October 7- The Weeping Prophet

October 7, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Jeremiah 8:8-9:26; Colossians 3:1-17;
Psalm 78:32-55; Proverbs 24:27

Let your tears come. Let them water your soul.  
~Eileen Mayhew

Jeremiah 8:8-9:26

When I was a kid my family teased me because I was a cry baby.  I cried at everything.  If I was happy, I cried.  If I was sad, I cried.  If someone hurt my feelings, I cried, instead of getting mad.  Buckets of tears flowed.  We used to all laugh about it.  Then I went through a phase where I never cried.  Nothing could move me.  There were some hard years with some hard things that happened and it hardened me.  Over the years, I have found a balance.  I am once again a person who can cry.  Actually, I cry pretty easily.  It feels good.  Crying is good.  Today, God picks Jeremiah to bring the devastating news of judgment to Judah because Jeremiah is not a hard person with a hard heart.  He is the weeping prophet whose heart is breaking over sin.  As J. Vernon McGee says, God picked a man with a handkerchief, rather than a man with a hammer to reflect God's own feelings over sin.

In chapters 8 and 9 Jeremiah wishes that his eyes were like a fountain filled with tears that would never stop flowing.  That is the magnitude of sorrow that he feels. He is so worn out with Judah's sin.  He fantasizes about going away and living in a shack in the desert in order to forget about his people and their adulterous and treacherous ways.  Jeremiah weeps for the punishment that is coming. He is mute with grief.  He wonders if there is not a physician with medicine to cure this problem of sin.  You and I know that in the future a Great Physician named Jesus Christ does bring healing to the earth.  He solves the problem of sin by paying the debt on the cross and conquering the consequence of sin.

Jeremiah's weeping over Jerusalem is a foreshadowing of Christ weeping over Jerusalem when he enters the city prior to Israel's rejection of him as Messiah.  Jerusalem will be a city of weeping until Christ restores the city in the future during His millennial reign.  Eventually, there will be a New Jerusalem, which will reflect the perfection of the new heaven and the new earth (Rev. 20) as promised in Scripture.

The Lord gives Jeremiah a prophecy about the scattering of the Jews throughout the world and a look at the persecution that they will be subject to throughout history. In Jeremiah 9:15-16 Jeremiah says,

"So now, listen to what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says: Look! I will feed them poison to drink. I will scatter them around the world and they will be strangers in distant lands.  Their enemies will chase them with the sword until I have destroyed them completely."  

We are given the message that the Jews role in history is a result of their rejection of their God.  Remember, all people on earth are guilty of this rejecting God and sinning.  The Jews are singled out to be an illustration of what all mankind is guilty of.  We should not make the mistake of thinking that Jewish people are more sinful than others.  They are simply a representation of all of mankind. 

Our reading in Jeremiah ends today with a warning from God that in the future He will punish all those who are circumcised in the body, but not in the spirit.  All people groups will be responsible, including the Jews, for being circumcised in the spirit. How can one be circumcised in the spirit? How to be circumcised in the spirit is tied to faith in the coming Messiah, or in our day, having faith in the Messiah who came into the world in the past.  This is exactly what the Apostle Paul teaches in the New Testament.  Here are some verses that teach this: 1 Corinthians 7:19, Galatians 5:9, Colossians 2:11; Romans 2:29.  This is also taught elsewhere in the Old Testament: Deuteronomy 10:16, Deuteronomy 30:6, and Jeremiah 4:4.  Mankind needs a Savior who can deal with the problem of sin.  This has been true since the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden.

What can we learn from this?  Our sin nature must be cut away from us in order for us to fellowship with a Holy God.  This circumcision of our sin nature is only accomplished through Jesus Christ.

Have you been spiritually circumcised in your heart?

Colossians 3:1-17

Yesterday we studied that Paul challenged the Colossians to not just live by rules that cannot really conquer someone's evil thought life.  Today Paul teaches that we must set out sites on a new reality.  That reality is that we are going to live forever somewhere else.  This is the reality of heaven. 

