1 Corinthians 1: 18

PRAYER THOT: Help me to be holy as the Lord is holy.

Habakkuk 2 vs14 

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

For further study - Habakkuk 2:1-14

In my teaching of prophecy, I always say that the prophetic word of God not only reveals what the future holds, but prophecy is very practical as well. Our reading today will be a perfect example of that fact.
Before we get into the practical, let me take care of the prophetic. Habakkuk was a prophet that had his ministry on the eve of the Babylonian captivity. Most likely he was foretelling the future events of the Jewish people during the latter years of Josiah.
There is not a lot known about Habakkuk except the fact that to him, the character of Jehovah God was revealed in terms of the highest spirituality. He alone of the prophets was most concerned that the “holiness of Jehovah” should be vindicated even to the extent that he would see that as a higher priority than Israel's escape from Jehovah's chastisement.
Habakkuk foretold the rise of the Chaldeans, chapter 1, verse 6 and that they would be the instrument that God would use to discipline the Jewish people. Habakkuk considered himself a "watchman," one who would stand upon the wall or the tower to watch and see, and then warn the people.
Habakkuk takes this “watchmen mentality” into the spiritual realm as well, watching for the Lord's message and then warning the people, verse 1 of our extended reading for today. As you read the 14 assigned verses for today you will get the flavor of the chastisement that the Jewish people will face because of their sin. Notice the "woes" in verses 6, 9 and 12.
Now, to the practical aspect of prophecy. Habakkuk is a perfect example of what our ministry should be - we also must be watchmen. I would imagine that if you are reading this devotional you have a great interest in prophecy and must have some knowledge of what the future holds. Therefore, as a watchman, you have "seen" - now “warn” the people.
Verse 4 relates to us how the Jewish people should have lived and Habakkuk exhorts them that they must “live by faith” - faith in God and His instructions and directions.
The last verse of our reading, verse 14, looks to the future time when the “glory of the Lord” will fill the earth. That is a future prophecy to be fulfilled during the Kingdom period when Christ “rules and reigns” from the Temple in Jerusalem.
However, Psalm 19 tells us we can witness “the glory of the Lord” today as we look into the heavens where His glory is declared. We can also observe His creation all around us.
Prophecy is indeed so practical.
PRAYER THOT: Help me to be the watchman you want me to be, hearing the prophetic message from your Word and warning the people.

Habakkuk 3 vss18-19 

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

For further study - Habakkuk 3:1-19

Those of us who are using this third chapter of Habakkuk for our daily devotion most likely have difficulty even pronouncing the prophets name as we endeavor to understand what is taking place in this little prophetic book.

Before we look at our passage for today I think a quick look back at the entire prophecy would be good. Because of destruction, violence, strife, conflict, injustice and wickedness all around him, Habakkuk, as recorded in chapter one, was so depressed that he was about to go under when he started this book.
The prophet had a number of questions for God. All of his questions started with "Why". Habakkuk cried out to the Lord for some answers and his call did not go unheeded.
In the Lord's response, as revealed in chapter two, He not only answered the prophets demanding questions as to why bad things happen to good people but the Lord gave His prophet the confidence to lift him up from the pits to the mountaintop.
In the third chapter God gives the prophet a "prayer of praise" that was the "song of joy" for a servant who began in a valley of distress and ends his journey on the mountaintop of delight.
As you read our extended passage you can almost hear the music. It is a "hymn of praise," a "prayer of praise" put to music that glorifies the Lord, with who the prophet had been conversing and complaining.
Now Habakkuk will celebrate as he comes to the understanding of why Judah was being punished and the "who" that God had chosen to chastise the Jews, Babylon.
To make the song complete, God revealed the defeat of Babylon and that Judah would return to the Lord. The key verse of the entire book, 2:4, expresses the principle upon which we must develop our own lives in this time, similar to the times of Habakkuk.
"The just shall live by his faith" is the principle that must be applied in our day of wickedness, distress, violence, evil, conflict, injustice and destruction. God has a plan that is found in the pages of His prophetic passages that prepare us for His purpose in these days.
As we stop and listen to Him, by reading His Word daily, we can move from distress to deliverance, as did Habakkuk. One very interesting thought before we conclude, the ultimate destruction of Babylon, modern-day Iraq, will take place after the Anti-christ sets up his worldwide political, economic, governmental kingdom.
All that we see going on in Iraq today is setting the stage for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled, seemingly in the near future.
Prayer Thot: Help me Lord, to live by faith, faith in You and Your plan for the future, which will be the very best for me.
Haggai 1:2 - Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD's house should be built.

