Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 8, 2013

“Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.”

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 13:1-10.
 
“1 And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore.
 
Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.  2 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion.  And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.  3 I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed.  And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast;  4 they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast;  and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?”  5 There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.  6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
 
7 It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.  8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.  9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.  10 If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes;  if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed.  Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.”  Revelation 13:1-10.
 
———————-
 
At the conclusion of today’s Scripture, after we “watched” a horrific vision, we come to the comfort of “Perseverance of the Saints” also known as “Preservation of the Saints”, the “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  
 
“8 You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.
9 For you have made the Lord, my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place.
10 No evil will befall you,
Nor will any plague come near your tent.”  Psalm 91:8-10.
 
But, first of all, why do we even need to “only look on” with our eyes to the disturbing Scripture throughout the Book of Revelation?
 
We get a clue from Exodus 14:30-31:  “Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.  When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.”  
                                         
Like Israel needed to see the Egyptians dead on the seashore, we need to “see” the “recompense of the wicked” in order to more fully fear the LORD and believe in the LORD.
 
Now, we consider the “Perseverance of the Saints” also known as “Preservation of the Saints”.
                                       

In today’s Scripture, we read clues about the basis of the “Perseverance of the Saints” also known as “Preservation of the Saints”.  We read about the “book of life” and examples of “destiny” in verses 8 and 9.  We conclude that the basis of “Perseverance of the Saints” is that the Saints were unconditionally elected to “the book of life” “from the foundation of the world”.  The Saints were “destined” for salvation.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ”  Ephesians 1:3-6.

In the section titled “FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints”, the Canons of Dordt explains “Perseverance of the Saints” starting with its following Article 1.

Article 1.  Whom God calls, according to his purpose, to the communion of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and regenerates by the Holy Spirit, he delivers also from the dominion and slavery of sin in this life;  though not altogether from the body of sin, and from the infirmities of the flesh, so long as they continue in this world.

The rest of the section can be read from this following link – Click here: The Canons of Dordt, Fifth Head of Doctrine

In conclusion, this is not only “Perseverance of the Saints”, this is also “the faith of the saints” Revelation 13:10.  And this is why, we strive so hard to teach this Reformed Doctrine of Salvation. 

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 7, 2013

Divine Intervention? or Divine Invention?

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 12:13-17.
 
“13 And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.  14 But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she *was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.  15 And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.  16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth.  17 So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”  Revelation 12:13-17.
 
—————-
 
We tend to think of God as the Great Reactor.  Evil pops up, surprises God, but God reacts to intervene.
 
In today’s Scripture, we see what at first thought may be considered as reactions by God to surprising evils by the dragon (Satan).
 
Indeed, God may intervene.  But, it is no surprise to God.  It is not an isolated action.  It is not merely a reaction. 
 
God calls up a bird of prey to help and give wings.  God raises up a man of His purpose to be the Savior of the World and even places Him in the wilderness for a while.  But, it is all part of God’s divine plan, His divine invention.
 
We may see evil people rise to power.  We may see evil events.  But, it is all part of God’s divine plan, His divine invention.  “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.”  Romans 9:17.
 
God does not just react and intervene.  God sets His goal at the end and works everything from the beginning to the end to accomplish His goal.     
 
“Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘;
Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 6, 2013

“the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down”

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 12:7-12.
 
“7 And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon.  The dragon and his angels waged war,  8 and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.  9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world;  he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.  10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,
 
“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.  12 For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them.  Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”  Revelation 12:7-12.
 
—————————
 
“1 O God of my praise,
Do not be silent!
2 For they have opened the wicked and deceitful mouth against me;
They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
And fought against me without cause.
4 In return for my love they act as my accusers;
But I am in prayer.
5 Thus they have repaid me evil for good
And hatred for my love.

6 Appoint a wicked man over him,
And let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 When he is judged, let him come forth guilty,
And let his prayer become sin.
8 Let his days be few;
Let another take his office.
9 Let his children be fatherless
And his wife a widow.
10 Let his children wander about and beg;
And let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes.
11 Let the creditor seize all that he has,
And let strangers plunder the product of his labor.
12 Let there be none to extend lovingkindness to him,
Nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children.
13 Let his posterity be cut off;
In a following generation let their name be blotted out.

