Micah 5

WEEK 10                                              Micah 5

TUESDAY  Reflections

This chapter contains the promise that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. This is scripture the leaders of the Jews referred to when Herod asked them where the king would be born. It was also why some didn't originally believe Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus came from Nazareth, and thus they assumed he was born there. Many interpreted this scripture as a military leader, which wasn't Jesus' mission on his first coming; some had trouble accepting Jesus as the messiah. 

 

What got people in trouble is they assumed they understood what God was doing perfectly from the prophecy. God was and is going to fulfill all of the prophecies, but not as they thought. This, to me, is a warning when we come to the final book of the Bible; Revelation. We should concern ourselves with what we know is being taught rather than what we think might happen.

Mic 5:1-15
(1)  Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
(2)  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
(3)  Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
(4)  And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
(5)  And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
(6)  And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.
(7)  And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.
(8)  And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.
(9)  Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.
(10)  And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:
(11)  And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:
(12)  And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:
(13)  Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.
(14)  And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.
(15)  And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.

Photo by Sven Scheuermeier on Unsplash

2 Kings 20

WEEK   10                                       2 Kings 20

MONDAY  Reflections

We discussed Hezekiah's attitude about the future of the kingdom in Isaiah, so I want to look at the miracle. God didn't just remove Hezekiah's boil; God told Isaiah how to make what we would call medicine to treat it. For some, this may seem like a small detail, but I believe it is a reminder that God uses medical treatments to cure. God gave Isaiah the knowledge of what to do. Today, God gives doctors and researchers knowledge which leads to cures.

 

If you're sick, it isn't a lack of faith if you go to the doctor. It is a lack of faith if you are trusting only the doctor and not God. God uses medicine! It is presumptuous to demand God heal in the way you want Him to when He has provided a way to be healed.  

2Ki 20:1-21
(1)  In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
(2)  Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying,
(3)  I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
(4)  And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
(5)  Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
(6)  And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
(7)  And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.
(8)  And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?
(9)  And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?
(10)  And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.
(11)  And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.
(12)  At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
(13)  And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
(14)  Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.
(15)  And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.
(16)  And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.
(17)  Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
(18)  And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
(19)  Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?
(20)  And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
(21)  And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

Ezekiel 15

WEEK  9                                              Ezekiel 15

SATURDAY  Reflections

Vines are of little use to make furniture or any real wood product. If the vine produces no fruit, then there really isn't any use for them but to be thrown into the fire. Jesus refers to this imagery in John 15. Here, God is telling the people of Jerusalem they are just as unfruitful and therefore worthless. As a person carelessly throws vines into the fire, so Jerusalem will feel like it is thrown into judgment.  Whose fault is this? The people who chose to disobey God. 

Eze 15:1-8
(1)  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
(2)  Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
(3)  Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
(4)  Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?
(5)  Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?
(6)  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
(7)  And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them.
(8)  And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.

Photo by Siim Lukka on Unsplash

Micah 4

WEEK  9                                            Micah 4

FRIDAY  Reflections

Here is a great picture of God's redemptive work. God will bring not just the children of Abraham but others into His kingdom. What is the path to this? Captivity! Yes, Micah claims that God's way to bring His deliverance is through Babylon, a heathen country, the land of their enemies. God is not going to leave them there; this is just part of the path God has chosen. 

 

We at times must go through our versions of Babylon. Like Israel, this isn't where God wants us to stay, but it is where we must travel to become all God wants us to be. The path God wants us to take to victory often must go through the land of the enemy. Don't be discouraged; God will do what is needed. 

Mic 4:1-13
(1)  But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.
(2)  And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
(3)  And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
(4)  But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.
(5)  For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.
(6)  In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;
(7)  And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.
(8)  And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.
(9)  Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.
(10)  Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.
(11)  Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.
(12)  But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.
(13)  Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.

Photo by Robert Bye on Unsplash Pictures in my blog have some connection with the topic or the chapter, some are clearer than others. Here I see enemy land are as dangerous as entering a field of land mines.  

2 Corinthians 5

WEEK  9                                        2 Corinthians 5

THURSDAY  Reflections

We are all going to die, but Christians have something better coming. When we die, we go to be with God. We will all be judged. Christians will be judged for our actions (not salvation). The judgment of God causes Paul to persuade people to come to Jesus. We are new creatures in Christ. We have a new life because Jesus took on our sins and paid for them. Jesus never sinned. All these truths and more are found in this chapter.

 

For me, the promise that when our life is over we go to be with God gives comfort. This isn't an escape I'm looking for, but the gift I know is coming. There is more than just this world, and this gives me hope. Paul's teachings are one of the reasons I do not believe in soul sleep. 

What is God teaching you today?

2Co 5:1-21
(1)  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
(2)  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
(3)  If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
(4)  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
(5)  Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
(6)  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
(7)  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
(8)  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
(9)  Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
(10)  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
(11)  Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
(12)  For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.
(13)  For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
(14)  For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
(15)  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
(16)  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
(17)  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
(18)  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
(19)  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
(20)  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
(21)  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Photo by Alex Blăjan on Unsplash