Joel 1

WEEK  21                                             Joel 1

TUESDAY  Reflections

I have never appreciated the spiritual leader who got up and points their finger at everyone declaring fire and brimstone because society has gone wrong. My guess is they suspect they ought to be repenting first.

 

Some of the “warning signs” of judgment proclaimed by preachers aren’t really warning signs. They are just natural phenomenon. Yes, hurricanes actually form on their own. They aren't all God's judgment if any today are. All this being said, there are times when what is happening is a result of sin. Sometimes, it is that our chickens are coming home to roost.

 

Most people don’t like these words. They don’t want to hear the words Joel is saying: “Put on sackcloth, you priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God. Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.” Joel 1:13-14

 

Yes, this can have the feel of a message to the nation as it was in Joel’s time. However, I want us not to look out at others but to look into our own lives. What are we doing? Is this my fault in some way? Do I need to confess and repent? Not just when things are going wrong, but all of the time. Ask yourself, Am I living as Jesus would have me live? If you aren’t, then repent and do what is right.

 

Whatever the reason, when bad things happen we do need to cry out to the Lord.

Joe 1:1-20
(1)  The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
(2)  Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
(3)  Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
(4)  That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.
(5)  Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
(6)  For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
(7)  He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.
(8)  Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
(9)  The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD'S ministers, mourn.
(10)  The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
(11)  Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
(12)  The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
(13)  Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
(14)  Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,
(15)  Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
(16)  Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
(17)  The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.
(18)  How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
(19)  O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
(20)  The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.

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2 Kings 6

WEEK 21                                        2 Kings 6

MONDAY  Reflections

Syria has been raiding Israel but they are thwarted by God's prophet, Elisha. The line about there being more with us than with the enemy is a classic scripture used in preaching and rightly so. However, I want to look at what happens after the enemy is captured. God delivers the Syrian army into the hand of Israel. The enemy is defenseless, so what does Elijah tell them to do? He tells Israel to feed them. Feed the people who have been attacking Israel? What was the result of God's humiliation of the enemy and this act of kindness? The raids end. Feeding your enemy wasn't the way wars were won, but this is how God won this conflict. Yes, other battles came but the raids ended.  


  2Ki 6:1-33
(1)  And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.
(2)  Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.
(3)  And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.
(4)  So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.
(5)  But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
(6)  And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
(7)  Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.
(8)  Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
(9)  And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
(10)  And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
(11)  Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?
(12)  And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.
(13)  And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
(14)  Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
(15)  And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
(16)  And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
(17)  And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
(18)  And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
(19)  And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
(20)  And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
(21)  And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
(22)  And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
(23)  And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
(24)  And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
(25)  And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
(26)  And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
(27)  And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?
(28)  And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.
(29)  So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.
(30)  And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
(31)  Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
(32)  But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
(33)  And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?

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Ezekiel 1

NOT what Ezekiel saw, not even close.

WEEK  20                                          Ezekiel 1

SATURDAY  Reflections

There is much argument about what the living creatures Ezekiel describes mean. I do believe there is much symbolism in their design, but I also believe that Ezekiel actually saw them. Some may say they are impossible, but have you ever seen a duck-billed platypus? God isn't against creating what we might think as strange or impossible. As fascinating as these may be, I want to look more at the man and the time of Ezekiel's call.

 

Ezekiel was five years in captivity. Judah had been conquered, but Jerusalem had not fallen. Ezekiel is a priest without a temple. Which is kind of like a butcher in a vegetable garden. Yet God is calling him by sending him the vision of these incredible beings. As callings go, Ezekiel's is one of the most bizarre. Others just got a word from God in their hearts; Ezekiel was getting something far more. Considering the things God was going to ask Ezekiel to do, his calling actually makes sense.

 

Perhaps this is a reminder to those who want to see the amazing: Do you want the job that goes with it? Maybe not. As it is, Ezekiel is a prophet to the people of God outside of the nation of Judah. 

Eze 1:1-28
(1)  Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
(2)  In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,
(3)  The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.
(4)  And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
(5)  Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
(6)  And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
(7)  And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.
(8)  And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
(9)  Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
(10)  As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
(11)  Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
(12)  And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
(13)  As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
(14)  And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
(15)  Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
(16)  The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
(17)  When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
(18)  As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.
(19)  And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
(20)  Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
(21)  When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
(22)  And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.
(23)  And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.
(24)  And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.
(25)  And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
(26)  And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
(27)  And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
(28)  As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

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Amos 9

WEEK  20                                                Amos 9

FRIDAY  Reflections

As much as I have heard in the past about how mean and vengeful God was in the Old Testament, I have been thrilled to see in the actual studying of the Old Testament, how untrue that idea is. God is so, so patient in the Old Testament. He is constantly working to save a rebellious and obstinate people. Again and again, he works to save those who would trust him.

 

As Amos ends, God is again talking about judging everyone who has been in rebellion, but then everything changes. God's tone changes to one of love and a promise of restoration. Amos ends in hope. God's final word isn't judgment, it is hope. 

Amo 9:1-15
(1)  I saw the Lord standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.
(2)  Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:
(3)  And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:
(4)  And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.
(5)  And the Lord GOD of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.
(6)  It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name.
(7)  Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the LORD. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?
(8)  Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the LORD.
(9)  For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.
(10)  All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.
(11)  In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
(12)  That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.
(13)  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.
(14)  And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
(15)  And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

Matthew 20

WEEK   20                                           Matthew 20

THURSDAY  Reflections

God isn't fair by human standards and I'm okay with that (most of the time). The parable of the vineyard workers points out how people judge God's generosity and mercy with unkindness. People get angry at God because someone who seems to have gotten an unfair advantage or didn't work as hard as they did. When we get this way, we lose out on God's blessings. If the workers really cared about their fellow workers they should have been glad to see these people get paid a day's wage and now able to meet the needs of their families. The problem was they were focused on themselves and not on the welfare of others or the goodness of the master.

 

I tie this scripture to Paul's admonition to rejoice with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15). Our focus needs to be on God's goodness, mercy, and faithfulness not on our wants. Can you rejoice when someone else is blessed and you aren't? If not you need to grow in Christ.

Mat 20:1-34
(1)  For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
(2)  And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
(3)  And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
(4)  And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
(5)  Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
(6)  And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
(7)  They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
(8)  So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
(9)  And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
(10)  But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
(11)  And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
(12)  Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
(13)  But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
(14)  Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
(15)  Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
(16)  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
(17)  And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
(18)  Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
(19)  And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
(20)  Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
(21)  And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
(22)  But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
(23)  And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
(24)  And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
(25)  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
(26)  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
(27)  And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
(28)  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
(29)  And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
(30)  And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
(31)  And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
(32)  And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
(33)  They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
(34)  So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

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