18 Dec (Revelation 8)

Revelation 8

(v.1) If you read the book of Joshua, specifically Joshua 5 & 6, you will see a lot of the same details unfold. The reason I mention it here, is that after six times the Jews circled around Jericho in the book of Joshua, they were silent...then God brought down the walls. This is a template for what is now described in Revelation.

God ultimately fights the battle for us, but He uses us for His purposes to train us and empower us.

If we compare Joshua to Revelation, we see a pattern:

After Joshua and the Jews conquer Jericho (by God's wrath), they reclaim the land, all debts are forgiven, and the slaves are freed. Think about the Millennium, where after Jesus brings justice upon the earth, and we are all freed from sin and death! This would be a good study for those of you that have older children.

(v.7) God's first creation in the beginning, trees and vegetation, will be the first to receive His wrath. We will see this repeat itself by mirroring the Genesis creation order.

Again, if we understand the Old Testament, we will understand this complicated but very insightful book!

(v.12) Scholars believe this is a reference to the fallen angels who left God's service for serving Lucifer.

One thing I remind my kids, is that when the Bible mentions earth dwellers, He is talking about non-believers. We who are His are not of this earth...we are sojourners, working and serving until He calls us to our real home...heaven!

30 Oct (1 Cor 4-6)

1 Corinthians 4

(v.1) As born again believers, we understand God's plan of redemption better than the world, and it motivates us to share our faith with others. However, we must never use this knowledge as a way of making ourselves look more important than the world. God loves all mankind, and He wants all to repent and be saved. John 3:16

(v.13) Think about this before you share with your kids...are we being persecuted and reviled by the world? If we are, then we are doing God's work. If we aren't, then we are living worldly lives. It's that simple.

1 Corinthians 5

(v.8) If we live our lives focused on the goodness and purity of Christ, we will follow.

(v.11) It is right to confront another Christian if they are living a lifestyle of sin. We must do it privately, but if they still won't listen, then bring a few other believers to mediate.

1 Corinthians 6

(v.3) What Paul is talking about here is the Millennium. We will rule and reign with Christ during the 1,000 years of His rule from Jerusalem.

We are being trained in sanctification right now, for our work in the Millennium. That is why Jesus spoke of the parables of the talents...to show us that we must work with Him in mind.

14 Oct (Acts 7-8)

Acts 7

Steven, a common man of the Church, was filled with the Spirit, and gave a detailed and inspiring recount of the Old Testament! This should be something all Christians should be able to do. In order to understand WHY Jesus came, we need to know the Old Testament first.

(v.51) Steven sounds like John the Baptist and Jesus, where he confronts the hypocrisy and hard hearts of the Pharisees. When we witness, we need to know our audience. Love conquers all, but there are times when we need to confront non-believers with their selfish pride. This will either make them recoil and push you away, or God's Word will pierce their heart, and they will repent. It's not our job to save people, it's our job to share the Good News of Jesus, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest!

(v.54) In this case, the Pharisees were hard of heart, and not walking with God. Therefore, they lashed out at Steven, and he became the first martyr of the Church.

(v.56) What a day that will be for all of us, when we see Jesus at the right hand of the Father in heaven!!!

(v.60) In the end, Steven showed love, and called on God to forgive them of their sins. This was like Jesus on the cross, and we need to have the same attitude and heart. We may fight evil here on earth, but ultimately, all people are God's children, and we should wish for them to be saved.

Acts 8

(v.1) Saul of Tarsus (later to be known as Paul the Apostle) was a high-ranking Pharisee who managed the stoning of Steven.

One thing I point out to my kids, is that once Satan lost at the cross, he shifted his work from trying to prevent the Messiah from redeeming mankind to God, to trying to keep as many people from salvation as possible. Satan is still doing that today.

At first, Satan tried to scare and persecute the Church to give up. But what we see here is that the more Satan had the Jews, then the Romans, then the Roman Catholic Church, and then Islam persecute the Church, the more it grew!

Satan is wise, though, and once he saw this, he took another tactic...infiltrate the Church and make it and it's people ineffective for God's work. That is what we are dealing with today in most churches...they are dead.

(v.20) Like Simon here, many churches and "preachers" today use wealth and prosperity as a sign of salvation. They don't talk about sin and the need for a Savior, they focus on living a wealthy life here on earth. This is dangerous!

Jesus said He would give us His rest when we accepted His gift of salvation. Exodus 33:14 & Matt 11:29 However, Jesus didn't promise us a life of prosperity and wealth in this life if we are His...He promised us rest and joy. Those come from the knowledge of His Word, that we are saved and will be with Him in heaven for eternity. In the meantime, we are to endure hardships and work to love and serve others while on this earth.

Do you see the difference?

(v.27) Why was this Ethiopian eunuch in Jerusalem at that time? Many Bible scholars believe the Ark of the Covenant is in Ethiopia today, and it's their duty, when the Messiah returns, to present the Ark to Jesus...for He is to sit on the Mercy Seat (the lid of the Ark) as His throne to rule for the Millennium. For more on this, check out this website for some interesting info:

http://www.baseinstitute.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=68

It is my belief, that this eunuch was sent to present the Ark, but they didn't know that the Messiah had to die first...then come back as the Conquering King. That is why Philip was spirited to the eunuch to show him Isaiah 53 which details the Suffering Servant and the reason for Jesus to die on the cross.

I believe, one great day, the Ethiopians will present the Ark to Jesus, and we'll be praising God the whole time!