Paul encourages the Colossians to fill their thoughts with thoughts of heaven. We are to remember that we are going to share in Christ's glory! With this in mind, we are to put to death our sinful tendencies. Foremost, we must conquer sexual sin and lust.  This drags humanity down the toilet. Being greedy for worldly things is really idolatry.  Get that straight in your head. Attitudes like anger, slander, and maliciousness are no longer to rule your heart. Don't lie to people. Dont' lie to yourself. Live in truth.

Embrace your new nature that has been given to you in Christ. It is Christ who lives in you. Each day put on new attitudes like you put on new clothes.  Let those attitudes be mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness of each other, and the tendency to overlook each other's faults.   We are to remember that this is how God treats us. The most important piece of clothing is love. This is what binds Christians together.

How do you do this?  Christ's words are the keys to understanding and doing this.  Keep his words in your heart and mind.  That is the key. Sing his words through hymns and spiritual songs. Let your actions represent Christ inside of you.

This is good advice.  Are you willing to take this advice and practice it?

Psalm 78:32-55

This is a psalm that spells out rebellion against God and how God is merciful, patient, and just.

Proverbs 24:27

Have a job before you buy a house.  This is wise advice.

What are you noticing as you read.  Please share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

October 6- Rejected Silver

October 6, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Jeremiah 6:16-8:7; Colossians 2:8-23;
Psalm 78:1-31; Proverbs 24:26

The refining fire grows hotter. But it will never purify and cleanse them 
because there is no purity in them to refine.  I will label them 'Rejected Silver.' 
 ~Jeremiah 6:29-30

Jeremiah 6:16-8:7

People are clueless.  Because of the way God handles the universe, which is in a subtle manner, people are unaware that their actions are displeasing to their Creator.  People understand that murder is wrong, but human beings are susceptible to being deceived about their own spiritual condition.  This is why Bible reading is so important.  Reading God's Word gives us a continual look at God's opinion about this world.  God is the one who defines what sin is.  God is the one who judges sin.

The story of mankind is the story of a people in rebellion against their Creator.  The nation of Israel is a group of people chosen by God for a purpose, but they are not perfect.  They are flawed.  They are set apart in Scripture for a number of purposes, but one of the less glamorous purposes is to be an example to all of mankind that God punishes sin. Jeremiah has the distinct job of confronting this group of people who have exasperated God with their behavior and attitudes.  God calls them 'Rejected Silver.'

Chapters 6 and 7 contain warnings from God that He intends to use an invading army from the north to punish Judah for her sin.  Here are some of the sins that God points out to the Jews:

• Wicked thoughts and deeds
• Exploiting foreigners, orphans and widows
• Worshiping idols
• Stealing
• Murdering
• Committing adultery
• Lying
• Baal worship
• Refusing to answer when God calls
• Fathers building sacrificial fires to false gods
• Women baking cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven
• Giving drink offerings to idol gods
• Following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts
• Building pagan shrines
• Sacrificing their sons and daughters in the fire of idols
• Running down the path of sin as swiftly as a horse runs to battle

Do any of God's complaints against Judah convict your heart, also?

Colossians 2:8-23

Paul warns the Colossians to not fall prey to human philosophy.  This would have been easy to do during this time on earth during the heyday of Greek philosophy.  It is always easy to fall prey to human philosophy.  Paul argues that because Christ was God in human form, he is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe.  Jesus is the one to look to for answers about everything.

Paul explains that when they believed in Christ, the Colossians (and all believers) became spiritually circumcised because their sinful nature was cut away by Christ's work on the cross.  When they were baptized, this represented them being buried and raised to new life, just as Christ was raised to new life.  The old has died and the new has been raised.

What died and was cut away?  The sin nature. God put His Spirit inside of them and now they are spiritually alive.  This is a Spirit that never dies. Our sins are cancelled because of what Christ did on the cross.  That is how we are considered new and clean.  This emasculates the evil authorities on earth.  They are unable to take the Spirit of God from us.  God has claimed us as His own.

