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Scripture reading for September 4th: Daniel 10-12

Daniel lived in Babylon until he was an old man.  He continued a life of prayer and from his relationship with God received prophetic visions.  Daniel won favor with man and with God by his faithfulness and simple trust.  The insight that he received about God’s plans from his day to the final judgment and resurrection are simply amazing.  Only God could have revealed them!

“At that time, Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise.  There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.  But at that time your people–everyone whose name is found written in the book–will be delivered.  Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:1-2)

Daniel was told of a conflict at the time of the end that would result in the greatest distress that God’s people had ever experienced.  The archangel Michael, assigned to Israel, would arise to do battle and protect God’s people.    Those whose names were written a certain book would be delivered from death and the distress of that terrible time.  There would only be two destinies: everlasting life or everlasting contempt!  God would resurrect even those who “slept in the dust”.  This talks about resurrection from the grave and is a clear picture of the end of time as described by Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:31-44) and John the Apostle in Revelation 20:11-15!

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end.  Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.” (Daniel 12:3-4)

Daniel was given encouragement by God for the righteous and wise.  Great glory awaited those who win souls and turn many to God’s righteous Son!  Daniel was told to seal the scroll and allow it’s message to be unsealed at the time of the end!  That time would be marked by much activity and increased knowledge on the earth.  John the Apostle, on the other hand, was told to not seal his revelation for the time was near!  (Revelation 22:10) What exciting times to be alive for those whose names are in His Book of Life!

Scripture reading for September 3rd: Daniel 7-9

Daniel was not only a distinguished man known for his character and hard work, he was also known for his ability to pray and understand God’s word.  Even after Daniel had been in Babylon for nearly 70 years, he was still studying the Scriptures.  (Daniel 9:1-3)  Jeremiah had written a letter that went to Jerusalem to the exiles right before the fall of Jerusalem.  In this letter, Jeremiah had told the exiles that God would bring them back to Jerusalem after 70 years.  (Jeremiah 29:10-14)  These scriptures encouraged those in captivity to call out to God for restoration!

Daniel then began to pray and call on the Lord.  Obedience to God’s word when we pray is powerful.  We know that God’s word is true and we can pray easily in faith.  Jeremiah had given the time of captivity and also promised God’s restoration.  Daniel began to confess sins and call on God for mercy. “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant.  For Your sake, O Lord, look with favor on Your desolate sanctuary.  Give ear, O God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your Name.  We do not make requests because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy.  O Lord, Listen! O Lord, Forgive!  Oh Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your Name.” (Daniel 9:17-19)

While Daniel was still praying, God sent the angel Gabriel  with an answer and insight.  Daniel was given the prophesy of the “70 weeks” decreeing the time line for God’s restoration program.  It went beyond just rebuilding the temple, however.  Gabriel told of the coming “Anointed One” and  told how this “Anointed One” would be cut off.  He told of bringing sin to an end and atoning for wickedness.  He told how everlasting righteousness would be established.  (Daniel 9:24-27)

Daniel’s word from Gabriel in answer to prayer is an amazing prophesy that has been much discussed over the years.  Some of it has been fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ, God’s “Anointed One” and Messiah.  Part of it will be fulfilled at the end of the age when Antichrist sets up the abomination in the temple.  Praise God for a man who knows how to pray and study Scripture!  Why not try it yourself?

Scripture reading for September 2nd: Daniel 4-6

Have you ever faced a pack of hungry lions?  How would you feel about being thrown to the lions for praying three times a day?  I admit that setting out to pray can bring on the lions who try to deter your focus, but Daniel had to actually endure a night in a den of hungry lions for simply praying to his God!

Daniel was a man of good character.  He was one of three government administrators who King Darius the Mede chose to watch over the affairs of conquered Babylon.  Daniel was known for his honesty and diligence.  He was so respected and favored, that Darius was planning to appoint him over all the others in the kingdom.  (Daniel 6:1-5)

Because the other administrators were jealous, they plotted to bring charges against Daniel to remove him from power.  They proposed a decree to the King to have thirty days where it would be a crime to pray or worship any other god but the King.   The penalty was being thrown into the lion’s den.  King Darius signed the order without thinking, and it was irrevocable.

