I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

Zechariah 2-3:10

As Zechariah’s vision continued he saw a man on his way to measure Jerusalem. Zechariah was told that someday Jerusalem would be so full of people and livestock that people would live outside of the walls. In that day, God Himself would be a wall around the city protecting it from attack. God was going to come and live among His people and many people would come to join themselves to the Lord. That day has come to pass. We are now living in a day when God lives among His people and any who are willing to come to Him may join themselves to the people of God. God has sent His Branch to take away our sins so that we may invite our neighbors to sit peacefully with us in service to God.

Revelation 13:1-18

     John’s vision continued. He saw a great beast rise up out of the sea. The dragon, which is the devil, gave the beast its power and authority. This beast appeared to have a fatal wound, yet the wound healed. As a result of the wound and its healing, the whole world marveled and gave their allegiance to the beast. The people of the world worshiped the beast and the dragon, convinced that no one could stand against the beast. The beast spoke blasphemies against God, slandering God, His dwelling, and those who dwell in heaven. The beast was given authority to rule over every possible group of people on the earth. He made war against God’s holy people. The people of the world worshiped the beast, that is, everyone whose name is not written in the Book of Life. God’s people endured persecution patiently without losing faith.
     Then John saw a second beast come up out of the earth. He exercised all of the authority of the first beast and required all of the earth and its people to worship the first beast. He performed many miracles in the name of the first beast and deceived all of the people who belonged to this world. He ordered a statue of the first beast built and he gave the statue the semblance of life so that it could speak. The statue commanded that everyone who would not worship it must die. Then the second beast required everyone to receive a mark on their hand or on their forehead. Without such a mark, no one could buy or sell anything. The mark was either the name of the beast, or the number representing its name. John then tells us that the number of the beast is the number of man, that it is 6 repeated three times. Everything I have seen says that the number six represented imperfection, while the number three represents holiness. This leads me to conclude that John was saying that the number of the beast represented worshiping imperfection.
     I am not sure what all of the symbolism in this passage means. However, there are a few things which I do understand. There will rise up those whom the world will worship in place of God. These leaders will persecute those who continue to worship God rather than these “beasts”. Despite the obvious imperfections and failures of these rulers, the people of this world will consider them to be worthy of worship. At some point, these “beasts” will exert authority over all forms of economic activity and will deny those who do not worship them access to any form of economic activity, even to the buying and selling of food.

Psalm 141:1-10

This psalm is definitely one to make my prayer today. I ask God that He take control of what I say so that all the words out of my mouth will bring honor to His name. I pray that He not allow me to drift towards wickedness, becoming enamored of the things which the wicked consider sweet. I will not complain when the godly rebuke me, because they do so out of love, desiring to turn me from the path of destruction. I will not refuse such correction. I will call on God to thwart the plans of the wicked.

Proverbs 30:18-20

The writer of this proverb tells us that he is amazed by three things and a fourth that he does not truly understand. He is amazed by and does not understand an eagle in the sky, a snake moving across rocks, a ship moving through the ocean, and a man with a woman. I know how these things work and I have experienced being with a woman (my wife), yet I do not truly understand why they feel the way they do.
Then the writer makes a comment which often takes us by surprise. I was raised to think of adulterous men as the ones who sought out sexual relations with no meaning, leaving the women they so treated hurt and broken. The proverb writer reminds us that adulterous women do the same thing to men. Neither gender is immune to the hurt and suffering that results from sexual relations with one who takes part in the activity and then moves on.

Daily Bible Study

December 21, 2013 Bible Study — Victory Through the Blood of the Lamb

December 21, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Zechariah 1:1-21

Zechariah also prophesied to the Jews who returned to Judah and Jerusalem from the Babylonian exile. He begins by calling the people to turn to God and to make God the focus of their lives. He warns them against making the mistake that their ancestors made when they did not listen to the prophets who called them to repentance. This introduction is followed by a vision which Zechariah saw. In the vision, Zechariah hears that God is angry with the nations He used to punish the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Those nations were given power over God’s people in order to punish them, but they used that power to do evil. God is now going to send destruction upon them to punish them for their evil.