Because of this position, believers are not to worry about being condemned about what they eat or drink.  They are not to worry about keeping special holy days or Sabbaths. Those Old Testament rules were shadows to show us Christ.  They were illustrations of what he would be and what he would fulfill.  Self-denial does not save a person.  Paul encourages the Colossians to not live their lives worrying about rules that supposedly speak of spirituality.

These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline, but they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires. This is a lesson that Martin Luther learned in his life. It led to the Protestant Reformation!

So how do we conquer evil thoughts and desires?  By meditating on what is right, good, pure, honorable, and true.  If you think this way, you will conquer evil thoughts.  This is accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit in you.

Do you rely on following strict rules to try to be holy and please God?  This is not God's intention for you. He desires your reliance on the Holy Spirit to lead you to obedience in love. This promotes being loving, rather than judgmental.

Psalm 78:1-31

It is important to teach the next generation the ways of God.  His mighty acts should be passed to each new generation.

Proverbs 24:26

Being truthful with someone is an honorable thing.

What did you learn today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

October 5- My Heart, My Heart

October 5, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Jeremiah 4:19-6:15; Colossians 1:18-2:7;
Psalm 77:1-20; Proverbs 24:23-25

Jeremiah 4:19-6:15

Where were you when the twin towers fell on 9/11?  I was at home when a girlfriend called to see if I was aware that an airplane had flown into one of the towers.  By the time the towers actually collapsed, I was watching it in horror on my television set.  My heart was gripped with sorrow as I thought about the lives being lost and the suffering that was being endured by innocent people.  Today, Jeremiah's prophesies begin with him proclaiming that his heart is writhing in pain.  He is feeling the grip of fear as God shows him the coming destruction of Judah. This is no easy task he has been given.  His prophecies affect him physically.  Jeremiah asks how long must he be surrounded by war and death.

God answers by describing not how long there will be suffering, but why there must be suffering. The nation of Israel has backslidden into idolatry.  They are dishonest, greedy, lustful, and rebellious.  God describes this as being clever in doing what is wrong, but having no talent for doing what is right! Verses 23-31 are a double prophecy that look not only to the coming capture of Jerusalem by Babylon, but also the future Great Tribulation when Israel is persecuted by the Antichrist.  The Great Tribulation is often represented by a woman giving birth to wind or futility. Jerusalem and the nation of Israel are that woman giving birth and being in pain.  The illustration is that of the child (Jesus), who is born prior to the woman's labor, as the one who will come and rescue Jerusalem from this pain. We saw this description in Isaiah's prophesies.

Chapter 5 continues with God's desire to find honesty among His people, but alas, all are dishonest. The leaders have led the people astray. God is justified in using a mighty and ancient nation to punish the people of Judah for their rebellion.  Verse 18 is God's promise that even though their punishment is severe, He will not blot the nation of Israel out completely. He will preserve a remnant among them. 

Chapter 6 is a warning to run!!  The judgment is coming!  God describes Jerusalem as spouting evil like a fountain.  The battering rams will come against her.  She will be invaded and overtaken. God's fury will pour out over Jerusalem in this coming captivity.

As the story of the Bible unfolds, God's judgment comes upon the earth.  We have seen foreshadowing of this with Noah's flood, the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, and we will see it finally in the Great Tribulation.  Only the death of Christ provides redemption from God's wrath upon sin.  Jesus was sent to reconcile a broken relationship between mankind and a Holy God.

Have you accepted Christ's redemption for you?

Colossians 1:18-2:7

As the Apostle Paul explains to the church in Colosse the role of Christ on earth, we see that Jesus is the head of the Church.  The Church is a different entity than the nation of Israel.  The Church was established when Jesus was the first to raise from the dead.  Jesus is the first in everything.

Jesus is the great peacemaker, because it is his death on the cross that satisfies the wrath of God against sin and redeems the debt we owed to God because of our sins. Jesus reconciles mankind to God.   Paul explains that our evil thoughts and actions keep us apart from God.  We see God's anger against sin in our reading in Jeremiah today.  Jesus' death allows us to stand before God without a single fault held against us.

Consider how amazing that is.  Do you or I go one day without a negative thought towards another person or some other sin in our lives?  No. And yet, we can stand before God without Him holding our faults against us.  This is a tremendous thing that Christ has done!

