Psalm 107

WEEK 17                                             Psalm 107

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

The Psalm repeats that those who go astray are rescued when they cry to the Lord. On the other side, it also sings those who are blessed but turn away will be made low. What is mentioned more is God's redemption than his judgment and when we look at the Bible that is always the case. If you're wise consider what God has done and His great love; thus ends Psalm 107. 



Psa 107:1-43
(1)  O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
(2)  Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
(3)  And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
(4)  They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
(5)  Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
(6)  Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
(7)  And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
(8)  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
(9)  For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
(10)  Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
(11)  Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
(12)  Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
(13)  Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
(14)  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
(15)  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
(16)  For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
(17)  Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
(18)  Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
(19)  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
(20)  He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
(21)  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
(22)  And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
(23)  They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
(24)  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
(25)  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
(26)  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
(27)  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.
(28)  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
(29)  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
(30)  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
(31)  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
(32)  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
(33)  He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;
(34)  A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
(35)  He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.
(36)  And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
(37)  And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.
(38)  He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
(39)  Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
(40)  He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
(41)  Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.
(42)  The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
(43)  Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

Zechariah 1

WEEK  17                                             Zachariah 1

TUESDAY  Reflections

The book of Zechariah begins as the seventy years of captivity come to an end. Zechariah along with Haggai preach that it is time to return to God and rebuild His temple. There is also a lot of prophetic imagery pointing to the coming messiah.

 

God comes to Zechariah with some strange night visions (dreams). As in the past, God is using dreams to give a message. Even today some people are inspired and warned by dreams. Even today, I woke up from a dream that I believe could turn into a story or book (The Gift and the End of the World). However, though this might inspire an actual book I doubt it was divinely inspired. God said in Joel 2:28 that He would speak through dreams and visions in the last days so I'm not going to say God doesn’t speak in dreams. God does use them, however, Scriptures themselves say to test the spirit to see if they come from God (1 John 4:1). If a dream or vision doesn't line up with God's character or His scriptures dismiss it as false or too much guacamole before bedtime.

 

Zechariah's dreams and visions, though strange, deliver a message for Israel and to us. As the book begins God promises mercy for Jerusalem.

I suggest looking at this for a greater picture of the book. Zechariah Bible Project Video -- https://youtu.be/_106IfO6Kc0

Zec 1:1-21
(1)  In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
(2)  The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers.
(3)  Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.
(4)  Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.
(5)  Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?
(6)  But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.
(7)  Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
(8)  I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.
(9)  Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.
(10)  And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.
(11)  And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
(12)  Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?
(13)  And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.
(14)  So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
(15)  And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
(16)  Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
(17)  Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
(18)  Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.
(19)  And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.
(20)  And the LORD shewed me four carpenters.
(21)  Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.

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Ezra 5

WEEK  17                                            Ezra 5

MONDAY  Reflections

Under the inspiration of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the Jews began rebuilding the temple again. This is one of the few times when the leaders and the people obeyed the prophets. The opposition to the temple hadn't ended but with a new king on the throne and the prophets telling them it was time, they returned to the task. The prophets didn’t just preach, they assisted in the rebuilding.

 

There seem to be new leaders of the Trans-Euphrates region, also. These leaders sent a letter to the new king, Darius, requesting that a search be made to see if what the Jews claimed was true. In the meantime, the building continued.

Ezr 5:1-17
(1)  Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.
(2)  Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.
(3)  At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?
(4)  Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?
(5)  But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.
(6)  The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king:
(7)  They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.
(8)  Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.
(9)  Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?
(10)  We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.
(11)  And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.
(12)  But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.
(13)  But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.
(14)  And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;
(15)  And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.
(16)  Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.
(17)  Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

Ezekiel 22 No Stopping This

WEEK  16                                            Ezekiel 22

SATURDAY  Reflections

In the second-to-last verse, God tells Ezekiel he is looking for a man to stand in the gap for Israel. God is looking for someone to stop the bad things from entering the city, but there isn't anyone. Yes, Jeremiah and a few righteous are around, but they have fled the city. Now, God says there isn't anyone who can stand before God and stop what is coming. 

This isn't because these people aren't praying hard enough for Jerusalem. If we look at Jeremiah 15:1, God told Jeremiah that if Moses and Samuel (great examples of intercessors) would pray for Israel, it wouldn't stop what is coming. The problem isn't that no one is willing to pray, but the sin of Israel is so great, and no one is trying to stop it, not the leaders or the people. The sins of Israel, as Ezekiel repeated before, were so great, I believe, that for God to ignore them would be against his very character as a good and righteous God. 

There are some who take this verse as a promise. If you pray, God has to stop his judgment or save some person; this isn't what it is teaching. It is teaching the very opposite. There are times when no amount of prayer can stop what is coming.

Eze 22:1-31
(1)  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
(2)  Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations.
(3)  Then say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD, The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against herself to defile herself.
(4)  Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and hast defiled thyself in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries.
(5)  Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, shall mock thee, which art infamous and much vexed.
(6)  Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood.
(7)  In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.
(8)  Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths.
(9)  In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness.
(10)  In thee have they discovered their fathers' nakedness: in thee have they humbled her that was set apart for pollution.
(11)  And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour's wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father's daughter.
(12)  In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.
(13)  Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.
(14)  Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the LORD have spoken it, and will do it.
(15)  And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee.
(16)  And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thyself in the sight of the heathen, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
(17)  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
(18)  Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.
(19)  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye are all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
(20)  As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you.
(21)  Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof.
(22)  As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my fury upon you.
(23)  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
(24)  Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation.
(25)  There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.
(26)  Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
(27)  Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
(28)  And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.
(29)  The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.
(30)  And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
(31)  Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.

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Haggai 2

WEEK  16                                             Haggai 2

FRIDAY  Reflections

Here in the last half of Haggai, the question is asked: if something clean is touched by something unclean, is the clean thing still clean (verse 13: the answer is no).

 

Haggai uses this to show that when people who are unclean or impure try to participate in something pure, it makes it unclean. This is the idea that if you add bad ingredients, then the result is something unpleasant.

 

Haggai calls the people to first cleanse their hearts so the work they are doing will be pure.

 

This is seen in real life. Great projects or plans are set in place to help people, but since those in charge are corrupt, the work becomes corrupt. An example is tax breaks or tax money given to do good, but later, when examined, self-centered motivations are exposed.

 

It has been said, “Only one life and soon it will pass. Only what is done for Christ will last.” I would add only what is done in Christ, because, like the temple, if the work is done in our strength and our sin, it will fail. However, if it is done in Jesus, then, like Him, it will endure forever. 

 Hag 2:1-23
(1)  In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying,
(2)  Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,
(3)  Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?
(4)  Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts:
(5)  According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.
(6)  For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
(7)  And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
(8)  The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
(9)  The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.
(10)  In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,
(11)  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
(12)  If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.
(13)  Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.
(14)  Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.
(15)  And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD:
(16)  Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.
(17)  I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.
(18)  Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD'S temple was laid, consider it.
(19)  Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.
(20)  And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,
(21)  Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;
(22)  And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.
(23)  In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.

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