December 26, 2014
Christianity is always only one generation away from extinction. God does not have grandchildren. The faith must be passed on like a baton in a relay race. The Israelites who took possession of the Promised Land were faithful, but they forgot the command to pass their faith on to their children. So, the author of the book of Judges observed: “After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10). Every good parent wants their children to be well educated. But every godly parent knows that the most important task is to teach their children of God’s “mighty acts.”
December 25, 2014
Everyone has a god, someone/something they idolize and worship. The atheist worships reason, the hedonist bows to pleasure, and the pantheist prays to nature. Yet, all are humanists at heart and have chosen themselves as god and gone their own way. Some will find fleeting moments of happiness and distraction. But only those who have recognized the LORD as God will know true JOY!
December 24, 2014
The vision that God gave the prophet Zechariah has a striking similarity to the one He gave John in the Revelation. Here, the “four spirits” and their chariots are similar to the four horsemen of the apocalypse (Rev. 6). In Zechariah, the four chariots are connected to the four directions of the compass, as God sent them out to “patrol the earth” and administer His justice on the nations. There are many interpretations as to the meaning of these four chariots, yet one thing is clear. They “stand before the Lord” and they go out to “do His work.” God is not a passive observer, nor an absentee landlord of His creation. He is ever-vigilant and active in His sovereignty. And He is not silent. He has revealed His plans to His people. We may not fully understand the details, but we can clearly see the overall arc of the story the Divine Author is writing. One day, the Son of God will judge the living and the dead and all creation will bow to His eternal reign. The rebellion will end and Christ will reign.
December 23, 2014
When we pray to the Lord with understanding we eventually stop praying for what we want and find our wants met in Him. We stop praying for a place of peace and safety and we see that God Himself is our “refuge.” Let the prayers of David guide you on how to pray. Turn down the volume and busyness this Christmas to pray. Pray not until you feel inner peace, but until you are so stirred by God’s radiant glory that you are captured by the amazing light that still points to Christ.
December 22, 2014
“The Branch” is a title referring to a coming King in the line of David. The Davidic line in Zechariah’s day was preserved (in Zerubbabel), but no longer in possession of the throne. A branch is part of a family tree that has yet to reach its climax. One from David’s line would again take the throne, yet in this future day this “Servant/Branch” would be both King and Priest. The high priest, Jeshua (Yeshua, Jesus), and his fellow priests were “symbols of things to come,” they foreshadowed the coming Messiah who would combine the offices of king and high priest and make all of His followers a kingdom of priests with Him. This messianic prophecy is partially fulfilled in Christ’s first coming, but will be completely fulfilled in His soon return.
December 21, 2014
This is God’s Word. It is what it claims to be. It can do what it says it can do. The prophet Zechariah had the privilege of speaking to the returning exiles to Jerusalem. Their forefathers had been overthrown and taken captive 70 years before as the old prophets had predicted. Unlike their forefathers, the returning children were repentant and ready to believe. Along with the book of Daniel, this little book is filled with images that aren’t seen again until John takes them up again in his revelation of Jesus. Zechariah is filled with Messianic prophecy that Jesus fulfilled. What God revealed to and through Zechariah, He has done. Yet prophecy in the Scriptures tends to have a threefold fulfillment: Present (or immediate), ongoing and future. Our faith is built up by the fulfillment already seen, and our hearts are filled with hope by taking hold of those promises that we can apply now and look for in the future.
December 20, 2014
Who are these two “prophets” (witnesses)? Since Scripture is the best interpreter of Scripture, as a rule, the Old Testament is best understood through the lens of the New Testament. But an understanding of the book of Revelation often requires a reversal of this approach, as it is filled with Old Testament imagery and reference. The description of the “two prophets” is a clear allusion to the “two olive trees” found in Zechariah 4. There, the angel told Zechariah that these two are “the anointed ones who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth” (Zech. 4:14). Those with a historical view of Revelation have named various heroes of the faith in the early church as the identity of the two witnesses. But holding to a futurist view of Revelation, I believe that these two witnesses are yet to come. Their identity is not named, yet their description brings to mind the ministries of Moses and Elijah. Certainly, they are the two who stood with the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration. Perhaps, they will be the ones who stand for Him again in the future at the end of days.
December 19, 2014
John was given a scroll to “eat” in his vision, just as the prophet Ezekiel had been given one in his (Ezekiel 3:1-3). For both of them, it was as “sweet as honey” when they chewed on it, but unpleasant when they digested the impact of its message. God’s Word is sweet to the believer whose ears are open to hear it, yet it is “sour” as they consider those whose ears will not. Our joy in God’s future plans of judgment is tempered by the realization that many that we love and care about will not escape His divine wrath. We therefore commit to keep chewing on God’s sweet Word, yielding to its work in us, and announcing its message to others. Perhaps, those we love will eventually open their ears to hear. And relieve our soured stomachs.
December 18, 2014
Even though trials and suffering may come our way, we can depend on the strength of our God. After a long list of “even though” situations, Habakkuk declared his trust and dependence on God. This is not a response of barely hanging on, endurance. This is not “woe is me,” please feel sorry for me as I scrape by. No. This is things are hard, but we’re overcomers, persevering in Christ’s power. The mountain may be high and the valley low, but we’re leaping from peak to peak with joy and power in Jesus’ Name.
December 17, 2014
Believers can trust the reliability of the Bible. Regardless of the opinions of its detractors, it continues to be supported by archeology and the facts of history. In this first verse from the prophet Nahum, we see reference to two places, “Nineveh” and “Elkosh.” Elkosh was the home of Nahum and was located in the Northern part of Israel close to today’s Lebanon border. Its name means “God, my bow.” Nineveh was the capital city of ancient Assyria. At the time of Nahum it may have been the largest city in the ancient world. Yet, God gave Nahum a vision that it would be totally destroyed and never rebuilt. Both predictions came true. Today, the ancient ruins of Nineveh, which lie near the city of Mosul in Iraq, have been the site of numerous archeological digs since the mid 1800s. Evidence of Assyrian kings named in the Bible have been uncovered. For instance, the palace of Sennacherib with its 71 rooms and colossal bas-reliefs was discovered in 1849. Over 22,000 cuneiform clay tablets were discovered in the ruins of an ancient library that revealed the wealth of kings like Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal. These names and the wealth of Nineveh was recorded in the Bible, long before these discoveries were made. The Bible is the archeologist’s best friend when digging in the Middle East. Why? Because it is reliable. We can depend on God’s Word.