This is one of those subjects that brings up much debate, so please look into this yourself, and see what God speaks to you. Acts 17:11

(v.37) This is why infant baptism is ineffective...the baby doesn't know what is going on. It takes a mind and a heart that knows what baptism proclaims...the death of our old life to sin, and the resurrection of our new life to salvation. That is why my kids have come to wish to be baptized about the ages of 7 or 8, when they understand what it means, and they believe with all their heart.

26 Sep (Matt 25)

The Gospels: Be Ready For His Second Coming!

Matthew 25

(v.5) Picture this as Jesus as the Bridegroom, and the virgins as His Bride. Jesus left the earth with the promise that He would return for His Church...His Bride. But as time went by, the anticipation subsided, and the virgins slept.

(v.6) This is the Rapture! 1 Thes 4:16

(v.10) Just like the unbelievers in the days of Noah, when the water was flooding, and they pounded on the ark to be saved, it was too late. Don't let yourself or your loved ones be on the wrong side of that door!

(v.21) Well done, good and faithful servant...this is what we all should long to hear from Jesus!

(v.31) Jesus will sit on the Throne of David in the new Temple, and rule and reign for 1,000 years! This will start the Millennium.

(v.40) Jesus knows when we love and serve others, and He will reward us in heaven. For loving His children is like loving Him.

19 Aug (Matt 6)

The Gospels: Practicing Righteousness

Matthew 6

(v.1) We are not supposed to tithe and show off what we give to God...that is between Him and ourselves. Besides, a person who wishes to have others know how much he/she gave, is only doing it for themselves...not for the worship of God.

In verses 9-13, we see the prayer that Jesus told His disciples to pray. It is often called the Lord's Prayer, but it's not the prayer of our LORD, it's a template for us to think on all the things of God in prayer.

The REAL LORD's Prayer is in John 17

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name

~ I teach my kids to pray TO the Father, IN THE NAME of Jesus. The Father is to be worshiped and hallowed or respected.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven

~ This alludes to the two comings of Christ...He will come again and restore the earth to it's rightful owner (Jesus), and the whole creation will be like it was when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden.

We are also to be mindful that our desires are often not good for us, so we are to trust in Him, to lead us and guide our lives the way He wants us to live for Him.

Give us this day our daily bread

~ God is our Provider, and He will give us all we need in life. Much like the Jews in the Wilderness who were fed by God with manna...they never went hungry.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors

~ Only if we have forgiving hearts, can God truly forgive our sins. If we are saved, then we have a new heart that is loving and forgiving. Sure, we will have moments of hate and selfishness, but we won't let our lives be driven by hate and resentment.

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one

~ God doesn't tempt us, for He can't. But He does allow Satan to tempt us, and God pleads with us to rely on His strength, and His Word, to keep us away from falling into temptation for evil.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

~ It's all about Him, and the glory and praise goes to Him!

(v.16) Like tithing and giving, we shouldn't proclaim our fasting times as well. We shouldn't seem weak and hurting because we're fasting. In fact, when I have fasted, I have found that God strengthens me, and I don't feel weak. Appearing weak to others only is a ploy to tell them you're fasting!

(v.21) If we seek the approval of mankind, then that's as much as we'll get here on earth. But if we seek God's approval and blessings, then He will deliver and prepare wonderful rewards in heaven for us! It's an easy choice!!!

You cannot serve God and mammon.

~ Mammon is money, and if we place riches and material things as important in our lives, then we aren't following God. There is a phrase that is often misquoted that most of us have heard:

Money is the root of all evil...but the Scripture says the LOVE of money is the root of evil. 1 Timothy 6:10

That is a big difference! God blesses some of us with money, and it's up to us to use that money for His purposes, by donating and supporting ministries that do God's work.

(v.33) If we lay our troubles at the foot of the cross, and let Jesus take care of them, then we won't worry and stress ourselves out. It all comes down to the fact of whether we trust God or not.

25 Jul (Zechariah 7-8)

Zechariah 7

(v.5) Once again, when one fasts and denies their flesh to get closer to God, He responds and speaks to us. I recommend fasting at least once a month to get a recharge, and get closer to God. Of course, if the LORD leads you to fast more often, then hallelujah!

(v.6) God reminds us that fasting is for Him...not for ourselves. Fasting allows us to be vulnerable and dependent upon Him, and that's when He works in us!

(v.11) This verse describes unbelievers completely...they shut their ears and close their eyes to all the signs of God around them. They don't want to answer to anyone other than themselves, yet, as they find out later, they can never please themselves...there is always a need for more in our flesh. Only God fills that void...He is our Living Water and Bread of Life! John 4:10, 6:35

Zechariah 8

(v.3) Even though God dwelt amongst us in the person of Jesus during the Gospels, He is speaking here of the Millennium...where peace shall reign!

(v.5) The sound of kids playing is heartwarming to parents, just as it is to our Heavenly Father!

(v.12) God's promise to Abraham will be fulfilled in the Millennium.

(v.17) Do not be deceived says God, and treat each other with love...so many times Jesus said this when He was teaching His disciples. Luke 21:8 & John 15:12

22 Jul (Zechariah 1-2)

The book of Zechariah is the most Messianic book of the Old Testament. In case your kids don't know what the word Messianic means, it means it describes the coming Messiah, or Savior...Jesus. Isaiah was the most quoted Messianic book of the OT, but Zechariah is the equivalent of Revelation in the Old Testament.

