Zechariah 2:1-3:10 + Revelation 12:18-13:18 + Psalm 141:1-10 + Proverbs 30:18-20
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Old Testament – Today in Zechariah we read about the future prosperity of Jerusalem, the Exiles being called home, and cleansing for the high priest. Chapter 2, verses 4 & 5 stood out to me in today’s readings: “”Hurry, and say to that young man, `Jerusalem will someday be so full of people that it won’t have room enough for everyone! Many will live outside the city walls, with all their livestock–and yet they will be safe. For I, myself, will be a wall of fire around Jerusalem, says the LORD. And I will be the glory inside the city!'” My mind took me to the thought of the holy heavenly Jerusalem being chocked full of people who love God! And a wall of fire – holy protection – surrounding everyone in a heavenly Jerusalem and providing safety. And God’s glory reigning eternally… I don’t think this is quite proper exegesis on this passage… 🙂 but I like the thought!
Chapter 1 verse 13 also jumped out at me during this Christmas season: “Be silent before the LORD, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling.”” I think sometimes we get so busy during the Christmas season that we forget to be silent and to be still. We can just go, go, go – rush, rush rush – and maybe miss the true meaning of Christmas? Don’t forget the song, “Silent Night, Holy Night….” Can you find time and space to be silent before the Lord this Christmas? And time and space to reflect upon what the advent of Jesus as a baby in the manger means to you?
Chapter 3 verses 8 & 9 were also beautiful for me today in this Christmas season as we think about the birth of Jesus: “Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of the good things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. Now look at the jewel I have set before Jeshua, a single stone with seven facets. I will engrave an inscription on it, says the LORD Almighty, and I will remove the sins of this land in a single day.” Are you looking forward to the coming of the Branch? What does the Branch symbolize to you? Verse 9 above also looks beyond Christmas and toward Good Friday – How were our sins removed in a single day? Do you believe that your sins were removed by Jesus on the cross on that single day?
And chapter 3 verse 10 also works well in this Christmas season! 🙂 “And on that day, says the LORD Almighty, each of you will invite your neighbor into your home to share your peace and prosperity.” Will you have an opportunity over this next couple of weeks to invite someone into your home to share in your peace and prosperity? Or, if not, can you find an opportunity to go out and share your peace and prosperity with others? Maybe volunteer at a place that has neighbors that really need your peace and prosperity this Christmas season?
New Testament – Okay, I know I’m doing some serious hermeneutics stretching above today in the Zechariah readings… I’ll try to get back to some exegesis here in Revelation chapter 13! Today we read about the beast that comes out of the sea and the beast that comes out of the earth. This is a pretty intense chapter that ends in the infamous number of the beast, 666. One thing I learned from reading Tyndale’s One Year Bible Companion book today is that the 3 sixes could represent the unholy trinity of Satan – which is comprised of Satan, the first beast, and the false prophet coming up in Revelation chapter 13. Also, the number 666 was probably applied to the emperor Nero, whose Greek letters in his name represent numbers that total 666, by John’s 1st century readers. The other way to look at this number is that each of the numbers fall short of the holy numbering of 777 – which represents complete perfection. Below is artist Pat Marvenko Smith’s take on “The Three Beasts and 666”:
To order prints visit her “Revelation Illustrated” site.
In verse 1 we read: “And written on each head were names that blasphemed God.” Back in the Roman empire many emperors assumed titles of deity and require worship of them, which would obviously be blasphemous to God. An example was the emperor Domitian (AD 51-96) required people to address him as Dominus et Deus, which means “our lord and our god”. Below is an ancient bust of Domitian:
Verses 13 – 15 should be warning to us to not fall for false signs and wonders that do not come from God… as we read about the beast from the earth – “He did astounding miracles, such as making fire flash down to earth from heaven while everyone was watching. And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. He ordered the people of the world to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life. He was permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die.” The danger of these above verses can best be demonstrated by Deuteronomy chapter 13 verses 1 through 4 – “If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.” How do these 2 sets of verses – from Revelation and Deuteronomy – speak to you? Are there possibly even false signs and wonders and false idols in our world today which draw our attention away from loving God with all of our heart and soul? Will you hold fast to God?
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Revelation chapter 13 titled “The Beast and The False Prophet” is at this link.
Psalms – Psalm 141 is a beautiful prayer of David’s – praying for deliverance from the wicked and their ways. Verse 4 is powerful – “Don’t let me lust for evil things; don’t let me participate in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do evil.” Is this a prayer you could incorporate into your prayer life? What might be some examples of “delicacies of those who do evil”? Will you pray to God to avoid these “delicacies” and “treasures” that will ultimately fail you?
