Friday, December 26, 2014

ZECHARIAH 1-3:

520-518 B.C. He prophesied during the time immediately after the rebuilding of the temple had been halted and then restarted in 521.  His prophesies were encouraging the people to build as well as predicting the coming of the Messiah.  He predicted more about the Messiah than any other prophet other than Isaiah.

Chapters 1-3 are several visions concerning the coming peace of the Kingdom as well as a vision of Joshua the High Priest and a command:

"If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here...

I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua!...I will remove the sin of this land in a single day. In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree, declares the Lord Almighty."(3:6-10) 

REVELATION 17:

Very disturbing chapter as it describes a city represented as a prostitute sitting on a scarlet beast that is covered in blasphemous names.  She holds a golden cup filled with abominable things and all her adulteries.  Written on her head is the following:

MYSTERY

BABYLON THE GREAT

THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES

AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF 

THE EARTH

The woman is "drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus"

John is astonished and the Angel then explains the meaning of it all...in his descriptions he does give the ultimate hope.

They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings - and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers. 

JOURNAL:

Two days ago on Christmas eve, I had an overwhelming thought...the same God of the prophets, that brought the Israelites out of Egypt, that has seen the entire history of the world from creation to this very moment, is available always and desires relationship with me.  I thought about him walking millions of followers through their lives, from riches to poor, from those in foxholes to those sitting on thrones.  It is the same God.  All different lives, in all vastly different circumstances, yet still the same God.  

Who am I to worry? Why should I question? Also why does my life matter?  That takes me to countless scriptures but also a poem that keeps popping into my head...

Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,

Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,

Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)

Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,

Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,

Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,

The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?

                                       Answer.

That you are here—that life exists and identity,

That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

Walt Whitman

Each life, each moment, each day matters because God created it, allowed it and therefore has blessed it. We get to contribute a verse...although it is a commercial for Apple the following is such a powerful visual...

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