Zechariah 1

(v.1) Zechariah speaks of a time of repentance...the Day of the LORD. The names in Hebrew here are very telling:

Zechariah = Whom YHWH Remembers

Berechiah = YHWH Blesses

Iddo = The Appointed Time

So if we start from Zechariah's grandfather, and go through his father to himself, we get:

At the appointed time, YHWH blesses whom YHWH remembers.

God will remember His own...those who have faith and trust in Him. However, we must stress to our kids, that God loves all His creation, and He wishes for none to perish. 2 Peter 3:9

God is now dealing with Israel again in the last days...the Great Tribulation, for His Church, His Bride, is in heaven with Him!

(v.3) God pleads with us daily to Return to Me...this is the definition of repentance...to turn back to God and abandon our earthly, sinful ways.

(v.8) As with the book of Revelation, there are deep meanings of this vision that God gave Zechariah. Here are some key points to stress to our kids:

~ At nighttime, when darkness reigns, a Man was standing beside a red horse.

~ Red is symbolic of war and death...the judgment is upon the world. This Man is Jesus Himself, for He is getting reports from the other riders as to the status of the world. Also, Jesus is described in Isaiah 63:1-6 where His robe was red with the blood of the unbelievers.

(v.9) Don't confuse the angel who talked with me, with the Man standing next to the red horse. The angel who talked with Zechariah was an interpreter for him, as he saw the vision.

(v.11) Here again, in the OT, we see the definite article of angel...not an ordinary angel, but THE Angel of the LORD...Jesus in the OT. This is another theophany or Christophany.

(v.12) Zechariah hears Jesus speak to the Father!

(v.13) We don't know what the Father said to the Son, but we see that Jesus tells the angel speaking to Zechariah, that it's a good report...the time for redemption is at hand!

(v.15) We have a bad view of the word, jealous, since we associate it with pride and selfishness. But the Hebrew meaning for this word means devoted...that paints an entirely different picture! Jesus is our Intercessor to the Father, and He is looking out for us! Rom 8:34

(v.17) Jesus confirms His plan for Jerusalem...He has been angry, but He will return and establish peace and righteousness again in the Millennium. Once the Church is raptured, He will again focus on Israel.

Zechariah 2

(v.1) This angels is measuring Jerusalem...this is an angel, not Jesus, for He was giving orders. This angels is acting on orders. Angels were created to worship God, and serve Him by ministering to us! Heb 1:13-14

(v.8) God chose Israel to be the people He would reveal Himself through to the whole world! Therefore, He has a special place in His heart for Israel...they are the Apple of His Eye...they are special to Him.

(v.11) During the Millennium, Israel, and all the peoples from the Gentiles, who believe in God, will be His people. The Church will be in heaven at this time, but we are His as well. As God called Abraham the Father of the Faithful, so are all of us His people if we believe as Abraham did!

(v.12) Judah and Jerusalem is God's land...not the Palestinians' nor the Muslims' land...He gave it to Israel to inhabit, but Jesus purchased that land by His blood!

13 Jul (Daniel 7)

Daniel 7

As with Daniel 2 and in Revelation, there is imagery of beasts that can confuse adults, so it's easy for kids to miss the point of these beasts.

As I listed in chapter 2, these four beasts represent the four world empires that would rule over Israel until the Messiah came.

LION = Babylon (man's heart hints at Nebuchadnezzar's new heart of belief after being like a beast of the field)

BEAR = Persia (Persia powerful like a bear, and fought three campaigns which is mentioned as the three ribs in its mouth)

LEOPARD = Greece (Alexander the Great conquered the world in amazingly quick order. The wings typify this quick movement. Also, the four heads references the four generals who will take over after Alexander dies)

TERRIBLE BEAST = Rome (When Rome conquered a country, it demolished it. Also, the ten horns represent the ten toes of the statue in Dan 2 and also the ten nations in the confederacy described in Rev 12:3 & 13:1

(v.9) These thrones are the thrones of the 24 elders of the Church, described in Rev 20:4

The Ancient of Days is the Father, and His appearance matches that of Rev 1:14

(v.10) We see the Book of Life being opened here with Jesus before His Church, as described in Rev 5:11 & 20:11-15

(v.13) The Son of Man is Jesus, and He was given dominion of all the earth by the Father, to take over and rid the world of Satan and evil. Rev 20

I like to tell my kids this...Adam was given dominion over the earth but lost it when he sinned. Satan has dominion now, but Jesus purchased it on the cross...He will claim the title when He returns!

(v.14) Starting with the Millennium, Jesus will reign forever!!!

(v.18) We who follow Jesus are saints in the eyes of the Father...we will rule and reign with Christ! Rev 5:10

(v.25) The Antichrist will speak blasphemous things, and exalt himself...but Jesus will set him straight!

(v.28) Daniel didn't understand this vision, and it troubled him. Not until the New Testament and the book of Revelation was penned by John, can we connect the dots and fully understand what Daniel saw.

This is what brought me back to Christ...to see so many different people, over thousands of years, from different nations and cultures, writing the same thing...Jesus is God and our Savior!

5 Jul (Ezekiel 40-48)

Ezekiel 40

(v.4) Ezekiel, like Daniel and John, was given a glimpse of the very distant future. He saw the Millennial Temple and the city as Jesus will reign over.

Ezekiel 41

(v.19) This is further evidence that God is showing Ezekiel the Millennial Temple, since the faces are of a man and a lion on the cherubim...Jesus, who became man, reigns as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah!

Ezekiel 42

(v.20) Some scholars believe that the Dome of the Rock will stay in place where the Court of the Gentiles will be, and God will have a wall to separate His Holy Place from them.

