The Blessing of the Lord
Today’s Passage – Genesis 23 – 24 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 15 – 16; Proverbs 8; Psalms 36 – 40)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 34:6
Read the “0108 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from this passage – “Taker or Giver?,” “Praying for Clear Direction,” and “The Bride of Christ”
“And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.” (Genesis 24:1)
“The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22)
Once again, I am having a hard time deciding what to write about from these rich chapters from Genesis. As I read through these two chapters in the Bible reading schedule this morning, I considered quite a few ideas that could have been developed for today’s devotion. Some of these thoughts I have already considered in previous posts (see above links), and others I need to give some more consideration to before I write about them. These chapters in Genesis are full of great pictures of Christ as well as many wonderful foundational truths, and it benefits all of us to slow down and carefully read each verse.
My thought from the passage surrounds Genesis 24:1. “the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.” What a privilege it is to have God’s abundant riches and blessings bestowed upon our lives. To some degree, all of us on this earth are recipients of the blessing of God. We all eat the food that God provides and we all drink His water. Most of us, especially here in America, live very comfortable lives and enjoy the many good things that God provides. However, the blessings referred to here in this passage go beyond what most people in the world experience. Abraham had God’s abundant provision, protection, and guidance throughout his life; much more so than others.
In today’s reading, in chapter 23, we see that Abraham needed a burying place for his wife Sarah. He wanted to acquire a small piece of land in Hebron that would be a cemetery of sorts so that he could bury his wife at that time, but could also be used as a burying place for future generations. Not only did God grant favor for Abraham in the eyes of Ephron, the Hittite owner of the land, but Ephron even offered to give it Abraham for free, which Abraham refused. I am reminded of a similar situation in 2 Samuel 24 where David was purchasing the threshing floor of Arunah the Jebusite, which would eventually become the place where Israel’s Temple would be placed. Arunah was willing to give David the piece of ground for free, along with the wood and oxen needed for a burnt offering, but David insisted on paying for it. The point is that these non-Israelite men (Ephron and Arunah) were willing to give property of great value to Abraham and David because they recognized God’s grace upon them.
This is quite a contrast to what we often see today. Too many people, and unfortunately, many preachers, are often always asking and trying to get people to give them stuff. I have had more than one preacher ask me to “pray about” some need that they had. I may be a little bit cynical, but I could not help but wonder if their “prayer request” was really just their attempt to get me (or our church) to buy it for them. Abraham and David were both so blessed by God that they didn’t need a handout and also insisted that they pay themselves for what they wanted or needed, and would not allow the former owners to give it for free.
Another thought that crossed my mind as I was considering this topic is this: why were Abraham, David and others like them so blessed of God? There is no doubt in my mind that they were blessed for two reasons: First, they were men of great faith; they believed God:
“Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Galatians 3:6)
Secondly, their faith was evidenced by the fact that they obeyed God. Of course, neither Abraham nor David were perfect, in the sense that they never disobeyed the Lord, but their lives were characterized by the fact that they both desired to live for the Lord and please him. Most of the time they got it right, and as a result, God blessed them abundantly.
I want to have that kind of blessing upon my life, upon my family, and also upon my ministry. Notice again the verse from Proverbs:
“The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22)
Often, when we try to force or finagle good things to happen in our lives, there will be guilt associated with it. But when God is blessing us and making us rich, there is no guilt. And by the way, this is not just talking about monetary blessings or possessions. God is good to us and blesses us in so many ways. I remember once having dinner with a preacher friend, and he said something to me that at first surprised me. He said: “Brother Erickson, you are one of the richest men I know.” At first, I thought he was crazy because I certainly was not “rich” in possessions. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that he was right. God has been very good to me. I have always had every need provided for me; I have a wonderful wife and family; good friends who would take a bullet for me; and a great church family to serve with. God is good!
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 5 comments.
Waiting on the Will of God
Today’s Passage – Genesis 20 – 22 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click hereto view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 13 – 14; Psalms 31 – 35; Proverbs 7
Read the “0107 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 34
Read previous posts from today’s passage – “The Whole Truth“, “When God Withholds You,” and “God Will Provide Himself a Lamb“
“1 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. 6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. 7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.” (Genesis 21:1-7)
God had been promising Abraham that he would give him a son for a long time. Abraham was seventy-five years old when he left Haran, after his father Terah died. At that time God had promised Abram that He would make of him a great nation and when he arrived in Canaan, God promised that He would give Abraham’s “seed” the land (Genesis 12:1 – 8) God reaffirmed the promise in Genesis 13:15 after Lot had departed from him and there He promises Abram that He would make his seed as “the dust of the earth.” God reminded Abraham of the promise again after Abram rescued Lot from the four kings who attacked Sodom (Genesis 15:1 – 6), and there we are told that Abraham believed the promise:
“4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.“ (Genesis 15:4-6)
Abram and Sarai get out of the will of God and try to make God’s will happen by allowing Abram to sleep with Sarai’s Egyptian handmaid Hagar, which resulted in the birth of Ismael. Abram was eighty-six at this time, which was eleven years after God had originally promised him a son. I am sure Abram and Sarai thought that God surely was not going to give them a child through Sarai as she was beyond the normal child-bearing years. She would have been seventy-six at this time. So, they figured that God must have meant that a surrogate mother would give Abram the promised “seed.”