Revelation 12:1-17

     John describes the next part of his vision where he sees a great dragon attempt to devour the son born to the woman with a crown of twelve stars (presumably the people of Israel, with the twelve stars representing the twelve tribes and her son representing Jesus). However, the child was snatched away from the dragon as soon as it was born and carried to God and His throne. The woman fled to a place which God had prepared for her to stay safe from the dragon for a period of time. Michael and his angels waged war with the dragon. Upon defeating the dragon, Michael and his angels cast the dragon and his angels down to earth.
     Those who rely on the blood of the Lamb will be victorious over the dragon, the one who accuses them before God. Upon finding itself cast out of heaven, the dragon pursued the woman, but the woman was protected from his attacks. This led the dragon to turn his attacks against the woman’s other children, those who obediently follow God’s commands and testify to Jesus’ wonderful name.
     This passage may indicate a time to come, but it reads to me as being representative of history since the birth of Christ. Satan has been cast forth upon the earth and has declared war against those who follow Jesus. He is able to cause much suffering upon the earth, but ultimately each and every believer is able to be victorious over him by relying on Jesus’ blood and remaining faithful in testifying to their trust in Him.

Psalm 140:1-13

God will rescue those who trust in Him from the traps which evil people lay before them. I do not need to seek to defeat them, I need only follow God’s direction and commands and the traps they lay for me will not catch me. If I faithfully follow God’s commands, the traps that evil people set for me will fail to catch me. Those traps will instead catch those who set them. God will help those persecuted by liars and will give justice to the poor. I will praise God’s name and live in His presence, then I will not need to fear the plots of the wicked.

Proverbs 30:17

Those that mock their father and despise their mother’s instruction will suffer for it. They will be unable to recognize good advice when they receive it.

Daily Bible Study

December 20, 2013 Bible Study — Putting God First

December 19, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Haggai 1-2:23

Haggai was called to prophecy after the people of Judah returned from the Babylonian Exile. Haggai confronts the returned exiles over the fact that they had built luxurious homes for themselves but had not rebuilt the Temple. He points out that their labor is not producing as much as they had anticipated. He goes on to tell them that even what they get, both in harvests and in money, does not last as long as they expected. All of this he tells them is a result of them putting their own desires ahead of God. Rather than waiting until they are financially where they want to be before they start spending their resources on God, they need to put God first. This is an important lesson for all of us. There is a discipline that comes from putting God first that makes everything else we do more productive.
I just started a new job after being laid off for a month. I will take listen to the message of Haggai and put God first. I will not wait until I have paid all my bills back to where they would be if I had not gotten laid off. I will put God first and trust Him to provide for everything else.

Revelation 11:1-19

     John’s vision continues with Him seeing the Temple in Jerusalem. He is told that Gentiles will control the city of Jerusalem and the Temple courtyard, interfering with people worshiping God anywhere but within the Temple itself. During this time, God will raise up two prophets to prophesy to the entire world. Anyone who attempts to interfere with them during their ministry will die by fire which comes out of their mouths. They will have the power to prevent it from raining during their ministry and the power to produce other signs that they speak the word of God. At the end of the time which God has appointed them to preach, the “beast” will arise from the Abyss, overpower them, and kill them. For three and a half days their bodies will remain lying out in public view where the people of the world will gloat and celebrate their deaths. At the end of the three and a half days, God will raise them from the dead, striking terror into the hearts of all who witness it. The two prophets will then be called up to heaven by God. As they rise up to heaven an earthquake will destroy a tenth of Jerusalem.
     Following this, the seventh angel will sound the seventh trumpet. At that point the kingdom of the world will become the kingdom of God and Christ will begin His eternal reign over all of it. The Temple of heaven, of which the Temple on earth is but a copy, will be opened and all will be able to see the Ark of God’s covenant within it. At that moment there will be another terrible earthquake and a hailstorm over the whole earth.
     As I read the beginning of this a thought came to me. Since the view of the New Testament is that the Temple of God is composed of the bodies of believers, is John’s vision of Gentiles trampling over the outer courts and the city of Jerusalem a metaphor for our society telling us that we should only worship God in the privacy of our own thoughts and not allow our religious beliefs to enter into the public square of discourse?

Psalm 139:1-24

This psalm so wonderfully sums up our relationship with God. He knows everything about us, even things we do not know about ourselves. He knows our every action and every thought. He will go before me to show me the way and follow behind me to guard me from attack. There is no place that I could get away from God’s presence. Wherever I find myself, God will be there and able to see me in full detail. No matter what circumstances I find myself in, God is willing and able to guide me. God saw me before I was even born, while I was yet a zygote in my mother’s womb, even then He knew the plans He had for my life. I will seek His counsel and request that He show me anything in my life which offends Him. I request that He put His Spirit upon me and lead me along the path He desires for me.