Ezekiel 43

(v.5) How awesome this vision must have been, for the Spirit actually lifted Ezekiel up, much like how the Spirit moved John in Revelation. Rev 4:2

(v.8) We now see that Jesus has already come to end the Great Tribulation, and is now reigning on the Mercy Seat in Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 44

(v.2) This is sobering...just as God shut the door of the ark with Noah and his family inside, one day there will be no second chances...the time will be up. Gen 7:16 This is a picture of salvation...make sure your family and friends are on that ark of salvation!

(v.9) When Jesus is reigning, the Jews will adhere to the Law of Moses to the letter. There will be no gray areas...adhere to the Law, or don't go into God's House.

(v.11) Since Jesus wasn't able to reign over the Jews in the Temple the first time, since He had to die for our sins first, He will reign and take ownership of the title deed of the earth...Satan no longer has power!

Ezekiel 45

(v.20) The Jews will observe the Feasts again, with Jesus leading the way! We must remember, that even though the King of Kings will be on earth ruling over Jerusalem, the people are still sinners and mortal. Only after the last resurrection will they be without sin in the presence of the Father!

Jesus did all the work on the cross, so our sins are washed away with His blood. But for the Jews during the Millennium, they will perform the Feasts as a celebration of what Jesus did for all of us!

Ezekiel 46

(v.16) Who is the prince? Many scholars believe it is David, who will be acting upon Jesus' commands.

Ezekiel 47

(v.9) Jesus is our Living Water...we shall never thirst in spirit with Him in our lives! John 4:10 & 7:38

(v.12) We get a glimpse of the Garden of Eden again here...the Tree of Life that gives us everything we need.

Ezekiel 48

(v.35) How cool is that? On the gates, there will be this:

YHWH Shammah = The Lord is there!

24 June (Jeremiah 42-46)

Jeremiah 42

(v.6) This is a great example of following God...through good and bad in life. Just because we gave our lives to God, it doesn't mean that life will be rosy and without hardships. In fact, in some cases, it means more hardships are required. But we must keep our focus on God and heaven, and realize that this world is only temporary. Thousands of years is only a blink of an eye in eternity.

(v.13) This is just the example I was speaking of before...God wants us engaged and in the middle of life's issues. He doesn't want us to sit idle or avoid His purposes.

Jeremiah 43

(v.4) Our sinful nature allows us to instinctively look out for ourselves and talk ourselves into anything to save ourselves! However, what we often overlook, is that the road that God takes us on is most likely full of trials, but it's better to be in them with God, then out of them without God!

(v.10) I remind my kids that God uses unbelievers for His purposes just as much as He uses believers. This is hard to grasp at first, but if you remember this throughout the Bible, you'll see that God uses our enemies to whip us into shape!

Jeremiah 44

(v.8) We see the main reason for God's anger...the Jews were given the privilege to be God's people, yet they pushed Him away, and made His name dirty among the other nations. Those of us who are His, we need to represent Him with respect and love, not to say one thing and then act wickedly. I believe that this is what the third Commandment is all about...ambassadorship. Exo 20:7

(v.25) Who is this Queen of Heaven? If you do your research, this goes back to the Tower of Babel, where Nimrod's wife was Semiramis...the Queen of Heaven. Unfortunately, the Roman Catholic Church has adopted this with their worship of Mary, and they call her the Co-Redeemer with Christ! I only ask that those of you who are in the RCC, that you look this up, and consider who you should pray to...God Himself, or a mortal woman? I grew up Lutheran and my wife grew up Catholic, so we know the wonder and awe of the RCC traditions, but they miss the point when you think about it. The only thing that matters is Jesus...all the saints and the worship of Mary are distractions and ultimately, blasphemous.

Jeremiah 45

If we live our lives for ourselves, or even just the people we know, then we are acting in pride. Jesus showed us Himself, that what He wants us to do is love and serve others...at the cost of our own gain or reward. We are to love and serve others because Jesus showed us to do that, not because we want to gain notoriety or somehow think we can earn our salvation.

Jeremiah 46

(v.27) This whole chapter, God documents the evil of the nations, and the reasons for His anger. But in this verse, we see that God loves His people, and He will preserve Israel. This is prophecy of the future, since Israel did become a nation again, but the rest and fearlessness will only happen in the last days.

21 June (Jeremiah 26-30)

Jeremiah 26

(v.2) We often hear people say that they want only to hear the "good" things in the Bible, and not hear about sin and hell. That is only a fraction of the Word, and here God is showing us by telling Jeremiah, that he should not leave out a word...give it to them straight. In fact, we can only truly appreciate what Jesus did for us, if we realize how sinful and doomed we are without Him!

(v.11) This is common among the lost...they condemn those who preach the Word, and preach repentance. The people in darkness don't want to be exposed by the light. John 1:5

Jeremiah 27

(v.6) God puts the people into power for His purposes. We often wonder why we get bad leaders, well, it's probably because we deserve them, and also, God uses them to wake us up!

(v.16) Beware of people who contradict what the LORD says in His Word. Satan's biggest and most successful trick, is to use supposed "holy" leaders to lead people away from Jesus. If your church or leader of the church is preaching anything other than what is taught in the Bible, even though it seems "nice" you should look for a different church. The Apostle Paul didn't sugar coat his teachings...he gave them the truth, and people either loved it or hated it. It's not our job to "win" people to Christ...it's our job to plant the seeds of the Gospel, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest!

