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!

15 Oct (Acts 9)

Acts 9

(v.1) Paul was an accuser of the Church...sound familiar? Satan means accuser in Greek. Satan was working in the Pharisees and Jewish leadership to persecute the early Church. He then went to work in the Romans, the RCC and Islam. But what happened every time, was those who believed in God's Word, and not man's word, were strengthened and grew! Satan eventually found out that once he lost on the cross, he would infiltrate the Church, and make it ineffective.

(v.4) When people treat you badly or say mean things to you because you follow Jesus, remember that ultimately, they are saying or doing those things against Jesus. John 15:18

(v.9) Once again, the number three is important here...this is a number used in Hebrew to assign testing or cleansing.

(v.11) Whenever I read this verse, the street named Straight makes me think of Isaiah 40:3

(v.13) This is the first time the Church believers are referred to as saints in the Bible. They haven't died and been immortalized, no, they are living believers who are saints in the eyes of the Father who have the cleansing blood of His Son on them by their faith! We who believe are His saints!!!

(v.15) God's plans don't make sense to us at first. Here was Paul, who was a revered Pharisee, who could have had an incredible witness to the other Pharisees of his conversion to Christ. But God didn't want to do that...He had Paul preach to the Gentiles. We can only speculate, but perhaps God knew that the hearts of the Pharisees were too hard, and Paul's witness would have been wasted on them.

(v.16) Being used by God is not always a bed of roses...it takes sacrifice and commitment. But in the end, we will enjoy immense joy and reward for letting God use us for His purposes!

(v.18) I often wonder why Jewish people can't see that Jesus was their Messiah. If they know the Old Testament (the Tenach) they should be able to see He was who the prophets wrote about. But in Luke 19:42 we see that God had them not see, for they refused to see back when their day had come.

(v.27) We all need a Barnabas in our lives...one who will have our backs, and reach out to others who doubt or mistrust us.

(v.40) I noticed that Peter did what Jesus did...had the people leave the room. That is being a disciple...emulating your teacher.

(v.41) Here we see that the Brethren are the saints...not dead believers immortalized by a church, but living witnesses and followers of Christ.