14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord,
And do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15 Let them be before the Lord continually,
That He may cut off their memory from the earth;
16 Because he did not remember to show lovingkindness,
But persecuted the afflicted and needy man,
And the despondent in heart, to put them to death.
17 He also loved cursing, so it came to him;
And he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him.
18 But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,
And it entered into his body like water
And like oil into his bones.
19 Let it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself,
And for a belt with which he constantly girds himself.
20 Let this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
And of those who speak evil against my soul.

21 But You, O God, the Lord, deal kindly with me for Your name’s sake;
Because Your lovingkindness is good, deliver me;
22 For I am afflicted and needy,
And my heart is wounded within me.
23 I am passing like a shadow when it lengthens;
I am shaken off like the locust.
24 My knees are weak from fasting,
And my flesh has grown lean, without fatness.
25 I also have become a reproach to them;
When they see me, they wag their head.

26 Help me, O Lord my God;
Save me according to Your lovingkindness.
27 And let them know that this is Your hand;
You, Lord, have done it.
28 Let them curse, but You bless;
When they arise, they shall be ashamed,
But Your servant shall be glad.
29 Let my accusers be clothed with dishonor,
And let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.

30 With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the Lord;
And in the midst of many I will praise Him.
31 For He stands at the right hand of the needy,
To save him from those who judge his soul.”  Psalm Chapter 109.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 5, 2013

Christ Rules the Nations with a Rod of Iron

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 12:1-6.
 
“1 A great sign appeared in heaven:  a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;  and she was with child;  and she *cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.
 

3 Then another sign appeared in heaven:  and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.  And his tail *swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.  And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron;  and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.  6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she *had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.”  Revelation 12:1-6.

————————–

Today’s devotion reminds us that Jesus Christ rules the nations with “a rod of iron”.   

‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”  Psalm 2:9

“and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father;”  Revelation 2:27

“From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron;  and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.” 

 
History is His Story.  History is not a story of man’s alleged free-will choices.  History is not a balance between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will.  History is not a balance (or even struggle) between good and evil.  Jesus Christ rules with absolute sovereignty over all the nations symbolized by a rod of iron. 
 
“2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”  Psalm 2:2-9.

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.  His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems;  and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.  He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.  From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron;  and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”  Revelation 19:11-16

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 3, 2013

“You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign … Your wrath came”

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 11:15-19.
 
“15 Then the seventh angel sounded;  and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,
 
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ;  and He will reign forever and ever.”  16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,
 
“We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.  18 And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
 
19 And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened;  and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.”  Revelation 11:15-19.
 
—————————-
 

At first glance, it may be puzzling to read in today’s Scripture that God “begun to reign” in verse 17 and that “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” in verse 15.  We know that God has reigned before then and that God reigns “forever and ever”.  But, this language makes us realize the importance to God’s reign of these last days, this judgment, and this wrath of God.

We see this a little in Psalm 2:6-9.

“6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’” 

We see this a little in Exodus 15:18-19. 

“18 “The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”

19 For the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea.”

We see this a little in Psalm 96:10-13.

“10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved;
He will judge the peoples with equity.”

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
Let the sea roar, and all it contains;
12 Let the field exult, and all that is in it.
Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy
13 Before the Lord, for He is coming,
For He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
And the peoples in His faithfulness.”

We see this a little in Psalm 97:1-6.

“1 The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
Let the many islands be glad.
2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 Fire goes before Him
And burns up His adversaries round about.
4 His lightnings lit up the world;
The earth saw and trembled.
5 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
6 The heavens declare His righteousness,
And all the peoples have seen His glory.” 

We see this a little in Psalm 99:1

“The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble;  He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake!”
 
And so, as we read Revelation, much of which causes us to so tremble, let us better understand that this display of God’s judgment and wrath is an important part of God’s reign.
 
Therefore, let us join those loud voices in heaven “saying.
 
“We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.  And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”  Verses 17 and 18.
 

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 2, 2013

“and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven”

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 11:7-14.
 
“7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.  8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.  9 Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.  10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate;  and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
 
11 But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet;  and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.  12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”  Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.  13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell;  seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
 
14 The second woe is past;  behold, the third woe is coming quickly.”  Revelation 11:7-14.
 
———————-
                                          
It may seem like evil is winning.  The righteous are being killed.  And, everyone rejoices. 
 
It felt that way in Elijah’s days.
 
“Then he (Elijah) said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts;  for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword.  And I alone am left;  and they seek my life, to take it away.”  1 Kings 19:14
 
But, God is still sovereign and in total control, and He commands us to stay on our job.
 
