Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for December 28

“He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite” (Psalms 147:4-5 NKJV).

From: December 28, 2020

STAR GAZING AND GOD’S GREATNESS

I’m on my annual study retreat, so I’ve been taking more time to star gaze in the evenings and consider God’s greatness. Since the launching of the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have observed that there are an almost infinite number of stars in the universe. In our own Milky Way galaxy there are over 100 billion stars. And scientists estimate that there are at least 10 trillion galaxies with each containing a similar number of stars. When dealing with such incredible numbers, who could possibly count the stars? The Bible says that God can. He not only knows their number, “He calls them all by name.”

Ancient human observers gave the stars names like “Betelgeuse,” which in Arabic means “armpit,” describing its position in the constellation they called “Orion the Hunter.” Modern astronomers prefer more precise nomenclature, giving the star Betelgeuse the designation “HD39801.” I suppose they ran out of Greek letters and Greek gods rather quickly once the Hubble launched.

An infinite God has no problem naming an infinite number of stars. After all, He made them and flung them across the heavens with a word. If He calls all the stars by name, surely He must call us by name too.

PRAYER: Dear Father, looking at the stars tonight and considering their names, we look past the creation to You, the Creator. For You are great. You are awesome and we worship You. As we lay our heads on our pillows this night, may we sleep and dream dreams of You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died” (Zechariah 12:10 NLT).

From: December 28, 2019

HAVE YOU LOOKED ON HIM WHOM YOU HAVE PIERCED?

The prophet Zechariah wrote around 520 BC. This was 500 years before Christ and 2500 years before the present age. His little book is filled with Messianic prophecies. Here, we see a Messianic reference to “an only son,” a “firstborn” who the people of Israel would “look on” and finally acknowledge as the Messiah whom they had “pierced.” Recognizing Him they would “mourn” and “grieve bitterly.”

Certainly, the prophecy that they would pierce the Son has already come to pass at Christ’s crucifixion. But that they would acknowledge Him and mourn has only been partially fulfilled. A great outpouring of the Spirit took place at Pentecost and thousands of Jews were saved. Yet, most of them have rejected Christ. Zechariah’s prophecy points to a future time when a great spiritual awakening will take place among the Jews, so that they finally “look” on Him “whom they have pierced and mourn” in repentance. This will happen before true peace comes to Jerusalem.

Have you looked on Him whom you have pierced?

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for the many prophecies foretelling Christ’s coming. It gives us great encouragement and hope. For Your Word is true and faithful. We long for the Day of Christ’s return, yet until then, give us strength to proclaim the gospel. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died” (Zechariah 12:10 NLT).

From: December 28, 2018

A FUTURE SPIRITUAL AWAKENING IS COMING TO JERUSALEM

The prophet Zechariah wrote around 520 BC. This was 500 years before Christ’s first coming and over 2500 years before the present age. Here, we see a reference to “an only son,” a “firstborn” who the people of Israel will “look on” and finally acknowledge as the long awaited One whom they have “pierced.” Recognizing Him, they will “mourn” and “grieve bitterly,” in repentance.

Notice the unusual use of pronouns that point to the Divine nature of the One they have pierced. God is clearly speaking when He says, “I… will pour out” and then again when He says, “They will look on… ME …whom they have pierced,” but then changes pronouns in the same sentence saying, they will “mourn for… HIM … as for an only Son.” God told them that they would one day recognize the One they had crucified as both “ME” and “HIM.” This is the paradox of the Trinity. For the trinitarian nature of God is seen in Zechariah, as the Spirit and the Son are referenced here by God the Father.

A future day of spiritual awakening will come to the Jewish people before Christ’s return when they will recognize Jesus as Messiah. God has said it. And it will come to pass.

“He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite” (Psalms 147:4-5 NKJV).