Jeremiah 28

False prophets are our biggest danger...Jesus told us many times to not be deceived. God's Word is true, and it doesn't need any support. There is no need for another Gospel, or another book to support the Bible. Even worse, it's blasphemous to have a book that is considered equal to the Bible, or greater! If you're in a church that does this, pray and seek the LORD's guidance...He will put you in a church that teaches His Word!

Jeremiah 29

(v.15) Jeremiah confirms that God raised up prophets while in captivity in Babylon...Daniel and his friends!

(v.29) Those that teach false things will suffer in the end. I run the risk of this myself with this blog! However, I must say again, that anything I post here should be checked out and compared to God's Word. Prayer and Scripture should support what I write. If not, then disregard and show me in God's Word where I made a mistake. Believe me, if I say something wrong, I want to be corrected!!!

Jeremiah 30

(v.7) The Time of Jacob's Trouble is the Great Tribulation. As we read here, men will be so scared, they will soil themselves! My kids find that funny!

(v.11) God describes the future of the Jews...they will be punished for their rebellion, and for their eventual rejection of their Messiah. They will be killed and persecuted in great numbers, but God will always have a remnant...a small fraction that will live on. We have seen this play out with Moses in the basket, Esther saving the Jews from Haman, Joseph taking Jesus to Egypt when Herod tried to kill all the Jewish boys. And we saw it in a massive scale in WW2, where Hitler and the Nazis murdered a great percentage of the Jews, but not all of them!

(v.22) One day, after the Prince of Peace returns, all of Israel's iniquities will be washed away, and Jesus will rule them in peace and prosperity...in the Millennium!

13 June (Isaiah 63-66)

Isaiah 63

(v.1) This chapter is about Jesus returning to earth to bring judgment upon those who refused Him and tormented His beloved. As we will see, this is graphic, and use your best judgment as to how much you read to your kids.

(v.2) His apparel is red, because it's stained with the blood of all those that He slayed in their rebellion. Rev 19:15 Jesus comes back as the conquering King, and His wrath is terrible.

(v.4) We are either with God, or against Him...there is no neutral ground. He will save those who love and worship Him, but He will destroy those who rejected His gift of salvation in their pride.

(v.6) We will be there to witness Jesus slaying the whole earth all by Himself. After all, He made the heavens and the earth by His Word, so taking care of rebellious people will be no problem!

(v.9) We see that Jesus is the Savior of the world, not just the Jews, and we also see that He was the Rock in the Wilderness and the cloud of fire. The Trinity is one God, and all have their parts.

Isaiah 64

(v.6) Even the most revered and "good" person falls way short of God's Law and His holiness. The Hebrew word for "filthy rags" is the same for menstrual tissues...that gives us a clue as to how we need Him to save us and guide us...we can't do it ourselves.

(v.8) All of us earthly fathers know how it feels when our kids look up to us for answers and for protection. It lifts us up, and we so desire to teach our kids the Word, and to give them all that we can. Our heavenly Father is the same way with all of us!

Isaiah 65

(v.1) The Gentiles were in God's plan all along, for He knew that Israel would reject Him, and He loves all His creation. Even cultures that don't really know who Jesus is, have doctrines that teach of a great God who dies for us...isn't that cool?!?

(v.12) Sadly, so many people fall into this category and they will spend eternity in torment, knowing that they made a foolish decision to live their lives for themselves. God is love, but He's also Just...He must separate those who love Him from those that rejected Him.

(v.17) After the 1,000 year reign of Christ in the Millennium, God will burn this earth and make a new heaven and earth. Rev 21:1 It's fun to wonder about what that will be like, but our tiny minds can't even come close to imagining what God has in store for us.

(v.24) God knows what we desire and need, even before we do. However, He does want us to pray and speak with Him, so He can bless us and hear us.

Isaiah 66

(v.2) God wants humble servants...not proud or boastful ones.

(v.8) A nation was born in a day...Israel in 1948...it was born again. No other nation has existed and then been recreated in history, except for God's country, and His people!

(v.11) The people of Israel are not perfect, just like America, but we are to support and pray for Israel, for she is God's land. We must remember Gen 12 and bless Israel not only because it's the right thing to do, but also, it's our only hope to escape God's judgment upon this sinful country we live in today.

(v.24) Here is a scary glimpse of hell...those who are there will forever endure the pain of fire, and the pain NEVER goes away. Please join me in reaching out to the lost, for they still have time to accept what Jesus did for us on the cross.

12 June (Isaiah 59-62)

Isaiah 59

(v.2) The main difference between heaven and hell will be that hell is the permanent separation from God. I believe it will be an eternal torment to catch a glimpse of what people would've had if they followed Jesus, and spend eternity knowing they made the wrong choice.

(v.8) Whoever chooses to reject God will never find peace. They will spend eternity without it. I explain to my kids, that if they imagine the worst injury they've had, and imagine that the pain will NEVER go away like it does in our God-made bodies now...then they might get an idea of what the eternal torment is like.

(v.16) God had to resolve our sinful nature Himself...there was no person who was completely innocent that could atone for our sins. Only the innocent blood of Jesus washes away our sin!

Isaiah 60

(v.2) Isaiah is describing the Great Tribulation that will befall Israel for half of the seven year tribulation period. But God will save them, and when Jesus has claimed His throne (the throne of David), He will reign for 1,000 years, called the Millennium. This is the time that God will bless Israel again, and the whole world will look to Israel for light.

(v.19) Just like when God created the earth in the beginning, His light will be sufficient for everything!

