It Is Written
Today’s Passage –Matthew 1 – 4 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 21 – 25; Proverbs 5)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Isaiah 51:11
“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” – (Matthew 4:4)
“Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” – (Matthew 4:7)
“Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” – (Matthew 4:10)
In our reading passage today in chapter 4, we have the account of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness. The devil made three attempts here to get Jesus to yield to his will, but Jesus stood strong through all that the devil threw at him. Jesus proved that He is Who He claimed to be by resisting the devil. Theologians have argued through the years about whether this was a genuine temptation. In other words, they say that since Jesus is God He cannot be tempted. I guess that is true, but it didn’t stop Satan from making the attempt. I once heard an analogy that illustrates this point pretty well: it is possible for a rowboat to attack a naval fleet; the attack would be real, but the probability of success is not very great. Satan’s attempt to seduce Jesus was real, but because Jesus is the omnipotent God, Satan could not possibly win. Consider what God said through the writer to the Hebrews:
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” – (Hebrews 4:15)
The thing that I find very interesting about this account is that Jesus quoted from the Word of God each time that He was tempted by the devil. Now I hasten to say that everything that came from the mouth of Jesus was the Word of God, because He is God. However, in our passage, Jesus quotes from something He previously said in the Old Testament: something that was already recorded in the Scripture. I believe the main reason that Jesus did this was because He was giving us the formula; the secret to resisting temptation, which is memorizing and quoting Scripture. Consider these verses:
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also makea way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” – (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Notice the phrase, “a way to escape”. God’s way to escape is quoting Scripture. And you cannot quote Scripture unless you have it in your heart:
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” – (Psalm 119:11)
This is why it is absolutely critical for us to be in the Word of God all of the time. We need to saturate our minds with the Scripture through our daily reading, writing, studying, meditation, and memorization of the Bible. We are now even learning how to sing the Scripture (see Scripture Memory Songs), which also helps us to keep God’s Word in our heart and mind.
The sad truth, however, is that most believers do not know enough Scripture to resist the devil’s tempation. What a shame. There is no excuse for it. I believe that this is one of the greatest needs for the people of our church today. We need to strengthened and fortified by the Word of God so that when the flesh, the world, or the devil try to get us to yield, we can stay inside the perfect will of God.
One final thought. You will notice from this passage that Satan also said, “It is written”, but it is important to note that while Satan “quoted” the Scripture, he conveniently left out part of the O.T. verse. He is still using that same method today by re-writing the Word of God in all of these modern versions. He changes words, and leaves out words as it suits his purposes. Stick with the old King James!
Posted in Thoughts from Matthew by Phil Erickson with 4 comments.
What A Day That Will Be
Today’s Passage – Zechariah 10 – 14 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 11 – 15; Proverbs 3)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 34:1 – 4
Read the “1003 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from Zechariah 14 – “Touchdown!”
“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” – (Zechariah 12:10)
“In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” – (Zechariah 13:1)
“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:” – (Romans 11:25-26)
The Bible makes it very clear in the Book of Romans that Israel, as a nation, is right now blind to the Truth of the gospel. They just can’t see that Jesus was and is their Messiah. This does not mean that there will not be individual Jews that will trust Christ as Saviour, but as a whole they have been blinded because they rejected Christ when He first came to them:
“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” – (John 1:11)
There is coming a day, however, when the blindness of Israel will be taken away, and they will be able to recognize “me whom they have pieced”. The verse goes on to say that they will mourn, “as one mourneth for his only son”. In chapter Zechariah 13:1, the Scripture goes on to say, “in that day there shall be a fountain opened … for sin and for uncleanness”. The day referred to in this verse is the same day that Israel looks upon and mourns for the One whom they pierced. Cleansing for sin only comes after we recognize our sin, and our rejection of the Saviour.
This is the exact same process that God uses to cleanse us from our sins today. God opens our eyes so that we can see the one whom we have pierced, because it is our sin that put Him on that cross. When we see our sinful condition, and realize that Jesus took all of that sin upon Him on the cross, our eyes begin to open; and when our eyes open, so does that fountain of cleansing that removes the stain of our sin from us. What an awesome God we serve!
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Posted in Thoughts from Zechariah by Phil Erickson with 5 comments.
We Will Go With You
Today’s Passage – Zechariah 6 – 9 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 6 – 10; Proverbs 2)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 25
Read the “1002 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.” (Zechariah 8:21-23)
Throughout the Book of Zechariah, God tells us what life will be like during the Millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ on the earth. This will certainly be a wonderful time for people to live on the earth. The Bible tells us, “…the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof“ (Zechariah 8:5). It goes on to say, “And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness“ (Zechariah 8:8). God will be “running the show” here on the earth, and the people will be thrilled to have him ruling in righteousness.
In vs. 21 – 23 of chapter eight, there is a phrase that grabbed my attention: “ten men…shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.“ The people of the surrounding nations will be so impressed with the relationship that the Jews have with their God that they will ask to join them as they go to the House of God. Wouldn’t it be awesome if the people that we know today could look into our lives and clearly see the blessings which result from the relationship that we have with our Lord, and say to us, “I want to go with you to church, because I can see the Lord is with you, and He has made a wonderful difference in your life?” Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God’s people today exuded the love, joy, and peace that comes from a life filled with the Spirit of God? Maybe the reason that we are not attracting too many people to desire a relationship with the Lord is because they cannot see the difference that the Lord has made.
By the way, I am not saying that all we need to do is live before our neighbors. We still need to speak the truth to the people around us. Notice v. 16
“These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:” (Zechariah 8:16)
The truth is that people need to hear the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ from our mouths, but they also need to see the love, joy, and peace that come from the relationship that we have with Him.
Posted in Thoughts from Zechariah by Phil Erickson with 4 comments.
The Apple of His Eye
Today’s Passage – Zechariah 1 – 5 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Psalms 1 – 5; Proverbs 1)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 19
Read the “1001 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.” – (Zechariah 2:8)
Background Information on Zechariah
Zechariah was the son of Berechiah, and the grandson of Iddo. His name means, “whom Jehovah remembers”. In fact, there is an interesting note regarding the names of his father and grandfather. Berechiah means “Jehovah will bless”; and Iddo means “the appointed time”. Putting the three names from v. 1 together we get Jehovah has not forgotten, and He will bless, in the appointed time.
He was much younger than Haggai (2:4) but wrote at least the first eight chapters of the Book at the same time of Haggai’s ministry. (1:1, 7; 7:1) Zechariah is very prophetic and visionary whereas Haggai was more historical and extremely practical, which makes them a great team for ministering to God’s people. Ezra refers to both Haggai and Zechariah as encouraging the people of God in the rebuilding of the temple:
“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.” (Ezra 5:1)
“And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.” (Ezra 6:14)
Zechariah is apocalyptic in nature, like Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation. It has an historic interlude in the middle (chapters 7 – 8), which makes it like Isaiah. This is the longest of all the Minor Prophets and is thought by many to be the most difficult to grasp. Zechariah writes more about Christ than any of the other Minor Prophets. Only Isaiah has more Messianic prophecies than Zechariah.
Prophecies concerning His first coming include Zechariah 3:8; 9:9, 16; 11:11–13; 12:10; 13:1, 6; and prophecies to be fulfilled at His second coming include 6:12; 14:1–21.[1]
The Purpose of the Book is Fourfold:
- To bring about spiritual revival. Haggai was more concerned with the outward work of re-building the temple, but Zechariah goes straight to the heart.
- To inspire and encourage the re-building of the temple.
- To comfort and console a people that had been severely chastised by God.
- To prophesy of the coming Messiah.
The Book is broken up into three main sections:
- Ten Visions (Chapters 1 – 6)
- Four Messages (Chapters 7 – 8)
- Two Burdens (Chapters 9 – 14)
Thought for Today
In Zechariah 2, God is reminding us that He will someday make Jerusalem and all of Israel the very center of His eartly Kingdom. When Christ returns, He will reign on earth for 1000 years and “will dwell in the midst of [Jerusalem]” (v 11). In the middle of this passage God refers to the nations that have attacked Israel through the years, and describes His anger toward them. He says that they have “touched the apple of his eye.” The word, “apple,” is literally talking about the pupil of the eye. God is saying that his focus or attention is on His children, the people of Israel. We still use this phrase today to describe people who we love dearly. God was making it clear that he loved Israel and His people that live there.
As a New Testament Christian, I know that God also loves me dearly. There is nothing about me that is loveable, yet because of the relationship that I have with Him through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, He loves me anyway. I am His child and He is my Father. I am not always an obedient child, and I don’t always love Him as I should, but I am still the apple of His eye. Amazing. I understand a little how He feels because I have children of my own. They are not always obedient either but I cannot stop loving them. Think about the way a mother watches over her children. She might be busy doing something, or in the middle of a conversation with somebody, but she is always looking out to see what her children are doing, making sure they are safe.
Another application that we can take away from this passage is that since God loves Israel, we ought also to love Israel; and since God loves other Christians, so should we. I may be the apple of His eye but I am not the only apple He has His eye on.
[1] Ryrie, C. C. (1994). Ryrie study Bible: King James Version (Expanded ed., p. 1363). Chicago: Moody Press.
Posted in Thoughts from Zechariah by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
A Bag With Holes
Today’s Passage – Haggai 1 – 2 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Revelation 21 – 22; Psalms 146 – 150; Proverbs 30 – 31)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 18:3 & 46
Read the “0930 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. …Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.” (Haggai 1:6 & 9)
Haggai was writing to the children of Israel that had returned to the land after their time spent in captivity in the land of Babylon, and later Persia. Upon returning, they had done well for a while: they immediately began to re-build the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem. However, after some opposition came along (and it always does), they put aside the building of God’s house and began working on their own houses and farms, etc. The problem was that God was not blessing them in their work. In many respects they were spinning their wheels. They were working hard, but God wasn’t helping them, simply because they were no longer putting the Lord first in their lives.
I see a lot of parallels from this passage with Christians today. There has never been a time in the history of America when we are as busy as we are now. Many families have both husband and wife working with some folks working two and three jobs. It is very common to hear people say that they would like to attend all of the church services, but they always have to work. After all, they have to take care of their families, don’t they? Now, I understand that people need to work. Work is good. The Bible says that men need to work in order to eat, but when our work replaces God or seriously interferes with our worship of Him, something is wrong. And I wonder if God isn’t doing to us what he did to those Israelites of old who had misplaced priorities. Do you miss church regularly due to work? I’m not saying it is always wrong, but you have to ask yourself and the Lord if your missing services is OK with Him.
The same could be said about our giving. We would like to give but money is tight. We justify our lack of giving due to the fact that we need to care for our families. But did you ever think that by taking matters into your own hands you are forsaking God and removing His blessing upon your life. God said that their wages were going through a bag filled with holes (v. 6). I have often felt that my money was going into a bag like that as well. Have you stopped giving your tithes and offerings because money is tight? You can expect it to get even tighter.
The problem is that we are often blind to this condition. We don’t see where we have put something above God in our lives. Ask yourself honestly. Have you put something in front of God: your job; your children; your pleasures? What is causing you to miss the full blessing of God in your life. We need to put God back where He belongs in our lives. He deserves and demands first place. After the Israelites repented and started working again on the temple, God said, “I am with you.” I want God to be with me in my life, and He will be as long as put Him in His rightful place. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know that God is with you, that His hand of approval and blessing is on every aspect of your life?
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” – (Matthew 6:33)
“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” – (Colossians 1:18)
“I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.” – (2 Corinthians 8:8)
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.” – (Malachi 3:10-11)
Posted in Thoughts from Haggai by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
God Is In The Midst Of Thee
Today’s Passage – Zephaniah 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Revelation 17 – 20; Psalms 136 – 140; Proverbs 29)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Joshua 1:8
Read the “0929 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.” (Zephaniah 3:15)
If I understand this verse correctly, it appears that Zephaniah is looking forward to the Millennial Kingdom of Christ on earth. It would seem that this will be the only time that all of the things mentioned in the context could take place. In the first two chapters Zephaniah wrote of judgment which has already come and is still coming, but the future holds a time for Israel when they will be reconciled completely with God and God will once again be pouring out His blessings upon them, and will remove all of their enemies from the land.
My thought this morning, however, is how this verse, though directly dealing with Israel, applies perfectly to the Christian today. The Christian already has today what He is going to give Israel in the future. First, it says “The LORD hath taken away thy judgments”. How wonderful it is to know that the penalty for sin is gone. I will not be judged for my sin. I used to hear preachers say that when I stand before God, He is going to show a video of every bad thing that I have ever done. Not true. Jesus paid for all of my sins at Calvary and they are all under the blood. My record is clean because of what Jesus did for me at Calvary. My sins are gone! Praise God!!!
Secondly, Zephaniah says “he hath cast out thine enemy”. Now this isn’t true yet; but it soon will be. My enemy is Satan, and though he and his devils are reeking havoc today, he is already defeated. Some day soon, we will see Satan cast into the lake of fire. I am on the winning side and Satan is a loser. Just a thought: why do so many people, including Christians, follow him.
Finally, Zephaniah says “the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee”. I know that this verse is talking about God dwelling in the midst of His people Israel, but I have God dwelling in me right now.
“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Colossians 1:27)
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” (John 15:4)
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,” (Ephesians 1:13)
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)
God is not only with me, He is in me. And if I will allow Him to have His way with my life, I will reveal Him to others around me.
P.S. I have one additional encouragement from Zephaniah 2:
“Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.” – (Zephaniah 2:3)
This verse is a great encouragement to me because it teaches that though there may be judgment by God on the world around us, we may escape it if we are in a right relationship with Him. God has not appointed His children to wrath, and though He may pour out His judgent on this land, He will still protect and provide for His own.
Posted in Thoughts from Zephaniah by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
I Will Joy in the God of My Salvation
Today’s Passage – Habakkuk 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Revelation 13 – 16; Psalms 136 – 140; Proverbs 28)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Deuteronomy 32:4
Read the “0928 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops. 17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither [shall] fruit [be] in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and [there shall be] no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The LORD God [is] my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ [feet], and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” (Habakkuk 3:16-19)
Habakkuk, whose name means “to embrace” or “to wrestle,” was a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah during the reign of King Jehoiakim, and possibly began in the reign of Josiah.
He was contemporary with Jeremiah, and followed closely behind Nahum and Zephaniah. His prophetic ministry began either shortly before or after the death of King Josiah who was the last good king that the southern kingdom of Judah had. Habakkuk wrote just prior to the beginning of the Babylonian captivity, which started in 605 BC, and was consummated in 586 BC.
The northern kingdom had been conquered and taken into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 BC. The southern kingdom of Judah experienced periods of revival through Kings Hezekiah, and Josiah, but after Josiah’s death at the hands of the Egyptians in 609 BC, the nation was in very bad shape spiritually, and was ripe for the judgment of God (see 2 King 23:28 – 24:6;2 Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 22).
In chapter three, vs. 16 – 19, Habakkuk declares that even though God will destroy Jerusalem, he will continue to trust and rejoice in God.
“Hinds’ Feet” carries the idea of surefootedness, which enables the deer (hind) to travel safely in the mountaintops. Habakkuk started this book complaining to God from a deep valley, and he concludes with a song from the mountaintop; yet his actual situation had not changed. He just got alone with God and God assured him that He had everything under control. His circumstances hadn’t changed but he had changed. That’s what God wants to do through the situations and difficulties of your life and mine.
There will be times when the people of God will have to endure very difficult times, sometimes through no fault of their own. Good people often suffer because of the consequences of the decisions of others. There were some righteous people in Judah, such as Daniel and Ezekiel and, no doubt, many others, who would lose some of their family and friends, not to mention their homes.
What can we do when faced with life’s difficult circumstances:
- We can pray.
- We can seek God’s will and wisdom through his Word.
- We can trust that He knows what He is doing.
- We can be sure that God will be with us every step of the way.
- We can walk by faith.
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
Do Right, Love People, Walk with God
Today’s Passage – Micah 5 – 7 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Revelation 7 – 9; Psalms 126 – 130; Proverbs 26)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 3:1
Read the “0926 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8) (Click on the verse to hear it sung by the Clark Family)
A simple but very profound verse of Scripture from the Book of Micah. Do you want to know how you can be right with your God? There is a simple three point outline here in verse eight of chapter six that explains just how to do that. Notice, however, that this verse is written to a people that already know God, so in order to make the application to yourself today you would have to have already begun a relationship with Him through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. If you have already trusted Him as your Savior, then this verse is for you:
1 Do justly – this has as much to do with our relationship with others as well as our obedience to God. We need to strive to be in a right relationship with others; and do the right thing by them. If we have wronged somebody, let’s try to get it right. “Do the right thing”.
2 Love mercy – this has to do with forgiving others who have wronged you. Are you bitter against somebody today? Why not release him from the debtor’s prison in your heart; and forgive him. Look at how God (and others) have forgiven you. Loving mercy could also apply to your love for the souls of men.
3 Walk humbly with God – We need to see ourselves for who we really are – nothing; and see God for who He is – everything. Do you have a walk with Him? Are you spending time daily in prayer, and in the Word? Are you living your life in submission to His will.
Living in a right relationship with God is not all that mysterious or difficult. Jesus said that his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. But if we refuse to submit ourselves to His Lordship, holding on to our own will and desire; walking with Him will be impossible. I’m not talking about perfection here: we all blow it at times; but when that happens, we must confess it to God, get back up, and move forward again in our walk with Him.
Posted in Thoughts from Micah by Phil Erickson with 6 comments.
God is Still Speaking, but Are We Listening?
Today’s Passage – Micah 1 – 4 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Revelation 4 – 6; Psalms 121 – 125; Proverbs 25)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – James 4:10
Read the “0925 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.” (Micah 1:2-3)
Micah was a prophet from the town of Moresheth, which is located approximately 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem near the border of the Philistines and not too far from the City of Gath (See Map). He was called and equipped by the Lord to deliver God’s message:
“But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.” – (Micah 3:8)
His name means, “who is like Jehovah?” or “who is like Yahweh?” His name is said to be a shortened version of the name Micaiah. There are many other men in the Bible that share the names “Micah” and “Micaiah”
Micah prophesied to both the northern kingdom as well as the southern kingdom. Only the names of Judean kings are mentioned in verse 1, however. This is probably due to the fact that the northern kingdom was just about to be taken into Assyrian captivity at the time of his prophecy. Micah was a prophet during the reigns of Jotham (2 Kings 15:32 – 38, 750 – 731 BC), Ahaz (2 Kings 16, 731 – 715 BC), and Hezekiah (2 Kings 18 – 20, 715 – 686 BC). Hezekiah was the king when the Assyrians invaded Judah and attempted to conquer Jerusalem. (See 2 Kings 18:13 – 19:36; 2 Chronicles 32)
Micah was contemporary to the prophet Isaiah in the south, and also to Hosea, Jonah, and Amos from the north. He prophesied at the time when Israel was being completely over-run by the Assyrian Empire, and the same threat was moving southward into Judah. Many of the people from the north were seeking refuge in the south, but unfortunately, they were also bringing with them some of their bad habits. The worship of Baal was becoming more and more of a problem during the time of Micah, as well as the disintegration of moral values. Micah was the prophet to the poor and downtrodden citizens of the farmland, and Isaiah was a preacher in the cities and had the ear of kings and princes; but the messages of both Isaiah and Micah were very similar.
My thought this morning comes from the first few verses of Micah’s message: “Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.” God had a message for the people of Judah, and he has a message for us today that is very similar. We need to hear and heed his message. Our nation is currently in a mess. We are bitterly divided as a nation, and the division seems to be primarily between God-fearing people and people who reject Him. God is calling out to America today, just as He did through Micah 2,700 years ago. But, will we listen? The northern kingdom of Israel didn’t listen and they were taken into captivity. The southern kingdom of Judah listened for a little while, but they also eventually turned away from God and received the same fate as their northern neighbors. Will America listen? Will America turn back to the God that has blessed her so abundantly in the past, or will she continue down the path of forsaking God?
You and I cannot answer for the nation, but we can determine, like Joshua: “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15). We can keep our lights shining brightly in an increasingly dark culture, and we can remain faithful to Jesus during a time when faith will be hard to find (Luke 18:8). We can also listen to the Lord as He commands to preach His gospel to all of the lost people around us. This world is desperately in need of revival. The Lord is still calling, but will we listen?
“O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?” (Micah 2:7)
God’s Word does do good, but it will only be beneficial if we listen and heed it.
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
The Reluctant Prophet
Today’s Passage – Jonah 1 – 4 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read – Revelation 1 – 3; Psalms 116 – 120; Proverbs 24)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 Timothy 1:17
Read the “0924 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” – (Jonah 1:17)
“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” – (Matthew 12:40)
Introduction
The Book of Jonah is the most well-known of all the Minor Prophets but it is also the most unbelieved. There are even some Christians that deny the reality of the events that are described in Jonah, claiming that the book is only an allegory. There are ten miracles recorded in this writing, including the survival of the prophet for three days in the belly of the whale. However, the greatest miracle recorded in this book is the conversion and salvation of thousands of people who were previously destined for Hell. This Book demonstrates that God has always had his eye of compassion on the whole world, not just Israel. Jonah is the first prophet to preach repentance to the Gentiles.
The Miracles of Jonah
1 1:4 “the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea.”
2 1:7 “the lot fell upon Jonah.”
3 1:15 “the sea ceased from her raging.”
4 1:17 “the LORD had prepared a great fish.”
5 1:17 “to swallow up Jonah.”
6 2:10 “the LORD spake unto the fish…it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.”
7 3:10 “God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way.”
8 4:6 “the LORD God prepared a gourd.”
9 4:7 “God prepared a worm.”
10 4:8 “God prepared a vehement east wind.”
An interesting note – the word “great” appears many times in this Book: great city (1:2,3:2, 3:3, 4:11); great wind (1:4); great tempest (1:12); great fish (1:17); great kindness (4:2)
- The Prophet – Jonah
Not a whole lot is known about Jonah, except:
- He was the son of a man named Amittai.
- He was from Gath-hepher (near Nazareth in Galilee).
- He was a prophet to the northern kingdom during the reign of Jereboam II who reigned from 782 – 753 BC.
- He was contemporary with Amos and Hosea from the north, and Isaiah and Micah from the south.
- His name means “dove.”
An unconfirmed tradition claims that Jonah was the son of the widow woman from Zarephath whom Elijah raised from the dead (1 Kings 17:8 – 24).
The prophet Jonah was referred to by the Lord as a picture, or type, of His own resurrection from the dead. (1:17; Matthew 12:40; Luke 11:29 – 30) Jesus was in the tomb for three literal days and nights, just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale. Jesus also noted in Matthew 12:41 that the people of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah.
- The People – The Assyrians (Ninevites)
The Assyrians were a polytheistic people that had been demanding “gifts” (taxes) from the Israelites for some time. Eventually, in 722 BC, they would completely conquer the northern kingdom, and even threaten the City of Jerusalem in Judah. The Assyrians were a very cruel people, especially to those who were taken captive, and they were hated by the Israelites. Jonah, no doubt, looked forward to the judgment of God upon the people of Nineveh, and the last thing he wanted was for the Ninevites to be spared that judgment.
- The Place – Nineveh
Nineveh was originally built by Nimrod (Genesis 12:10) and became a very important city situated on the Tigris River, which eventually (700 BC) became the capitol city of the Assyrian empire. At this point in history, though not the chief city, Nineveh was a very wide, wealthy, and wicked city. The circumference of the city was 60 miles which is a three-day journey on foot (3:3). The city walls were said to be wide enough for several chariots to ride abreast.
The name Nineveh is thought to derive from “ninus,” i.e., Nimrod, and means the residence of Nimrod or “nunu” (Akkadian for “fish”). The people worshiped the fish goddess Nanshe (the daughter of Ea, the goddess of fresh water) and Dagon the fish god who was represented as half man and half fish. (MacArthur, John (2006-10-10). The MacArthur Study Bible, Thomas Nelson.)
Note – Nineveh was also a place where the false gods Ishtar and Assur were worshipped.
Some Concluding Thoughts about Jonah and God’s Calling for Him
Jonah was reluctant to follow God’s clearly stated will for his life. Just as God has a plan for Jonah, He has a plan for all of us:
1 God has a plan, a calling for your life.
2 Much of what God has called you to do is revealed in His Word.
3 God has something specific for you to do, and he has a specific place for you to do it.
4 Whatever God calls you to do, He will equip you to do. (Romans 12:3 – 8)
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)
5 Whatever God calls you to do, He will supply whatever you need to do it:
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
6 Usually, God will call you to do something that you will desire to do:
“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)
7 However, there may be times when God will pull you out of your comfort zone and sometimes He will ask you to do something that you downright do not want to do. Your job is to discern the will of God for your life, as well as the specific wills of God for tomorrow, and then cheerfully submit to what He wants. Even Jesus prayed, “not my will but thine be done”. (Luke 22:42) Your life will be miserable until you do.
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.