Proverbs 30:15-16

There are those who can never be satisfied no matter how much we give. Let us recognize that we will never be able to give enough to satisfy all of the needs of the world. We can kill ourselves trying to care for the needy and there will still be more need. Let us not be disheartened because we are unable to satisfy all of the needs in the world.

Daily Bible Study

December 19, 2013 Bible Study — The Day of God’s Judgment

December 18, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Zephaniah 1-3:20

Zephaniah declares that the day of judgment is coming, when God will punish those who follow pagan customs. Those who fill their master’s house with violence and deceit will suffer God’s judgment. There are those who are complacent in their sins, sure that God will not act. The day of the Lord’s judgment will be a day of distress and anguish. You will not be saved by your wealth or political connections from ruin and desolation on the day of God’s judgment. The only hope on that day will be for those who repent now and humbly turn to the Lord, following His commands and doing what is right. There is still time, but it is running short. The proud and arrogant will receive God’s punishment. Only those who are lowly and humble, those who trust solely in the Lord, will be saved on the day of the Lord’s judgment. Oh Lord, I strive to be lowly and humble, relying solely on You for my salvation.

Revelation 10:1-11

During the period between the sounding of the sixth and seventh trumpet an angel came down to the earth with a scroll, one that is smaller than the one with the seven seals. The angel gave a great shout and seven thunders replied. Once more we have an event that stymies those who wish to tie this prophecy to specific events, because John was instructed to not record what the seven thunders said. Once this had happened the angel declared that when the seventh trumpet is sounded God’s plan would be fulfilled. The angel then handed the small scroll to John and instructed him to eat it. John was told that the scroll would be sweet in his mouth but would turn his stomach once he had eaten it. John ate the scroll and it was as he had been told.
This passage is in part a reference to Ezekiel 3:3, where Ezekiel was also given a scroll to eat which was sweet in his mouth. However, it is also a recognition that while it is sweet to be given the task of speaking God’s word, as both John and Ezekiel were, some of the things which God gives us to say can be unpleasant to say (both for us and for our listeners). When God gives us a word to speak, we need to internalize it and let ourselves be changed by it. That change is often unpleasant, even though it makes us better people, people we would rather be than who we were before the change.

Psalm 138:1-8

I will give praise to God, He answers my prayers, He provides for my needs. When I pray, He immediately encourages me and gives me the strength to wait for as He works out His plans for my life. I will trust in the Lord for His word is backed by the honour of His name.

Proverbs 30:11-14

There are those who curse their parents, giving them no thanks for all they have done for them. They are sure that they have done no wrong, even as they torture and murder the poor and needy. Let me not be one of them. Let me recognize what my parents have done for me and acknowledge when my faults contribute to estrangement from those I should love.

Daily Bible Study

December 18, 2013 Bible Study — God’s Judgment Will Arrive

December 17, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Habakkuk 1-3:19

Habakkuk begins by crying out to God and asking Him how long will He wait before He acts. Habakkuk describes a time when the wicked far outnumber the righteous and justice has become perverted as a result. God responds to Habakkuk’s complaint by pointing out that He was raising up Babylon to bring judgment against the wicked. Included in God’s response was a reminder that just because God was going to use the Babylonians to do His will it did not mean that the Babylonians were not sinners. God tells Habakkuk that He will not completely wipe out His people, He will rescue those who rely on God.
God may allow the proud and arrogant to prosper for a time, but sorrow awaits those who use violence or deception to gain wealth and power. Those who trust in their own creations will discover that their sins come back upon them. In our time of need, God will help us if we rely on Him and trust His name. Even in His anger, He will be more merciful than we deserve. God will march forth in anger to rescue those who faithfully serve Him. He will bring destruction on those who think that they can prey upon the righteous. Even in the midst of my struggles, even when things still seem to be going wrong, I will rejoice in the Lord and have faith in His wonderful love.