Paul explains that he is responsible to give a secret message to the Gentiles that has been hidden for centuries.  This secret message is that Christ is able to live inside of believers through His Holy Spirit. His Spirit inside of a person is the guarantee that they will live forever.  Remember, God is the only thing that lasts forever.  You must have His Spirit inside of you in order to live for eternity.  This is what was kept secret until the Church age.

Because of this truth, believers should be knit together in love. Christ is the secret to having the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  Christ is everything that counts. This knowledge should lead to obedient living. Our roots are to go down deeply into Christ and draw up nourishment from Him.  This will make us strong in our faith and able to live in truth. This truth will cause us to overflow with thanksgiving.

What do you think of this secret message? Are you overflowing with thanksgiving?

Psalm 77:1-20

Notice how the psalmist starts out distressed and depressed.  He works his way back into praising God for who He is.  This is a key to dealing with our troubles through faith in God.  Remember who He is.  Remember that He loves you and is powerful.  Remember that He has a good plan for us, even in our suffering.  Christ suffered.  He relied upon God.  He never lost the faith.  Hang tough, friends!

Proverbs 24:23-25

Justice is important.  This proverb speaks of that truth.

What are you learning?  Please share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton 

October 4- The Faithless Wife

October 4, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Jeremiah 2:31-4:18; Colossians 1:1-17;
Psalm 76:1-12; Proverbs 24:21-22

Jeremiah 2:31-4:18

Every year in our city there are multiple bridal fairs where girls who have gotten engaged can select bridal gowns, limousines, catering companies, florists, and photographers to capture their special day.  For a new bride every detail of her special day is mulled over, planned, and executed.  This is why God uses the imagery of a bride/wife to speak of the unnatural and abhorrent behavior of Israel and Judah towards God. Just as a bride does not hide her wedding dress, Israel should not be ashamed of her God. Just as the vows of marriage should be backed up by loyalty and fidelity, Israel should have been faithful to follow the God who delivered her out the slavery of Egypt and into the Promised Land.

Unfortunately, God declares that the most experienced prostitute could learn a thing or two from the promiscuous ways of Israel!  What a description. I am beginning to see why Jeremiah had a tough time as a prophet to his people.  His job was to hit them where it hurts. He lists the reasons that God is going to punish the nation severely.  He calls them on the carpet for greed and oppression of the poor.

God is not pleased that they seek alliances with godless countries, rather than turning to Him for deliverance. Remember that the idol worship in which the Israelites participated was filled with pornographic sexual acts as part of worship.  God reprimands their behavior and is disgusted that the whole countryside is polluted with places where the Israelites have had sex under the Asherah poles in order to incite Baal to send rain for their crops.  It apparently didn't work as verse 3 of chapter 3 tells us that the spring rains failed.  The Israelites have no shame in worshiping in this fashion. Although the Northern Kingdom of Israel has been taken into captivity by Assyria for this behavior, her sister- the Southern Kingdom of Judah does not learn from her mistakes.  Judah also prostitutes herself to idols.

After determining that their punishment is coming, God looks into the far future to the day when Israel will be back in the land and the Ark of the Covenant will not be necessary because Israel will be ruled by King Jesus during the Millennial Kingdom. Although a man who divorces his wife will not remarry her if she has taken another man, God is going to come back to Israel eventually, even though she has been disloyal.

Chapter 4 is a call from God for Israel to come back to Him. In the future Israel will be obedient and will bless the nations with her behavior and faith in God.

Next, the alarm is sounded as destruction is coming in their day. A lion who is a destroyer of nations is coming upon Jerusalem. This is the empire of Babylon led by Nebuchadnezzar.  Jeremiah calls out for the repentance of the people in hopes of stopping the coming disaster, but it is not to be.  Jerusalem will be surrounded and a battle cry will be raised against the city. The people of Judah are to get a bitter dose of punishment for their behavior. It will pierce them to the heart.

Sin has consequences.  Sin results in death.  It is only through Christ that our sins are forgiven.  All unbelievers are in the same position as the people of Judah.  Unbelief results in judgment from God.