From: December 28, 2017

Since the launching of the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have observed that there are an almost infinite number of stars in the universe. In our own Milky Way galaxy there are over 100 billion stars. And scientists estimate that there are at least 10 trillion galaxies with each containing a similar number of stars. When dealing with such incredible numbers, who could possibly count the stars? The Bible says that God can. He not only knows their number, “He calls them all by name.”

Ancient human observers gave the stars names like “Betelgeuse,” which in Arabic means “armpit,” describing its position in the constellation they called “Orion the Hunter.” Modern astronomers prefer more precise nomenclature, giving the star Betelgeuse the designation “HD39801.” I suppose they ran out of Greek letters and Greek gods rather quickly once the Hubble launched.

But an infinite God has no problem naming an infinite number of stars. He has yet to share these names with us, but I’m thinking that He prefers the ancient names to the modern ones.

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war” (Revelation 19:11 ESV)

From: December 28, 2016

John saw the curtains of heaven drawn back and Christ making His triumphal entry. The former entry that Jesus made into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday was a foreshadowing of this. On that day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, coming as the Lamb of God sent to take away the sin of the world. Yet, John saw a day coming when Christ would appear riding on a white stallion as the Lord of lords and King of kings, sent to judge and make war against those who have rebelled against God and rejected His Son. Jesus has already won the victory against sin and Satan on the cross. The final skirmish will soon be here.

“Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” (Revelation 19:9 NKJV)

From: December 28, 2015

The angel instructed John to write concerning the “blessing” that awaited those who responded to the invitation to attend the Lamb’s wedding supper. This “Lamb” is Christ and the bride is the church (Eph. 5:32). The word translated “called” is a Greek perfect passive participle, which literally means, “having been called/invited.” In other words, the invitations have already gone out and only those who “RSVP’d” their attendance will be present. Not everyone will respond to this invitation in the positive and having sent their “regrets,” they will not “taste” (Luke 14:24) of this blessed banquet. Have you responded to Christ’s wedding invitation yet?

“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died” (Zechariah 12:10 NLT)

From: December 28, 2014

The prophet Zechariah wrote around 520 BC. This was 500 years before Christ and 2500 years before the present age. His little book is filled with Messianic prophecies. Here, we see a Messianic reference to “an only son,” a “firstborn” who the people of Israel would “look on” and finally acknowledge as the Messiah whom they had “pierced.” Recognizing Him they would “mourn” and “grieve bitterly.” Certainly, the prophecy that they would pierce the Son has already come to pass at Christ’s crucifixion. But that they would acknowledge Him and mourn has only partially come true. A great outpouring of the Spirit took place at Pentecost and thousands of Jews were saved. Yet, most Jews have rejected Christ. Zechariah’s prophecy points to a future time when a great spiritual awakening will take place among the Jews, so that they embrace Christ as their Messiah. This will happen before true peace comes to Jerusalem.

“…when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10)

From: December 28, 2013

The prophet Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai. He wrote during the 5th century BC when the Jews had returned to Israel from Babylonian captivity. His book is filled with Messianic prophecies (30 pieces of silver, riding a donkey…). In this verse, he speaks of the Messiah being “pierced” by his own and how they will mourn for him as for “an only child,” as for a “firstborn.”

“For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus” (Revelation 19:10)

From: December 28, 2012

The center of our preaching is Christ. We preach the whole written Word of God, yet recognizing always that the essence of our message is the Incarnate Word. We must make it “clear” that our witness is not self-help or improvement through human effort or rule-keeping, but Jesus our Sacrifice, Jesus our Savior, Jesus our Sovereign. A clear and simple testimony about Jesus is the essence of truly prophetic preaching.

“Yom” (Day)

From: December 28, 2009

“Yahweh” (LORD, “I am that I am,” Jehovah, God). “YHWH” (As in the Hebrew Bible. The Tetragrammaton. The Name without the vowels. The Name that cannot be spoken). “The Day of the LORD” was a repetitive phrase in the OT prophets describing the coming of the Messiah and the Day of God’s judgment.