Revelation 9:1-21

John describes what he sees when the fifth and sixth trumpets sound. With the fifth trumpet a cloud of locusts would swarm the earth, bringing harm only to those people who did not bear the seal of God on their foreheads. They would bring such terror that those they descended upon would desire to die, but be unable to do so. When the sixth trumpet sounds, the four angels prepared for this day would be released. They would lead an army of 200 million mounted troops. This mighty army would spread plagues of fire, smoke, and burning sulfur throughout the earth. Despite these troubles, those who survived would refuse to repent and turn to God. They would continue to worship things of this earth and in their sins of murder, witchcraft, sexual immorality, and theft. Let us pray for our friends and those God brings us into contact with that they may turn from their sins and accept God’s wonderful grace. But let us also remember that there are those who will refuse to give up their sins, even in the face of the most terrible experiences imaginable. Everyone must decide for themselves to accept, or not, God’s wonderful grace, and each person will receive the consequences of their decision.

Psalm 137:1-9

This is a difficult psalm for me, but it reminds us that there are times when songs of happiness and joy are inappropriate. There are times for mourning and crying out to the Lord, rather than of joy and happiness.

Proverbs 30:10

This proverb warns against slandering (falsely claiming someone did something wrong) an employee to his employer. If you do you will anger the one you slandered and pay the price for your lies.

Daily Bible Study

December 17, 2013 Bible Study — Prayer As an Incense Offering to God

December 16, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Nahum 1-3:19

     As I prepared to read this passage I realized that I really have no idea in my head what the book of Nahum says. I know it is one of the Old Testament’s “minor” prophets, but other than that I have little memory of it being used in sermons or Sunday School lessons(and do not remember what I thought of it when I read it last year). Having read the book I see why it is not used much, but think we would probably benefit from reading it more frequently.
     Nahum, which means “comforter”, begins by telling us that God is slow to anger, but that He will not let the wicked go unpunished. He is good and refuge against trouble for those who trust Him. However, none can stand against His anger. Those who scheme against God and rouse Him to anger will be swept away with a single blow. Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was filled with many mighty warriors and much great wealth. The people of Nineveh were complacent in their lives because of their power and wealth. Nahum tells them that power and wealth will do them no good because they have made God their enemy by their evil acts. He declares that no one will regret the fall of Nineveh because of all have suffered from its wickedness and cruelty.
     The people of Nineveh thought there might would last forever and protect them from those whom they had mistreated. Nahum warns that once God’s anger has been aroused no amount of wealth or power will save a nation from destruction. However, those who trust in the Lord and fear His name shall rejoice because they will receive messengers announcing peace in which they will be able to worship the Lord.

Revelation 8:1-13

     John now records what happened in his vision when the seventh seal was broken. The first thing that happened was that there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. For those who attempt to read this vision to interpret when Jesus’ Second Coming will be, this should present an obstacle. Because there is a period of silence between the events of the breaking of the sixth seal and the events which follow the breaking of the seventh seal. After that half an hour of silence, seven angels are each given a trumpet. Then another angel came forth and mixed the smoke from incense with the prayers of God’s people and offered it up to God. After making the smoke offering to God the angel poured out the burning contents of the incense burner upon the earth. This strikes me as a metaphor of pouring out upon the earth the pain and suffering which the people who worshiped and served God had suffered, the pain and suffering which had led them to cry out to God in prayer, in judgment upon the earth.
     Once this had happened the seven angels began to sound their trumpets. When the first angel sounded his trumpet, fire fell on the earth and a third of the vegetation on the earth was burned. When the second angel sounded his trumpet, a large asteroid plunged into the sea and a third of the creatures in the sea were killed. When the third angel sounded his trumpet, a star fell from the sky and turned a third of potable water undrinkable, many people died from drinking this water. When the fourth angel sounded his trumpet, one third of the light sources for the earth went dim, days were not as bright and nights were even darker. Then John saw an eagle soaring through the sky warning against even greater troubles to come when the final three trumpets were sounded.
     Those who intentionally inflict pain and suffering on others will have that pain and suffering fall upon themselves. The fires we kindle with which to burn others and cause them pain, will instead burn and destroy ourselves. Let us not kindle fires of evil which God will turn back upon us. Let us take the fires which others kindle in order to burn us and use them to offer a smoke offering to God, rather than attempt to turn that fire back upon those who set them against us. In due time, God will turn those fires back against them, let us not start other fires which may come back to burn us.

Psalm 136:1-26

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. This psalm reminds us that God has done many great things including creating the universe and saving us from our enemies. Over and over through this psalm the psalmist reminds us that God’s faithful love endures forever. I will praise His name for that and thank Him for all that He has done for me.

Proverbs 30:7-9

This proverb represents what I have long desired. I desire that God’s Spirit move within me to keep me from ever telling a lie. Unfortunately, in the past I have resisted the Spirit’s guidance and told lies to protect my selfish interests, but I continue to strive to allow the Spirit to control my tongue so that I do not lie in the future. I, also, request of God the second part of this proverb. I ask that God not allow me to acquire so much wealth that I begin to believe I can take care of myself without His aid, nor allow me to fall into such poverty that I justify theft and deception as necessary to provide for my needs.

Daily Bible Study

December 16, 2013 Bible Study –Do What Is Right, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly With God

December 15, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Micah 5-7:20

Micah predicts that a day will come when a ruler over God’s people will arise from Bethlehem. In that day, God will destroy all armies and all defenses. He will get rid of all of the things we use to think we can take control of our lives away from God. Those nations and peoples who refuse to obey God will suffer the consequences of their actions. We are not called upon to make sacrifices to God from our worldly possessions or to make sacrifices of our children. These are not the things which God is asking of us. God has shown us what is good and desires that we do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him.
Micah warns that when a nation becomes dominated by merchants who use dishonest measures and cheating to acquire wealth and political leaders use violence and extortion to do the same the armies of destruction are on the way. When this happens attempts to save money will fail (inflation?) and plans for the future will fail. When we look around and there seems to be no one godly to be found, then we can be assured that destruction is on its way. However, Micah tells us how to face such a day. Let us wait confidently for God. Let us patiently submit as He punishes us for our sins, for we have all sinned. If we will do this, God will, in due time, take up our case and be on our side against our enemies. God will not stay angry forever. He will pardon our sins and have compassion on us. In that day, all of those who witness what God has done for us will stand amazed. I will trust in the Lord.

Revelation 7:1-17

John continues to describe what he saw after the sixth seal was broken. He saw four angels who had been given the power to harm the land, sea, and what lived upon/within them. They were told to wait until God’s servants had been marked with His seal. The number marked with God’s seal was 144,000 from all of the tribes of Israel. This number had some significance to John and his early readers, but, besides the significance of being a multiple of 12, I do not know what it was.
In addition to that 144,000 from the tribes of Israel marked with God’s seal, there was(will be) a countless number of people gathered from every nation, every tribe, every people, and every language before God praising Him. John is telling us here that there will be people from every conceivable subgroup of mankind who will serve God by putting their faith in Christ. These people gathered before the throne of God praising God are those who came out of and through the great tribulation of life is this broken and sinful world. Whenever you look around and think that there are no righteous people left, remember this throng which will gather before God on that day to praise His name.

Psalm 135:1-21

I will praise the name of the Lord. I will praise Him for all He has done. Anything else that we might give our worship to is but a created thing. It can have no power to do. The things which people worship aside from God cannot speak, cannot see, cannot hear, cannot smell. If we trust in them, we become just like them, unable to speak truly, unable to see what is real, unable to hear the truth, unable to smell corruption. I will not turn to worshiping idols, because the path to life and truth is fearing the Lord.

Proverbs 30:5-6

God’s words prove true and He will shield us when we turn to Him for protection. Let us not add anything to the words which God gives us for if we do we will be found to be liars and subject to God’s rebuke.

Daily Bible Study

December 15, 2014 Bible Study — The Four Horsemen

December 14, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Micah 1-4:13

     Micah prophesied against the people of Israel and of Judah. He told them that disaster would come upon them because of their sins. While the disaster would come upon the whole nation, for the sins of the whole nation, the center of those sins was in the political capitals. The idolatry of the people had its center in their political systems. It was the political leaders who had turned the people to sin.
     He continued by saying that sorrow awaited those who lay awake at night planning evil. He condemns those who, when they want a piece of land, find a way to seize it. As I read this I thought of the Kelo v. New London Supreme Court ruling of a few years back. This entire passage is an indictment of political leaders who use their power to increase their wealth and that of their cronies. Micah condemns leaders who claim to know right from wrong but, instead of doing what is right, do evil and oppress the people. He continues by condemning those religious leaders who use their prestige to disguise the evil of the political leaders. They promise to help the poor and weak while at the same time taking advantage of them for their own interests. Despite all that they do to bring injustice and oppression to the poor and weak, they believe that they will not be harmed because they believe they are on the side of good.
     Micah promises that destruction will come upon such people. He also promises that the day will come when God will gather people from all over the world who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. God will teach them His ways and they will walk in His paths. God will gather the weak, the lame, and the poor. He will mold them together into a strong nation. They will turn their weapons into farm implements. They will not need to prepare for war because God will be their defender and they will serve Him.

Revelation 6:1-17

This passage describes the opening of six of the seven seals on the scroll. With each of the first four seals a different horseman appears. The first one is given a crown and rides out to conquer the earth. The second one is given a sword and rides out to bring violence throughout the earth. The third horseman carried a scale and rode out to bring famine (and what sounds like severe inflation to me). The fourth horseman rode out to bring painful death to one fourth of the living creatures on the earth. When the fifth seal is opened John sees those who were killed because they served Christ. They called out asking how long until God held the people of earth accountable for their sins. They were given garments of purity and told to wait a short time longer until all had been fulfilled. Then the sixth seal was opened and the sky was rolled up like a scroll and the geographic features of the earth were moved from their places. When this happened the people of earth sought places to hide from God’s pending wrath.
There is much symbolism in this passage, but the key factor for me is that God is in control of all that happens. When a nation or power conquers, it is because God allows and desires it to be so. When violence springs up in one place or another, or even over the entire earth, it is because God has allowed mankind’s sin to yield its fruit. When famine and economic turmoil occur, once more, it is because God has so willed. When death spreads over the earth, it can only happen according to God’s discretion. Those who faithfully strive to serve God in the face of difficulty and persecution will be honoured by God. When God’s time is ripe He will bring about the end of this earth. But nothing happens before God’s time and outside of God’s control. He will care for those who choose to serve Him.

Psalm 134:1-3

Let us praise the Lord when He calls us to serve Him, even when it is in ways that might seem less than desirable, even when we are called to serve Him on the night shift. God will bless us when we serve Him faithfully and praise Him despite any unpleasant circumstances. I will praise the Lord, even when He calls me to serve Him in difficult situations.

Proverbs 30:1-4

Let us not be ashamed of being viewed as foolish by human standards. Who, but God, has seen all that there is to see. Human wisdom is not to be desired above that of God. It is God alone who created the world. He alone has understanding of how everything works and fits together. Let us seek wisdom from God, not from mere men who do not truly understand.

Daily Bible Study

December 14, 2013 Bible Study — Crying Out to God From the Belly of the Fish

December 13, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Jonah 1-4:11

     Today’s passage is the entire book of Jonah. So often we are like Jonah. At first when God calls Jonah to confront evil people for their sins, he resists, going so far as to go in the opposite direction. God is calling Jonah to confront people for their sins, but rather than do so, Jonah moves away from them. Who in my life is God calling me to announce His judgment against? Who does He desire me to confront?
     When Jonah ran into problems because of his choice to act against God’s will, he repented and cried out to God. It is worth noting that God took action to save Jonah from the consequences of his disobedience even before Jonah cried out to Him. It is also worth noting that God used Jonah to bring others to Him even in Jonah’s disobedience (the sailors worshiped God and vowed to serve Him). When Jonah cried out to God in his desperation, God brought him forth from the “belly of the fish” and set the task before him once more.
     This time Jonah followed God’s command and confronted the sinners of Nineveh. He told them that God was going to destroy them because of their sin. When they heard his message, they turned from their sin and stopped their evil ways. They cried out to God and begged Him for mercy. God listened to their cry and chose not to carry out the destruction which he had had Jonah proclaim. Jonah became angry with God because what he had predicted did not come to pass. I believe Jonah’s anger was a result of hurt pride. He had told the people of Nineveh that they would be destroyed and now it was not going to happen. He set himself up just outside of the city to watch the city, hoping that perhaps the destruction was merely delayed for a short time. God caused a plant to grow up over Jonah’s shelter, providing relief from the hot sun. Then, in order to communicate a lesson to Jonah, God caused the plant to wither and die. Once more Jonah was angry enough that he wished to die. God pointed out that Jonah had more concern for a plant, which had come into being and grown with no intervention on Jonah’s part than he did for the many people living in Nineveh. Do we have more concern for plants and animals than we do for people? Am I willing to listen to God’s will and give people God’s message, even if I have to risk looking like a kook?

