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.