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!”

Thurs.’s Devo -The Old Testament Antichrist

Read: Daniel 8:1-27; 1 John 2:1-17; Psalm 120:1-2; Proverbs 28:25-26 We are going back in time to when King Belsahazzar was king. Daniel was taken in a vision to Susa, which would be the capital of the Persian empire when Darius came to power. He saw a ram with two long horns standing by the river. One horn was longer than the other even thou it grew later than the other one. These two horns represented the kings of Media and Persia. The first shorter horn was Darius, the Mede and the longer horn was Cyrus the Persian. The Persian kingdom defeated many nations and became very great. A male goat appeared from the west and expanded his kingdom very quickly. He had a very large horn between his eyes. He defeated the ram with its two horns. This male goat was the king of Greece who became the next world leader. Alexander the Great was this notable horn of Greece. Alexander was replaced by four horns representing four kingdoms that would come from the Greek Empire to rule the earth. A small horn was produced from one other thorns and it grew very great. It’s power spread to the holy land of Israel. This horn would be the Old Testament Antichrist. His name was Antiochus Epiphanes. He cancelled the daily sacrifices and defied God in Heaven. He opposed the truth and succeeded in all he tried to do. Daniel heard two angels in heaven talking about how long this would be allowed to continue and one of them said 2,300 days. Then, the Temple would be made right again. Gabriel was sent to explain the meaning of the vision to Daniel. Once he explained it to Daniel, he told him that it wouldn’t happen for a long, long time. The Old Testament Antichrist, Antiochus Epiphanes loved the arts and built grand temples. He wanted to substitute Zeus for Jehovah. His kingdom was a heathen satanic kingdom. He wanted a one-world religion worshipping himself as Jupiter. He was the first ruler to oppose the Jew’s worship. He was to the last Antichrist as Jesus’ first coming was to his second coming. At that time, the Jews had adopted Hellenic customs building theaters, and treating all religions alike. They sacrificed to Jehovah, but at the same time sending money for sacrifices to Hercules. (That reminds me of the Coexisist movement of today.) There have been many “anti-christs” throughout history but none as pronounced as Antiochus. It is no wonder that after seeing all this, Daniel was sick for several days and couldn’t get out of his bed. It continued to trouble him when he resumed his daily activities. John writes to tell his followers that they don’t have to sin. If they do, Jesus will plead their case before the Father. If we know God, then we will follow his commandments and live as Jesus did. In the law of Moses it says to love one another. Jesus lived this commandment as our example. If we live in the light we will love one another also. John commended the new believers, the children of God and the mature in faith for their strength, their faith, and their knowledge of Christ. We can’t love the world and God also. The world craves physical pleasure and what it sees. It takes pride in its own accomplishments and all it has acquired. All of these things are fading but what we do for God will remain. Lord, help us to choose what glorifies You. May we have balance and perspective from you about the days we are living in and what our purpose is. We glorify You and your kingdom.