. A song which praises the Lord God Almighty, King of the saints
         a. For His great and marvelous works
         b. For the truth and justice of His ways
         c. For He is worthy of reverence and glory
         d. And all nations shall come and worship before Him, for the
            manifestations of His judgments

II. SEVEN ANGELS AND SEVEN BOWLS OF WRATH (5-8)

   A. THE SEVEN ANGELS (5-6)
      1. The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven is
         opened
      2. Out come the seven angels having the seven plagues
         a. Clothed in pure bright linen
         b. Having their chests girded with golden bands

   B. THE SEVEN GOLDEN BOWLS (7-8)
      1. One of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels:
         a. Seven golden bowls
         b. Full of the wrath of God who lives forever
      2. The temple was filled with smoke
         a. From the glory of God and from His power
         b. No one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues
            were completed

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - Prelude to the seven bowls of wrath (1-4)
   - Seven angels and seven bowls of wrath (5-8)

2) What great and marvelous sign did John see in heaven? (1)
   - Seven angels having the seven last plagues, in which the wrath of
     God is complete

3) Who was standing on a sea of glass mingled with fire?  What were 
   they doing? (2-3)
   - Those who have the victory over the beast, his image, mark, and 
     number of his name
   - Singing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb

4) For what were they praising the Lord God Almighty? (3-4)
   - His great and marvelous works
   - His just and true ways
   - His holiness
   - The manifestation of His judgments

5) What did John see after these things? (5-6)
   - The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven opened
   - Out of which came the seven angels with the seven plagues

6) What did one of the four living creatures give to the seven angels?
   (7)
   - Seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God

7) What happened to the temple at that point? (8)
   - It was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power
   - Preventing anyone from entering the temple till the seven plagues
     were completed