Proverbs – Proverbs 30 verse 19 tells us about the author’s amazement of “how an eagle glides through the sky.” This is a great reminder of God’s creativity and how it is exhibited in nature!
Worship Video: As I mention “Silent Night” above, here it is, sung by Matt Maher:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAxgOvJh-Tg
Do you know the peace of God’s Silent Night? Click here for heavenly peace!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat their delicacies.” Psalm 141:4 (NIV)
Prayer Point: Pray that your heart will not be drawn to what is evil. Pray that you will not take part in wicked deeds nor eat of the delicacies of evildoers. Pray in thanksgiving that Jesus saves you from evil!
Comments from you: What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless,
Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
======= Jenny:
Wow! Rev is fascinating stuff…we have studied this many times at church, but its still too amazing. Its important to realize this wont be some sorta fairytale type thing with actual dragons, but men who appear harmless. many pastors and such believer the antichrist is alive and well on the earth somewhere. Just waiting to come on the scene which will take place after believers are raptured. I beleive th antichist will descend from Russia is it? I cant find my notes, but we know the country he will come out of….but I cant recall now.
We have the technology today and everyone pretty much knows about the microchips that ppl can get in their hands or upper brow. in certain government programs, they are doing that already…putting personal i.d. info in that chip. Some jobs are doing that, they do that with pets. Its all getting set up for the antichrist to come one the scene.
What is the number one fastest growing problem around the US lately? Identity theft! So to have a microchip implanted sounds brilliant. I heard from some that perhaps ppl will be getting it in their hands or wrists, but it could lead to crime like ppl getting their hands chopped off from thieves who want to steal the chip. therefore, an even better place to have the chip placed is above the eyebrow (aka forehead). How it all plays out, well, I wont be here to know, but its fascinating, yet crazy!
I love psalms too…’keep a guard over my mouth!’ I sure need that as well, we all do. Out od our mouths can come blessings and cursings.
Let us not be drawn to evil. I was listening to a great service on kwave last night and to make a long story short, he was talking about how when Peter walked on the water, then took his eyes off Jesus and his faith weakened he started to sink. he cried out “Lord save me!’ …so the Lord caught him. Its doesnt say how Peter got back to the boat, did he walk? did he swim??? But we know the Lord caught him when he was sinking. Now to apply it to our lives, when we start sinking, examples he was giving, when somone wants to log onto a dirty internet sight, cry out: Lord, save me! when we are tempted in any way, cry out ‘Lord save me!’ to those who sincerely want out of the temptation, and He will catch you!
Ps. v.6 “But my eyes are fixed on You”. …that’s the key! that pretty much sums it up. Keeo our eyes fixed on Christ and we will not stumble. When we take our eyes off him and onto the cares of this world, we start to sink, fast!!!
I would love to write more, and trust me, i could go on and on, but gotta get going.
Great readings! Thank u Bible dude!
Jenny
======= Mae:
Psalm 141:9 stood out for me today … “Keep me from the snares they have laid for me,
from the traps set by evildoers”.
Don’t we all want to be kept from evildoers? I think it’s just unbelieveable how ‘snares can be laid for us’. Sometimes the snares will be obvious and I can get out of the way in time … other times I didn’t see it in time, cause of the disguise. I’m glad that my relationship with God and my worship for God has become so intense, that I know how to find Him at the altar when I slightly went ‘off track’. I know His grace will always save me …
Mae
======= Mark:
Psalm 141:5 “Let the righteous smite me in kindness and reprove me; It is oil upon the head; Do not let my head refuse it”
I was thinking about our church life. Do we want people to lovingly correct us like David did? David wanted others to help him. He didn’t avoid help, or even merely accept it, he wanted it and invited it. Is our relationship with Jesus so important to us that we’re prepared to make ourselves vulnerable to others?
Mark
======= Brandie:
you know I was wondering do you think when a woman has a baby angels like heard on high were in the room were in the same room as they were for Jesus?? kinda kewl to think about
I heard a song the other day “Where are you Christmas by Faith Hill” the other day on the radio and since my cousin passed away around this time last year I have a hard time to get excited about the holiday season and why it really is Christmas, so this year I did some soul searching and it was a little bit easier and I am still sad…and I know the REAL reason why we celebrate CHRISTmas as in for JESUS birth and I have lost so many friends this year and it is still so sad and I have a 2 year old running around singing Jesus loves me because the bible tells me so..so I smile
I still think how sad that Jesus was hurt so badly for our sins but he did that for us and how awesome that he gave his life…how many of us would give our life for someone we love??