Isaiah 61

(v.1) This is written as if Jesus is saying it Himself. Here we see that Jesus' first coming was to give hope to the poor and brokenhearted, but most of all, to conquer sin and death. When He comes the second time, He will come in judgment, and call His own home to Him in heaven, and throw the wicked away.

(v.9) Ever since the time of Abraham, to the Crusades, to the Concentration Camps of WW2, and the immense anti-semitism rampant in the world now, finally the Jews will be looked upon with respect by the world. They won't have to give way to some power that is persecuting them...they will stand tall and bask in the love and provision of the LORD!

Isaiah 62

(v.5) The customs of the Jewish wedding are so much like the Groom (Jesus) and His Bride (the Church). Do a study on this and you will be amazed at how they match perfectly!

(v.11) After God raptures His Church, He will focus on Israel again, and save them from themselves and their enemies. They will be exalted and saved by God, and He will be joyful in blessing them again!

6 June (Isaiah 43-45)

Isaiah 43

(v.1) You are Mine. God has purchased Israel, and He has purchased His Church. He is a jealous God, meaning He wants us to acknowledge His work, and praise Him for it. After all, He is the One who created us, so we should worship Him who gave us life, and can take it away.

(v.7) This answers the age-old question of, Why are we here? God created us to have fellowship with Him, and in order to do that, He had to redeem us...that is His glory! He is worthy to be praised.

(v.10) We who love and follow Jesus are His witnesses...His ambassadors on earth. 2 Cor 5:20

God wants us to reach out to the lost, and to love and serve them as Christ did for us.

(v.21) God chose Israel to reveal Himself to the world. It doesn't mean that they are more wise or spiritual than anyone else inherently, but since God was with them from the beginning, they are the light of the world. Since they rejected Jesus, America and the Gentiles have been that light, but one day when the Church has been Raptured, God will work through Israel again.

(v.25) This is an early reference to Christ. In the days of the Temple when this was written, according to what God told Moses to teach Israel, they were to sacrifice offerings to God to COVER UP their sins. The only way sin could be blotted out, was to be washed away...God did that Himself on the cross at Calvary!

Isaiah 44

(v.3) This speaks of Pentecost and of the Millennium to come...both are acts of God where His Spirit will affect the world for good.

(v.6) Who is the First and the Last? Is it the Father, Jehovah? Well, as we saw a few chapters ago, Jesus calls Himself this very same thing in Rev 1, 2 and 22. Is Jesus a liar or blasphemer? As Paul would say, "Certainly not!" Jesus is God, as John 1:1 says, and He is our Creator and Savior...a part of the Holy Trinity.

(v.28) Who is Cyrus? We shall see in the next chapter!

Isaiah 45

(v.1) Cyrus was the leader of the Medo-Persian Empire that conquered Babylon. When we get to the book of Daniel, we'll see the succession of Empires that conquered and ruled Jerusalem, but for now, we need to remember that the Persians conquered Babylon after Babylon conquered Israel.

This book was written over 200 years before Cyrus was even born, and here is God, putting in His Scriptures the very man who will rule Israel by conquest! When Cyrus eventually conquered Jerusalem, the Jewish Scribes showed him this part of the book of Isaiah, and needless to say, Cyrus was impressed and awe-struck!

(v.3) God has told Cyrus here, that God will give Cyrus wisdom and knowledge that only the Jews have been privy to before. God wanted to use Cyrus for His purposes, and He did just that!

(v.4) God is reminding Cyrus that He predicted that Cyrus would rule Jerusalem over 200 years before Cyrus was even born. God had plans for Cyrus!

I focus on this with my kids, for it gives great proof that the Bible was written outside of our time constraints. Isaiah was dead for over 150 years when Daniel presented the book of Isaiah to Cyrus, where Cyrus read that he would conquer and rule Jerusalem!

Cyrus was so impressed, he gave money and incentives to the Jewish captives from the Babylonian rule, to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple! Try to picture this...a conquering king just won over an empire, and gives freedom to those he conquered! Only someone who was empowered and influenced by God would do that!

This is all confirmed by Josephus, in his book, Antiquities XI, I, 2. Josephus was a Jewish Roman historian, whom Rome hired to document the history of Israel. Josephus also wrote of Jesus and the fact that He was arrested, crucified and rose again!

(v.23) When we all face God, every knee shall bow, which is confirmed in Phil 2:10

30 May (Isaiah 8-10)

Isaiah 8

God is telling Isaiah what will happen to Syria from the confederacy of Assyria and Israel. It brought great fear and terror into a nation to find out that two or more nations were coming against her. Even though confederacies of men are intimidating, fearing God is much more practical. As Jesus tells us in Luke 12:4-5

Don't be fearful of those that can kill your body, and after that have no power. But rather fear Him who after the body is dead is able to cast both soul and spirit into hell.

(v.19) Going to palm readers and fortune tellers is the fad in many areas of our culture, but that is just man's wisdom...if you can call it wisdom. Why not go directly to the Creator of the universe, who loves you and wants you to live?

Isaiah 9

(v.6) This verse is quoted during Christmas time, and it should be, but I believe we need to read it throughout the year. We need to remind ourselves who Jesus is...God in the flesh, and our Creator and part of the Holy Trinity of God.