Practical Point – Make sure that you have clarity from God before you make any major decisions. Do not just assume that you know what God wants. God will clearly reveal His precise will to you through the Word of God, prayer, godly counsel, and often – waiting on the Lord!
In Genesis 17, when Abram is ninety-nine, God reaffirms that Abram will have a son through Sarai. By the way, it is here in this chapter that God changes Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning “father of many nations,” and Sarai’s name to Sarah, meaning “princess.” Abraham laughs when God verifies this because it would surely be miraculous for Sarah to bear children at her age and after she had been barren. I think that Abraham might have been a little upset about the fact that God was not considering Ishmael to be part of His promise (Genesis 17:18).
In Genesis 18, God appears to Abraham again with two angels, and this time has dinner with him. Here God once again reaffirms his promise regarding Sarah bearing a child, and this time it is Sarah that laughs. God rebukes her for being faithless and Sarah denies that she laughed, but the Lord obviously knew even the secret thoughts of Sarah’s heart.
In our passage today in Genesis 21, Abraham and Sarah finally receive the long-awaited child of promise, Isaac. It was just twenty-five years after God had originally promised him. Abraham was now one hundred years old, and Sarah was ninety-one.
Here is my thought. God rarely operates on our timetable. Sometimes we expect immediate blessing from the Lord and instantaneous answers to our prayers, but God does not often work that way. I have been a pastor here at Jersey Shore for many years now. I honestly expected God to move a lot faster than he did in the ministry here. I thought we would have had thousands of people and many large buildings by now, but it did not work that way, and it probably will never happen as I anticipated. God is doing what He wants to do, and He is doing it in His time. We just have to be faithful to keep doing what God has called us to do and allow Him to bring the increase when and if He is ready. I have discovered that the Christian life, and particular the ministry, is not about the short-term but instead about the long haul. God has blessed and is continuing, and will continue to bless in His time.
How about you? Had you been waiting for God to do something for a long time and have since given up hope. Unless God has revealed to you a change of plans, just keep praying and keep serving, and be patient as you wait for God to do His will.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Genesis by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
Walk Thou Before Me and Be Thou Perfect
Today’s Passage – Genesis 17 – 19 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 11 – 12; Proverbs 6; Psalms 26 – 30
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 25
Read the “0106 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from this passage –“Don’t Look Back,” “Abraham Did a Little Walking With God, Too,” “The Prayer of a Friend,” and “God Knows You.”
“1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” (Genesis 17:1)
I did not get very far in my reading this morning until a thought jumped out at me, on the first verse. I immediately dismissed it thinking that it was too quick. The more I read, however, the more other verses started popping into my mind regarding what God said to Abraham in verse one – “walk thou before me, and be thou perfect.” God gave me three other verses in connection to that statement. I’ll give you the verses as God gave them to me and then try to make an application from the text:
“48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
“20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
“18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18)
The word, “perfect,” is found in the Bible many times in connection to the life of a believer, or the lives (plural) of believers. I did a search on Blue Letter Bible and saw that many of the uses of the word, “perfect,” involved the heart of a believer (Click here to see those verses). the Bible indicates many times that various believers were “perfect,” or had a perfect heart, or could have a perfect heart. But, what does that mean? We know that we are not perfect, at least in the way we understand the meaning of the word today. We use the word “perfect” today to indicate something or somebody that is completely flawless, without any errors or blemishes. None of us qualifies to meet that definition. Ecclesiastes 7:20 (above) clearly teaches that none of us is perfect in that way.
So, what does it mean to be “perfect” the way the Bible means it? In the New Testament, the Greek adjective, τέλειος (teleios) is often translated into the English word, “perfect.” Strongs Concordance and Thayer’s Lexicon both describe the meaning as being “mature,” or “of full age.” So the word, “perfect,” does not mean sinless; it means full grown or mature. the Bible states that after we have been saved for a while we should no longer be “babes” in Christ (1 Corinthians 3; Hebrews 5). Too many believers never grow up spiritually. God wants us to be “perfect,” or mature spiritually. He actually commands it (Matthew 5:48). He wants us to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Growth means that we are moving toward maturity.
