1 Corinthians 1: 18
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PRAYER THOT: Thank You Lord for Your plan that brings Jews and Gentiles together as one. Ephesians 2 vs.8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: For further study - Ephesians 2:1-10 What a truth - the message of our key verse in our reading today, verse 8. It is the “grace” of our wonderful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - it is the “grace” by which we are saved. There was no work that I could do to be made pure, only the “blood” of Jesus Christ could cleanse me, and you, and make us whole. It was God who has made us alive in Jesus Christ and given us the “grace” needed to walk, not after the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air, but in His power. God's “grace” is that which delivers us from the Satanic power in this world. By the way, before we leave that thought, notice that the “evil one” is the “prince of the power of the air”. Since the fall of man and the end of the original theocracy, Satan, the devil, has been the “prince of the air”, the ruling entity of this world. Notice also that even though we are saved by “grace” through faith and not of works lest any of us could boast, there is another side to the story. After our salvation by “grace” and through “faith”, we must “work”. Verse 10 tells us that we have been created in Christ to do “good works” – not “works” to get saved, but “works” because we are saved. I have said all of this to bring you to the verse that is such a blessing for each of us - verse 6. Because of His grace made manifest in my salvation and yours, the Lord has in His mind raised us up to Heaven and there to sit with Him on His throne. Now, we recognize that we are on the earth, not in the heavenly places yet. However, God sees us with His Son Jesus on His throne in the heavens. This is such a precious promise to those of us who have been saved by His “grace”. For a period of time yet, we are still in this evil world under the “prince of the power of the air”, Satan. But our blessed hope is that because of what we have in Christ there is the blessed hope of the future abiding place for each of us who know Him as Lord and Savior. You remember, do you not, that at the wedding, spoken of by John in Revelation, we as the “bride of Christ” are married to Jesus Christ. Our wedding gowns will be made up of our “righteousness”, Revelation 19:8, which is basically the “righteous acts” or deeds that we do. Jesus is the one who created us to do these good works, until He comes. All of this as a result of His grace bestowed upon each of us. PRAYER THOT: Lord because of Your grace, I am saved, but help me to fulfill that which You created me to do as a new creature, to work for you. Ephesians 6 vs11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For further study - Ephesians 6:10-18 Our devotional reading for today is an exhortation for us on how to dress in these the last days. Our key verse sets the pattern for what a "well-dressed" believer in Christ wears as he or she prepares to face the "wiles of the devil" in these last days before Jesus returns to the heavenlies above us and shouts for us to join Him in the air, to ever be in His presence. Paul reveals to us, actually warns us, of the real battle we will have to fight as the end times draw closer and closer. The battle will not be against "flesh and blood", verse 12, but against “satanically” directed creatures. Verse 12 gives us the list of enemies in the last days, "principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies." Every creature mentioned on the list is energized by Satan and involved in an unseen battle going on in our world to take control of world leaders, religious leaders, and even those of us who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Satan realizes the time he has left, Revelation 12:12, and from this point on will intensify his efforts to stop the plan of God from unfolding in these last days. Daniel 10:13 and 20 reveals that Satan takes control of "world leaders" for his own purposes. II Corinthians 11:13-15 tells us that the devil is an "angel of light", verse 14, and he even dispatches his “evil angels” to take control, possess men and women who use the pulpits of our world to divert God's people from doing God's plan for today and the future. This is why Paul tells us to "put on the whole armour of God" so that we will be able to withstand the "wiles of the devil". Verses 14-17 speaks of the pieces of the "armour" we are to "put on". We will not take the time today to go through each item we're to put on for the battle; however, let me draw your attention to two verses, verses 13 and 18. When we have adorned ourself with the whole "armour of God" we will be able to "stand" in the evil days ahead, before the Rapture. Then in verse 18 Paul tells us after we have dressed for the battle we are to "pray" and "watch". Prayer changes us so that we can conform to his image. "Watching" is that act of being aware of the enemy, the Devil and also "watching" for the Lord's return. We dress properly for the end times, recognizing who the real enemy is, Satan, and we pray as we watch for our Lord to call us up to be with Him. PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord, for my battle armour, help me to stand as I pray and watch for Your soon return. Esther 1 vs.5 - And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace; For further study - Esther 1:1-9 Our reading today is not only setting the stage for the flow of prophetic truth to be revealed, and in fact to keep this flow moving toward fulfillment, it is also the record of Bible prophecy being fulfilled. After you have read the extended reading for today, you will be aware of the history of King Ahasuerus, the Persian king, who is the fourth of the Persian Kings after the rise of the Medo-Persian Empire. The Babylonian Empire had fallen and the Medo-Persian Empire had become a very powerful