Brandie
======= Nasser:
woo how is we can be busy in christmas with bring gifts ,especial food decorating tree ,santa claus taht we forgot that at this season we had to be silent and still and and reflect on this baby in manger ,he came from the spirit of god without a dad and leaving the glory at haeven and all this onlty to take the punishment from me and return our relationship with the god father how wonderful and unbelievable of what happen this time a lot of people by their mind cannot understand how god come to the earth in flesh i think we have to just believe that god so much loved the his dearest people that he send his only begotten son to earth to redeem us from sin praise the lord it is th emost expensive gift we had from the baby jesus christ . amin
we had to be aware of false prophets we can do so only by keep our relaion with god very strong and all the time .
Nasser
======= Virgil:
I ring the bell every year for the past 8 years, for the Salvation Army. I see how people are so busy and caught up in the season. But i am happy to know that most think about the less fortunate and give.
Virgil
====== Elizabeth:
I love David’s heart as revealed in the psalms. He had a heart totally sold out to God and did not shrink from hard tasks–like self-examination:
Psalm 141:5 Let a righteous man strike me–it is a kindness; let him rebuke me–it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it.
I am very sensitive to all criticism–even helpful criticism comes hard for me because I have a tendency toward perfectionism. David’s posture is a great one to emulate. If criticism is coming from a righteous person, Lord help me to keep my ears and heart open and teachable!
And the reverse should be true as well—help me to reject criticism from the unrighteous. This too can be a snare. If I am manipulated by fear of others’ opinions or pulled all over the place by everyone’s “input” that’s a dangerous place to be as well.
Of course, sorting out all this can be tricky in real life. Opinions come from so many sources. But, I think that if we keep the Lord as center, He will help us discern these things…
Elizabeth
======== David:
We live in a very confusing and changing world but one thing remains the same. We must praise Jesus. The Devil has a lot of tricks up his sleeve in order to get us away from that fact. Even at Christmas time! This part of Revelation shows to what extent he would go in order to do that and it seems that the main purpose of these beasts are to get people from worshiping God!
David
======= Don:
Thank you all. Mike you are quite a gift in what you do Sir.
It was publicized by one of the news channels recently that approx. 18% of the US is Atheist while 81% is Christian. If the Christians were practicing Christians we would have a much more powerful, beautiful, and peaceful country of course. Beyond those numbers I would guess that eventually the Atheist number could reach about the same percentage as the Angels who left Heaven, 33% but that is just a personal guess.
I hope when all the Revelation plans are playing out you we are all watching it on the big screen upstairs, especially Mike.
God Bless
Don
======= Ray:
Antichrist will come from the European Union, he will arise out of ten nations. the bear is Russia. the Lion is England and the Leopard is America
Ray
======= Frederick:
Re: Jenny, In a ‘vision’ that God gave me in 2006 November, God gave me two countries–Italy and Russia. I also tend to believe that the Anti-Christ may be from Russia, probably with a (false?) Jewish heritage. Italy, especially the Vatican, may be the future false religion of the One World Government.
Frederick
======= Merven:
Thanks Mike for a refreshing overview on the one year bible….may the lord bless you….The Naidu Family La Mercy South Africa
Merven
======= Jim:
Blessings to all you one year Bible bloggers! It has been another great year of growing in the Word of our ever loving and merciful God. I hesitate to make this comment regarding Revelation, but I feel a prodding to do so . . .
Please do not assume or follow this relatively modern day doctrine of a “pre-tribulation” rapture where believers are taken first at Christ’s second coming and the Jewish nation is left among the unbelievers are left in this world to suffer for as we watch from above. Please pray that we all come to an truthful understanding about what has already taken place and what is yet to take place. Not what we read in “Left Behind” books by Tim Lahaye.
A worthy resource regarding the Bible can be found at Hank Hanegraff’s website at http://www.equip.org.
May the Peace and Love of Jesus Christ be with you all.
In Christ,
Jim
========= Bob:
I can’t wait for the Christmas Eve service in our beautiful church when all the lights are dimmed and we start to sing Silent Night. Sometimes that is the only “quiet” time I have during the season, but I truly cherish it. Thanks for the reminder to seek it and also sharing our peace and posperity!
Bob
======== Karen:
Reading both prophetic passages brings a renewed sense of urgency as well as assurances that the worst is yet to come but hope that the Lord will prevail in the end remains. Indeed, celebrate the joy in this season even more purposefully when the world continues to drown it out.
Karen
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