For unto us a child is born

~ As we saw in Isa 7:14 this is a unique birth, it's supernatural

Unto us a Son is given

~ This Son already existed in eternity. His mission was to free us from sin

And the government will be upon His shoulder

~ This is prophecy of Jesus' reign during the Millennium

And His name will be called Wonderful

~ In Judges 13:18 we see Jesus in a theophany

Counselor

~ Jesus is our High Priest and Counselor Heb 6:20

Mighty God

~ Jesus is God, and we see this in the next chapter Isa 10:21

Everlasting Father

~ Jesus said He and the Father are one John 10:30

Prince of Peace

~ Jesus is our High Priest, and He during His reign there will be peace

The text goes on to show us that Jesus came from eternity, and He will reign for eternity. He came the first time as a child to be like us. He came to die for us. But one day soon, He will return as a conquering King, and He will bring justice upon the wicked and unbelieving. Make sure you are His, and ask Him into your life...your eternal salvation depends upon it!

Isaiah 10

(v.5) The rod is used often in Scripture, and it makes sense since shepherds are commonly used to describe God, for He is the Good Shepherd. John 10:11

The shepherd protects and guides the sheep, and if the sheep disobey, He uses his rod to correct them. He uses His staff to steer us and guide us. Psalm 23:4

So the rod and staff are His tools to guide us and correct His own, but to unbelievers, the rod will be dreadful and severe. To those who are rebellious, the rod will seem scary, but to us who know Him, it will be comforting.

(v.12) Assyria is the area we know today as Iraq. The Antichrist is called the Assyrian, and it's believed that the Tower of Babel was in this area. God uses Assyria as the symbol for evil and for where He will bring His judgement upon when He returns.

28 May (Isaiah 1-4)

Isaiah was the son of Amoz, whom Rabbinic tradition holds was really Amaziah, king of Judah. This would make Isaiah part of the royal family of kings from the tribe of Judah.

In case you run across someone who believes the book of Isaiah wasn't written by just Isaiah himself, just point them to the words of Jesus, who said Isaiah wrote the whole book! Luke 4:17-21 I think that argument is over!

The book of Isaiah has many incredible prophesies of the coming Messiah, and in fact, it's called the "Fifth Gospel" by many scholars!

Another interesting thing about this book, is by itself, it tells all that is written in the Bible, and it has 66 chapters to mirror the 66 books of the Bible. To go further, the OT has 39 books, and the first 39 chapters of Isaiah records many historical data and coming judgements like the OT. Also, the NT has 27 books, and the last 27 chapters of Isaiah focus on the love and salvation provided for us by God! This book is a gem!

Isaiah 1

(v.9) God always leaves a remnant of believers to continue His plans. He did it with Moses, with Esther, with David and with king Joash. Most of all, He did it with His Son, who survived wicked plans to kill Him, and died on His own terms...saving us all!

(v.13) God isn't interested in blind sacrifices and rituals...He wants heartfelt worship that brings us to our knees in gratitude and fear. The many rituals of today's religions are an abomination to the LORD, since they focus more on the rituals of men, than the holiness of God.

(v.17) Great advice for us who want to live righteously and to serve Him.

(v.18) Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD.

God wants a relationship with us, where we choose to love and worship Him...not mindless robots who don't really love Him. God wants us to use our minds and ponder His Word...even doubt it, but strive to find the answers in it...He is loving and merciful, and He will reward the diligent ones who seek His wisdom. Prov 8:17 & Heb 11:6

(v.19) We need to be willing to follow the LORD, then we need to be obedient to Him...then we will live for Him and be lightness to the darkness of the world.

Isaiah 2

(v.3) How awesome will it be for Jesus Himself to teach the people. He did this in His First Coming, but this time, He will teach as the King, and for 1,000 years!

(v.11) The Day of the LORD will be great for believers, and terrible for unbelievers. They will have no escape, and they will be speechless before their Creator, whom they have rejected.

Isaiah 3

(v.4) A nation that pushes away God will have what they deserve for rulers. Here, as in Ecc 10:16 we see that children will rule. As we know, children don't have the intellect and the experiences of life to rule properly, so the people will suffer. I can't help but think of our current situation in America...if we don't seek righteous people to rule, we get inexperienced and childish people to rule instead.

(v.9) Can't we just picture our current society, and see that they openly flaunt their wickedness and perversions? We are in the last days, so be diligent in your walk with God, and share His love with all peoples.

(v.24) Like many other prophets in the Bible, Isaiah is describing the Great Tribulation that will befall Israel in the last days. Only God Himself will stop the terror of the world to consume Israel, and He will save them!

Isaiah 4

(v.2) It is a great learning study to look up all the times the word Branch is listed in the Bible...it is referring to Jesus.

As the rest of this chapter documents, once Jesus has returned and saved Israel from the Great Tribulation, He will rule as King for 1,000 years, called the Millennium. During that time, the Jews will have their Temple, and they will do Levitical practices again as they did in the times of Moses.

26 May (Micah 1-4)

Micah was a prophet in the time of Isaiah, Hosea and Amos, during the eighth century B.C. Since Micah was born near Jerusalem, we would think he would have prophesied to Judah, but he was speaking the LORD's words to Israel...the Northern Kingdom.

In Hebrew, Micah means "Who is Like Yahweh?" and that seems to be the theme of his message to the people. Micah implored the people to repent, for Yahweh is merciful, but they wouldn't listen.

Micah 1

(v.4) This is a prelude to the Second Coming of Christ, for when we read of the mountains melting and being scorched, we think of Moses on the Mountain of God Deut 4:11, where God came down and made the whole mountain afire. We read of this in Psalm 97:5 as well.

Micah 2

(v.2) Here we have another verse proclaiming private property as a God-given right, and it's sinful to take or abuse another's property.

