Saturday, December 20, 2014

MICAH 4-5:

Micah spends these two chapters forecasting the coming of Christ and the redemption of Israel.  

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace. (5:4-5)

REVELATION 11:

Two prophets then appear and begin prophesying to the people and God protects them and keeps them from harm.  When they finish their testimony the Antichrist appears and kills them.

...the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city...For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.  The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on earth. 

but after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them...And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. (11:7-12)

JOURNAL:

Obviously this scene from revelation, is much like the road to calvary.  Public opinion would say "game over".  God's anointed are dead, laying in the street for over 3 days. Starting to discolor and smell.  Relief that finally something stopped the internal torment people were experiencing.  Then it happens, God shows up in ways never expected. Turns the table, flips the script, changes the game.

It is hard to mesh the spiritual with the world. The reality is that only God can really do it.  So often I wish that God would change the world to fit my needs and wants.  The truth is that God only does that to serve his purposes, not my desires.  This text also is a warning to not let the world's definition of success be confused with God's.  Death on a cross or dead and rotting in the street would never have been deemed the greatest victory the world has ever known. Yet it is. Public opinion will never be the final authority.  The world's laws and victories will never be the final scoreboard.

I don't think this means that we reject society and try to usher in the Kingdom on our own.  That is a dangerous path that in essence attempts to usurp God.  I think we still have to serve and love in this world in ways that reflect our obedience to God, without making the world our God and master.  On my own, this is impossible, but with God it is just a "breath" away.

"God loves you! So do I! Make it a great day"