For further study - Haggai 1:1-15

We could well rehearse the words of a previous devotional when I

wrote that prophecy is not only prophetic but practical as well.

This you can discern as you read the extended portion of our devotional today.

Haggai and Zechariah are two of the three prophets that had ministry after the return of the Jews to Jerusalem. Both of these men exhorted the Jews to rebuild the temple. Remember, Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army had destroyed the first temple, Solomon's temple.

Now, the Jews, around 50,000 of them, who had returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbal, they had done so for the purpose of rebuilding the temple and once again offering sacrifice and worship in this worship center in Jerusalem.

Haggai challenged the people to not focus on their own homes, verses 3-9, but instead move quickly to rebuild the temple, the place to worship the God of Israel. Haggai reminded the people of the Lord's chastisement on them for not rebuilding the temple, verses 10 and 11.

There had been a major draught upon the land of Israel so that the needed foodstuffs were in much lesser supply even the provision for the cattle. Under Haggai's ministry, the Jewish people got their hearts right by fearing the Lord, with a reverential fear, and the Lord stirred the spirit of Zerubbal to lead the people in the rebuilding of the temple.

As in Haggai's day, there is need for a temple in the city of Jerusalem today. The Jewish people who have returned to the land God promised them have been concerned about their own houses, their livelihood and not rebuilding the permanent worship center for the Lord.

Although that is the case with most Jews in modern-day Israel, there is a group of religious Jews that believe the Bible and believe that there needs to be a temple in Jerusalem. In fact, the leaders of these dedicated Jews are preparing to rebuild the temple.

All preparations have been made and they could start construction of the temple at any time. However, the Bible teaches that the Rapture must take place first, Daniel 11:45, and then the next temple will be built.

Thus the evidence that the Rapture is close at hand - keep looking up!

PRAYER THOT: Help me to set my priorities in light of the soon calling of Christians by Jesus to join Him in the air at the Rapture.

Haggai 2 verse 9
The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

For further study - Haggai 2: 1-9

The Prophet Haggai is a contemporary of Zechariah. These two prophets, along with Malachi, prophesied after the Babylonian captivity. Both Haggai and Zechariah were exhorting the Jews that had returned with Zerubbabel to Jerusalem from Babylon to get busy in the rebuilding of the temple - to replace Solomon's temple, the first temple, that had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian King.

Haggai was concerned that those returning Jews were too busy building their own houses to take care of building the "house of the Lord".

Haggai as a prophet was a bit more "crusty" than Zechariah who was also a priest. Haggai gives the Jews a stern warning of the Lord's displeasure with their disobedience and lack of priority in the building of His house.

It is in this context that Haggai looks down the corridor of time to a future temple to be built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

Actually, from Haggai's day until the time that the Lord Jesus will sit on His throne in the Temple at Jerusalem there will be three temples.

The temple built in Haggai's day was the 2nd temple, also known as Zerubbabel's Temple or Herod's Temple. Then there will be the temple to stand in Jerusalem during the Tribulation Period. And finally, the temple referred to as "Messiah's Temple" the one that Jesus will build (Zechariah 6:12) following all the detailed instructions of Ezekiel 40-46.

The Messiah's Temple is the one Haggai is referring to in Haggai 2:9. When Jesus rules from that "latter house" the Lord will give peace to the whole world.

One final note: The next to the last temple, the Tribulation Temple, is ready to be built right now. That would make us living in the days of that temple - meaning Jesus is coming and it could be soon.

PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for allowing us to be alive in what could be the day of your return.


Haggai 2:19 

Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.

For further study - Haggai 2:10-19

Please remember that Haggai is a contemporary of the prophet Zechariah. These two prophets were called of God to exhort the Jewish people to rebuild the temple after their return from the Babylonian captivity. Haggai was somewhat of an "in your face" type of prophet, more so than was Zechariah.

