Yesterday --- Contribute --- Tomorrow |
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Reading 1 - Job 38
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v.3
- God has to remonstrate with Job to bring him back to Him. This seems so
sad, when at the start of the book, Job was so highly spoken of by God.
Perhaps this remonstration stems from words like those he said in ch.23:3 Peter Cresswell |
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Now Yahweh speaks to Job for the first time in the whole of the book. He
challenges Job about his understanding of His creation using similar language
and ideas to those used by Elihu. |
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Reading 2 - Zechariah 13 & 14
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13
v.8-9 - We are reminded that only a proportion of people will be saved,
and these by great afflictions to test and try their faith and prove that
they will stay with God throughout all these things. The trying by fire
is a common idea in scripture. If we are to be in that company that stand
in the last days rather than the 66% that are rejected, we must be sure
to withstand against the trials that God will surely visit upon us. Peter Cresswell |
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13:2
unclean spirits Revelation 16:13 13:1 'fountain open for sin ...' Whilst there will be living waters flowing from Jerusalem - Zechariah 14:8 spiritual regeneration is what is spoken of here. 13:3 This regeneration is seen in the way that the false prophet is 'thrust through' reflecting the behaviour of Phinehas Numbers 25:7 who is commended in Malachi 2:5. 14:2
I will gather all nations Joel 1:3 14:5 'earthquake in the days of Uzziah' That must have been some earthquake to be appealed to as it took place generations earlier at least 240 years ago. 14:8 This description of water flowing from Jerusalem develops the waters which Ezekiel saw in vision. It is the water which will heal the Dead Sea Ezekiel 47:8 to allow fishers to fish at En Gedi Ezekiel 47:10. 14:20
'holiness to the Lord' is the engraving that was to be on the high priest's
mitre Exodus
28:36 showing that everything in Jerusalem will be dedicated to serving
the Lord. |
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Reading 3 - Revelation 15 & 16
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16:15
- Being clothed upon our nakedness, taken spiritually, is a scripture theme
from Eden to the end. This picks up on language of
ch.3:4,18, and reminds us also of Exo.32:25,
Isa.47:3, Eze.16:37, Hos.2:3, Hab.2:15, 2Cor.5:3. Peter Cresswell |
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15:2 This 'sea of glass' is the same sea of glass which we saw in Revelation 4:6. The description is one of the redeemed who have avoided association with the beast system. That there are redeemed men and women there gives us confidence. We know that we can be amongst those. it is possible to, through the blood of the lamb, overcome the world, through our faith 1 John 5:4 The
traditional interpretation of this chapter sees the fulfilment of these
things largely in the 10th century. The encouraging thing for us is to
realise that our God is at work in the kingdom of men now. Even though
things may appear to be in chaos we can be sure that the purpose of God
is being worked out and that He will send Jesus to the earth. Acts
17:31. |