(v.10) I take note of the word rest here...Jesus refers to it in Matt 11:28. God wants to give us peace and rest in His salvation, but we need to accept what He did for us, and live for Him.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

(v.12) We have seen this happen in the last century...Israel became a nation again in 1948!

Micah 3

(v.2) This is probably directed to the mean things that the evil kings of Israel was doing to the people, but I can't help of think of abortion when I read this verse.

The very same people who vehemently struggle to keep convicted murderers from being executed, will fight just as vehemently to support a woman to kill her unborn child. This is loving evil and hating good. And when I think of the partial birth abortion atrocities, this verse applies.

(v.5) Micah is rebuking the leaders who lead the people astray...this is true for today. We have leaders who want us to forget God, and worship the Earth. They want us to forget private property and capitalism, and embrace socialism. We need to pray for our leaders, and pray that the LORD either changes them, or He works in us to elect godly people to represent us.

(v.7) From the time of the last book of the OT, until the Gospels, there is 400 years of silence from God. This is alluded to in this verse, and God will be silent if we are not walking with Him.

Micah 4

(v.2) Oh how great this will be when Jesus is reigning in Jerusalem in the Millennium! People will come to Him, and He will teach them His ways! This is the way it should have been when He came the first time, but He had to die for our sins first, then reign and take the title deed of the earth from Satan.

(v.3) The Prince of Peace is the only one who can have the world at peace!

(v.9) God is reminding the people that they rejected their true King, and their suffering is from their own proud ways.

16 May (Joel 3)

Joel 3

(v.2) Joel is describing what we hear often called today, Armageddon. This is the final battle between God (Jesus) and all unbelievers. The valley is named Megiddo, and it's also called the valley of Jehoshaphat. In Hebrew, Jehoshaphat means God Will Judge.

Scholars have noted that when Napoleon Bonaparte travelled to this area, he saw how perfect the valley would be for the final battle according to the Bible. He saw it as the perfect place to have many nations, and millions of people fight at one time.

I also point out to my kids that Israel is always special to God. He will return His focus on Israel once He has brought His Bride (the Church) to heaven in the Rapture. The whole world, without Christians in it, will try to get rid of the nation Israel, once and for all. They will get close, but God will come again and save them. This time of affliction and distress for Israel is called the Great Tribulation by Jesus Himself. Matt 24:21; Rev 2:22, 7:14

Only when Israel sees that there is no hope for saving themselves, they will turn to God. Hosea 5:15

(v.14) The Valley of Decision is where God will judge the nations and peoples that rejected Him and fought against Israel...His land.

(v.15) Here we see the darkness referred to many times for the last days.

(v.17) Jesus will sit on the Throne of David and reign for 1,000 years...this is called the Millennium. Only then will there be peace, since the Prince of Peace is ruling in Jerusalem!

(v.18) Creation will be restored, except for the lands that fought against God...they will be desolate.

Mar 29 (Psa 8, 16, 19, 24)

Songs of Joy

Psalm 8

(v.3) As part of our daily prayers, we should meditate and praise God for His wonderful handiwork with His creation. Think on the wonderful sunrises and sunsets, the beauty of an eagle in flight, the gurgling of a newborn baby...God has thought of everything, and He did this for our pleasure!

I even take this subject a little further, by reminding my kids that God's original creation was MUCH better than the most beautiful things we see today. After the Fall of Adam and Eve, and the Flood of Noah, this universe has been under the curse of sin. Even so, it's loaded with such beauty amongst evil and darkness. I try to have my kids think upon how wonderful it will be when all we will see is beauty, instead of limited amounts.

(v.6) God made Adam ruler of the earth, and to keep it. But after Adam sinned, the earth is under the power of Satan. One glorious day, the last Adam, Jesus, will take back what was given to us, and rule with love and justice!

Psalm 16

(v.3) God delights in us believers, and He enjoys guiding us for His purposes...let's make the effort to allow Him to do that since He knows what is best for each of us!

(v.10) This verse is cited by scholars to be a verse about the Resurrection of Jesus...our Savior and Holy One. Peter cited this verse on the day the Church was born...the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:27

(v.11) God will direct us to a life of joy and contentment. I also take the time to show my kids that whenever the Bible cites the right hand, it is a sign of authority. This is usually given to Jesus, since He was given the seat at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Matt 25:34 & Acts 2:33

Psalm 19

(v.1) I teach my kids the silliness of the theory of evolution often, since it goes directly against the Word of God. He made all that we see today, including dinosaurs, in the beginning around 6,000 years ago. The whole universe speaks of a Creator and Designer, a loving God that created with Intelligence, not random chance.

(v.7) This points us to what Paul was saying in Romans 7 where the Law convicts us to see that we need God to save us from our sins. God in the flesh, Jesus, did that on the cross!

(v.11) We are warned to listen to God and obey, for if we do, we are rewarded with blessings and joy that the world envies!

Psalm 24

This psalm is about prophecy. Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies in His First Coming. One of the most important, was His entry into Jerusalem riding a donkey Luke 19 & Zech 9 on Palm Sunday. Most rejected Him as foretold, and Jesus ascended to heaven after His crucifixion and resurrection, to glory with the Father. Lastly, He is coming again to take ownership of the title deed of the earth that Adam relinquished to Satan in the Garden of Eden. When Jesus returns, He will have collected His Bride, the Church, and saved Israel from her enemies. He will rule and reign for 1,000 years, called the Millennium, and bring judgment upon the wicked and all those who refused Him.