This older prophet was growing impatient with the Jews, his people, as they were taking so long to finish up the work of rebuilding the temple, the permanent worship center for the Jewish people. The Jews had been disobedient and the prophet had been led by the Lord to chastise them verbally and exhort them to finish up the building of the house of the Lord. As we come to verse 10, and through 19, we see that the returning Jewish people were starting to become obedient and starting to get more serious about doing as the Lord had commanded. Haggai was revealing the word of the Lord directly to the people. They could see that the Lord had chastened them for not obeying, verse 17.
Haggai said, verses 18 and 19, "consider" that when you become obedient there will be "seed in the barn," the vine, fig tree, and pomegranate will bring forth fruit. From that day, the day of their obedience, from that day they would be blessed of the Lord.
Verses 20-23, as we will see in a future devotional, states that the ultimate fulfillment of Haggai's prophecy would be the destruction of the Gentile world powers and the building of the temple, Messiah's Temple, where Messiah Jesus will rule and reign forever.
Thus, our passage is also applicable to the end times as the Jewish people return to the land of their forefathers and become obedient to the Lord. The blessings will then be poured out on them. As in the days of Haggai, the Jews are today coming back into the land and have allowed their own comforts to be of greater priority than the building of the temple for the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Bible does call for a Temple in Jerusalem in the last days, and in fact, into the future and forever.
There is a remnant of Jews who are working towards a rebuilding of the temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, but the vast majority and especially the Israeli government have no desire to rebuild the temple. This subject is so controversial that the politicians of Israel never mention it and deny any efforts to rebuild the temple when confronted by the Moslem world.
This caveat, as we conclude our devotional. The preparations for the next temple are ready for the building of a temple right now in Jerusalem with one small problem. The ones preparing to build the next temple are not following the instructions for Messiah's Temple as found in Ezekiel 40-46.
The next temple to be built in Jerusalem will be the "Tribulation Temple" that will be desecrated by Antichrist, II Thessalonians 2:4. That temple is ready to be built on the Temple Mount right now, but the Rapture must happen before they start construction. Thus the Rapture could happen at any moment - keep looking up.
Prayer Thot: Thank You, Lord, that we live in a day that seems to be near the time of the Rapture. Help me to live in light of that fact.


Haggai 2 vs.23 - In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.

For further study - Haggai 2:20-23

Today, we are only going to read 4 verses in our extended reading, a short, quick read but full of information about God's plan for the last days. This prophecy is one of defeat for the Gentiles and deliverance for the Jews.

In the last days after the Rapture of the Church when the Lord takes us, who are Christians, up to be with Him in "His Father's house,"

there will be a major time of judgment upon the earth.

God has several purposes for this time known as the "Tribulation Period." One purpose is to bring the Jewish people to the reality that Jesus Christ was indeed the Messiah and will be their Savior.

Now we come to the prophecy of Haggai. This Jewish prophet ministered to the Jewish people after the Babylonian Captivity, a ministry that would be manifested by his exhorting the returning Jews to get beyond their own needs and to the task of rebuilding the temple - the permanent dwelling place for the Lord, a permanent worship center.

With the last 4 verses of Haggai's prophecy, the Lord promises to "shake the heavens and the earth," verse 21. The Lord will use the seven years of judgment on this earth to not only evangelize the Jewish people but to also "overthrow the throne of kingdoms and destroy the strength of the kingdoms", the kingdoms of the heathen, the Gentile world powers.

Notice also in verse 22 that the "riders of the chariots and the horses," a military terminology, the Lord will bring them down. This is a prophecy of the defeat of the Gentile world powers as foretold by another ancient Jewish prophet, Daniel.

Jesus also mentioned this defeat in His Olivet Discourse as recorded in Luke 21. The phrase in Luke 21:24 "until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled," is the same prophecy revealing that God will defeat the antichrist, the dictator of the Gentile world powers in the end times and bring an end to the Gentile world leaders controlling the Jews and Jerusalem.

The Jews will be "God's chosen," verse 23, in the city He chose to dwell among His people, Jerusalem, forever. Thus saith the "Lord of Hosts." Today, the Gentiles control the world. One day soon, Jesus, "King of the Jews," will fulfill the promise of Haggai.

PRAYER THOT: Thank you, Lord, for fulfilling all of your promises to the Jewish people because then I can rest assured that You will fulfill all promises made to me about eternal life.

Hebrews 1 vs3 

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.

For further study - Hebrews 1:1-14

I could hardly wait to get to the book of Hebrews for our devotional thought for today. As we will have opportunities to go to all the books of the Bible for a devotional thought, I will look forward to the next time through the scripture when we will come again to Hebrews.

Now having said that, let's look at the first chapter of this book of the unknown author, unknown but believed by many to be the apostle Paul. That is a debate for another time. We do know that whoever the human author was, he had the entire book "breathed into" him by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the person of the God-head who inspired the human authors, some 40 of them, over 1,500 years. These men wrote 66 books that have no contradiction and all of the authors speak of the Lord's plan for humankind throughout all the ages.
God, in the past, did raise up the ancient Jewish prophets to speak His word to us. But, as the text says, “in these last days has spoken to us by His Son”. Our key verse tells us where Jesus is, today. He is now seated at the right-hand of the Father in the 3rd heaven.
This is an important truth. It tells us that Jesus is not on His throne, which is yet to come, in an earthly kingdom that will be set up in Jerusalem. This is key to understanding what the future holds for our Lord. His kingdom is yet to come.
There is another precious truth in this first chapter of Hebrews. The reading today explains to us that Jesus is so much better than angels, verse 4. The entire chapter tells us how superior Jesus is to angels who were created by Him.
However, there is a blessing for us with the creation of angels, they are all “ministering spirits”, sent by the Lord to minister to us who are heirs of the salvation that Jesus provides.
These angels are to guard over us, to take us into His presence when we die, and to be “fellow servants” with us in our ministry for Him. By the way, when He does leave the right-hand of the Father to come for us to join Him, the angels will come with Him. I would love to see Him and His angels today.
PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for dispatching angels to minister to us!