“The Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram;  and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel;  and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.  It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death.  Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”  I Kings 19:15-18.
 
It felt that way in Nehemiah’s days, even after God has given so many things to Israel. 
 
“25 They captured fortified cities and a fertile land.
They took possession of houses full of every good thing,
Hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves,
Fruit trees in abundance.
So they ate, were filled and grew fat,
And reveled in Your great goodness.”
 
26 “But they became disobedient and rebelled against You,
And cast Your law behind their backs
And killed Your prophets who had admonished them
So that they might return to You,
And they committed great blasphemies.”  Nehemiah 9:25-26.
 
But, God is still sovereign and in total control, and although He punished, He did not make an end of them or forsake them.  He left a remnant.
 
“27 “Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their oppressors who oppressed them,
But when they cried to You in the time of their distress,
You heard from heaven, and according to Your great compassion
You gave them deliverers who delivered them from the hand of their oppressors.
28 “But as soon as they had rest, they did evil again before You;
Therefore You abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they ruled over them.
When they cried again to You, You heard from heaven,
And many times You rescued them according to Your compassion,
29 And admonished them in order to turn them back to Your law.
Yet they acted arrogantly and did not listen to Your commandments but sinned against Your ordinances,
By which if a man observes them he shall live.
And they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck, and would not listen.
30 “However, You bore with them for many years,
And admonished them by Your Spirit through Your prophets,
Yet they would not give ear.
Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
31 “Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or forsake them,
For You are a gracious and compassionate God.”  Nehemiah 9:27-31. 
 
It may feel that way in these last days.  But, God is still sovereign and in total control, and He saves a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. 
 
“In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice.  But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.”  Romans 11:5-6.
 
 So, what is the result of God’s sovereign actions?
                                    
“… and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.”  Verse 13.
                                      
“10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”  Psalm 2:10-12.
 
In conclusion, there are some who teach that man’s alleged “free will” will steer them right.  But, Reformed Doctrine teaches us to take refuge in God’s sovereign and gracious choice.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | May 1, 2013

Authority and Power

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 11:3-6.
 
“3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”  4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.  5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies;  so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.  6 These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying;  and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.”  Revelation 11:3-6.
 
———————-
 
In today’s Scripture, I want to focus generally on the authority and power that God gives to us, His witnesses, to complete the work that He has for us to do.  Although these two witnesses later die and then come back to life, they “finished their testimony”.  Verse 7.
 
The authority comes from the Great Commission.
 
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you;  and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20.
 
The power comes from the Holy Spirit.
 
In the vision of the two olive trees, we read:  “Then I said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, “What are these, my lord?”  So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?”  And I said, “No, my lord.”  Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.  ‘What are you, O great mountain?  Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain;  and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”  Zechariah 4:4-7.   
 
“but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;  and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.””  Acts 1:8.
 
“17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams;
18 Even on My bondslaves, both men and women,
I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit
And they shall prophesy.
19 ‘And I will grant wonders in the sky above
And signs on the earth below,
Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.
20 ‘The sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.
21 ‘And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”  Acts 2:17-21.
 
In conclusion, today’s Scripture should give us great encouragement.  No matter what happens in these last days that may seem so scary at times, God gives us authority and power to complete His work.  And like, Zerubbabel, we shall give all credit to God “with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | April 30, 2013

“We have thought on Your lovingkindness, O God, In the midst of Your temple.”

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 11:1-2.
 
“Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff;  and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.   Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations;  and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.”  Revelation 11:1-2.
 
——————
 
The measurement of the temple should make us meditate on the perfection, majesty, and glory of God and heaven.  The measurement of the temple should lead us to repentance and a desire to lead a holy life.  The measurement of the temple should lead us to praise God for His lovingkindness.   
 
One example comes from Ezekiel Chapters 40-43.  In Ezekiel’s vision after he measured the temple in great detail, we read:
 
“Then I (Ezekiel) heard one speaking to me from the house, while a man was standing beside me.  He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever.  And the house of Israel will not again defile My holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their harlotry and by the corpses of their kings when they die, by setting their threshold by My threshold and their door post beside My door post, with only the wall between Me and them.  And they have defiled My holy name by their abominations which they have committed.  So I have consumed them in My anger.  Now let them put away their harlotry and the corpses of their kings far from Me;  and I will dwell among them forever.”  Ezekiel 43:6-9.
 