Are you protected from God's wrath by the blood of Christ?  Have you believed in Him?

Colossians 1:1-17

Today, we begin the epistle to the Colossians.  This is another of the four epistles written while Paul is imprisoned in Rome.  The leader of the church in Colosse is Epaphras and that is who delivers this letter from Paul. The theme of this letter is Jesus Christ.  We will see the importance of realizing that through Christ all things exist. Learning the truth about Jesus will be the focus of Paul's teaching to this church.

We learn that the Good News that has changed the lives of the believers in Colosse is also changing lives all over the ancient world. With Epaphras as their pastor, Paul prays that the believers in Colosse will grow in spiritual wisdom.  Paul prays that they will have the power and joy found only in Christ, who rescues them from the one who rules the kingdom of darkness.

The first lesson about Christ is that he is the visible image of the invisible God.  Christ existed before God made any of His creation.  Christ is supreme over creation. It is through Christ that everything in heaven and earth were made.  Everything has been made through him and for him.  Christ holds everything in creation together.  Did you know all of this?

These are extremely important concepts for Christians to understand.  Christ is not just some nice teacher or lofty prophet.  He is Creator God.  He holds the universe together by the force of his essence. We are talking physics and energy here. This is called the Word or Logos in Scripture.  It is the essence of God that has always been and will always exist.  Everything else can cease existing, but God's essence can never cease to exist. This is the power and might of Christ. The Apostle John describes it this way,

"In the beginning was the Word (Logos) and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."  John 1:1-3

The Apostle Paul is reteaching these very important concepts to a church that could easily be influenced by Greek philosophy and Roman paganism. 

In our day many believe that religion is just the opiate of man.  Something conjured up to get us through this life and make us feel good about things.  This is not how the Scriptures portray God.  In the Bible the whole universe is held together by the essence of this Being. 

Are you on board with the Essence/Logos/Christ of this universe?

Psalm 76:1-12

This psalm speaks of acknowledging God for who He is.  This is good to remember.

Proverbs 24:21-22

Fear the Lord and the king.  Good advice.

What did you think of today's passages?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

October 3- Chosen, But Not Frozen

October 3, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Jeremiah 1:1-2:30; Philippians 4:1-23;
Psalm 75:1-10; Proverbs 24:17-20

I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world.
 ~God  Jeremiah 1:5

Jeremiah 1:1-2:30

Today, we meet the prophet with a broken heart.  Jeremiah was called to be a prophet of God when he was very young.  He was called initially during the reign of good king Josiah.  He is the prophet that is alive when the Southern Kingdom of Judah gets taken into captivity by Babylon.  This is about 100 years after Isaiah lived.  Jeremiah is allowed to stay in the land of Judah by a captain of the Babylonian guard.  Eventually, the remnant who stay in the land flee to Egypt and Jeremiah goes with them.  Jeremiah dies in Egypt, supposedly stoned by the remnant group.

Jeremiah is called to give a very harsh message to the people of Judah.  He is sad and depressed for much of his ministry.  With no converts from his preaching, Jeremiah is called to a difficult task.  Jeremiah experiences beatings, being put in stocks, hatred, imprisonment, and being charged as a traitor.  He attempts to quit the ministry, but God will not let him (Jer. 20:9).  He is forbidden to get married because of the terrible times in which he lives (Jer. 16:1-4).  In all of this, he is faithful to the task for which he was created.  God does not make mistakes.  Jeremiah's suffering is within God's will.

Jeremiah is a great man who was condemned to watch his exhausted and idolatrous people go into captivity.  Sin is an ugly thing.  Jeremiah is at the end of the rope of Judah's sin as a people.  It is an ugly time. Like watching a person about to go off of a cliff, Jeremiah calls out a warning in truth to his people.  In the New Testament some people thought that Jesus Christ was Elijah or John the Baptist come back to life or Jeremiah.  They would have speculated that Jesus was Jeremiah come back to life because Jesus was a man of sorrows.  This is a good description of Jeremiah- a man of sorrows.

In this first chapter of Jeremiah we see God's call on Jeremiah's life and his commission to preach. He was called at the age of 20 years.  He felt too young for the task, but God would not allow him to back out.  God makes it clear that even before Jeremiah was in his mother's womb, God had planned in advance that Jeremiah would be created for this purpose. Wow.  Talk about a purpose driven life!!  God touches Jeremiah's mouth (this reminds me of Isaiah having his lips touched with burning coals) and puts the words into him.  God encourages Jeremiah to not be afraid because God is going to be with him and take care of him.  Do you see that God is going to lead this man into many sorrows?  Do you realize that God leads you into many sorrows also?  This is part of our existence on a fallen planet.  We should learn from Jeremiah's life story.

The first thing God shows Jeremiah in a vision in order to commission him is an almond branch that has budded. The almond tree was the first tree to bloom in Spring.  It is a sign of things to come.  Jeremiah is going to be a person who is an alarm clock of things to come.  Jeremiah will be the person who tells the people to wake up and smell the coffee!  Their captivity is nigh.

Next, Jeremiah sees a pot of boiling water that is tipping from the north.  Babylon, which is in the north, is going to swoop down and attack Jerusalem.

Jeremiah is required to go and tell the people of Judah that God remembers when Israel was like a young bride who followed God (her husband) into the wilderness. It was a honeymoon existence where God fought for Israel against her enemies. God is perplexed that his bride so quickly found other lovers.  Having given his bride a fruitful and bountiful land, He is shocked that His people have turned from their faithful God to worship worthless idols. They have done two evil things (vs. 13). They have forsaken God, who is the fountain of living water (remember Jesus telling the Samaritan woman that he is a fountain of living water?), and they have dug cracked cisterns that can't even hold water (idols).

They have worshiped idols like Baal, made bad alliances with Egypt and Assyria, and have lusted after the gods of the pagans.  God describes them as wild donkeys sniffing at the wind in mating season.  Having fallen in love with foreign gods, Israel feels no shame at getting caught in her adultery. It is a sad day when Israel carves an image from a piece of wood and calls it their father or their mother. When trouble comes, they attempt to cry out to God, but God rebukes them to rely on their wood for help.

Jeremiah's message is personal and heart felt.  God uses this man of tender insides to speak a tender and sad message about his hurt and betrayal that He feels from Israel's running after other gods.  To God it's personal.

Do you run to other things rather than God when life gets tough?  Do you rely on drugs or alcohol to ease your distress?  Do you try to solve problems by going to psychics or horoscopes?  Who do you turn to in sorrow?  Are you cheating on God?

Philippians 4:1-23

Unlike Jeremiah, the Apostle Paul has sorrows and trials, but he also has wonderful relationships with the people who have converted to faith in Christ.  The Philippians are part of Paul's joy and reward for his hard work on behalf of God.

We see that women like Euodia and Syntychex are integral parts of the church in Philippi.  Paul calls them to stop fighting and start working in unity as a team.  Paul calls them to not worry about anything, but instead replace worrying with praying.  Jesus was our best example of this, especially in the Garden of Gethsemane. This is the key to having peace that surpasses human understanding.  Do you practice praying about everything?  You should.  It will make you a more peaceful person.  Stop worrying!

Paul gives practical advise when he tells his dear friends in Philippi to fix their thoughts on things that are true, honorable, right, lovely, pure, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise.  This is a discipline that will change your life if you practice it.  It is a technique that Jesus used.  It is how we renew our minds.  We see this practiced in the Psalms as the psalmist works through his problems and concerns.  Eventually, the psalm turns to praise and reflecting on the characteristics of God.  This is thinking about what is true and honorable.
Try to practice this renewing of your mind this week.

The Philippian church is the only church that ever gave Paul any financial help.  As you know, Paul was a tent maker.  This is how he made his living, but as a teacher of God's word Paul could have collected money from the various churches just for teaching.  It takes many hours of study and preparation to teach others.  This is a worthy calling that is worthy of pay. 

Paul concludes by sending greeting from the Christians who work in Caesar's palace. How wonderful to know that in pagan Rome God was having an impact through the faithful life of an imprisoned preacher.

How are you impacting your community with the Good News?

Psalm 75:1-10

Read this psalm with the admonition of the Apostle Paul to "fix our thoughts" in mind.

Proverbs 24:17-20

We are not to rejoice when our enemies fall.  Let God have vengeance and feel the anger. Also, don't envy the wicked.  Their light will be snuffed out in the end.  Destruction is their future.

What did you learn today?  Please share.

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

October 2- The End

October 2, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Isaiah 66:1-24; Philippians 3:4-21;
Psalm 74:1-23; Proverbs 24:15-16

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and 
the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  
~Revelation 20:1

Isaiah 66:1-24

The last chapter of Isaiah sums up the roles of God.  Here we see Him as the Creator, Redeemer, Ruler, Judge, and Restorer.  There is the certainty of judgment for those who have delighted in their own sins. The prediction of Israel going through birth pains is a picture of Israel enduring the Great Tribulation.  Notice in verse 7 that Israel gives birth to a son prior to birth pains beginning.  What does this mean?  It means that Jesus Christ is born prior to the Great Tribulation.  His work is begun and salvation comes prior to judgment.

Christ will bring about the birth of Israel, spiritually.  The nation will be born spiritually.  The people of God will delight in Jerusalem.  Peace will flow like a river. The wealth of the nations will supply her. God will act as a nurturing mother to her children.  The day of Israel's separation from her God will be over.

The enemies of God will be punished by fire.  God will destroy this present world by fire in the end.  It should be noted that at the end of Christ's millennial reign there are those who rebel against him.  Satan and his angels are loosed from the abyss and a final rebellion occurs.  This is when Christ finally defeats all of his enemies and the old world is consumed by fire. A remnant from every nation will worship the Lord.

These people, who believe in God, will be the everlasting population in the new heavens and the new earth. There will be worship of God in the new heaven and the new earth. The enemies of God will be dead and the fire that consumes them will burn forever as a sign of their complete destruction. This is a sight that evokes horror.

Just as Isaiah was a mini-Bible with 66 chapters, we see that God's story in Isaiah ends with justice prevailing just as it does at the end of the complete Bible.  There is always a warning to the wicked that destruction awaits those who rebel against the Creator of the universe.

What do you think about all of this?

Philippians 3:4-21

One of the keys to living a life worthy of resurrection is to forget the past and focus on the future.  The Apostle Paul tells his Philippian friends that he strains to reach the end of the race looking towards the finish line.  The book of Isaiah shows us the finish line that Paul is focusing all of his energies upon.

Paul is willing to be an example that others can follow.  His life, although not perfect, is a life of striving after God. Paul warns about those who claim to follow Christ, but their lives reflect an appetite for shameful things.  Their future is eternal destruction. 

For the Christian, the future holds the promise of glorified bodies like Jesus' glorified body.  These will be powerful and useful.  That is quite a future to look forward to!

Where is your focus?

Psalm 74:1-23

This is a cry for God to bring salvation to the earth.  This could be the cry of the nation of Israel as they await the coming of the Messiah after the Great Tribulation.  Notice that in verse 13 God crushes the head of Leviathan.  This is a reference to Satan. Indeed, God will crush Satan in the end.

Proverbs 24:15-16

The righteous may trip, but they will rise again.  How true!

What did you learn today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton

October 1- Good Grapes In The Cluster

October 1, 2011

Scripture Reading:
Isaiah 62:6-65:25; Philippians 2:19-3:3;
Psalm 73:1-28; Proverbs 24:13-14

Isaiah 62:6-65:25

Don't you hate it when you go and buy a cluster of grapes and then you get them home only to realize that almost the whole bunch of the grapes is overripe?  They are mushy and useless.  More than likely, you don't throw out the whole cluster because mingled in the bad bunch of fruit are some good grapes.  Today's reading shows us that God's people are the same way.  The nation of Israel and the physical Church of Christ are clusters of bad grapes that have good grapes (a remnant) among them.  Only Jesus is able to pick out the good grapes from the bad.  He shows us this in the wheat and tares parable.