The secret to growth is continuing to walk with the Lord. Notice that God told Abraham to “walk before [him].” Walking with God involves being in communion with Him in prayer, through reading the Scriptures, and through obeying and serving Him. At the start of this New Year, try to determine that you are going to walk with the Lord continuously – daily – throughout the year. Start your day with the Scriptures and prayer, and then pray without ceasing throughout the day. You will never be completely perfect (sinless), but we can become more perfect, more mature, more full-grown spiritually.
Late add on – Brother Gary brought up a good point regarding this topic. Positionally, all believers are seen by God as completely righteous because of the blood of Christ (Genesis 7:3; Romans 3:21 – 22). However, the idea here is not justification, but rather sanctification.
“9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.” (2 Corinthians 13:9)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 6 comments.
Who is Melchizedek?
Today’s Passages – Genesis 13 – 16 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 9 – 10; Proverbs 5; Psalms 21 – 25)
Read the “0105 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Scripture Song – Psalm 119:105
Read previous posts from today’s passage – “Plain Stupid;” “Back to Square One – Almost;”“Balanced and Biblical Separation;”“Relationships are More Important than Riches;” “Gardens and Green Grass or God’s Will?;”and “Good Friends are Hard to Come By.”
“18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.” (Genesis 14:18-20)
“4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4)
“10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. 11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.” (Hebrews 5:10-11)
“1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; 3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. 4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: 6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. 7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. 8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. 9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. 10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.” (Hebrews 7:1-10)
What do we know about Melchizedek? (Note – the New Testament spelling is Melchisedec)
Genesis 14 gives us our initial glimpse of this mysterious character who is mentioned in only one more verse in the Old Testament (Psalm 110:4), but the New Testament unlocks the door of understanding who He was.
A His name means king of righteousness. (Hebrews 7:2)
His name is derived from two Hebrew words: melek, which means king; and tsedek, which means right.
Jeremiah 23:5 – 6 refers to Christ and gives us one of the names for God – Yĕhovah tsidqenuw, which means “The Lord Our Righteousness”:
“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Jeremiah 23:5-6)
B He was the king of Salem. (Hebrews 7:1 – 2)
Salem means peace and is also an older name for the city of Jerusalem:
“In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.” (Psalm 76:2)
Note – righteousness and peace work together:
“And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” (Isaiah 32:17)
“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” (Psalm 85:10)
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”(James 3:17-18)
“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” (Hebrews 12:11)
C He was the priest of the most-high God. (Hebrews 7:1)
He was both priest and king. This distinguishes him from the kings of Judah, for they could not serve as priests. (2 Chronicles 26:16 – 21). It is also a contrast from the Levitical priests who did not serve as kings. Note – Christ is Prophet, Priest, and King.
D His lineage is unknown, and he had no known descendants. (Hebrews 7:3)
Some would say that Melchisedec is actually a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is certainly a type of Christ. The language used here merely indicates that we know nothing about where he came from and we also know nothing about the rest of his life and priesthood. Some believe that he is Noah’s son Shem who was still alive during this time.
Vernon McGee stated this regarding Melchisedec:
Here Melchizedek is a picture of Christ and a type of Christ in another way. The Lord Jesus comes out of eternity, and He moves into eternity. He has no beginning and no end. He is the beginning. He is the end. You can’t go beyond Him in the past, and you can’t get ahead of Him in the future. He encompasses all of time and all of eternity. Now how can you find a man who pictures that? Melchizedek is in the Book of Genesis, a book that gives pedigrees—it tells us that Adam begat so-and-so, and so-and-so begat so-and-so, Abraham begat Isaac, Isaac begat Jacob and Esau, and you follow the genealogies on down—it is a book of the families. Yet in this book that gives the genealogies, Melchizedek just walks out onto the pages of Scripture, out of nowhere, then he walks off the pages of Scripture, and we do not see him anymore. Why did God leave out the genealogy of Melchizedek? Because Melchizedek was to be a type of the Lord Jesus in His priesthood. From the prophecy given in Psalm 110 we see that Melchizedek is a picture of Christ in that the Lord Jesus is the eternal God, and He is a priest because He is the Son of God, and He is a priest continually. That is, He just keeps on being a priest—there will be no change in His priesthood because He is eternal.[1]
The Bible is very specific regarding genealogies. It was important that a priest be able to prove his lineage. (Ezra 2:61 – 63; Nehemiah 7:63 – 65) Yet, Melchisedec has no genealogy. He appears mysteriously and suddenly on the pages of Scripture and leaves the same way.
Consider Wiersbe’s comments on Melchisedec:
Melchizedek was not an angel or some superhuman creature; nor was he an Old Testament appearance of Jesus Christ. He was a real man, a real king, and a real priest in a real city. But as far as the record is concerned, he was not born, nor did he die. In this way, he is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. Though Jesus Christ did die, Calvary was not the end; for He arose from the dead and today lives in “the power of an endless life” (Heb. 7:16). Since there is no account of Melchizedek’s death, as far as the record is concerned, it seems that Melchizedek is still serving as a priest and king. This is another way in which he is like the eternal Son of God.[2]
The New American Commentary presents many of the different historical interpretations of Melchisedec:
The identity of Melchizedek has been the source of considerable discussion and debate. At least seven major views can be delineated. He has been identified by some as a divine being. There are four variations of this view that developed during the Patristic era. A second century Gnostic text identified him as Jesus himself. A sect known as the Melchizedekians arose early in the third century AD. Composed mainly of Jewish converts, it affirmed Melchizedek was a heavenly being superior to Jesus since Jesus was a mediator of men, but Melchizedek was considered a mediator of angels. In the third century, according to Epiphanius (fourth century bishop of Salamis), Melchizedek was identified as the Holy Spirit by the Coptic heresiarch Hieracas. Others understood Melchizedek to be a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus.
A second interpretation suggests Melchizedek is an angelic being, perhaps Michael the archangel. A third view, suggested by some Jewish rabbis in the time of Jerome, was that Melchizedek was Shem, the son of Noah. Philo took Melchizedek to be an actual human high priest who represented nous (mind) in an allegorical fashion. Carmignac suggested Melchizedek is a symbolic name for the human Davidic Messiah.551 Kobelski regarded Melchizedek as a historical and a heavenly figure, but not an angel. He was superior to angels but inferior to the Son. Davila suggested he was a tutelary deity of the Davidic house along the lines of ancestral deification in West Semitic royal cults.553 A seventh view takes Melchizedek to be a Canaanite king-priest of Salem (Jerusalem) who was a worshipper of the true God.[3]
E He was honored by Abraham. (Hebrews 7:2; 4 – 10)
Melchisedec came out to bless Abraham and Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils from the battle. This passage points out that since Abraham honored this man, then so did Abraham’s seed. The Nation of Israel looked to Abraham as their greatest patriarch, yet Abraham submitted to one who was even greater.
Note – the practice of tithing was commanded under the Old Testament Law (Leviticus 27:30 – 32) and was to be given to the Levites (Numbers 18:21 – 25). However, we see from this passage in Hebrews and from Genesis 14 that tithing commenced before the Law. (also Genesis 28:20 – 22 regarding Jacob, also before the Law) Tithing was also commended by the Lord Jesus:
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”(Matthew 23:23)
Note also that Melchisedec met Abraham with bread and wine which foreshadow the Lord’s death and shed blood. It appears that Melchisedec and Abraham observed something similar to the Lord’s Supper that we observe today, only their observance foreshadowed and prophesied the death of Christ, and our’s remembers it.
Was Melchizedek a Christophany or a type of Christ?
The verse that seems to be the main source of controversy is Hebrews 7:3
“Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.” (Hebrews 7:3)
Of the many theories put forth by good men on this subject, I have concluded that there are really only two strong arguments:
- Melchisedec is a type of Christ
The description given of Melchisedec here in Hebrews, and also in Genesis 14:18 – 20 indicates that the mysterious Melchisedec was a person recognized by Abraham as being superior to him. Remember, Abraham was a priest himself, in that he interceded for others and offered up sacrifices to God. (Genesis 12:7 – 8) He also was a king, though the title is never used in reference to him. He ruled over 318 servants (Genesis 14:14), and their families. Abraham had no respect for the kings that he rescued in Genesis 14, nor for the kings that he conquered, but he did have respect unto Melchisedec (meaning king of righteousness), the King of Salem.
The phrase in Hebrews, “without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life”, means that there is nothing recorded about them in the Genesis record. Again, it is important to note that Genesis is a book of genealogies, but there is no genealogical record of Melchisedec because he is a type of Christ. We no nothing of where or who He came from, nor do we no anything about his descendants. Notice again the phrase “without father, without mother”. Taken these words literally, we could not possibly understand them to refer to any human being, but neither could we perfectly attribute them to Christ, who certainly had a Father, and even in terms of His humanity, had a mother.
The phrase, “like unto the son of God”, is also very interesting. “Like unto” always indicates a comparison; comparing something to something else that is similar in some respect. If Melchisedec was, in fact, the Son of God, the wording is very unusual. The oft repeated statement in Scripture that “there is none like unto the Lord our God” does not refute the fact that Melchisedec, though not God, was like Him in a limited way. There are many people in the Old Testament who are types of Christ, and as such are like Him in a limited way, though no human being could be completely, or even close to completely like God. Melchisedec, as recorded in Genesis and Hebrews is said to be like Christ, in that he did not descend from Levi, and in that his priesthood had had no recorded beginning or ending.
- Melchisedec may have been a Christophany (or Theophany) – Christ (or God) in the flesh
Below are some of the views of good men regarding the subject of Melchisedec.
Here is what Spurgeon writes regarding Melchisedec:
“Consider how great this man was” as to the singularity of his person, “without father, without mother, without descent”: that is to say, we know nothing as to his birth, his origin, or his history. Even this explanation hardly answers to the words, especially when it is added, “Having neither beginning of days, nor end of life.” So mysterious is Melchizedek that many deeply-taught expositors think that he was veritably an appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are inclined to believe that he was not a king of some city in Canaan, as the most of us suppose, but that he was a manifestation of the Son of God, such as were the angels that appeared to Abraham on the plains of Mamre, and that divine being who appeared to Joshua by Jericho, and to the three holy ones in the furnace. At any rate, you may well consider how great this man was when you observe how veiled in cloud is everything about his coming and going-veiled because intended to impress us with the depth of the sacred meanings which were shadowed forth in him. How much more shall this be said of him of whom we ask- “Thy generation who can tell, Or count the number of thy years?”[4]
Harry Ironside takes this position:
There is no reason to think of Melchisedec as in himself a mysterious personage, possibly supernatural, or even as some have supposed a pre-incarnate appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ. If any ask, “Who is Melchisedec?” the only proper answer is “Melchisedec.” He was not Shem the son of Noah, nor Job of the land of Uz, nor Cheops the builder of the great pyramid, as some have endeavored to prove. He was, as is distinctly stated, Melchisedec, King of Salem. All that we know of him is given us in the book of Genesis, chap. 14:18–20. This historical account depicts him as a royal priest reigning in Salem, the city that was afterwards known as Jerusalem. Long before the Levitical economy had been established and a special family set apart for the priesthood he, like Job and Abraham, offered sacrifices as a priest of the Most High God. In the divine providence he met Abraham and his triumphant band as they returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and his allies. It is noticeable that the King of Sodom was on his way to meet Abraham when the latter was intercepted by Melchisedec, who came to bless him in the name of the Most High God, and whose spiritual authority Abraham recognized by giving him tithes of all the spoils. Strengthened by the bread and wine administered by Salem’s king-priest, Abraham was prepared to refuse the blandishments of the King of Sodom, representative of the world in all its impurity and debasement.[5]
The Bible Knowledge Commentary has this to say:
To begin with, the writer set forth the personal greatness of the Old Testament figure Melchizedek. As a fit prototype for Christ Himself, Melchizedek was both a king and a priest. He both blessed … Abraham and received his tithes. Melchizedek’s name and title suggest the messianic attributes of righteousness and peace. So far as the Old Testament record is concerned, he was without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life. In saying this, the author is often taken to mean that the silence of the inspired record presents Melchizedek as typologically like the Son of God. But though this is possibly true, the statements do not sound like it, particularly the assertion that Melchizedek remains a priest forever. The word “forever” translates a phrase (eis to diēnekes) that occurs only in Hebrews (here and in 10:12, 14) and means “continuously” or “uninterruptedly.”It seems more natural that the author meant that Melchizedek belonged to an order in which there was no end to the priesthood of those engaged in it. (He later said in 7:8 that Melchizedek “is declared to be living.”) If this is correct, Melchizedek may have been an angelic being who reigned for a time at Salem (i.e., Jerusalem). If so, the statement that he was “without beginning of days” would not mean that he was eternal, but simply that he had a pretemporal origin. Nor would this concept of Melchizedek as an angel elevate him to the same level as God’s Son, since the author painstakingly asserted the Son’s superiority to the angels (1:5–14). There is indeed evidence that, at Qumran, Melchizedek was regarded as an angelic personage. If this is the case in Hebrews, then the Son of God is the HighPriest in an order in which Melchizedek is simply a priest.[6]
[1] McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed., Vol. 5, p. 552). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 300). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3] Allen, D. L. (2010). Hebrews (pp. 408–410). Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group.
[4] Spurgeon, C H – from a sermon preached at The Metropolitan Tabernacle on April 12, 1885.
[5] Ironside, H. A. (1932). Studies in the Epistle to the Hebrews (pp. 85–86). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.
[6] Hodges, Z. C. (1985). Hebrews. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 797–798). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Genesis by Phil Erickson with 4 comments.
The Saturday Morning Post – It Was Just A Little White Lie
Today’s Passage – Genesis 10 – 12 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read –Matthew 7 – 8; Proverbs 4; Psalms 16 – 20)
Read the 0104 Evening and Morning devotion for today by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife. And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.” (Genesis 12:11-20)
Good morning. Or is that ‘just a little white lie’? Good morning? Actually, any time you can get up early and join brothers in prayer is a good morning. A few years ago I was given a neat Christmas gift, actually a New Years gift: Dr. Paul Chappell’s Stewarding Life Planner. In the planner, I needed to develop a ‘purpose statement’. I want to share with you the first part of my purpose statement…
The purpose of my life is to glorify God through preaching the gospel (John 15:8), being truthful (Joshua 7:9), and by giving Him praise (Psalm 86:12).
How do you feel about lies? Would you prefer someone to tell you a lie or the truth? I would prefer the truth. Even if it was something about a mistake I made, I would then know that I have something that needs changing: something to repair in my life. Truth is the most solid, stable, unmovable object that you can hold onto. If you could move or change truth, it stops being truth and becomes a lie…
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in TRUTH: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in TRUTH.” (John 4:23-24)
“For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6)
Aren’t you glad you have a God who is the Truth, and changes not? And it should be easy for you to be truthful with God when you realize that He already knows what sins you will commit tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, and you don’t. The truth of the matter is that our lies affect those around us. In our text, Abraham told a half truth, which makes it a lie, and he did it to protect his own neck. The result was that the Lord plagued all of Pharaoh’s house with great plagues. In an effort to cover up his sin with Bathsheba, David tried to make it look like her future baby was from her husband, Uriah. When that did not work, David had Uriah killed in battle. David’s lie cost Uriah his life, also the life of the child he had made. Of course Eve believed the greatest lie of all time, and the entire world was plunged into sin. What can we do? Let me give you several key truths and verses to remember. Remember that lies are sin, even the little white lie…
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all LIARS shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
Remember where lies come from…
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44)
Remember God is Truth, and He does not change, so as Psalm 136 tells us 26 times that His mercy endureth forever…
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:9)
Remember, if you have Jesus, you have the Truth living in you…
“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in TRUTH: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in TRUTH.” (John 4:23-24)
God is looking for His people to worship Him in truth. Why not give Him what He wants in 2025.
Peace!
Posted in Devotions by Pastor Ted Stahl with no comments yet.
Instead of Abel – God’s Plan B
Today’s Passage – Genesis 4 – 6 (Click on the reference to listen to the audio. Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 3 – 4; Proverbs 2; Psalms 6 – 10)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Joshua 1:8
Read the “0102 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from this passage – “Walking with God,” “Sin Lieth at the Door,” “Shining Brightly in a Dark World,” and “Respect,” and “Grieving God.”
“25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. 26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.” (Genesis 4:25-26)
It did not take long for things to really get messed up upon this very young earth. When God created Adam and Eve, everything was good. There was no sickness or sorrow, and there was no sin. Life was good; there was plenty of delicious food to eat and everything else that Adam and Eve needed was provided for them. We are all well familiar with how their great situation changed dramatically and suddenly for the worse. Sin came in, and with sin, came death; not just the physical death that would eventually take place for them many hundreds of years later, but also a separation from God. We know that God provided an appeasement for their sin through the blood sacrifice that was made when he provided them coats of skins (Genesis 3:21), which was a foreshadow of the atonement that would someday be made through the shed blood of Christ. However, the atonement for sin did not erase all of the horrible effects that came into their world as a result of their yielding to Satan. They were banished from the Garden and the earth became a much more dangerous and difficult place to live in.
In Genesis 4, we read about the effect that the sin nature had upon the first two children born into the world – Cain and Abel. According to Galatians 5, within the sin nature, among other horrible things, are emulations (ζῆλοι from ζῆλος – zēlos – an envious and contentious rivalry, jealousy), wrath, strife, and murders:
“19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21)
Cains jealousy of God’s praise for Abel’s offering (Gen. 4:4 – 5 – respect – šāʿâ – to look at or regard) turned into wrath and eventually blossomed into murder. Jesus said that the outward action of murder (and all other visible sins) begins within the heart:
“18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” (Matthew 15:18-19)
Cain’s heart had a lot of evil in it because of the sin that entered into the world through his parents, as was recorded back in Genesis 3. When Eve first ate of the fruit, she had no idea of the devastating consequences that would be caused by it. Had she known that one of her sons would murder the other because of a simple act of eating a piece of fruit, I do not think she would have done it.
The same is true for us many thousands of years later. Our sinful actions today will have a harmful effect on the people we love both today and in the future. As Christians, we need yield our lives to the Spirit of God so that we will be better equipped to resist sin:
“16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. … 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:16, 22-25)
Thank God that just as Adam and Eve received forgiveness for their sin, there is also forgiveness for us when we sin. However, because of sin’s negative effects on us and the people we love, it ought to be our goal to avoid it all costs.
That brings me to my main thought for this morning’s devotion. God, in His grace, provided another child for Eve and they named him Seth, which means “appointed one,” or “substitute.” Eve’s world was no doubt devastated when her eldest son killed her younger son. In a sense, both of her sons were gone. God, however, gave Eve a son to replace the one that had been violently taken from her.
However, there is more to this story than just God’s grace upon Eve. God, in His grace, gave to all the world a believing seed, a righteous seed. Abel was a believer, which was evidenced by the blood sacrifice which he offered to God (Genesis 4:4). When God gave Seth, he gave the world a believer that would pass the faith on to the generations that followed. Notice in v. 26:
“26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.” (Genesis 4:26)
“13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Not Finished Yet
Today’s Passage – Genesis 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 1 – 2; Proverbs 1; Psalms 1 – 5)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Deuteronomy 32:4
Read the “0101 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from today’s reading – “In the Beginning;” “He Is Still Creating Me;” “Let There Be Light;” “Just Don’t Do It;” “Subdue and Replenish;“ and “Two Became One.”
“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2)
Before I share my thoughts from the Scripture reading from today, let me say how excited I am about starting a new journey this year through the Bible along with you. I want to encourage you to “tune in” everyday, read and listen to the passages, and then leave a comment. You can share your own thoughts from the passage or perhaps, make an encouraging remark about the blog post. In addition to posts written by me and Pastor Stahl (the Saturday Morning Post), I will invite some guests writers to share some thoughts with us periodically. If you are interested in writing a guest post, please contact me via the comment feature or email me at pastorphil@jerseyshorebaptist.com.
Now for my thought from today’s reading. Genesis 1:1 tells us that God created the heavens and the earth, but in verse 2, the Scripture states that the earth was “without form and void.” There are many opinions as to exactly what this somewhat mysterious terminology means, including some who have promoted a “Gap Theory,” which basically states that God’s original creation became corrupted due to the fall of Satan but was then recreated by God in verses three and following. This theory does offer an answer for the billions of years taught by the evolutionists as well as an explanation for the fossil record.
Personally, I am not a fan of the Gap Theory. I believe Satan fell sometime after Genesis 1:31 where God said: “everything that he had made … was very good.” I also believe that the earth is very young, possibly created with apparent age, just as Adam was created as an adult, not a baby. I also believe that the dinosaurs and the other strange creatures found in the layers of the earth all existed prior to the great Flood recorded in Genesis 6 – 8.
So, what did God mean when He said that the earth was “without form and void.” It means that when God first started the creation process, it was not complete. As we have read here in Genesis 1, God took six days to complete the earth. On Day 1, it was incomplete and required additional work on days two and following. God did not have to take six days to complete it. He could have spoken it all into existence in a millisecond. He probably chose to use the six days of work and one day of rest as a pattern for us.
In this creation story, I see a wonderful picture of sanctification, and the new life that God imparts to believers. When we first get saved we are new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), but on day one we are not yet what God has planned for us. We are predestination to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), meaning that what we are when we first trust Christ is not who we will be someday. God is still working, and He will continue to work on us until His creation of us is complete, which really will not happen until He takes us to Heaven.
I am greatly encouraged by this verse:
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6)
If you are like me, you get a little frustrated with yourself at times because you are not all that you think you should be as a Christian. Maybe you are a little like the earth on Day One – “without form and void.” Be encouraged. God is not finished creating you yet. He is still working on you.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Genesis by Phil Erickson with 10 comments.
The Great White Throne
Today’s Passage – Revelation 20 – 22 (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 146 – 150; Proverbs 30)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – 1 John 3:1
Read the “1230 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from today’s passage – “Behold, I Make All Things New,” and “You’re Invited.“
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15)
These verses discussing The Great White Throne Judgment are perhaps the saddest in all of the Bible. In this passage we see the final fate of all of those people who lived on the earth but never received the free gift of eternal life by trusting Jesus Christ as their Saviour. This is a judgment for the lost and not for believers. Believers’ sins were judged by the Lord on Calvary. Believers’ works are judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11 – 15). The lost will be resurrected from their temporary holding place in hell. Note – this is the second resurrection (which actually brings them to a second death) mentioned in verses five and six. They will then be judged by the Lord at the Great White Throne and, being found guilty, will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.
If we as believers were judged for our sins we, too, would be found guilty; but, praise the Lord, Jesus was judged for our sins paid the penalty of death for them on the Cross. He died for all of these people here at the Great White Throne as well, but they never received Christ’s payment. If perhaps you are reading this blog today and have not yet trusted Christ as your Saviour, I beg you to do so today. You can find more information regarding the free gift of salvation under the “Are You Saved?” tab on the home page of this website.
Christian, thank God that you will not have to face a just and thrice holy God at this Great White Throne Judgment. You may, however, have to watch from the perspective of Heaven as those countless lost people are cast into the Lake of Fire for all of eternity. Some of those people will people that you knew on earth: family members, neighbors, co-workers, etc. People that you may have had the opportunity to share Christ with but didn’t. That is a very sobering thought, is it not? Please, while we still have time, let’s all get busy talking to people about the forgiveness that is available to them freely through faith in Christ. Let’s get back to passing out gospel tracts and inviting people to church. Let’s earnestly and boldly witness to those that God places in our path. Time is running out. We could be living at the time of the Lord’s return and then the time for telling people about Jesus will be over. We have to commit to winning souls to Christ while we are still here!
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
The Saturday Morning Post – …And Gave Glory To The God Of Heaven
Today’s Passages – Revelation 11 – 15 (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 136 – 140; Proverbs 28)
“And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.” (Revelation 11:3-13)
Good morning. When I read this passage, I started thinking about Ben and Robert: two friends who went home to be with the Lord. I thought about my Uncle Frankie, my brother, my mom and dad. They’re all in Heaven. We are all stamped with an expiration date that only God can change. As I look near the bottom of my computer screen, I see a picture of Melissa. I am comforted in knowing she is with the Lord, though I still miss her. But there is a great deal of comfort to be found in this passage…
Notice that there were two witnesses.
Did you know that when you have Jesus, you are never alone? Jesus is always with you. This is what the Lord told Joshua…
“Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:1-9)
And according to Hebrews 13:5, God makes the same promise to us: He will never leave us, nor forsake us. So you are never going to be alone.
Secondly, notice that God had a job for them to do. He has a job for us to do also. And these two witnesses went forward with their work in the power of God. Nothing could stop them until there work was completed. What stops you? Jesus told us that without Him we could do nothing. These men went forward in the power of the Lord and we should also…
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
When their testimony for the Lord was completed, God had another job for them to do: to die. Their work on earth was not over yet. The beast overcame them and killed them, but their lives were in the hands of the One who gave them life.
Are you sitting on the shelf, self-imprisoned? Are the devils celebrating the fact that you are no longer a threat? Do you long to get back into the Lord’s work? Have you been dead too long? It’s time to resurrect…
“And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.” (Revelation 11:7-11)
And we know that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7) and wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Then look at what happened…
“And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.” (Revelation 11:12-13)
Because of Jesus, we are never alone.
Because of Jesus, we have a testimony.
Because of Jesus, we have the power to share that testimony.
Because of Jesus, we can witness in death as well as life.
Got Jesus?
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1John 5:12)
Peace.
Posted in Devotions by Pastor Ted Stahl with 2 comments.
He Alone is Worthy
Today’s Passage – Revelation 4 – 10 (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 131 – 135; Proverbs 27)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – 1 Timothy 1:17
Read the “1227 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from today’s passage – “Come Up Hither“
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)
“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” (Revelation 5:9)
“Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” (Revelation 5:12)
Three times in our passage today, there are references to Jesus being “worthy”. In chapter four, He is found worthy because He created all things, including you and me. In chapter five, He is found to be the only one that was worthy to open up the seven seals. He was worthy because he “wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by [his] blood”. We owe everything to the Lord, so He alone is worthy.
He Is Worthy Of Our Praise
“Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.” (Psalms 150:6)
“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;” (Psalms 107:1-2)
He Is Worthy Of Our Service
“Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” (Psalms 2:11)
“Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” (Psalms 100:2)
He Is Worthy Of Our Sacrifice
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)
We spend a lot of time praising men, serving those who will serve us back, and sacrificing for ourselves; but Christ alone is worthy of all of these. This year, let us determine to put Christ at the very center of our lives; let us conform to His will, yield to His Spirit, fulfill His commission. He alone is worthy of all of our devotion and effort.
Posted in Thoughts from Revelation by Phil Erickson with 6 comments.