In conclusion, Psalm Chapter 48 puts it all together in giving us a proper and worshipful perspective. 
 
“1 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
In the city of our God, His holy mountain.
2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion in the far north,
The city of the great King.
3 God, in her palaces,
Has made Himself known as a stronghold.

4 For, lo, the kings assembled themselves,
They passed by together.
5 They saw it, then they were amazed;
They were terrified, they fled in alarm.
6 Panic seized them there,
Anguish, as of a woman in childbirth.
7 With the east wind
You break the ships of Tarshish.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen
In the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God;
God will establish her forever.  Selah.

9 We have thought on Your lovingkindness, O God,
In the midst of Your temple.
10 As is Your name, O God,
So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Let Mount Zion be glad,
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice
Because of Your judgments.
12 Walk about Zion and go around her;
Count her towers;
13 Consider her ramparts;
Go through her palaces,
That you may tell it to the next generation.
14 For such is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will guide us until death.”  Psalm Chapter 48.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | April 29, 2013

God’s Word: Good as Sweet, and Good as Bitter

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 10:8-11.
 
“Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.”   So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book.  And he *said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”  I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey;  and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.  And they *said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”  Revelation 10:8-11.
 
——————-
 
God’s Word is our food.  “… Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”  Matthew 4:4
 
God’s Word also is more desirable to us and more sweeter to us than honey.
 
“They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;  Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.”  Psalm 19:10  
 
“How sweet are Your words to my taste!  Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”  Psalm 119:103
 
“My son, eat honey, for it is good,
Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;
Know that wisdom is thus for your soul;
If you find it, then there will be a future,
And your hope will not be cut off.”  Proverbs 24:13-14.
 
But, there is also a sense in which God’s Word may be bitter to the stomach.  When the prophets  meditated on God’s Wrath, we read Scripture that showed that it seemed bitter to them.    
 
“Therefore I say, “Turn your eyes away from me, Let me weep bitterly, Do not try to comfort me concerning the destruction of the daughter of my people.”  Isaiah 22:4
 
“But if you will not listen to it, My soul will sob in secret for such pride;  And my eyes will bitterly weep And flow down with tears, Because the flock of the Lord has been taken captive.”  Jeremiah 13:17
 
“As for you, son of man, groan with breaking heart and bitter grief, groan in their sight.”  Ezekiel 21:6
 
But, the bitterness may be good in the sense that it may lead us and others to repentance.

“15 For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said,

“In repentance and rest you will be saved,
In quietness and trust is your strength.”
But you were not willing,
16 And you said, “No, for we will flee on horses,”
Therefore you shall flee!
“And we will ride on swift horses,”
Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift.
17 One thousand will flee at the threat of one man;
You will flee at the threat of five,
Until you are left as a flag on a mountain top
And as a signal on a hill.

18 Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
How blessed are all those who long for Him.

19 O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry;  when He hears it, He will answer you.  20 Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression,  He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher.  21 Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”  Isaiah 30:15-21.

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Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | April 28, 2013

“My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure”

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 10:1-7.
 
“1 I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud;  and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire;  2 and he had in his hand a little book which was open.  He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land;  3 and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars;  and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices.  4 When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write;  and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.”  5 Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven,  6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer, 7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.”  Revelation 10:1-7.
 
—————————
 
God “created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it”.  Verse 6.  It is almost as if we “fast forward” through this truth to get to what we think is more important and more interesting.  
 
But, when we pause to meditate upon this truth, then we recognize its application to the rest of today’s Scripture.  We are reminded that God created this strong angel to do His will.  We appreciate the “cross-over” use by God of “things in earth” such as clouds, rainbows, sun, fire, and thunder to be used also as images for things in heaven.  This “cross-over” use reminds us that there is one God Who created it all:  “heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it”.
 
We are reminded that this Creator is certainly sovereign and in total control.  We don’t think much of man and his alleged free-will.
 
Much of Revelation seems like a mystery, and the “mystery of God” in verse 7 and elsewhere may be a mystery to man, but we now better understand that it is not a mystery to the Creator.
 
“Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘;
Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.
 
“Listen to Me, you stubborn-minded,
Who are far from righteousness.
“I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off;
And My salvation will not delay.
And I will grant salvation in Zion,
And My glory for Israel.”  Isaiah 46:9-13.

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