Sat.’s Devo - The Promise

Read: Malachi 3:1-4:6; Revelation 22:1-21; Psalm 150:1-6; Proverbs 31:25-31 Malachi, the messenger proclaimed that another messenger (John the Baptist) would come to bring the message of The Messenger who was coming. This messenger (Jesus) would be like a fire that refines metal or a soap that bleaches clothes. He would purify the Levites so that they would once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. He would put Israel on trial and try them for adultery, sorcery and lying. He would condemn those who extorted money and oppressed the helpless. He rebuked them for withholding their tithes. Giving their tithes insures a promised blessing on their finances and crops. They had complained that there were no benefits to serving the Lord. They had observed how the evil get rich and God never punished them for their evil. They didn’t know that a book of everything they said favorably about the Lord had been recorded. God would judge in their behalf and they will be his people and his special treasure. God will spare his obedient children and not judge them. But the wicked will be judged and consumed like straw in the fire. God’s people will be healed and be set free. God will send Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, otherwise God will come and strike the land with a curse. Revelation goes into detail what Malachi touched on about the Sun of Righteousness rising with healing in his wings. John sees a river with trees growing on both sides. Every month a different tree sprung up and its leaves brought healing for the nations. There would be no more curses on anything. The throne of God and of the Lamb would be visible and they would always be able to see their faces. God’s name will be written on their foreheads and there would always be light. John was instructed not to seal up the words he had written but to let people keep living their lives holy or unholy. God was coming with a reward for all how followed him and obeyed his covenant. Those who washed their robes would be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city the sinners would live. The Spirit and the bride send out an invitation to come and drink from the water of life. Lord, we drink from your fountain of life and choose to live in your healing virtue. May we patiently await the culmination of this world and the new world you have promised.

Fri.’s Devo - The Message

Read: Malachi 1:1-2:17; Revelation 21:1-27: Psalm 149:1-9; Proverbs 31:10-24 Malachi is the transitional book between the Old and New Testaments. Malachi is the name of an office rather than a person. It means “my messenger”. He announces the coming of the Great Messenger and Messiah, Jesus Christ. Malachi speaks as if the Temple has already been built and speaks of the abuses of the people, the profane character of the priests and the people’s marriages with foreigners, the lack of paying tithes, and the lack of sympathy toward the poor by the rich. It had been 60 years since Ezra had first come to build the Temple and the people had mingled with the heathen around them and become like them. A second restoration and revival was much needed to re-establish God’s holy law and the holy city. Daniel had talked about a seventy weeks in Daniel 9:25. This began with the 7th year of Artaxerxes who allowed Ezra to go to Jerusalem and ended when Jesus began his work. Malachi’s prophecies began around the second return of Nehemiah from Persia around 424 B.C. In today’s reading, Malachi charged Israel for being insensitive to God’s love. God loved them because they belonged to Jacob. Esau, his brother had been rejected because Esau rejected God. Esau’s descendants became the Edomites and thought they would try to rebuild their nation but, God would not allow it. Their land would be known as “the Land of Wickedness” and their people would be called “the People with Whom the Lord is Forever Angry.” The priests had profaned their office by offering animals that were deformed and sick. They had no respect for God’s name. They were given the choice to repent or take the terrible curses. God also reproved them for their mixed marriages and the wrong they did to their faithful Jewish wives. God sees everything and nothing goes past him. In Revelation, God saw the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. God will wipe every tear from his people’s eyes and there will be no more death or sorrow or pain. God announces that he is making everything new. He told John to write down that it was finished and He is the Alpha and the Omega - the Beginning and the End. All who are thirsty will be given the water of life. All who are victorious will be blessed. All the evil-doers will face the lake of fire and that will be their second death. One of the angels took John to see the bride, the wife of the Lamb. God took him in the Spirit to a great, high mountain and showed him the holy city, Jerusalem coming down from heaven. It sparkled and shone with God’s glory. The wall had twelve gates guarded by twelve angels and the name of a tribe was written on the gates. The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones which had the name of an apostle on each of them. The angel held a measuring stick to measure the city, its gates and its wall. The length, width and height were each 1,400 miles. the walls were 216 feet thick. Each wall between the gates was made a a different stone that matched the stones on the priest’s ephod. Each stone stood for a different tribe The gates were made of pearls and the main street was pure gold. There was no temple in the city because the Lord and the Lamb were the temple. They lit the city with their light. The gates stood open because were was no night there. Nothing evil would ever be allowed to enter the city, only those whose names were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Lord, thank you that our names are written in your book.

Thurs.’s Devo - The Last Chapter

Read Zechariah 14:1-21; Revelation 20:1-15; Psalm 148:1-14; Proverbs 31:8-9 Zechariah deals with the last struggle with the evil world powers. The “Day of the Lord” is a time when God will vindicate his justice by punishing the wicked and saving his elect but it starts out pretty badly for Jerusalem. All nations will fight against Jerusalem and it will be violently taken over. God will then take vengeance out on Jerusalem’s enemies. His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives and it will split making a valley running east and west. Jerusalem will flee through this valley to Azal, a place in Palestine. Then the Lord will come back with his saints with him. There will be continuous light but not from the sun, moon or stars. Life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem flowing continuously. The Lord will be king over all the earth and he alone will be worshipped. God will send a plague on all the nations that fought against Jerusalem. Their flesh will rot away and their eyes will rot in their sockets. Their tongues will rot in their mouths. They will panic in fear and fight their neighbors. Their wealth will be captured. This plague will strike the horses, mules, camels, donkeys and other animals in the enemy camps. Those who survive the plague will go up to Jerusalem each year to worship the King at the Festival of Tabernacles. Any nation who refused to come will have no rain. If Egypt refused to come, they will get the same plague that was put on the other nations. Everything will be dedicated to the Lord and be holy. Every sacrifice will be holy. In Revelation, John saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a chain in his hand. He seized the dragon and threw him into the bottomless pit and shut the door and locked it so Satan could not deceived the nations. Thrones were set up for people who had been given authority to judge. The souls of all who had not bowed to the beast or taken his mark came to life again and reigned with Christ a thousand years. When this time is over, Satan will be let out of his prison to go out and deceive the nations of Gog and Magog. He will gather them together to fight God’s people. They will surround Jerusalem but fire from heaven will attack their armies and consume them. The devil will be thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur along with the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented forever. A great white throne appeared with God sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from its presence. The books were opened and the dead were judged according to the deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. Whoever’s name was not found in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. Zechariah and Revelation dove-tail into one great story of the end. The end is glorious for GOd’s people and not so glorious for the wicked. It will be an end to wickedness once and for all. What a great celebration that will be! Lord, may we be diligent to let your light shine through us to the people around us. May we light the way for others salvation. Open our eyes to see those who are being drawn to your light and reach out to them in love.

Weds.’s Devo - The Invitation

Read: Zechariah 12:1-13:9’ Revelation 19:1-21; Psalm 147:1-20; Proverbs 31:1-7 The Creator of the Heavens and the Earth who also formed the human spirit spoke. He would make Jerusalem immovable and so strong that when nations came to attack it, they would only be hurting themselves. The clans of Judah would protect all the land of Jerusalem from any enemies. God would give the territory of Judah victory and then Jerusalem. The royal line of David would have no more honor than the people of Judah. God will pour out his spirit of grace and prayer on both people. They will look upon the one they pierced and mourn for him as if it was their only son. All Israel will mourn as they realize they rejected the one who died for them.’On that day God will open a cleansing fountain where they can be cleansed from all their sins. The land will be rid of the false prophets and the spirit of impurity that they brought. If a man does stand to prophecy falsely, his own parents will kill him. No one will want to be known as a prophet. He calls the sword to go against the shepherd, God’s partner (Jesus). When Jesus was struck down his sheep scattered and God turned against the lambs. Two-thirds of his people were cut off and died but a third would be left in the land. Those apostles would be brought through the fire and made pure. The would be refined and purified to call on his name. God would answer them and proclaim that they were his people. This happened at the time of Jesus but this would happen again at the end. In Revelation, it sounds like a continuation of what we read in Zechariah. The same remnant of God’s sounded from heaven - God’s cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12). They shouted out the great things the Lord had done for them - punished the great prostitute and avenged the blood of the martyred. The twenty-four elders and the four living beings joined in the praise and worship. Then a sound announced the time of the wedding feast had come. The bride was ready and dressed in white linen. Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb. Heaven opened and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True - the one who judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes shone like fire and he wore many crowns. He was given a name that no one understood except himself. His robe was dripping blood and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He would rule them with a rod of iron and execute God’s wrath on them. On his robe at his thigh was written Lord of lords and King of kings. Another angel called to the vultures to come a gather for the great feast of Leviathan. There they would eat the flesh of kings, generals, strong warriors, horses and their riders and all humanity who didn’t worship God. The beast and the false prophet were captured and thrown into the lake of fire and burning sulfur. Their entire army was killed by the sword that came from the mouth of Jesus. The vultures feasted on their dead bodies. There are two great banquets at the end, the Banquet of the Lord’s, and the Feast of Leviathan’s. We get to choose which one we go to but we have to choose it in this life. To wait till then is too late. Lord, thank you that you have issued your invitation to come and dine with you and we have accepted the invitation. We are honored to be your guest and share in your happiness and glory.

Tues.’s Devo - Babylon Has Fallen!