empire with King Ahasuerus controlling all the way from India in the east, Asia, all the way west to the African continent and the country of Ethiopia. The text tells us of 127 promises in all. King Ahasuerus was a very wealthy man (verse 4) in fact, richer that the three previous Persian kings. The king brought all of his provincial leaders into his palace for a 6 month feast for all the people to honor his riches and glorious kingdom. This narrative in Esther 1 is a record of Bible prophecy being fulfilled. The ancient Jewish prophet Daniel had written a very detailed prophecy about King Ahasuerus (Daniel 11:1-2) without mentioning his name but his riches and power. Daniel wrote his prophecy a number of years before Ahasuerus came to power thus this account is the record of prophecy fulfilled. The significance of the flow of a prophetic scenario unfolding in the story line of this Biblical record is several fold. Verse 9 reveals that Vashti is the queen and further reading of Esther 1 speaks of Vashti's refusal to obey the king and thus she was removed from her royal position. In a future reading, we will speak more about Vashti's replacement, Esther. Then we will see the hand of God as the Protector of the entire Jewish people. This portion of our reading today is setting the stage for things to come. We will see the villain of Esther, Haman, come to power and move to destroy the Jewish people. Once again as we journey through the Bible for our devotions, we will see prophecy, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the stage being set for future prophecies to be fulfilled. The story of the book of Esther is of God using Gentile leaders to protect His chosen people so that He can fulfill the promises made to His people. As you read through all 10 chapters of Esther, you will notice that God is never mentioned in the book. However, His presence and protection is evident as He uses world leaders to fulfill His will (Revelation 17:17) which He is doing even today.
For further study - Esther 3:1-6 Haman, the number two man in the Persian Kingdom under King Ahasuerus, was furious when Mordecai did not bow to him as he entered the gates to the city. Haman then convinced the King that all the Jews throughout all of the Kingdom must be killed. King Ahasuerus accepted Haman's plan and signed the “law of the Medes and Persians” to set in motion the total destruction of the Jewish people.
And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. For further study - Esther 3:7-15 Last time we read from Esther 3, we looked at the first 6 verses of this chapter. We traced the family of Haman, the villain of Esther, back to Esau and forward to Herod the Great and finally to the Palestinian people of today. This whole family line, the family of Esau, is a tool of Satan to try and destroy the Jewish people, their cousins. Satan knows if he can work to destroy the Jews, all of them, then God fails to complete His plan for the Jewish people. If that were to be the case then God fails and Satan can claim to be the "Most High God". The book of Esther portrays Haman as the number two “leader” in the Persian Empire under King Ahasuerus. In verse six of this chapter from our devotional reading last time we saw that Haman sought to destroy all the Jews in the world in his day. Then he called for the King to write the "Law of the Medes and the Persians" and called for the death of every Jew in his empire. This Law of the Medes and the Persians could not be changed once sealed. The King actually gave the power to destroy all the Jews in the Persian kingdom, to the enemy of the Jews, verse 10, to Haman. This is another of the events in history where the Devil moves to destroy the Jews, to "wipe them off the face of the earth". However, the worst time in all of history for the Jews will be during the seven year Tribulation Period that is yet future. It is during the "time of Jacob's Trouble", Jeremiah 30:7, that this slaughter of Jews will take place with two out of every three Jews on earth being killed, Zechariah 13:8. Haman is only one of Satan's agents raised up to kill off the Jews. The coming Tribulation persecution of Jews as foretold in Zechariah is in line with Haman, and the book of Esther. In fact it will be worse than the killing of six million Jews during Hitler's Holocaust. The Tribulation “holocaust” is the climax of Satan's plan that includes Haman and Hitler. As in the book of Esther, where the Jews were saved from total destruction by the hand of God, the holocaust in the Tribulation will be stopped by God's intercession for the Jewish people. As we notice what's happening all over the world, the increase in anti-semitism, we must be aware that the Bible prophecies focused on Satan and his persecution of Jews will be fulfilled and that fulfillment is getting ever closer. PRAYER THOT: Dear Lord, As I focus on the Jews in our world and what is happening to them today, help me realize how close we are to Your return to the earth. Esther 4 vs.14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father' house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? For further study - Esther 4:1-17 Though the name of God is not mentioned in this book of Esther, His presence and protection of the Jewish people is repeatedly implied. As we read through the first three chapters of Esther, we can see the hand of God in what happens. The scripture reveals the desire of Haman to eliminate the all the Jewish people of the world and we see God's intervention. Early in the story, Queen Vashti refuses to entertain King Ahasuerus provincial leaders as they met together at the palace. The removal of Vashti and the entrance of Esther onto the stage of the kingdom was setting in motion a very significant drama that was played out some 2,500 years ago. The fact that Esther was a Jewish woman had gone unnoticed by the king and his court. With the naming of Esther as the new Queen, God had a plan He set in place for the protection of all the Jews of the world. I love the two phrases associated with Queen Esther's rescue operation. The first is "for such a time as this." The other being "if I perish, I perish." These two thoughts illustrate how God though not mentioned, is implied. The fact that a Jewish girl could become the queen of a Gentile world leader had to be of God. Esther's willingness to die for her people displays the love that only God can give someone. God's hand is definitely involved in all that takes place in this drama. This record of God's protection of His people is only a chapter in the Book which gives an account of a long list of times that God intercedes on behalf of His people. The reason that this is significant is the promise that God made Adam and Eve. God said from a woman would someday come a Messiah, (Genesis 3:15). God also made promises, or covenants, with the Jewish people that are eternal and cannot be broken. The entire book of Esther is a record of God's intervention in the affairs of men who try to eliminate the Jewish people. God will keep His promises to the Jews and protect them until these promises are fulfilled. This is the essence of the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. PRAYER THOT: Lord, please give me the strength to do Your will no matter what the circumstances, even if it means I will perish. Esther 7 vs10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified. For further study - Esther 7:1-10 The name of God is never used in the book of Esther; however, the "sovereign hand of God" is very evident throughout the entire book. King Ahasuerus, the leader of the Medo-Persian Empire at the time of the book of Esther, had dethroned his first queen, Vashti, because she failed to obey his order. By the way, King Ahasuerus took advise from the number two in his kingdom, Haman, on replacing Queen Vashti. If you are familiar with the story of Esther, you remember that King Ahasuerus selected Esther to be his Queen without knowing that she was a Jewish woman. Haman had plotted to have all the Jews in the Medo-Persian Empire killed because Mordecai had failed to bow to him. Esther decided that she had to approach the King on behalf of her people, the Jewish people. She went into the king realizing that he could have her put to death also, along with all the Jewish people that Haman was about to have killed. In Esther 6, King Ahasuerus, unable to sleep one night, spent time listening to "the book of the records of the Chronicles" as they were read to him. In the course of listening, he heard how Mordecai, Queen Esther's cousin, had befriended the King and, in fact, had saved the life of the King, Esther 6:1-2. The King then decided to honor Mordecai. Haman thought he was the one who was to be honored and when the Queen invited Haman to the banquet he realized that Esther had requested of the King that he would spare her life and the lives of her people, the Jewish people. Now, read our extended reading for today to see how Haman ended up being hanged on the gallows he had prepared for the Queen's Jewish cousin, Mordecai. This is such a beautiful story of how the Lord puts the right people in the right place for "such a time as He needs them to be there". This story is also evidence of how the Lord protects and sustains His people, the Jewish people, and has done so for 4,000 years. Bible prophecy tells us the Lord will continue to protect the Jews because He has a special plan for them and plus He made promises to the Jews through the covenants that He must keep. The Lord is not finished with the Jewish people, He has an "eternal plan" for them that will be played out. PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for Your faithfulness to the Jewish people, it gives me the assurance that You will do the same for me. Exodus 12 vs.14 - And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. For further study - Exodus 12:12-24 God told Moses how He would take the children of Israel out of the Egyptian bondage and into the Promised Land. The Israelites were to slaughter a lamb and paint their doorpost with the blood of the lamb so that the "destroyer", verse 23, would not take the life of the firstborn of the family, but would instead "pass over" their house. The death of the firstborn of the families in Egypt was the final judgment on Egypt before the children of Israel would make their Exodus. Our key verse today is the command from God to the Jewish people to yearly rehearse the story of the Exodus at a Passover Seder, a special feast to observe as a memorial of the Passover. From that day, until today, the Jews on a special night yearly gather as a family for the Seder, the father will tell the story once again to all in attendance and the Jewish people around the world stop to remember what the Lord God did for them 3500 years ago. What a joyous occasion it is at these Passover Seders. I have had the privilege to be in a Jewish home in Jerusalem for this holy Jewish feast day. Even the children are excited for the events of the evening. However, as I write this devotional, I am reminded that there is an exception to observing the Passover. The ancient Jewish prophet Jeremiah wrote of a day when the Jewish people would no longer only talk about the Exodus out of Egypt (Jeremiah 16:14). Notice the context of Jeremiah 16:13-15. Verse 13 says the Jews will be cast out of their land to lands they do not know. That happened in AD 70 when General Titus and the Roman Army dispersed the Jewish people to the four corners of the Earth. Verse 14 speaks of a time when the Jews will speak of something in addition to the Exodus our of Egypt. Verse 15 reveals that the Jews will talk about the Lord bringing Jews out of "the north and see the lands whither He had driven them." That prophecy is being at least partially fulfilled today. In the last 100 years, Jews have come back to Israel out of the nations of the world. Since the early 1990's, over 1.3 million Jews have come out of Russia, "the land of the north." The return of the Jewish people to the land of their forefathers in an evidence of the last days when the Messiah Jesus Christ will return. Every Passover Seder I attended during the time I have lived in Jerusalem has seen a larger number of Russian Jews in attendance. Each time we speak of this prophecy in Jeremiah as we observed the Passover as the Lord commanded the Jewish people thousands of years ago. This coming Passover, stop to read this passage in Exodus and the one in Jeremiah again as you reflect on how close we are to the return of Jesus to Earth. But remember, seven years before His Second Coming, the Rapture takes place and that could be today. PRAYER THOT: Help me to live in light of the truth that the Rapture could happen today.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. For further study - Exodus 17:8-16 This passage of scripture that I’ve selected for our devotional today is the record of a battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites that took place around 3,500 years ago as Moses was leading the Jewish people towards the “promised land”. This is a story that many of us would have studied in Sunday school about when God would give the Israelites the victory as long as Moses held the “rod of God” above his head. Moses was able to get the victory with the help of Aaron and Hur as they helped Moses with the “rod”. This battle in Rephidim was to be recorded by Moses, to be written down in a book for the Israelites to be able to read at a later date. This is the very first time that someone was told to record an event. The story would be brought to the attention of the Jews in I Samuel 15. This attack on the Israelites, as they traveled towards the land of Israel, was done by the people known as the Amalekites, a people that the Lord said He would have “war with from generation to generation”, verse 16. The Amalekites are the people “fathered” by Amalek. Amalek was a grandson of Esau, Genesis 36:12. The lineage of Esau through Amalek would ultimately lead to the Palestinians of today, (for more insight, see my study Esau and the Palestinians). The conflict between the Jews and the Palestinians of today actually dates back to this incident. For more than 4,000 years, the Lord has watched over His people - the Jewish people - and fought along side the Jews against the descendants of Esau and his grandson Amalek. This war will continue throughout all generations until the Lord's Return, Obadiah 17-18. God's protection of the Jews over 4,000 years is evidence of the reality of an “All-Powerful God”. But it is also evidence that His promises to us for daily watch-care and eternal salvation, which will be kept as well. It is also evidence that Jesus will come again one day, maybe a day real soon, perhaps today. PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord for Your protection and at the same time the alert to the times of the end that seemingly are approaching very quickly. Exodus 19:19-20 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. For further study - Exodus 19:1-20 The passage of Scripture for our reading today is an illustration of the next main event in God's calendar of activities for the last days. I will get back to that but first let's learn from that which God was revealing to Moses and the Jewish people some 3,500 years ago. The scene is at the foot of Mt. Sinai with all of Israel encamped awaiting word from the Lord. It is one year since the Exodus out of Egypt and the bondage that the Jews had been under for more than 400 years. It is just before the Lord would meet with Moses and give him the Ten Commandments. It was a significant time in the total history of the Jewish people. Before the Lord gave His law to the Jews, He met with Moses to explain what He had planned for the Israelites, among the peoples of the world. In verse 5, God reminds Moses that “obedience” is essential for a right relationship with Him. If the Jews will obey Him then He will make them “a peculiar treasure, a people above all people, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”. When Moses returned to the Jewish people, he told them of his conversation with the Lord and they responded with, "all that the Lord hath spoken, we will do." The rest of the Old Testament and the Gospels will record the history of the Jewish people and reveal that the Jews spoke too quickly at Sinai. The truth is that they did not keep their commitment to the Lord. The Jewish people, as a whole, have not been obedient. However, there has been a remnant, those who have been faithful and obedient. God has a plan for the Jewish people that included giving them the Scripture to preserve and transmit to the world, Romans 3:1-2. And of course, the Messiah was born of a young Jewish woman, Mary. God will use the Jews in the future, because He still has a plan for them. Now, back to that thought I left you with at the beginning of this devotional. The next event on God's calendar of events for the end times is the “Rapture”. That is when Jesus will descend from the Third Heaven where He is seated on the right of God the Father. Somewhere, "in the air, " He will shout, the archangel will shout and the trump of God will sound to call all Christians on earth to be with the Lord for evermore, I Thessalonians 4:13-17. In our reading for today, the Rapture is depicted in how the Lord meets with Moses, verses 16-20. This event in the life of Moses is a foretaste of things to come. Remember, the Rapture could happen today, so keep looking up...until! PRAYER THOT: Thank you for making me a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nations, a peculiar people (I Peter 2:9) so that I can show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Exodus 20 vs11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Yüklə 2,36 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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