Hebrews 2 vs9 

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

For further study - Hebrews 2:1-18

Paul introduces "angels" in Hebrews 1 and tells us that "Jesus Christ is so much better than the angels," verse 4. He reveals that angels were actually created on the first day of creation in order to minister to those of us who are saved, the "heirs of salvation", Hebrews 1:14.

As we come to the second chapter of Hebrews, and notice that I believe Paul was the author of this book, the writer reveals how Jesus chose to dwell among humankind. Paul states that Jesus took on the form of a man, "made a little lower than the angels", verse 9. Christ did this so that "He by the grace of God should taste death for every man".
Then Paul reminds us that Jesus is the Creator, verse 10, and that He created Lucifer, the most prominent of all angels, who would rebel, and become the adversary, the Devil.
However, the Devil, who had the "power of death" would be destroyed, rendered inoperative, and would no longer be able to cause those who receive Christ to fear death and live a lifetime of bondage, verse 15.
Hebrews 1 & 2 speaks much about angels. Angels played a significant role in the first coming of Jesus; announcing the birth of Christ; ministering to Jesus in the wilderness; the evil angels inhabiting human bodies, which made them demons: and ministered to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane just prior to His death.
Angels will play a key role in the Second Coming of Jesus, both good and evil angels. Evil angels inhabit lost people today, especially world leaders and false teachers. Good angels act as "guardians" especially for the little children, as well as adults.
Jesus will be accompanied by a host of angels when He returns to the earth at His Second Coming. At that time He comes to defeat the Devil.
Anti-christ and False Prophet, who are humans empowered and possessed by evil angels, will be defeated by Jesus at His coming when He is "crowned with glory and honor", verse 9.
These truths should cause us to rejoice over what He has done for us and what He will do for us.
PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for sending angels to guard over me and for Your being made a "little lower" than angels to suffer death to take away my sin and give me eternal life.
Hebrews 5 vss 9-10 

And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order ofMelchisedec.

For further study - Hebrews 5:1-10


As we come today to the book of Hebrews, we will see Jesus in His "high priest" role of the future Temple. The fact that we are discussing this issue is evidence that Jesus Christ will rule and reign in a future Temple to stand on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

The ancient Jewish prophet Zechariah tells us that Jesus will build that Temple, Zechariah 6:12. The prophet also says in Zechariah 6:13 that He will rule and reign from the Temple He builds in Jerusalem. There will be a priesthood set up for this Temple that will operate which I refer to as the Messiah's Temple.

This Temple is described in Ezekiel 40-46 which is 202 verses of detailed information on the Temple Jesus builds. These verses give the architectural specifications for this coming Temple. It will be a Temple where future sacrifices will be made unto the Lord.

As we remember that sacrifices in the past did not take away sins, these future sacrifices will also not take away sin. Jesus himself was the ultimate sacrifice. All future sacrifices will be done in memorial to Him for what His sacrifice accomplished for each of us. It guaranteed us salvation by putting our faith in what He did for us.

Notice that Jesus will become our high priest in this coming new Temple. But look again. The high priestly duties that Jesus will perform will be not from the code of Aaron, the first high priest. Jesus will be of the high priestly order ofMelchisedec.

Melchisedec is not only a high priest but also a king, Genesis 14:17-19. Melchisedec was a king of the city-state of Jerusalem. There is not a lot we know about this priest-king. We do know that he had no beginning and no end. He has always been and will always be who he is, possibly Jesus Christ himself.

This passage of prophecy is a necessity for the readers of pre-written history, penned by the ancient Jewish prophets. We must be looking daily for His return to become the high priest. That day could be very close at hand.

PRAYER THOT: Thank you, Lord, for our own high priest, the one who has always been and will always be.
Hebrews 8 vs1 -Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; For further study-Hebrews 8:1-13

In our devotional reading for today, the entire eighth chapter of Hebrews, I will point out some very important doctrinal truth that we all must understand, especially in a day when the Church is turning away from studying and teaching the great doctrines of the Word of God. There is a false philosophy circulating throughout Church circles, a belief that "doctrine divides". That is not the case, and as we reason together we will realize that doctrine unites us all so that we are on the "same page" with Jesus.

In Hebrews 7 we see that Jesus will be the "High Priest" that serves in Messiah's Temple, the Temple that Jesus builds (Zechariah 6:12) in Jerusalem when He returns to the Earth. Jesus will be the "High Priest" that serves in that Temple, not of the Aaronic Priesthood, but instead "a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec," Hebrews 7:17. As our key verse for today reveals, as of now, Jesus is not yet the "High Priest" nor is He the "King of Kings".

He is today the one "who is set on the "right hand" of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens", verse 1. The Lord's Kingdom on Earth is yet to come. Today Jesus is at the right hand of the Father in the "throne room" of the third heaven to intercede for us, those of us who are true Bible believing, born-again Christians.

Jesus will continue His duties at the right hand of the Father until God tells His Son to "go get His bride", that's us. It's after our marriage to Jesus, Revelation 19:7-9, when God the Father gives Jesus His throne on Earth that will be located in the Temple in Jerusalem.

God the Father will also give Him dominion over all of creation, Daniel 7:13-14. One other great doctrinal truth to notice in this chapter of Hebrews, in verse 8, what the Lord promised in the Old Testament, through the prophet Jeremiah, that He would make a "New Covenant" with the Jews, "with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah".

The New Covenant is technically for the Jews, and not Christians. We as Christians derive spiritual benefits from the New Covenant but the next covenant, "an Everlasting Covenant", is to be made between the Lord and the Jews.

The product of that covenant, verse 10, will be that the Lord will put His laws into the minds of His Chosen People and write them on the hearts of the Jewish people. He will be their God and the Jews will be His people.

This verse, a great Biblical doctrine, indicates that God is not finished with the Jews, He has a very special plan for them in the future.

These are two very important doctrines that we must understand for a proper understanding of the last days, the days we are now living in, awaiting Jesus to shout and call us into the heavenlies, to ever be in His presence.

PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for Your direct doctrinal teaching so that I can understand Your plan for the last days, and my responsibility in light of the truth that I understand.

Hebrews 8 vs1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; For further study -Hebrews 8:1-13

In the reading of our key verse, we see where Jesus is today. He is seated "at the right hand of the Father on His throne" in the third heaven. Hebrews 12:2 also reveals the present location of Christ now seated at the right hand of God, who is on His throne.

I say, and repeat this because there are those who say Jesus is now on His “throne”. That is incorrect. Our key verse tells us where He is today. One day, Jesus will sit upon His throne in Jerusalem; however, that is yet in the future.
Notice also that Jesus is our "High Priest" after the order of Melchisedec, Hebrews 6:20. This Melchisedec is a very interesting personality. He has no father or mother, Hebrews 7:3. This same verse says he has no beginning and no end of life. Remember, he was the King of Salem (Jerusalem) who met with Abraham, Genesis 14:17-20. I believe he may well be a "pre-incarnate appearance" of Jesus Christ.
The reading for today is a rich passage that deserves more attention than it will receive. Spend time in reading it later. However, let me show you one more portion of our reading, verses 7-10. In this passage the Lord promises to give the Jewish people a "New Covenant."
This is a different covenant than the one God had with Moses and the Jews. This covenant, the New Covenant, the Lord gives to the Jewish people - the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not to Christians. Now, we Christians derive benefits from the New Covenant, but it is given to the Jewish people, Jeremiah 31:31.
This covenant is also referred to as the "Everlasting Covenant," Ezekiel 37:26. This covenant that God will make with the Jewish people will be given to them in the future. The Lord will put His law in their mind and write it upon their heart, verse 10. This verse also says the Lord will be their God and the Jews will be His people, all of this because their sins and iniquities the Lord will “remove and remember no more”.
This New Covenant is to the Jewish people and it is yet to be given to them in the future, evidence that the Lord does have a plan and program for the Jewish people in the future. God is not finished with His "Chosen People." God must keep His promises to the Jews if we expect Him to keep His promises to us, i.e. the promise of eternal life.
Though the New Covenant is for the Jewish people I must again remind you that we, as Christians, will also derive benefits from this New Covenant. We will have a relationship with Jesus, which will be very unique. We will be His people, in fact the "bride" of Jesus, and He will be our Lord, "husband." Our relationship with Jesus will be very unique.
I love the fact that He cannot remember our sins anymore. That is a derived benefit. By the way, the New Covenant is given to the Jewish people at His Second Coming, which seems to be quickly approaching.