Daniel knew about the decree, but went about his usual prayer business.  Three times a day he opened his upstairs windows and prayed towards Jerusalem.  The advisers knew of his practice and caught him praying.  They told the king, who was greatly distressed when he realized what he had done!  (Daniel 6:10-15)  He brought Daniel in and gave the order to have him thrown into the Lion’s den.  His final words were, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” (Daniel 6:16)

We all know how this story ended.  God did protect Daniel from the hungry lions and he was safely removed from the den the next morning.  Those who accused him were thrown in and devoured!  God was honored by King Darius and a decree was made to honor  Daniel’s God throughout the kingdom!  (Daniel 6:24-27)

The lesson for us is that it truly pays to live a godly life in a wicked land.  God uses our faithfulness and prayer to influence those around us.  He wants us to be faithful, even if it may take us to the lion’s den.  God promises to use our lives to bring glory to His name as we are faithful to Him!  Would you be convicted by the world for your faithfulness to pray?

Scripture reading for September 1st: Daniel 1-3

Daniel was a young and promising Israelite from Judah who was taken captive to Babylon.  He and his friends resolved not to defile themselves and to live for the Lord in Babylon.  God gave Daniel great wisdom and favor and the ability to interpret dreams and visions.  Daniel’s life shines as an example for believers today who live in a wicked culture.  Daniel’s insight into the dreams of the king of Babylon take us into prophesy and God’s plans for the world!

When King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him, he called all the royal advisers and asked them to tell him the dream along with it’s interpretation.  (Daniel 2:1-6)  He threatened them all with death if they could not do this, and promised reward if they could.  The royal advisers all told the king that he was being unreasonable, that only the gods could reveal such a thing.  The king ordered their execution.

Daniel discretely approached the commander of the king’s guard who was set to execute the wise men.  Daniel appealed to the king for more time to seek an answer and interpret the dream.  He and his friends sought the God of heaven for mercy for the wise men of Babylon and for themselves.  God was gracious and gave Daniel a vision in the night that brought the answer.  (Daniel 2:14-23)

Daniel shared the vision and answered the king’s request.  The king had seen a large statue with a head of pure gold, a chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, and legs and feet of iron and baked clay.  While he watched, a rock, not cut by human hands, struck the statue on the feet and it crumbled and blew away in the wind.  The rock became a huge mountain that filled the earth.  (Daniel 2:31-35)

Daniel went on to share the meaning.  These parts of the statue were great kingdoms of the earth.  The rock that struck the  statue was God’s power setting up an eternal kingdom who would overthrow all the powerful kingdoms of the earth.  This would take place in the future!  Nebuchadnezzar fell down and worshiped! “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.” (Daniel 2:47)  God alone can reveal mysteries to his humble people!

Scripture reading for August 31st: Ezekiel 44-48

Ezekiel’s description of the vision given by the man with the measuring line continues to the end of his writing.  Today’s portion describes the role of the priests and the operation of the rebuilt temple.  God is a God of order and He leaves detailed instructions with Ezekiel for the people who will one day go back to Israel and bring the restoration.  However, part of this vision goes beyond a rebuilt temple.

Ezekiel is shown a flow of water coming from the temple that brings amazing things to pass wherever it flows. (Ezekiel 47:1-12)  This flow originates under the threshold of the east gate of the temple.  The water flowed out away from the temple; the man with the measuring line went a thousand cubits and the water was ankle-deep.  After another thousand cubits, the water was knee-deep.  Going another thousand cubits, the water was waist-deep.  After the fourth thousand cubits, the water was so vast and deep that people could swim in it.

Along the bank of this river were a number of trees.  These trees would always be green and fruitful, bearing fruit every month.  They would serve as food and their leaves would bring healing.  In fact, everywhere that this river from the sanctuary went, abundant life would flourish.  Fish would teem in it’s waters and swarms of living creatures would be found near it.  Fishermen would come to catch the fish.  This was a special river that produced abundant life!

Jesus Christ spoke of a river flowing from the new temple that He would build.  “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”  By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.  Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” (John 7:37b-39)  The Holy Spirit brings us a river of God’s life that produces life within us.  We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to produce God’s life in us.  Wherever we go, we are to share that life.  We are to be fishers of men by sharing the love and life of God!  Allow that river to flow in you today!

Scripture reading for August 30th: Ezekiel 40-43

God had taken Ezekiel to Jerusalem in a vision and placed him on a mountain where he could watch.  A man or angel, took a measuring rod and began to measure the temple.  (Ezekiel 40:1-4)  Ezekiel was told to write down what he saw in this vision in order to tell the Israelites what was happening there.  Ezekiel was in Babylon with the captives at this time and the captivity had been going for 14 years.  He was to share this vision to give hope and encouragement to the captives of God’s promised restoration.

“Then the man brought me to the gate facing east, and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east.  His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with His glory.” (Ezekiel 43:1-2)  After the angelic man had finished measuring the temple and rooms, he brought Ezekiel to the east gate of the temple.  He then saw a vision of the glory of God coming back to the temple.  He had witnessed the glory leaving at the beginning of his ministry and wrote of that in Ezekiel 10:18-19.  As Ezekiel watched, the glory of the Lord entered the east gate of the temple and then the glory of the Lord filled the inner court of the temple.  Ezekiel was again overcome and fell facedown!  (Ezekiel 43:3-4)

The Lord spoke prophetically to Ezekiel about this event.  “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place for the soles of My feet.  This is the place where I will live among the Israelites forever.” (Ezekiel 43:7)  The temple in Jerusalem is a place chosen by God for His throne.  He has stated that it will be a dwelling place for eternity.  These words are true, even though we do not yet see them fulfilled.

Jesus Christ, a son of David came to the rebuilt temple and brought God’s glory back again to Israel.  He offered Himself for the sins of the world, including Israel.  He rose again from the dead and ascended to heaven on clouds of glory, promising to come again and set up His eternal kingdom in Jerusalem.  There He would rule and reign forever!    Ezekiel was being shown the ultimate purpose of the temple and he wrote it down to encourage us!  Praise the Lord!

Dear Friends,

Greetings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus Christ!  Jesus is Lord and He desires that all would know Him and receive His Father’s love and gift of eternal life.  He has promised eternal life to all who believe in Him.  (John 3:16)  Because of this wonderful love, we who believe respond by gathering on this first day of the week to celebrate our life in Him.  We gather to study and hear the word of God that brings us life and renewal.  Please don’t neglect gathering together today in a fellowship of believers!

Reflecting on the past week’s readings, I recalled Ezekiel’s instructions to be a watchman over God’s people.  God told him to warn the wicked man and try to dissuade him from his wicked ways.  (Ezekiel 33:7-9)  If Ezekiel failed to warn the  wicked person, God would hold him responsible for that man’s blood.  But if Ezekiel warned that man and the man failed to turn, then the man will die for his sin and Ezekiel would be free from responsibility.

Sin brings death.  We have the remedy and are called by God to share the Gospel with sinners.  If they listen and turn away from sin to Christ, they will be saved.  If they fail to listen, persist in sin, and die in it, they will die not once, but twice!  They will be separated from God at the Great White Throne judgment of Revelation 20:11-14.  If we fail to share with those who are sinners when we know the Gospel and enjoy it’s benefits, we are responsible!

As you gather today with God’s people, pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be a strong witness to this generation.  Take responsibility to repent of your sins as exposed by the preaching of the Word.  Take responsibility to share the Gospel with sinners in the coming week!  We have such good news; we can joyously share it!

In His Love,

Pastor John

Scripture reading for August 28th: Ezekiel 37-39

Ezekiel’s prophesies contain a phrase used many times: “Then they will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 38:23b)  God wants all nations to know Him, for all peoples are made in His image and likeness.  Sin has caused all people of every nation to forget God and become darkened in their understanding of God.  But God is sovereign over all nations and has promised to use Israel to reveal His power and love to all other nations.

God took Ezekiel in the Spirit to the middle of a valley full of dry bones.  He asked Ezekiel if he thought that the dry bones could live.  Ezekiel responded that only God knew about that.  God then told him to prophesy to the bones and tell them to hear God’s word: “I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.  I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life.  Then you will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 37:4-6)  Ezekiel obeyed God, and as he began to speak to them, a great noise brought the dry bones together and flesh appeared on them.

God next told him to speak to the winds to blow on the bones.  As Ezekiel spoke, breath entered the bodies and they stood up, a mighty army.  God told Ezekiel that these represented Israel and that God would bring them hope and restoration through faith in His prophetic word.  The wind represented God’s Spirit and power that would bring it to pass.  The restoration of Israel to the land would help Israel and all nations to know that God was the Lord of heaven and earth!  (Ezekiel 37:11-14)

As we look back across history, we see that God was true to His word and did resurrect Israel by His power.  He resurrected them from the valley of dry bones and brought them back to Israel.   He brought a son of David, Jesus Christ, out of Israel who brought the true knowledge of God.  God raised Him from death, according to His word!  His plan has always been that through His mighty power through resurrection from death He would proclaim His greatness to the whole world!  Let’s make His greatness known by speaking to dry bones!

Scripture reading for August 27th: Ezekiel 33-36

I noticed that Ezekiel  mentioned the garden of Eden in a number of passages.  He seemed to be attracted to that beautiful Garden and the state of man walking with God in peace and harmony.  “This is what the Sovereign Lord says; On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt.  The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it.  They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited. “” (Ezekiel 36:33-35)

In the case of Jerusalem and the destroyed towns of Israel, God told Israel that He would resettle them in the towns and restore what was destroyed.  The cultivated land that was overgrown with weeds would be restored to productivity.  In fact, those who saw the restoration would liken it to the “garden of Eden”.  By the way “Eden” means “delights”.

In the case of man’s broken relationship with God,  He also has a plan of restoration to the state of delights.  It is given in Ezekiel 36:26-27, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws.” This is the new covenant that God promised for His people and fulfilled through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit from our Father. We have the rubble of a stony heart removed by God’s surgery when we turn to Him in humble repentance.  He gives us a new heart and the Holy Spirit to move us to keep His word and follow His ways.  We have our fellowship with God restored and are filled with joy and delight to know God again!  Instead of the garden of Eden, we are now looking for Jesus Christ who will take us to a beautiful place prepared just for us!  There will be complete restoration, even better than the garden of Eden!  Are you ready?

Scripture reading for August 26th: Ezekiel 29-32

Ezekiel’s next assignment was to speak a prophetic word and lament over Egypt and Pharaoh.  Egypt was a powerful country that for years had influence on Israel.  God used them earlier to preserve His people during a time of famine.  He sent Joseph there to help Egypt to manage resources and save lives.  God then brought His people out of Egypt after their appointed time there.  He judged the nation for their idolatry, but  Egypt continued to hold attraction for God’s people.  Some of the idolatry had come with them out of Egypt and their hearts often turned toward Egypt.

“You have been a staff of reed for the house of Israel.  When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched.” (Ezekiel 29:6-7) God was not pleased that His people would turn to Egypt instead of Him.  Egypt is a picture of the flesh and humanistic power of man without God.  When God’s people depend on Egypt, nothing good ever comes of it.

God was going to again judge Egypt and warned them with Ezekiel’s prophetic word and lament.  They claimed ownership of the Nile and were filled with pride in their power and influence.  God was going to bring them down to ruin and allow their cities to lie in ruins for forty years.  He would then bring the Egyptians back and allow them to have the land of their ancestry back.  They would be a humbled people and lowly kingdom from then on.  (Ezekiel 29:12-16)  God was removing Egypt as a source of confidence for the Israelites and the judgment would be a reminder of the sin of trusting in Egypt for help.

Another interesting reason for the fall of Egypt was the payment of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon for doing God’s will!  God used Nebuchadnezzar to punish Tyre and Egypt.  When he went against Tyre, he did not get much spoil and it took resources.  However, the riches of Egypt were given to him by God as payment for his services!  (Ezekiel 29:17-20)  God is truly sovereign and does what He will with nations and wealth.  What an interesting passage that gives us insight into God’s ways in using even heathen nations for His purposes!  Remember He judged Babylon too, for their own sins!