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December
31
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Yesterday --- Contribute --- Tomorrow
Reading 1 - Job 41 & 42
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Peter Cresswell
ch.41 - Yahweh continues to ask Job direct and specific questions.
ch.42 - So Job responds acknowledging that Yahweh has absolute power.
Job
42:3 and responds acknowledging that he is the one who Yahweh questioned
Job
38:2 and he repents Job
42:6
So
Yahweh rebukes Job's friends and blesses them. Job prays and sacrifices
for them.
Peter
Forbes
Reading 2 - Malachi 3 & 4
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Peter Cresswell
3:1
Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me.
Matthew 11:10, Mark 1:2, Luke 1:76
3:2
who shall stand Revelation 6:17
3:7
return unto me Zechariah 1:3
3:10
storehouse Deuteronomy 28:8
3:10
pour you out a blessing Deuteronomy 28:8
3:17
I will spare them as a man spareth his own son Psalm 103:13
Similarities with the time of Nehemiah
3:8 tithes and offerings Nehemiah 13:12
3:5 The oppression of 'the widow and the fatherless' draws on the law of Moses Exodus 22:22 And even though Zechariah appeals to the law of Moses as a basis for living and treating such people. Zechariah 7:10 Only a short while later Malachi Malachi 3:5 has to reprove the same people on the same matter.
4:1
Stubble Obadiah 18
4:3
tread down the wicked Zechariah 10:5
4:6
turn the hearts of the fathers to the children Luke 1:17
4:5
John Baptist was not 'Elijah' John
1:21 Elias will come and cause repentance Matthew
17:10 Mark 9:11 Jesus says 'Elias will come ...' Matthew
17:11 Mark 9:12 John came only in 'spirit of Elijah' Luke
1:17 The 'day of the LORD' which is to come in Zechariah
14:1 is associated with the return of Christ in the contemporary prophet.
Malachi
4:5
Peter
Forbes
"Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. 'They will be mine,' says the LORD Almighty, 'In the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them...'" Here we have one definition of those that fear the LORD. They were the people that talked with each other, and we can imply from this that their discussions were of the LORD. They discussed Godly things together. They had to get together to talk. And so the lesson we can learn from this is that one of the most important things we can do in this life is to get together with other believers and talk with them. Let's not limit our discussions to the weather and work, but especially discuss the faith we hold and encourage each other to be prepared for the return of Christ (and may it be soon). And the reward for encouraging each other is that a book of remembrance has been written for us and that we will become part of God's treasured possession. It is a great reward to be called "mine" by God and to be his treasured possession. So get together and get talking today!
Robert Prins
Here is the challenge to put God to the test! "'Test me in this,' says the LORD Almighty." God challenges the people in the days that Malachi prophesied to give Him a tenth of their earnings and to provide Him with the appropriate offerings they were required to give. They were giving God much less than the ten percent they should have been giving. So God challenged them and made a deal. If they would give Him the tithe and the offerings - even though it might hurt a little bit, He would open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that they would not have enough room for it all!
Have you ever tried testing God in the same way? I believe he is still willing to be put to the test. One tenth of our income can hurt the pocket and we will certainly notice the pinch, but I have always found that God will pour out his blessings on us if we give to Him. We should also give him ten percent of our time. It can be hard to do, but in giving it to Him, He will bless us with what seems like so much more.
So test Him in this and see if He will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing on you that you will not have room enough for it.
Robert Prins
Reading 3 - Revelation 21 & 22
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Peter Cresswell
21:2 In speaking of 'The holy city' Revelation is drawing the way that Jerusalem is spoken of in the Old Testament. Nehemiah 11:1 Isaiah 48:2 52:1 Daniel 9:24 And also in the New. Matthew 4:5 27:53 Revelation 11:2
22:2-3
The presence of the 'tree of life' when there will be 'no more curse'
takes us back to the garden of Eden. The state that existed before Adam's
transgression will be restored. So there will be perfect fellowship with
God - they will 'see His face' Revelation
22:4. If we get 'the father's name' in our foreheads Revelation
22:4 now we will be there on that wonderful day.
Peter Forbes