Read: Zechariah 10:1-11:17; Revelation 18:1-24; Psalm 146:1-10; Proverbs 30:33 Their feasts had been centered around praying to God for the rain so they could yield a great harvest. God was telling them to return to depending on him for rain and blessings. He can and will give them. The people trusted in worthless gods and witchcraft instead so they were like sheep without a shepherd. God was mad at the leaders who were suppose to be shepherding the people. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies had come to look after Judah and make them strong and glorious. God’s plan for Judah was to make it strong and able to conquer their enemies. Those scattered would return and become a great nation. Zechariah was telling them that their great nation was going to fall but then God would restore it. Chapter 11 speaks of the Temple that was made from the trees of Lebanon. The great doors of the Temple were made of this wood and Josephus says that one day the doors just opened on their own. They believed that it was depicting the fulfillment of this prophecy. The Romans did come and destroy the Temple and took captive those who did not die in the battle. Zechariah took two shepherd’s staffs and named one of them Favor and the other Union. God took out three of the evil rulers in one month. He took the staff called Favor and cut it in two showing that God was ending the covenant he had made with them. He told them they could pay him his wages if they wanted. They gave him thirty pieces of silver. The same amount Judas was given to betray Jesus. The Lord told Zechariah to give the silver to the potter just as Judas gave his to the Potter’s Field. With the other staff, Union, he cut in two showing that Judah and Israel would once again be divided. God told Zechariah to go again and play the part of a worthless shepherd. This would illustrate the worthless shepherd that God would send them who would not care for those who were dying, nor look after the young, nor heal the injured, nor feed the healthy. This shepherd, the anti-christ, would eat the fattest sheep and tear off their hooves. He would be cursed and end up losing his arm and his right eye. Revelation rejoices in her fall. Babylon who stands for the whole demonic system is declared fallen. Babylon, the center of commerce, entertainment, luxury and worldly lust would fall in a day. Those that made money by her would stand in horror and amazement as they watch her fall. It would be like watching the Stock Market crash, the World Trade Center crumble, Disney bombed, and Silicon Valley go up in flames all at the same time. Then, another angel picked up a hugh millstone and threw it into the ocean and shouted, “just like this the great city Babylon will be thrown down with violence and will never be found again.” The whole city would go silent and never be heard from again. Lord, thank you that you will over evil and sin. We are so grateful to be on your side and look forward to the end of this evil system and the rise of your righteous city.

Mon.’s Devo - Judgement on Evil

Read: Zechariah 9:1-17; Revelation 17:1-18; Psalm 145:1-21; Proverbs 30:32 Today is a ‘today’ word. The eyes of humanity are on the Lord like I have never seen them before. Anyone who has a clue about what is going on right now in the world is saying that God is our only hope… along with the military. All of their ‘deep state’ leaders were coming down. Evil cites of Hamath, Tyre, Sidon, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ashdod, and Ekron were going to be destroyed. Any survivors would come to Judah and worship the Lord. God told the people of Zion to rejoice their king was coming to them who was righteous and victorious. He would be humble and riding on a donkey. What a contrast to their battle chariots and warhorses. All weapons of destruction would be replaced with peace. The Lord will appear above his people and sound the ram’s horn and attack like a whirlwind. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will protect his people and defeat their enemies. He will rescue his people and they will sparkle like jewels in God’s land. In Revelation, one of the angels who had poured out his bowl came over and got John to follow him. He was taking John to the judgment of the great prostitute who ruled over many. She was a spirit over a city who had enticed many in the world to commit adultery with her against the Lord. John was taken into the wilderness were a woman sat on a scarlet best that had seven heads, ten horns and blasphemies against God were written all over the beast. She wore purple and scarlet and had on beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. She held a gold goblet full of obscenities and impurities of her immorality. The words “Babylon the Great, Mother of all Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World” was written on her forehead. She was drunk with the blood of all blood of God’s holy people who were a witness for Jesus. John stared in amazement. The angel told John the mystery of the beast. It would rise back up from hell and amaze its followers. The seven heads of represent the seven hills where the woman rules and the seven kings who rule them. Five kings have already fallen and the sixth now reigns. The seventh is yet to come. His reign will be short. The scarlet beast that is no longer is the eighth king but he too is headed for destruction. The ten horns are ten kings that will then rise up and follow the beast. They will join with the beast to fight the Lamb but the Lamb will win because he is the Lord of all lords and King of all kings and his people who love him will be with him. The waters represent the sea of humanity. The beast and all his horns hate the prostitute and they will strip her, eat her flesh and burn her in the fire. This woman represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world. Lord, it is wonderful to know that the end of all this evil is soon coming to an end. May we stand in righteousness and truth. We hold your standard across our foreheads. We are the children of the Lamb.

Sun.’s Devo - God Wins!

Read: Zechariah 8:2-23; Revelation 16:1-21; Psalm 144:1-15; Proverbs 30:29-31 Merry Christmas! We have great news to read on the day we celebrate as the arrival of our King’s birth on earth. God proclaims that his love for Mt. Zion is passionate and strong. He is consumed with passion for Jerusalem, his bride. That is us! When he returns Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City and Mt. Zion will be called the Holy Mountain. Once again, Jerusalem would be filled with the old and the young. Before they started rebuilding, they lived unsafely and in poverty, but when they began the work, God turned their situation around. Now they will receive the blessings of heaven and peace on every side. God will make them the very symbol and source of blessing. God wanted these promises to encourage them to continue building. At one time, God was determined to punish Israel, but now he was determined to bless them. But, he did require that they change their ways. They had to tell the truth to each other, vender verdicts in court that lead to peace. Stop scamming against on another and telling lies. Then he answered the question the men of Bethel had asked him in what we read yesterday. Pertaining to the fast that mourned the Temple’s destruction, they could stop celebrating it. Instead they were to become festivals of joy and celebration. God’s people would be honored and esteemed by all. In Revelation, the seven angels leave to pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth. The first bowl brought terrible boils on those how had the mark or worshiped his statue. The second bowl was poured on the sea and it became like blood. All died in the sea. The third angel poured his bowl on the rivers and springs and they became blood. Because they had shed blood of God’s people, they would be made to drink blood as their just reward. The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun causing it to scorch everyone with its fire. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast and his kingdom was plunged in to darkness. They anguished in the dark with their boils yet they did not repent of their sins. The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the Euphrates River and it dried up so that the kings from the east could easily march their armies to the west. Three evil spirits left from the mouths of the dragon, the beast and the false prophets and went out to all the leaders of the earth calling them to the battle against the Lord. God warned the people that he would come as a thief but to those who are watching for him to come he would be a blessing. The rulers with their armies would gather at Armageddon. The seventh bowl was poured out into the air and a shout came from the throne saying, “It is finished!” Then thunder rolled and lighting flashed. The earth experienced the greatest earthquake it had ever had. The earthquake split the city of Babylon into three sections and many nations fell into the heaps of rubble. Every island disappeared and all the mountains were leveled. A terrible hailstorm with hailstones as large as 75 pounds fell to the earth. They cursed God because he was winning the war. Lord, help your believers who have to live through that time on the earth. May they be strong and courageous. May we be strong and courageous in our war against sin. May we not grow weary but depend on your Spirit to revive us. The victory is the Lord’s!

Sat.’s Devo - God’s Patrols -

Read: Zechariah 6:1-7:14; Revelation 15:1-8; Psalm 143:1-12; Proverbs 30:24-28 Zechariah was shown four chariots coming from between two bronze mountains. The first was pulled by red horses and the second by black. A third chariot was pulled by white horse and the fourth by dappled-gray. They were sent by God to patrol the earth. The black were sent north, the white went west and the gray-dappled was sent south. John was shown what happened to the chariot sent north. It vented God’s anger until it was subsided. Zechariah received another message that Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah would bring gifts of silver and gold from the Jews exiled in Babylon. When they arrived, Zechariah was to take them to the house of Josiah. There, they would accept the gifts and make a crown from the silver and gold and put it on the head of Jeshua. He was called the Branch and he would branch out from where he was and build the Temple of the Lord. He would receive royal honor and rule as a king. There would be a perfect harmony between his role as a priest and his role as a king. (No separation of church and state there.) People would come from all over the world to help him build the Temple of the Lord. This was a picture of Jesus the Branch who would come the first time to redeem us from slavery. His salvation would branch out to all peoples and many would become a part of the Kingdom of God. Jesus would come back a second time to set up an earthly kingdom where he will have a Temple on earth and we will all come and worship him there. In the fourth year of Darius’ reign, God came to Zechariah and gave him his response to the people of Bethel. They had sent representatives to Jerusalem to ask if they should continue to mourn and fast the anniversary of the Temple’s destruction. God responded with a question. Were they really doing all that fasting for Him or for themselves? Then God gave them the same answer that Isaiah had given the people about fasting. Fasting isn’t about not eating but it was about not sinning. It was about judging fairly, showing mercy and kindness to one another; not oppressing the widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor and not scheming against each other. This had been the crux of the situation 70 years ago and it was the same now. In Revelation, John saw the sea of people standing before the Temple with harps singing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. They were people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. The Temple doors were thrown wide open. The seven angels holding the seven plagues came out of the Temple. They were clothes in white linen robes with gold sashes across their chests. They were each handed a gold bowl filled with the wrath of God. The Temple was so filled with God’s presence that none could enter until the bowls had been poured out on the earth. Lord, I don’t know where we are as pertaining to Revelation and the end, but I do know that it is how we honor you and treat one another that is what is important to You. May we honor what your honor and hate what you hate. Lead us through the chapters of our lives. Thank you that You patrol the earth and You make the decisions for us. We trust in You.

Fri.’s Devo - By My Spirit

Read: Zechariah 4:1-5:11; Revelation 14:1-20; Psalm 142:1-7; Provers 30:21-22 Zechariah’s angel aroused him and asked him what he saw. It was a solid gold lamp stand with bowls of oil on top of the seven lamps (a menorah). An olive tree was on both sides. The angel told him that the meaning of what he was looking at. This candlestick represented the Spirit of God. It would allow Zerubbabel to build the Temple and nothing would be able to stop him. He laid the cornerstone and he would complete it. The seven lamps represented God’s eyes that search the whole earth. The trees provided oil for the lamps. They represented two anointed ones who stood in the court of the Lord. Next, Zechariah saw a scroll flying through the air. It was 30 feet long and 15 feet wide. It was a proclamation of a curse on the land. One side of the scroll said that those who steal would be banished from the land. The other side said that those who swore falsely would be banished from the land. This curse was being sent out to every house that had someone in it who did either of these things. Zechariah was told to look up and see what was coming next. It was a basket full of grain which stood for the sins of the people. The lid was lifted off the basket and there was a woman sitting in the basket. Her name was Wickedness. The angel pushed her back into the basket and flew away with it to Babylon. In Revelation, John witnessed the Lamb standing on Mt. Zion with 144,000 of his followers. A roar of mighty ocean waves sounded from heaven. It also sounded like many harpists playing together. This great people became God’s choir who sang a song only they knew because they had kept themselves pure as virgins following the Lamb wherever he went. They were the only ones who could sing this song because they had told no lies and were without blame. An angel flew through the air carrying the Good News to all the people of the world. He encouraged everyone to worship the Lord. A second angel followed shouting that Babylon had fallen. A third angel came shouting the judgment that would fall on those who accepted the beast and took his mark. They would be tormented forever and ever. with fire and burning sulfur. This should encourage those living in that day to patiently endure the persecution and stay faithful. Zachariah was told to write that those who die in the Lord from that time on would rest from their hard work and their good deeds would follow them. The Son of Man came down on a white cloud with a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. An angel came from the Temple telling the Son of Man that it was time to harvest the earth so he put his sickle into the earth and harvested the earth of the righteous grapes. Then another angel came from the Temple in heaven and was told to harvest the ones ripe for judgment. The grapes were put in God’s winepress of his wrath and were trampled outside the city. Blood flowed in a stream 180 miles long and as high as a horse’s bridle. Lord, this is all so overwhelming but I know it is going to happen just as you say it will. May are hearts always be pure and our devotion be for you. Thank you that we are a part of your Kingdom.

Thurs.’s Devo - The High Priest

Read: Zechariah 2:1-3:10; Revelation 12:18-13:18; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 30:18-20 Today we read Zechariah’s third vision. Remembering that they are rebuilding the Temple, Zechariah is shown a man with a measuring line who is going to measure Jerusalem, not the Temple. Another angel came to tell Zechariah that one day the city would be so full of people that there wouldn’t be enough room for everyone. God would be a protective wall of fire around their city. God called his people back from exile to come back to Jerusalem He cursed the nations who had crushed his people. God proclaimed that Jerusalem was beautiful and that he was coming to live among them. Other nations would join themselves to the Lord and he would be their God also. In chapter three, Zechariah was shown the high priest Jeshua standing before the angel of the Lord. Satan was there to accuse him. The Lord stepped in and told Satan that he rejected his accusations and rebuked him. God said that Jeshua was like a burning stick that had been snatched from the fire - meaning that he had been snatched from hell. Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as a picture of his sin. The angels took off his filthy cloths and gave him fine new clothes. He put a clean turn on his head. This is the picture of salvation that would come through a future High Priest. God told Jeshua that if he walked in God’s ways and served him he would be given authority over his Temple and its courtyards. He told him that he was a picture of things to come. He was the symbol of the Branch, the Messiah that would come who would take away the sins of the nation in a day. In Revelation the dragon stood beside the sea. A beast rose out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns and ten crowns on its horns. Written on each head were the names that blasphemed God. The beast looked like a leopard, but had the feel of a bear and the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority. One of the heads received a fatal wound that was miraculously healed. The miracle brought the beast world-wide attention and honor. The beast was allowed to blaspheme God and do whatever he wanted for 42 months. He waged war against God’s holy people. They were to patiently endure the persecution and remain faithful. Another beast came up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb but spoke like a dragon. He took authority over the first beast and required all the earth to worship the first beast. He did miracles and deceived the people who belonged to the world. He ordered a statue made of the first beast and then gave life to the statue so it could speak. Anyone who refused to worship the statue would die. He also required everyone to receive his mark on their right hand or forehead and no one could buy or sell without having the mark. The number of the beast was 666. Lord, as carry as all this sounds our comfort is in You. It is my understanding that we won’t be here during this time so I pray for believers who will be alive during these hard times. May they stand with You with your mark on their hearts, their head and their hands. May we stand in our day as lights in our dark days. Thank you that the end is near and salvation is coming. Thank you that you are a faithful High Priest.

Wed.’s Devo - Comfort

Read: Zechariah 1:1-21; Revelation 12:1-17; Psalm 140:1-13; Proverbs 30:17 The name Zechariah means “one whom Jehovah remembers”. Zechariah was a priest as well as a prophet like Jeremiah and Ezekiel. He prophesied two months after Haggai during the second year of Darius’ reign. God was really upset with their ancestors who worshipped other gods and abandoned the worship of God. God told them to return to him and he would return to them. He reminded them that he did everything he told his prophets he would do. Three months later Zechariah had a vision of a man sitting on a red horse. It was standing among the myrtle trees in a small valley. Behind him were other riders on red, brown and white horses. When Zechariah asked him who these were God told him that they were the ones the Lord had sent out to patrol the earth. They would report what they saw to the angel under the tree. They brought back the report that the earth was at peace. The angel of the Lord prayed that God would bring comfort to his people. The angel gave Zechariah a message to shout. God had great love and passion for Jerusalem and Mt. Zion but was not happy with their enemies that were now enjoying peace and security. His anger toward his people was over and now he was angry at the people who oppressed his people. It was time to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem. Zechariah was shown four horns which represented the nations that had humbled and scattered Judah and the blacksmiths that were coming to terrify them and throw them down and destroy them. In Revelation, John witnessed several events. The first was a woman clothed with the sun standing on the moon. A crown of twelve stars was on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain. The next event was a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept away one third of the stars in the sky and threw them to the earth. He stood ready to devour her child once she gave birth. She gave birth to a son who would rule the earth with an iron rod (Jesus). The child was snatched away and caught up to God. The woman (the Church) fled into the wilderness where God prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days. There was great spiritual battle in heaven between Michael and Satan and God’s army won. Satan was thrown down to earth and the Church was given authority over him. We defeat him by the blood of the lamb, the word of our testimony and the fact that we are not afraid to die. Once Satan was thrown to earth, he went after the Church. She was given wings to fly into the wilderness where she would be cared for and protected. Satan tried to kill her with a flood but the earth swallowed up the flood. Satan was really mad and declared war on the rest of her children. Lord, may we realize that the devil has already been defeated and we hold all the cards. We have been given authority to rule over him and declare victory for our nation and our families. We declare comfort to your people.

Tues.’s Devo - Building the Temple

Read: Haggai 1:1-2:23; Revelation 11:1-19; Psalm 139:1-24; Proverbs 30:15-16 Cyrus had sent a remnant of Jews back to Jerusalem to build a house to the Lord. They had become so consumed with building their own houses that they hadn’t yet began work on the Temple. God gave a word through Haggai to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah. It was the first day of the sixth month. He rebuked him for building luxurious houses to live in when God’s house was lying in ruins. Because they neglected God’s house, they had not had enough to live on. God told them to consider their ways and change. God had called a drought on the land until they got their lives in order. Zerrubabel ,and the high priest, Joshua and the people got busy building God’s house. A month and twenty days later, Haggai came back with another word to Zerubbabel and Joshua and to the people. He told them to be strong for He was with them. Another word came almost two months later. God said that they had been an unclean people but the day they laid the first stone in the temple God started to bless their crops and where they had not brought forth a harvest, they would begin to. In Revelation, John was given a measuring stick to measure the Temple of God and the altar and to count the number of worshipers. He was not to measure the outer courtyard because it was to be turned over to the nations to be trampled for 42 months. God’s two witnesses clothed in burlap would prophecy during those 1,260 days. The two prophets were the two olive trees and the two lamp stands that stand before the Lord. If anyone tries to harm them, fire will flash from their mouths and consume their enemies. They would have power to shut the sky so no rain would fall as long as they prophesied They would also have power to turn the rives to blood and strike the earth with every kind of plague at will. When their assignment is complete, the beast that comes from the bottomless pit will declare war against them. Their bodies will lie on the main street of Jerusalem for three and a half days. People will rejoice over their death and give presents to one another. At the end of the three and a half days, God will breathe life into their bodies and they will stand up. The people will be filled with terror. God will shout from heaven saying, “come up here!” and they will rise to heaven in a cloud. An earthquake will strike the city and destroy a tenth of it. Seven thousand people will die in the earthquake . Everyone else will be terrified and give glory to the Lord. This was the second terror. The third is on its way. The seventh angel blew his trumpet and a loud voice shouted in heaven. “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.” The twenty-four elders will fall on their faces in worship. It was now time to destroy all who had caused destruction on the earth. In heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark could be seen. There was lightning and thunder and an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm. Lord, we don’t know when all this will happen but we know that our days are in your hands. You are all wisdom and power and glory.

Mon.’s Devo - God’s Warnings

Read: Zephaniah 1:1-3:20; Revelation 10:1-11; Psalm 138:1-8; Proverbs 30:11-14 Zephaniah prophesied during the earlier part of Josiah’s reign which was around 625 B.C. Zephaniah means “Jehovah has guarded; hidden”. He begins with the list of his ancestors all the way back to his great-great-grandfather. I wonder if he was trying to imply that his generation and inheritance was hidden in God. He begins by giving God’s severe judgement on Judah for its idolatry and rebellion against God. Josiah had led his country in a great time of repentance and return to the Lord, but many did not follow him in this. They could not blame their leadership for leading them into idolatry, the blame was on themselves. In the second chapter, Zephaniah foretells of the fall of Nineveh because of their worship of Baal. Jeremiah and Huldah were both prophets during his time. Zephaniah spoke to the nation of their sins. Jeremiah had spoken to the labor force and the market places. Hildah spoke to the college in Jerusalem. The all pointed out the sin of the people and their turn from God to worship idols. In the third chapter, Zechariah condemns Jerusalem, but ends with the promise that she would be reestablished in worship to the true God. In Revelation it was time of the seventh angel to sound its trumpet. An angel came down from heaven standing on a cloud with a rainbow on his head. His face shone as the sun and his feet looked like pillars of fire. He had a little book in his hand that was open. One of his feet stood on the sea the the other on the earth. He cried out and seven thunders sounded. John was about to write what he saw but was told to seal up what the seven turners said and not to write them down. The angel declare the end of time on the earth, the sea and those under the sea. John was told to go and take the little book and eat it. It would be sweet to his mouth but bitter to his stomach. He told John that he would prophesy again before many people, nations, tongues and kings. Lord, we thank you for your plan on the earth. May we boldly declare your goodness and your ways in the path. Our hope is in you.

Sun.’s Devo - Deliverance

Read: Habakkuk 1:1-3:19; Revelation 9:1-21; Psalm 137:1-9; Proverbs 30:10 Habakkuk lived 600 years before Christ during the reign of Jehoiakim. In the first chapter, he prophesied the coming of the Chaldeans to invade Judah. In the second chapter he comforted his people by telling the humiliation their enemies were going to face when they did attack them. In the third chapter the prophet celebrated God’s victories in the past as a testimony of what he would do in the future. He will deliver them again! Habakkuk 3:17-19 is a favorite scripture declaring that even if there is no evidence of God’s deliverance and things are looking really bad, yet, we can will ourselves to rejoice in the Lord and find joy in the God of our salvation. In Revelation, the fifth angel sounded his trumpet and a star fell to the earth. (All through scripture stars represents people - Gen. 15:5, Gen. 37:9, and Jude 1:13 to name a few.) This “star” was given the key to the bottomless pit to open it. When he did, smoke poured out from it. Locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth. They could sting like scorpions and were told them could only hurt the ones who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads They were to torture them for five months with pain. The locusts looked like horses with gold crowns on their heads. Their faces look human. Their hair was long and their teeth were like that of a lion. They worked armor of iron and their wings sounding like a mighty rushing wind. They stung with eire tails and for five months they had permission to torment people. Their king was Abandon or Apollyon, the Destroyer. That was the first terror, but two more were coming. The sixth angel sounded his trumpet and John heard a voice coming from the four horns of the gold altar of incense. A voice commanded the four angels who were bound at the great Euphrates River to be released They were to kill one-third of all the people on the earth. The size of their army was 200 million. This army rode on horses. The riders wore red, blue and yellow armor and the horsed had heads like lions, and breathed out fire, smoke and sulfur. One third of all the earth was killed by their plagues. People who did not die of these diseases still refused to repent of their sins and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of precious metals. They refused to repent of their murders, witchcraft, sexual immorality or thefts. Lord, we choose to trust you to deliver us from our enemies and save our nation and our families. We will not be afraid of what man can do to us because they can never take our souls. Encourage your people to stand firm against sin and choose righteousness.

Sat.’s Devo - The Seventh Seal -

Read: Nahum 1:1-3:19; Revelation 8:1-13; Psalm 136:1-26; Proverbs 30:7-9 Nahum means “consolation” and “vengeance”. Nahum was the seventh of the minor prophets which also means “consolation” so this was the consolation in the book for God’s people. It was also God’s vengeance to come on his enemies, namely Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrians. God brings warning on his enemies and assurance to the Jews that although the Assyrians were close and they had already carried away the ten tribes of Israel, the Assyrians would fail in their attack on Jerusalem. Instead, their own capital would be taken and overthrown because of their sins. Nahum is believed to have lived during the time when Hezekiah was king. His prophecy didn’t come true for another 100 years. He begins by talking about the character of God against sin. God never lets the guilty go unpunished. He uses all his creation to execute his vengeance over the earth. No one can oppose him and win. But, he is a refuge to those who trust in him and comforts them. The Lord asks Sennecherib why he is scheming against him. Even though Sennecherib has many allies, they will not help against God. Assyria will have no more children to carry on their name and all their idols will be destroyed. Verse 15 tells us that a messenger would come from the mountains around Jerusalem with the good new of the fall of Assyria. This verse also parallels the Messiah that would come from the mountain of God - heaven with the good news of Salvation and defeat of Satan, which is much better news. The Destroyer was coming to crush them but God will restore their honor and splendor. It will not be so for Nineveh. They will be destroyed with out remedy. All their wealth will be taken and their people will watch in terror. Nineveh had been a city of murder and lies, crammed with wealth and never without victims. She had enchanted the people with her magic and beauty but she was about to be exposed for what was hidden in secret. This reminds me of today’s Hollywood and Disney. The world will see how vile they really are. Nahum told Assyria to prepare for the siege by storing up food and water and even making bricks ahead of time to repair the wall as it would be torn down during the siege. Even in preparing for what was coming, it would not help. There is no healing for their wound; their injury would be fatal. When other nations hear about what happened to them, they will clap for joy. All the world had suffered their cruelty so they would rejoice in their downfall. This is such a picture of the end of time when the Anti-christ’s kingdom falls. In Revelation, the seventh seal is broken and all heaven is silenced. Seven angels were given seven trumpets. Another angel came forth with a gold incense burner and stood at the altar. He was given much incense which was mixed with the prayers of God’s people. The angel filled the incense burner with fire from the altar and threw it down to earth manifesting in an earthquake. Then the angels with the trumpets began to blow their trumpet in order. The first trumpet was sounded and hail of fire and blood fell down to the earth. One-third of the earth was set on fire burning up the trees and grass. Trees and grass represent leaders and common people. The second trumpet caused a great mountain of fire to be shown into the sea. One-third of the creatures of the sea died and one third of the all the ships were destroyed. The third trumpet sounded and a great star fell from the sky like a torch and fell on one-third of the rivers and springs of water making the water bitter and poisonous. It killed many people who drank it. The fourth angel sounded and a third of the sun, moon and stars were struck. One-third of the day was dark and also one-third of the night. This darkness was like the darkness that fell on Egypt during Moses’ day. It was a darkness you could feel. He heard an eagle crying loudly warning of the terror to come on all who belonged to this world because of what would happen when the last three angels blew their trumpets. We give thanks to you, Lord, for your faithful love endures forever!

Fri.’s Devo -Sealed for God

Read: Micah 5:1-7:20; Revelation 7:1-17; Psalm 135:1-21; Proverbs 30:5-6 Micah calls out to the remnant to stay strong against their enemy and not to be eased into sin through their temporary time of prosperity. The enemy was coming and would strike Israel’s leader. From the small unimportant city of Bethlehem would arise a leader who could trace his lineage to the distant past. We know that that distant past was all the way to before creation. Israel would be under control of their enemies until Mary brought forth her son, Jesus. Then they would be spiritually free to return to their own land which means spiritually to their God. Micah continues to tell their fate in the natural as they are delivered from Assyria, but spiritually he is referring to their deliverance from Satan’s hold on them. Jesus would break the power of sin for them and set them free to rule over the strongholds of the earth. In that day, God will destroy every tool of the devil’s and destroy their worship. God brought Israel to his court to question them and to make their own defense of why they left worshipping him to worship other gods. He tells them what they need to do to return to him. They need to do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with him. If they are wise they would fear him because the enemy is coming and they have no power to fight him. God was sending their enemy to punish them for their sins which were great. They will live a life of lack and fear. Micah gives a cry from the remnant in vs. 7-10 of chapter 7. Those who wait confidently for God to save them will not be disappointed. They will be given justice and be brought into the light to see God’s righteousness. Israel’s cities will be rebuilt and extended. they will honor the Lord. God responds to their cry saying that all the world will be amazed to see what God will do for them. God will show his love for his faithful ones. In Revelation, John witnesses four angels standing at the corners of the earth holding back the winds. Another angel comes from the earth carrying the seal of the living God. He shouted to the four angels because they had been given power to harm the land and the sea. He tells them to wait and not bring their destruction until he had placed God’s seal on the foreheads of his servants. One hundred, and forty-four thousand were marked - twelve thousand from each tribe. The tribe of Dan was not marked as Dan was the “Judas” tribe that was marked for judgment. Dan means “a judge”. A huge crowd in wine robes stood before the Lamb and the throne waving palm branches and praising God. One of the twenty-four elders asked John who the ones in white robe were and where they came from. When John didn’t know, he told him. These were the ones who came out of great tribulation who had trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ. They would never lack again and the Lamb would be their Shepherd who would heal them and restore their joy. Lord, thank you for your redemptive plan for your people. Teach us to do what is right, love mercy and walk humbly with you.

Thurs.’s Devo - Micah

Read: Micah 1:1-4:13; Revelations 6:1-17; Psalm 134:1-3; Proverbs 30:1-4 Micah was from Judah and prophesied during the kings of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. He spoke to both Israel and Judah. He prophesied before and during the life of Isaiah. Micah’s name means “who is like Jehovah” which was a question to the people who had turned from worshipping Jehovah to worship all sorts of other gods. He was from the town of Maresheth which bordered on Philistine land and meant “possessor of a wine-press. A wine-press was a picture of how God would squeeze his chosen people to see what was inside them. Micah began his words to the people of the world meaning the people of his world, his chosen people. He described the leaders as mountains and the lowest of the people as valleys. They would all be judged the same. He put the blame of Israel and Judah on their capital cities of Samaria and Jerusalem. Samaria’s sins were going to be exposed for all to see. All her wealth would be taken away. Her sins had spread to Jerusalem. The enemy towns around Jerusalem would have no pity on Jerusalem; the same judgement was coming to them also. Lachish was distinguished as being the first city in Judah to follow in the Israels idolatry which led Judah to sin also. Lachish means “walk of a man” as opposed to walking in the Spirit of God. This was where Sennacherib put his headquarters. The enemy would take their inheritance from everywhere but in heaven. Micah begged Judah to repent for the sake of their posterity. What they were doing would greatly affect their children and their children. They lived their lives cheating one another out of their family’s inheritance instead of standing as a national family supporting one another. Their pride would be brought down and the would be left desolate. They would lose everything they owned including their land and their inheritance to an enemy nation. The people who heard Micah’s prophecies begged him to stop saying such curses against them. Micah countered that if they did what was right, God would say encouraging things to them, but they chose to sin instead. They had taken their own people’s homes from them and now theirs would be taken and they would go into exile. One day, God would raise up a leader among them who would bring them back to their land. At present, their leaders hated good and loved evil. The prophets were false and led them astray. They took bribes and punished those who wouldn’t feed them. Their visions were about to end. They would end in disgrace and shame. In contrast to the false prophets, Micah was confident because he got his words from God. God’s spirit had filled Micah with justice and strength to boldly prophesy Israel’s sin and rebellion. The false confidence that Judah had was about to come down on top of them. In the last days, God’s mountain will be Jesus Christ. All people will stream to him and be taught his ways. Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying the fruit of their labor. There will be nothing to fear. God’s weak remnant will become a strong nation with the Lord ruling as their king. Jerusalem will be restored. Enemy nations will rise up as one against God’s people but they won’t understand that it is God that is gathering them together where they will be beaten on God’s threshing floor. The wealth of many nations will become the Lord’s. In Revelation, John watches as the Lamb broke the first seal. John was called to come and watch. He beheld a white horse. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He went to win battles and gain victories. The second seal brought another horse. This one was red and its rider was given a mighty sword and was given authority to take peace from the earth. He brought war and slaughter. The third seal was opened and a black horse appeared. Its rider was holding pair of scales in his hand. It was to weigh the cost of wheat and barley for bread. The fourth seal brought forth a horse that was pale green. Its rider was named Death, and his companion was the Grave. They were given authority over one-fourth of the earth to kill with the sword, famine, disease and wild animals. The breaking of the fifth seal brought a scene of the altar. Under it were the souls of those who had been martyred for the word of God and for their faithful testimony of Christ. They cried out for judgment on the world and for God to avenge their blood. A white robe was given them and the were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters that would be martyred had joined them. When the Lamb broke the sixth seal, a great earthquake happened. The sun became black and the moon red. The stars fell to the earth and the sky was rolled up like a scroll. All of the mountains and islands were moved from their places. All the kings and leaders of the nations fled and hid in the caves. They cried out for death. It was the day of wrath. We have been going through a mock ‘day of wrath’ on the earth but this is not the end. The riders of the horses were types of antichrists bringing war, famine, disease and calamity. We are about to experience a great die off of people but the end is not yet. We are not in the day of wrath. God is exposing sin like never before and judging the leaders of the world but we must be patient and not lose hope. Our redeemer is orchestrating everything and we have to put on our white robes and be patient. We have been crucified with Christ so we are a living martyrs. God is shaking everything that can be shaken and seeing what remains. We will remain as his remnant and we will inherit the land if we hold on and trust in God’s plan. Lord, help us to know what to do in the days we are living. Help us to give hope and joy to those who need assurance and strength. May we bring peace and light to the dark world we live in.

Wed.’s Devo - Jonah’s Call

Read: Jonah 1:1-4:11; Revelation 5:1-14; Psalm 133:1-3; Proverbs 29:26-27 Jonah means a “dove” which we associate with “peace and the Holy Spirit”. He was the son of Amittai which means “truthful and honest”. Jonah was very honest with God. He told him exactly how he felt. He was from the tribe of Zebulim making him from Israel. God called Jonah to go preach to the great city of Nineveh which was the capital of the world kingdom. He was to announce judgment against it because of its wickedness. You would think that Jonah would have loved the opportunity to announce judgement against his enemy but because Jonah knew God’s great compassion and mercy, he wasn’t so eager to go. In fact, he took a boat in the opposite direction. God sent a terrible storm to turn Jonah around. While the storm was raging, the crew cried out to their gods, but Jonah was found fast asleep in the helm (reminds me of the time Jesus did the same thing.) The crew cast lots to find the man responsible for making the gods so mad and the lot fell on Jonah. When they questioned him, he told them that he was a Hebrew and his God was the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land. The crew were afraid and asked him what they could do to stop the storm. When he told them to cast him into the sea, they were not ready to make his god even madder by killing Jonah. Finally when they saw they would all die, they threw Jonah into the sea praying for penance. Immediately, the sea became calm and the soldiers were so struck with awe they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him. In the meantime, Jonah was swallowed by a great fish. He remained inside that fish until he finally repented and told God he would do what he asked. It had been three days and three nights. He was immediately cast up on the shore which just happened to be the closest shore to Nineveh. When Jonah got to Nineveh it took him three days to walk across it. The whole walk he shouted that in forty days, Nineveh would be destroyed. Remarkably, the people of Nineveh took his words seriously, and the king of Nineveh called a national fast and called them to repent. They did repent of their evil ways. When God saw their repentance he also changed his mind about his judgment. Jonah was irate because this was exactly what he was afraid of. He had seen prophets prophecy of Israel’s destruction and never saw it happen and thought the same thing would happen here making him look like a fool for lying. He had a pity party out on the east side of the city as he sat to watch and see if Nineveh would be destroyed or not. As he waited, God arranged a leafy plant to provide him with shade and Jonah was very grateful for the plant until God withered the plant and sent a scorching hot wind. Then Jonah wished to die. God spoke to Jonah and said, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?” Jonah answered, “Yes.” God explained that he, Jonah had felt sorry about the plant when he did nothing to put the plant there. But Nineveh had more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t He feel sorry for them? This story says so much about Gentiles and Jews. The Jews had prophet after prophet sent to them. God had given them signs and miracles to reflect back on. All of them were a call to remember who their God was, and yet they refused to listen. The Gentiles on the boat saw one sign and immediately repented. The people of Nineveh heard one line and instantly repented. No wonder, God would one day send his message to the Gentiles when his own people refused to accept the Messiah after years of prophecies and signs. In Revelation we read of the great pomp and circumstance of the giving of the scroll with the seven seals. It was so great a manuscript that no one in heaven except the Lamb could open it. Salvation came through the Lamb so destruction had to come through his authority. This was a ceremony of promotion for the Lamb as all heaven worshipped him. They sang a new song saying that he was worthy because his blood had ransomed people from every tribe, language, people and nation. Because of him, they had become a Kingdom of priests for God and they would reign on the earth. Then, all the creatures in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea sang a song of blessing, honor, glory and power to the the Lamb who sat on the throne. The four living beings amened it and the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.

Tues.’s Devo - The Glory of God

Read: Obadiah 1:1-21; Revelation 4:1-11; Psalm 132:1-18; Proverbs 29:24-25 Obadiah’s name means "servant of Jehovah." He was believed to have prophesied immediately after the taken of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 588 B.C. Five years afterwards Edom was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar. He was also believed to be a contemporary with Hosea, Joel, and Amos. Obadiah is the shortest Old Testament book and speaks mostly of the plight of Edom which he types as an anti-christ. He is called heathen and greatly despised by the Lord. His heart is full of pride and deception and exalted himself high among the stars. Edom had been famous for their wisdom, but their wisdom would deceive even them. They would trust those who complimented them only to be deceived by them. God’s complaint against them was that they had rejoiced over the children of Judah when Jerusalem was destroyed. Every nation is judged by the way they treat God’s chosen. Instead of coming and looting Jerusalem, they should have come bringing aid to the people. They kept God’s people from escaping and delivered up to their enemy those they found escaping. The table would turn and they would one day become the stubble to Israel’s fire. Judah and Israel would come together as one nation. They would recover all of the land promised them by Moses and the land owned by their ancient oppressors like the Edomites, Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Canaanites and even Tyre and Sidon. They would be ruled by a prince who is Jesus and the kingdom will be the Lord’s kingdom. In Revelation, there is a voice like a trumpet blast and a door open in heaven with the call to come up there. Is this the Rapture? The voice wants to show John what will happen next from heaven’s perspective and that is where we might be watching the rest of the book if we are believers. John was shown a throne with someone sitting on it. Twenty-four thrones surrounded his throne with elders sitting on their thrones. Colors swirled through the air and the elders all had on white with gold crowns. Flashes of lightning and thunder came from the main throne and seven torches stood in front of it. They were the sevenfold Sprit of God. They stood for wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord. The middle candlestick being the very Spirit of God (Isaiah 11:2). In front of the throne was a sea of glass like crystal. Around the throne were the four living creatures full of eyes. The first beast was like a lion, the next like a calf, the third like a man and the fourth like an eagle flying. They each had six wings and many eyes. They cried Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. When they gave glory and honor to the one who sat on the throne, the twenty-four elders fell in worship and cast their crowns before the throne saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for that pleasure they are and were created. As daunting as this picture is, what a wonderful revelation to know that we are created for God’s pleasure and all heaven knows that. Lord, may we bring you pleasure in our lives. May our worship be pure and our lives make you smile.

Mon.’s Devo - Philadelphia and Laodicea

Read: Amos 7:2-9:25; Revelation 3:7-22; Psalm 131:1-3; Proverbs 29:23 God showed Amos what he was planning for Israel. He saw a plague of locusts so devastating that no one would survive it. Amos begged the Lord not to send them. God relented. Next, God showed him a fire so consuming, none would survive. Amos prayed again that God would not send the fire. God relented again. So God showed Amos a plumb line and told him that he would measure each man by this. God would not ignore their sins any longer and he would destroy their pagan shrines and his temple. Amaziah, the priest at Bethel sent a message to king Jeroboam that Amos was plotting against him saying that he would be soon killed and the people sent away to exile. He tried to send Amos back to Judah but Amos refused to leave. Amos told Amaziah that his own wife would become a prostitute in Samaria and his sons and daughters would all be killed. The land of Israel would be divided up and he would be sent into exile. God showed Amos another vision of a basket filled with ripe fruit. Israel was like the ripe fruit only they were ripe for punishment. Their sins were listed and were great. God would bring a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. People would search but not be able to find a prophet. Amos’ last vision was of the Lord standing beside his altar. God ordered the fall of the Temple, but he would not completely destroy the family of Israel They would be greatly shaken but restored one day from their ruined state. They would be once again planted in their land to thrive and live to honor him. John wrote a letter to the messenger of the church in Philadelphia. To that church period God was revealing that he was holy and true and he could open doors and close them. The church in Philadelphia was weak but they obeyed God’s word. God would force the false Jews to come and bow at their feet and acknowledge that they were the real Jews. They would be saved from the great tribulation that would come on the earth. They will become citizens of God’s new city, the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven in the end. God will also give them a new name. The letter to the church of Laodicea came from the one who is the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation. This church represented the luke-warm people that God would spit out of his mouth. They were physically rich but spiritually bankrupt. God encouraged them to value his wisdom and righteousness over worldly wealth. God told them to be diligent and turn from their indifference. God was standing at the door of their heart knocking but they had to open the door and let him in. Lord, may we humble ourselves before you and acknowledge that you are our God and our only hope for salvation. You hold wisdom in your hand and you command the nations and set them up the way you want them to stand. May you have mercy on your people all over the world and give them hope to hold on. We are living for eternity.

Sun.’s Devo - Thyatira and Sardis

Read: Amos 4:1-6:14; Revelation 2:18-3:6; Psalm 130:1-8; Provers 29:21-22 Amos was a shepherd from Judah who was called by God to prophesy to Israel. Israel persecuted their prophets so most of them fled to Judah. Amos was of humble beginnings from the town of Tekoa. Amos began his speech today against the women of Samaria who oppressed the poor and needy to please themselves. They would be led by hooks in their mouths out of their plush homes and in to exile. (They literally put hooks in their noses and led them out to Assyria.) God had brought famine, took away their water, brought blight, plagues and destruction to the towns of Israel, but it still didn’t get their attention or make them repent. Their men went off to war and few came home alive. God begged them to return to him and live. Their gods did them no good; they caused them to twist justice and oppress the righteous. With the money they extorted from the poor, they built beautiful houses but they would never live to enjoy them. God knew the vastness of their sins and the depth of their rebellion. God would be their helper if they did what was good and turned from evil. If they renovated their courts into true halls of justice, perhaps God would have mercy on the remnant of them. Amos warned them that the day would come where they would cry and mourn in the streets. They had prayed for the “day of the Lord” to come but they had no idea what they were praying for. The Day of the Lord would be dark and hopeless. God reminded them of the gods they served in the wilderness. They brought their offerings to the pagan idols of Moloch and his star god Chiun. For this, God would send them into exile into Syria. He spoke to the ones who lived in Israel’s capital, Samaria and Judah’s capital, Jerusalem. They thought they were safe there but God told them to remember what happened in Calneh, Hamath and Gath. They were once great cities of other nations that God destroyed. Their denial only brought their judgement faster. They would be destroyed with few survivors. In Revelation, the next church John wrote to was Thyatira. He commended them for growing in their love, faith, service and endurance. His complaint against them was that they tolerated a prophetess with the spirit of Jezebel. She boasted that she spoke from the Lord but led the people to commit sexual sin and eat food offered to idols. She had refused to repent so she would suffer along with her followers. God had described himself with eyes like flames of fire and feet like polished bronze. His eyes saw the secrets of what was going on and would judge it. His bronze feet showed his judgment over their sins. To those who had not followed this Jezebel and her teachings, John encouraged them to hold on to the truth. Their reward would be authority over nations to rule with Christ with an iron rod. To the church at Sardis, God described himself as the one who had the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars. God rebuked them for their soiled fruit. They had a good reputation, but beneath the surface there was sin and evil. If they didn’t wake up and repent, they would be destroyed suddenly. Some of them had remained pure and they would be closed in white and the names would not be erased from the Book of Life. Lord may we walk as children of the light, loving justice and doing good.

Sat.’s Devo - The Messages to Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamum

Read: Amos 1:1-3:15; Revelation 2:1-17; Psalm 129:1-8; Provers 29:19-20 Yesterday, we read where God called all the nations to be judged at the Valley of Decision. Today we read about God’s verdict on the nations of the people of Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Judah and Israel. The people of Damascus whose king was Hazael and Ben-hadad, would be punished for beating down God’s people in Gilead. The people of Gaza would be punished for sending his people into exile and selling them as slaves. The people of Tyre had broke their treaty with Israel, selling whole villages as slaves. The people of Edom chased down the Israelites who were their relatives. They killed them with swords showing not mercy. The people of Ammon attacked Gilead and ripped open pregnant women with their swords. The people of Moab desecrated the bones of Edom’s king. The people of Judah rejected the instruction of the Lord and refused to obey his decrees. The Israelites sold honorable people for silver and poor people for a pair of sandals. They oppressed helpless people. Their idolatry led to all sorts of vile sins. They had watched as God defeated their enemies for them and it didn’t change their hard hearts. They had defiled and killed their own prophets and Nazarites. Now they will not stand in the face of their enemies. All of these nations including Israel and Judah were judged by how they treated God’s chosen people. In Revelation, his first message was to the messenger of the church of Ephesus. They were commended for their discernment of the false apostles. They had patiently suffered with our quitting. God’s complaint against them was that they had lost their first love for God and each other. If they didn’t repent, their lamp stand would be removed. The church in Smyrna was commended for their faithful hearts under suffering, He warned them of the enemies plans to throw some of them in prison but encouraged them to hand on and not give up. The church of Smyrna was the only church not to receive a rebuke. Since this church was from the one who was dead but now alive, their emphasis was on the fact that thought they might be killed they will resurrect and their reward would be a crown of life. The messenger to the church of Pergamum was from the one with the sharp two-edged sword so the emphasis was on the spoken Word. Pergamum was the place of Satan’s throne so many followers were martyred. They were rebuked for following false teachings instead of holding on to God’s Word and what it taught. If they repented, God would come and fight them with the sword of his mouth. Their reward would be God’s hidden manna which is revelation of God’s Word and a new name written on a white stone. Lord, may we learn from our ancestor’s mistakes and not repeat them. May we hold close to your word and not be enticed by teachers who only want to be paid. May we have discernment to know the truth. Thank you for covering us with your hand and sealing us with your Spirit.

Fri.’s Devo - The Revelation

Read: Joel 1:1-3:21; Revelation 1:1-20; Psalm 128:1-6; Proverbs 29:18 Little is known of Joel himself but his writing indicates that he probably lived and wrote of times when Joash was the king of Judah and Jehoiada was the high priest. He speaks of the inner workings of the Temple so he must have lived in Judah. His name means “a worshipper of Jehovah”. He begins telling about the devastation of an invasion of locusts. Locusts were a symbol of God’s judgment used in the plagues of Moses (De 28:38, 39) and by Solomon (1Ki 8:37). These locusts in their forms of cutting, swarming, hopping and stripping locusts devoured their crops making it difficult to stay alive. They were compared to enemy armies with God as their commander. They follow his orders and it is his day of judgment. Joel begs the people to return to him now while there was time to repent. They should come to the Lord with fasting weeping and mourning. If they repented, God was merciful and full of compassion; maybe he would repent what he was planning to do. Joel describes the coming of the Chaldeans in their time but it parallels with the end of times when God sends his judgement over the earth in Revelation 9. God will pity his people and send them provision and God will drive their enemies away after he is finished punishing their sins. God will show his faithfulness by sending them rain once again. He will restore what they had lost and never again would they be disgraced. God will pour out his Spirit on all flesh. Our sons and daughters will prophesy. Men will dream dreams and see visions. Wonders will appear in the heavens and on earth. Jesus came the first time and brought us spiritual freedom and deliverance from evil. He will come again and manifest this salvation on all the earth. Chapter three tells of the final battle between all the nations as God calls them to report and be judged in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. God would be a refuge for his people but a destroyer to his enemies. The land of Judah will be filled with provision and blessing but the land of Egypt would be dry and a wilderness. god will pardon his people’s sins and come and live with his people once again. God gave John a revelation of what will happen in the end. It was the word of God and the testimony of Christ. God, the sevenfold Spirit, and Jesus sent greetings of grace and peace to his people. Because of what Jesus did for us, we are now a kingdom of priests. He will return with the clouds of heaven and everyone will see him even the Jews who pierced him. All the nations of the earth will mourn for him. John tells us that he is exiled on the island of Patmos for his preaching of the gospel. While he was worshipping on the Day of Atonement he heard a voice behind him like a trumpet blast. It told him to write what he was about to see ain a book and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. When John turned to see who was speaking he saw the seven gold lamp stands. In the middle was the Son of Man in all his glory. He fell on his face with the fear of God. God laid his right hand on John and told him not to be afraid. He was to write down everything. The seven gold lamp stands stood for the seven churches and the stars on them stood for the messenger of the seven Churches. Lord, help us to discern the times we are living in and understand what you were saying in your Book. May we have eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart to understand.

Thurs.’s Devo - God’s Judgment on the Wicked -

Read: Hosea 10:1-14:9; Jude 1:1-25; Psalm 127:1-5; Proverbs 29:15-17 The wealthier Israel became, the more money they spent on their idols. God would break down the altars and pillars they had erected. They lied, making justice obsolete. The people of Samaria, the capital of Israel worshipped a golden calf in Bethel. Bethel means “house of God”, but God called it Beth-Aven meaning “house of nothingness” or “house of idols”. This idols would be carted away to Assyria as a gift to the king. the peeled would mourn its absence. The people would be so oppressed they would want to die. Years ago in Gibeah, a man came to town with his concubine (Judges 19,20). He ended up giving his concubine to the men of the town to save his own life. They abused his concubine until she finally died at the door of the house he was staying. This man led a revolt against the whole town and all the men of the town were killed. The man had asked all the tribes to come and fight the Gibeon’s and all came except men from the tribe of Benjamin. They turned against Benjamin and it almost led to the extinction of the tribe of Benjamin. Hosea references this incident stating that since then Israel has digressed further and further into sin. God had told them that if they planted seeds of love they would reap a haves of love. They planted seeds of wickedness and harvested sin. Hosea pled with them to plow up the ground of their hard hearts and let God shower righteousness upon them. God had poured blessings upon them, delivered them from their enemies and loved them. In return he had gotten rebellion from them. Yet, God refused to give up on them. He would not completely destroy Israel. One day, he knew that they would follow him. God reminded the people of Judah their history. Jacob had started out as a deceiver and supplanter of his brother, but when he met God face to face, he repented. Judah’s people had turned from their God also. He would make them live in tents again like they did during the Feast of Tabernacles. During that feast they would make temporary tents to live him with their families for a week so it would remind them that their lives on earth is temporary. They are just passing through. God brought them through their history explaining his role and their response. They had heaped up sin that would have to be accounted for. Assyria would not be able to save them. Only by returning to the Lord would they be saved. God looked forward to the day they would return and he would be able to bless them once again. Jude is one of the one interesting books of the Bible. Jude had wanted to write his letter about the wonderful salvation they shared but instead he needed to warn them of the false teaching that had slipped into the church. It said that they could live in immoral lives and Gods grace would cover them. Jude gave a list of people that God judged because of their sin. God killed the ones who Moses led out of Egypt in the wilderness because they worshipped the idols they brought from Egypt. God also punished the angels who left heaven and came to earth and had sex with the woman of the earth. These angels are in chains in hell waiting their judgment. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah kept sinning until they were destroyed for their wickedness. In the same way, these false prophets would meet their doom. These people of unrighteousness have been around since Adam and live to create division among the true believers. But, we must build each other up in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are to show mercy to those who are wavering in their faith but with caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. Lord, help us to walk uprightly with a heart of righteousness and love.

Wed.’s Devo - Hope for Healing After Judgment

Read: Hosea 6:1-9:17; 3 John 1:1-15; Psalm 126:1-6; Proverbs 29:12-14 No matter how far God’s children stray from him, he always promises healing and restoration if they return. Hosea understood this about God and begged the people to return and press in to know God. Still the people refused to turn to God. God responded to their hard hearts. He reminded them that he sent prophets to them to turn them and warn them of what would happen if they didn’t repent. They broke their covenant with him and betrayed his trust. Their priests had robbed the people of their wealth and spiritual health. God had wanted to heal Judah and restore their fortunes to them but instead he would have to punish them for their sins. Israels’s sins were too great also. They didn’t think God saw what they were doing but he was watching the whole time. They worshipped foreign gods which sapped them of their strength. He compared the people of Israel like witless doves who flew to Egypt, then Assyria for help. God would throw a net over them and bring them down to earth and punish them for all they had done. In their distress, instead of turning to God for help, they turned to their senseless, dead gods. As a result, their leaders would be killed by their enemies and Egypt would laugh at their calamity. Once the alarm was sounded and the enemy descends upon Israel, they will cry out to the Lord for help but it will be too late. God addressed the golden calf they had made and put in Samaria. It would be smashed to bits. God would now hold Israel accountable for her sins and also of Judah’s. They would not have enough to eat in their own land and God would throw them out of their land. They would go back to Egypt and to Babylon where they would be made to eat food offered to other idols. They would not be allowed to celebrate their festivals or God’s feasts. God’s prophets were set up as watchmen but they had been hunted and killed for their warnings. It was now time for judgment. In John’s third letter he writes specifically to Gaius, his dear friend. He had gotten the good news through the traveling teachers that they were standing strong in their faith. He commended Gaius for accepting and supporting these teachers even though they didn’t know them beforehand. It was their responsibility as the church to support those who work for the kingdom. John admonished Diotrephes who believed and taught just the opposite. He just loved being the leader and seemed to be intimidated by the traveling teachers. He did not have the heart of God in this matter. John told them not to follow Diotrephes example. God’s people are known by their fruit and good deeds. Lord, may our works show our hearts. May we honor you in all we say and do.

Tues.’s Devo - Israel's Sins

Read: Hosea 4:1-5:15; 2 John 1:1-13; Psalm 125:1-5; Proverbs 29:9-11 God explained why the land of Israel was in mourning and the people were all wasting away. Animals, birds and fish were disappearing. It was because there was no faithfulness or kindness and no one acknowledged God. They broke every one of God’s Ten Commandments. Even nature responded to man’s sin. God’s first complaint was against the priests whose responsibility it was to teach the people God’s laws and lead them in worship. But, the priests refused to know God. They had exchanged the glory of God for the shame of idols. The people had followed after the priests who were their examples. They had dumbed their senses with wine and turned to foolishness and lost their common sense. As a result, their daughters turned to prostitution and adultery. Their men also turned to sexual perversion. They loved sin more than honor and integrity. They bore children that were not God’s. (Looking at this in the Hebrew it appears that they had children out of wedlock or through adultery.) God then addressed the leaders of Judah who had become like thieves. They had followed Israel in their idolatry. Israel would turn to Assyria but he would not be able to heal them or help them. God would become Israel and Judah’s adversary until they acknowledged their offense and sought God’s face. There could not be a more accurate depiction of America and the rest of the world. Our natural resources are so diminished and there are so little nutrients left in the ground that our food is lacking in vitamins. Our people are dying of cancer and all sorts of new diseases. We have sought medicine that is manufactured not to heal us but to make us dependent on it and more medicine to take away its side effects. People have lost their common sense and the perfect example of this was Co-vid. People gave up their rights, put on a mask and took an experimental vaccine that is now injuring and killing hundreds of thousands. Our only hope is to acknowledge our sins and repent. John addressed the Church, more specifically, the one in Babylon. He warned her of deceivers who didn’t teach the truth about the gospel. They didn’t believe that Jesus came in the flesh to earth. John warned them not to invite them into their homes or encourage them because that would make them a partner in their evil work. John speaks much about love. We have always known that God said to love one another, but John takes it a step further: love means that we obey God and what he has commanded us to do. Lord, may we repent for our nation and our churches and ourselves. We choose to follow you and obey you. We pray that you return and forgive us and heal our land. Help us to love our enemies and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Open our eyes, ears, and hearts to know you and acknowledge you as our God.

Mon.’s Devo - God’s People Return to God

Read: Hosea 1:1-3:5; 1 John 5:1-21; Psalm 124:1-8; Provers 29:5-8 God gave messages to Hosea during the time that Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings in Judah and Jeroboam was the king of Israel. Jeroboam led Israel into total idolatry setting up golden calves in Dan and Bethel so the people of Israel wouldn’t go to Jerusalem to worship God at the Temple. Hosea means “to save”. He was from the tribe of Issachar and lived in Israel. He mentioned Judah in his words but he spoke mainly to Israel, the prostitute. God told Hosea to be a sign to Israel and marry a prostitute so that some of her children would be conceived in prostitution. She was to illustrate Israel’s relationship with their God. Hosea chose to marry Gomer which means “completion”. Together they had one son and Hosea named him Jezreel to bring attention to the evil done in Jezreel that God was going to avenge. To punish the murders done in Jezreel, God was going to break its military power there. Gomer became pregnant out of prostitution and had a daughter. Hosea named her Lo-ruhamah which means “not loved” because she hadn’t been conceived in love but lust. God used her to demonstrate that he would no longer show love to Israel as his daughter. God would show love to Judah and free them from their enemies. God would do this by his power, not man’s. After Lo-ruhamah was weaned, Hosea had another son out of wedlock and Hosea named him Lo-ammi meaning “not my people”. He was not Hosea’s son and Israel was not God’s people and He was not their God anymore. They had chosen other gods. Hosea told Hosea to take off her harlot’s makeup and clothes and cast her out of his house. This was a picture of how God would treat Israel for its idolatry. At the same place that Lo-Ammi was born, Israel would return after many years to their land and their God. They would once again become God’s people and his beloved. Gomer would be case out and find no place of safety. She would return to her husband who had given her everything, while she given his gifts to Baal. God did this to Israel. He had prospered Israel and given her prosperity and wealth. She had given all her gifts to Baal and not God. God would punish her by taking back his gifts and leaving her to her own devises. Her feasts and festivals and worship in the Temple would be taken away. When she had nothing, she would remember all God had done for her and return to call God her husband and her master. God would bless her once again with safety and peace and restore her wealth. Everything in Hosea’s life was a picture of what would happen in the future. His three children represented three periods of Israel’s history. Jezreel, the first child, represents the dynasty of Jeroboam I and his successors, ending with Jehu's shedding the blood of Jeroboam's line in Jezreel. This was where Jezebel was slain, in vengeance for Naboth's blood shed in the same Jezreel (1Ki 16:1; 2Ki 9:21, 30). Lo-ruhamah, the second child, is a daughter. She represents the weakened period which followed the overthrow of the first dynasty, when Israel was sinful and entitled. Lo-Ammi, "not my people”was the third child, and a son. He represented the stronger more aggressive dynasty of Jeroboam II. The kingdom prospered in wealth but not righteousness. They were still not God's people. At the return from Babylon, many Israelites joined with people of Judah. Gentiles as well as Jews, numerous "as the sand”, the Gentiles, once not God's people, would become His "sons”. Hosea was told to go get Gomer and bring her back and love her again. Hosea bought her back from her handler for 15 pieces of silver and 5 bushels of barley and a measure of wine. She would have to restrain from sexual relations with any one. This would illustrate that Israel would go into exile for many years without a king or any way to sacrifice. She would live with Hosea and not return to her life of prostitution but be loved by her husband. John tells us that we can beat the battle with sin with God’s great love and by following his commandments. Jesus was confirmed that he was God’s son through three witnesses: the Spirit, the water and the blood. The Spirit came on him at his baptism in water and God’s Spirit didn’t leave him. He shed his blood on the cross and rose to give us eternal life. We believe in Jesus so we know that our prayers are answered just as his were. We are to pray for every sinner who knows Christ to turn from their sin. God’s children will not make a practice of sinning because Jesus holds us securely and the evil one cannot touch us. The world is under Satan’s control but we are free from his power. We have chosen to be under God’s control. Lord, we choose to keep away from anything that might take God’s plan in our hearts. May we become your Word as we behold your precious promises. May we be vessels of peace.

Sun.’s Devo - God’s Plan for the End

Read: Daniel 11:36-12:13; 1 John 4:1-21; Psalm 123:1-4; Provers 29:2-4 Daniel continues his description of the Antichrist. He is referring to Antiochus and also the last Antichrist who is yet to come. This man will exalt himself and claim to be greater than any other god. He will blasphemy Yahweh and have no respect for the gods of his ancestors, or the god loved by women, or any other god. In the culture of the Greeks, the women worshipped the god of Venus but Antiochus took up Roman gods and worshiped gods of forces. This morphed into the worship of saints like St. Christopher who they claimed could protect you, and all the other saints who had different jobs. Verses 40-44 deals with a war between the north and the south. This was not done to this extent during the first antichrist, Antiochus so it has to do with the last Antichrist. When the time of the exploit of the Antichrist are over, Michael, Israel’s defender will stand up. We are all Israel if we are in Christ. At this time, God will rescue his people. This could be the Rapture. Daniel was told to seal up the rest of what will happen in a book and keep it a secret until the time of the end. Daniel then saw two angels standing on both sides of the Tigris River and a man in linen suspended over it. The one of the angels asked the man in linen how long it would be until these shocking events were over. The man in linen raised both his hands to heaven and swore by God that it would go on for a time, times, and half a time. Daniel didn’t understand what he meant so he asked how it would all end. The man in linen told him to go for now and what was kept secret and sealed would be opened in the end. God’s people would be purified by these trials, but the wicked would continue in their wickedness and they would not understand what the Bible says about them. Only the wise would understand. He did tell Daniel that it would start when the daily sacrifice was stopped and the sacrilegious object that causes desecration was set up. Starting there would be 1,290 days. And the ones who wait and remain until the end of the 1,335 days will be blessed. From the time that Antiochus Epiphanes offered the pig on the altar and stopped the daily sacrifices till the day Judas Maccabeus restored the worship of God was 1,290 days. Forty-five days later, Antiochus died making it 1,335 days. These numbers are repeated all throughout history. We should expect to see these days repeated as John told us that many antichrists would appear. “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.”(1 John 2:18) “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” (1 John 4:3) “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” (2 John 1:7) We read about the antichrist in today’s reading in First John. A false prophet in the New Testament is not the same as one in the Old. In the Old Testament a prophet was confirmed by his words and if they came to pass. Some prophets’ words didn’t manifest until they were long gone. In the New Testament, the litmus test of a true prophet is if they claim that Jesus came in the flesh and had the Spirit of God. We can know if a person has the Spirit of God if he listens to the truth and accepts it. If he refuses to listen to truth then he has a spirit of deception. If we have the Spirit of God then we have his love and can give it to others. God’s love has no fear. If we are afraid of being punished by God then his love is not perfected in us yet. We love others because he loved us first. We need to understand and embrace his love for us before we can truly give it to others. Lord, help us to understand your love for us and throw off condemnation that is not of you. May we embrace your love and give it to others as you have loved us.

Sat.’s Devo - The Antichrists

Read: Daniel 11:2-35; 1 John 3:7-24; Psalm 122:1-9; Proverbs 29:1 It would take a small book to explain how this chapter came true in history but every word of what Daniel saw happened just as he wrote it. The three Persian kings were Ahaserus, Artaxerxes, and Darius. The forth was Xerxes of Esther. Then a “mighty king” - Alexander the Great rose to power. He was the worse and most powerful. He gained much land and spread his kingdom across the earth. When he was killed, the kingdom was broken into four parts. In verse 5 and 6 it refers to Egypt as the kingdom of the south and Syria as the kingdom of the north. Judah was sandwiched between them. Egypt and Syria fought among themselves for years. Egypt, led by Ptolemy Philadelphus finally went down to Syria and captured a fortified city. On his way home he stopped in Israel with plans to destroy it. Ptolemy came up with a plot to marry his daughter, Cleopatra, with a king in Syria to ally with them but it failed when she chose her husband over her father’s plan. When he saw that his plans were ruined he turned his attention to cities on the coast. There he met a commander who sent him home in shame. The next great leader was Antiochus Epiphanes who was a despicable man who won his battles with flattery and lies. He was small in number but became great plundering the wealth or the rich and giving it to his friends. He attacked Egypt but did not succeed as someone in his own household caused his downfall. He set down with Egypt with both of them plotting against each other. On Antiochus’ way back to Syria, he stopped by Jerusalem and attacked it. He killed 80,000 and took 40,000 as prisoners. He sold another 40,000 as slaves. He entered the sanctuary of God shouting blasphemies. He took the gold and silver vessels. With the help of the high priest, Menelaus, he sacrificed a pig on the altar and sprinkled the brother-in-law’s through the Temple. Menelaus as well as other Jews believed that religion was good to keep the masses in check but had turned their hearts against God and chosen the gods and philosophy of the Greek. When the took Jerusalem, Antiochus decreed that all, on pain of death, should conform to the Greek religion, and the temple was consecrated to Jupiter Olympius. He identified himself with that god, wishing to make his own worship universal. This was the first time the Jews had had their religion threatened, even when taken into exile to other nations. There were faithful Jews, in the midst of the "abominations" against "the covenant," who stood firm and fought against Antiochus. One of these families was the Maccabees lead by Judas Maccabeus. Antiochus was the Old Testament type of the Antichrist. The Romans conquered the kingdom next, being the fourth beast in Daniel’s dream. The Romans continued the desolation of righteousness. The Romans emperor Adrian erected a temple to Jupter Capitolinus where the temple of God had stood in A.D. 132. The mosque of Omar was also erected on the temple mount and Mohammedanism began to prevail in 610. This was three years before the idolatry of the Church of Rome which brought on the final blasphemy of Christ. All of these were types of antichrist would reign on the earth until the final Antichrist appears. It was during the Roman Empire that God chose to send Christ to earth to bring us salvation and hope. It will be the same when he comes again. John cannot make it more clear. We can not keep on sinning and belong to Christ. The evidence of our choice to follow Christ is that we love one another. Cain was an example of the evil people who do not belong to Christ. He was a murderer and that is the characteristic of a person who chooses to be an enemy of God. He will hate us also because we belong to Christ and live as he did. If we understand our righteousness in Christ then we will not live in guilt but have confidence to come to God boldly and ask of him what we need knowing he will give it to us. Lord, may we walk with you in forgiveness and righteousness. May we boldly come into your presence to receive grace and mercy. Thank you for your great love toward us.

Fri.’s Devo - The End-Time Visions of Daniel

Read: Daniel 9:1-11:1; 1 John 2:18-3:6; Psalm 121:1-8; Provers 28:27-28 Darius the Mede took over Babylon the night God wrote on the wall telling King Belteshazzar that his kingdom was finished. Today’s reading took place during Darius’ first year. Daniel had been reading from the words of Jeremiah and saw that Jerusalem was to lie desolate for 70 years. He began fasting and put on burlap and ashes. He repented for himself and all the people of Israel. They had gotten just what God had warned they would if they turned against him. Daniel called upon God’s faithful mercies and begged God to turn his anger away from Jerusalem. Gabriel came to Daniel to give him a message. He explained that the moment he began praying, God gave a command which was to tell Daniel that future of the world. Daniel refers to 70 years and 70 weeks. The 70 weeks began 457 B.C., at the return of Ezra to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. This started 81 years after Daniel received the prophecy. The 70 years began in 606 B.C. when Jerusalem fell to Babylon. Almost a millennium would pass until the Messiah would be killed and it would appear that he accomplished nothing. A type of Antichrist would rise up to destroy the city and its Temple. Israel would be at war and full of miseries till the end. The Antichrist will make a treaty with God’s people for 7 years but will break his covenant half way through the seven years and set up set up sacrilegious objects in the Temple that cause desecration. Cyrus came to rule after Darius. During his third year, Daniel had another vision. Daniel had been fasting for three weeks when it came. He saw Jesus transform before him in all his glory. The men with Daniel all ran to hide they were so afraid. Daniel stood silent. When he saw Jesus he fell to his face to the ground. An angel helped him to his feet and he was told to stand. Gabriel explained that he had been sent the first day Daniel began to pray but had been hindered by the prince of Persia. Michael had to help him so he could escape to come tell Daniel his answer. Jesus touched Daniel and he felt strength come into his body. He told him that he would have to fight the spirit prince of Persia and then the spirit prince of Greece. Michael, which was Israel’s spirit prince would help him. Micael had been assigned to help Darius because Darius housed God’s people. John explained that many antichrists have been on the earth. He knew that the end had come because many people had left the church because they never really belong to the Body of Christ. But those who knew the truth would stay. They knew the difference between truth and lies. John laid out the truth so simply: The Holy Spirit leads us into truth and is our teacher and the guardian of our soul. We must believe in both the Son and the Father to have eternal life. We are God’s children but the world doesn’t understand this. Sin is contrary to the law of God. Jesus took our sins away so we no longer continue in sin if we know who God is. Lord, thank you for your new covenant of grace and power. Thank you for your world plan. We say, “Come, Lord Jesus, Come!”