As chapter 62 ends, we see watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem looking for the Lord to come down and fulfill His promises about the city of Jerusalem.  When the roads are made smooth and the Savior comes, he will bring his reward with him. This is a vision of Jesus' second coming to earth.  This is the vision of when the nation of Israel will accept her Messiah. No longer will Jerusalem be a forsaken place.  It will be desirable.

Chapter 63 shows us a picture of Jesus as the one who is in Edom (representing the flesh and the world) and is among the world to judge the world.  He is covered in blood.  This is not his own blood from the cross.  This is the blood of the wicked on earth who have been killed in judgment.  his day of grace is with us right now upon the earth, but this prophecy shows us that the day of grace will end and will be followed by a terrible time of judgment on the earth.  We see in these verses that Jesus had to save the world and redeem it without anyone else's help.  He also has to judge the world and punish it without anyone else's help.  This is part of the story.  God accomplishes all of the work without our help. He will crush the ungodly nations and cause them to stagger.

Right after this description, we switch to the picture of Jesus being the gracious Savior to Israel. Verse 10 speaks of how Israel rebelled against her Savior and this is why he fought against them throughout history. But the same God who blessed Israel with deliverance through Moses will once again deliver his chosen people. Isaiah is projecting into the future during the Great Tribulation when Jesus is judging the world and the nation of Israel is crying out for her Savior to come to earth and deliver her as in the days of old.  It will take the tremendous trials of the Tribulation to bring about this universal cry for Christ to come.

Chapter 64 begins with this statement, "Oh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down!"  This is the voice of the people of Israel enduring suffering during the end times.  Christ came the first time as a baby to a people who would reject him.  The second time he comes to earth his people are crying out for him.  His coming is not missed by anyone on earth.  His deliverance is dramatic and sure. Ancient promises are about to be fulfilled. The people of Jerusalem are wondering when their punishment and suffering will end.

Chapter 65 begins with the Lord recognizing that the people who used to not seek him are now looking for him.  He states that he is here for them!  Then there is a recounting of why there was ever separation and punishment for the nation of Israel.  God recounts that they rebelled and sought other gods. They worshiped idols and did not seek God's face.  Here is where God compares the nation of Israel to a cluster of grapes.  He notes that there is a small remnant of good grapes within this bad cluster. Even though there are so many unfaithful Israelites, God promises to not destroy the whole nation of Israel.  He will save the believing remnant. He will choose who will serve him and live in the land in order to fulfill His promise to Abraham and to David. Those who have chosen to worship Fate and Destiny rather than God will be executed.

While the wicked are starving, God's servants will eat.  While the evil are thirsty, God's righteous ones will have their thirst satisfied.  Eventually, no one will remember the evil anymore.  Why?

Because God will create a new heaven and a new earth for those He has chosen and loved. We learn that the new heaven and earth are so wonderful that no one even remembers the old heaven and earth. There will be a New Jerusalem in this new creation. People will live forever.  Work will be prosperous.  Animals will not be part of the food chain, but will exist in harmony.  Sounds like paradise restored to me.

Are you encouraged by the image of the new heaven and the new earth?  Are you ready to inherit these blessings? Are you surprised at how God spells out the future for us?  Spoiler alert...

Philippians 2:19-3:3

Paul is sending both Timothy and Epaphroditus back to Philippi.  Timothy is Paul's spiritual son and great helper in his ministry.  Epaphroditus was mercifully saved from an illness that almost killed him.  Paul entreats the Philippians to ignore the false teachers who act as if circumcision is necessary for salvation.  He reminds them that human effort does not save, only the work of Jesus Christ can save a person.

Do you trust in your own good works to save you?

Psalm 73:1-28

The psalmist is honest in his prayer.  He realizes that he often envies the wealthy.  He has become bitter at their prosperity and his suffering.  He reminds himself of the truth.  God will destroy the wicked, but He will be a strength to those who trust Him.

Proverbs 24:13-14

Wisdom is like honey.  Sweet to the soul.  Wisdom is found in God alone.

What did you learn today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton