Tag Archives: Revelation 10:1-11

December 19, 2014 Bible Study

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. Christmas is coming soon. Let us remember what it is truly about, the birth of Jesus Christ. Let us strive to not be caught up in the commercialism which is what this season is about for many in our society today.

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Proverbs 30:11-14

    There are those who curse their parents rather than thank them. They think they are better than everyone else, but are actually more thoroughly steeped in sin than most. They look down on everyone else as beneath them. Yet God will reserve a special judgement for them, one they will not appreciate.

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Psalm 138:1-8

    What a wonderful psalm of praise:

As soon as I pray, you answer me;

I may not understand the answer, but God always answers my prayers.

Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble,
but he keeps his distance from the proud.

How different that is than how we tend to behave! All too often we think that ignoring the humble is a sign of greatness. When, in fact, it is caring for and spending time with the humble that is the true sign of greatness.

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Revelation 10:1-11

    I am not sure what this passage is about. John describes a scene where he hears something which he is told to keep secret, or seal up. This is reminiscent of the same passage in Daniel that the scroll with seven seals imagery brings to mind. John ends this passage with imagery that brings to mind Ezekiel 3 when he describes being told to take and eat a scroll. Just as in Ezekiel the scroll was sweet in his mouth. I believe both of these connections are intentional. While I do not believe that Daniel or Ezekiel were prophesying about the same things as John is here, I do believe that Revelation is continuing the prophesies of Daniel and Ezekiel.

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Zephaniah 1-3:20

    The prophet proclaims that God is about wipe out everything on the earth. He tells us that this is going to happen because of religious leaders who claim to follow the Lord, but also worship nature and Molech (a god whose worship involved sacrifice of children, which always reminds me of abortion). Further, he condemns those who once sought God’s blessing and guidance but now rely on other sources of guidance. On the day of God’s judgement our wealth will not save us, not even if we have as much wealth as Bill Gates.
    Yet there is still time. If we act now to seek the Lord and follow His commands, He will protect us. God’s day of judgement is coming, but if we seek to do what is right and live humbly He may spare us.

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

     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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

December 19, 2012 Bible Study –The Day of the Lord is Near

     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. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

Live Nativity
Live Nativity

Zephaniah 1-3:20

     The prophet Zephaniah prophesies that the day is coming when God will wipe out every trace of idolatry, even if that means wiping humanity off of the face of the earth. He will destroy those who used to worship Him but no longer do. He will search out the darkest corners for those who are complacent in their sin, thinking that God will never find them or judge them. The day of the Lord will be a day of bitter tears, a day of distress and anguish. Those who have sinned against the Lord will not be able to save themselves with their wealth or their strength.
     The prophet calls us to gather together and repent of our sins. It is not enough for us to repent individually. It is not enough for us to pray individually. We need to gather together. We need to seek the Lord with humility and to follow His commands. Let us do what is right and live humbly. If we do these things God will protect us from His anger. I will seek to follow this command. I will gather together with my brothers and sisters in the Lord and pray for His Spirit to move in this land and throughout the earth.
     The prophet extends his prophecy to all the nations, warning them that God is going to act against them for their sin. He is going to gather the nations before Him and judge them. Then He will purify the speech of all people. On that day He will remove the proud and the arrogant from among us (let me not be found as one of them on that day). Only the lowly and humble who call on His name will remain. Those remaining will never tell lies, nor deceive one another. It will be a day of rejoicing for those who are righteous. On the day of the Lord He will gather together His people and bring them home to Him. I will humble myself before the Lord and do what is right in His eyes so that I might be counted as one of the righteous on that day.

They Traded in the Donkey
They Traded in the Donkey

Revelation 10:1-11

     The writer next saw an angel descend from heaven with a small scroll in his hand. The angel cried out with a loud cry and was answered by seven thunders. The writer was told not to record what the seven thunders said in their reply. Then the writer was told to take the scroll from the angel and eat it. He was told that the scroll would be sweet in his mouth but turn sour in his stomach. He ate it and found that to be true. Once he had eaten the scroll he was given prophesies about many nations, peoples and kings. All I can say for sure about this passage is that God has a plan for this world that He will not reveal until the time is come for it to be fulfilled. We will not fully understand God’s plan until that day when we see Him in eternity.

Strings Practice, The Violins
Strings Practice, The Violins

Psalm 138:1-8

     Let me give thanks to the Lord. The second line of this psalm can be taken two ways. I think it should be taken in both senses. The first way is that I will praise before I praise any other item of potential worship, before I lift up praises of something else, I will praise God. The second way is that I will praise God in the face of other items of worship. I will make it clear that I will praise God rather than anything else that might attempt to claim my worship. This is another one of those times where I know exactly what I want to say, but cannot quite get the words to fit together to say it.
     I may be surrounded by troubles and everything may appear to be stacked against me, but I will praise the Lord. No matter what may happen or how anyone may work against it (even if I am among that anyone), God will work out His plans for my life. I will praise Him for His gracious, faithful love. The Lord is great and He cares for the humble. Let me not be too proud to consider myself His servant.

Strings Practice, Cello and Bass
Strings Practice, Cello and Bass

Proverbs 30:11-14

     The writer of today’s proverb tells us that some are too proud to thank their own mother. They consider themselves better than others and look down on all of those around them. Yet rather than being righteous, as they perceive themselves, they are filthy and unwashed in their sin. There is a theme throughout today’s passages, humility. Let us approach God with humility, recognizing that we are no better than anyone else.