Revelation 5:1-14

Next John saw that the one who was sitting on the throne had a scroll in His hand. When no one was found worthy to break the seals and read the scroll, John wept. However, he was told not to weep because there was one who was worthy to read the scroll. John had not been patient enough. He needed to wait until the Lion of Judah had won the victory (this to me is a metaphor for our patience and for the history of the world from Creation until Jesus’ death and resurrection). So, John looked, and what he saw was a Lamb which had been slain, but was now living.
The Lion who has won the victory is the Lamb who was slain. Do we understand the significance of this? God did not gain victory by crushing His enemies. He gained victory by allowing them to crush Him. The Christian message is not that of Islam. Islam proclaims that God will rule the world through the military conquests of His followers. Christianity proclaims that God will rule the world through the death of Jesus Christ. God will rule the world through the apparent defeat of His followers. Let us not be disheartened by apparent defeat because in God’s calculus, being defeated while faithfully serving God results in victory. Death results in new life.

Psalm 133:1-3

It is definitely true that it is good and pleasant when brothers live together in harmony, whether that brotherhood is biological or the brotherhood of believers. It is God’s will that we live in harmony with one another and I will strive to do so, in as much as doing so is within my power.

Proverbs 29:26-27

Many seek the favor of those with earthly power, but if we truly desire justice we must apply to God. You can tell a lot about someone by whom they dislike. The righteous dislike those who are dishonest and unjust. The wicked despise those who are godly.

Daily Bible Study

December 13, 2013 Bible Study — Do Not Gloat Over the Misfortune of Others

December 12, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Obadiah 1:1-21

Obadiah prophesied against the kingdom of Edom. He said that they would be utterly destroyed and not even a remnant of them would remain. The people of Edom were confident that their natural defenses would protect them. They thought their cities were impregnable. As a result of their arrogance, they thought they had no reason to come to the aid of their neighbor Israel when enemies attacked. They not only did not come to their aid, they actively abetted those who conquered and enslaved the people of Israel, confident that the same could never happen to them. Obadiah prophesied that they would be utterly destroyed as a people, yet the people of Israel would be restored. The people of Israel would even come to inhabit the mountains of Edom.
There can be many lessons to learn from this, but the primary one is that we must not gloat when others suffer misfortune and strive to profit from their suffering. Rather we should strive to alleviate that misfortune and aid them in recovering from their loss.

Revelation 4:1-11

There is a lot of symbolism is this passage, but today only one thing struck me. I read the passage and saw that the four living beings and the twenty-four elders were spending all of their time praising and honouring God. It is not clearly spelled out in the passage, but I get the sense that they are taking great joy from doing so. Am I willing to spend my time praising and honouring God the way they do? And do I take the same joy out of doing so that they seem to me to be getting?

Psalm 132:1-18

I will go to the sanctuary of the Lord and worship at the footstool of His throne. I will worship Him in humility, as one who does not even deserve the honour of being allowed to worship Him. Those who oppose God’s anointed one, Jesus Christ, will be shamed. Let me never be counted among them.

Proverbs 29:24-25

Those who aid thieves and the dishonest bring about their own downfall. They will be sworn to tell the truth and afraid to answer questions because they will indict themselves. If we act out of fear of others we will trap ourselves, it is only by trusting God that we can rest safely. I will trust the Lord and depend on Him to defend me.

Fact and Fantasy

Monthly Archives: December 2013

December 22, 2013 Bible Study — O Lord, Control What I Say

Like this:

December 21, 2013 Bible Study — Victory Through the Blood of the Lamb

Like this:

December 20, 2013 Bible Study — Putting God First

Like this:

December 19, 2013 Bible Study — The Day of God’s Judgment

Like this:

December 18, 2013 Bible Study — God’s Judgment Will Arrive

Like this:

December 17, 2013 Bible Study — Prayer As an Incense Offering to God

Like this:

December 16, 2013 Bible Study –Do What Is Right, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly With God

Like this:

December 15, 2014 Bible Study — The Four Horsemen

Like this:

December 14, 2013 Bible Study — Crying Out to God From the Belly of the Fish

Like this:

December 13, 2013 Bible Study — Do Not Gloat Over the Misfortune of Others

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: