My Evening Devotional

In the Hebrew Bible, there are three interconnected passages referencing the nephilim. Two of them come from the Pentateuch. The first occurrence is in Genesis 6:1–4, immediately before the account of Noah's Ark. Genesis 6:4 reads as follows:The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them; the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.Where the Jewish Publication Society translation simply transliterates the Hebrew nephilim as "Nephilim", the King James Version translates the term as "giants".The second reference to the Nephilim is Numbers 13:32–33 where ten of the Twelve Spies report that they have seen fearsome giants in Canaan:Numbers 13 And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.Outside the Pentateuch there is one more passage indirectly referencing nephilim and this is Ezekiel 32:17–32.Ezekiel 32:27 But they do not lie with the fallen warriors of old, who went down to the realm of the dead with their weapons of war—their swords placed under their heads and their shields resting on their bones—though these warriors also had terrorized the land of the living.With the traditional vowels added to the text in the medieval period, the phrase is read gibborim nophlim ("'fallen warriors" or "fallen Gibborim"), The verse can be translated like this,Ezekiel 32:27 They lie with the warriors, the Nephilim of old, who descended to Sheol with their weapons of war. They placed their swords beneath their heads and their shields upon their bones, for the terror of the warriors was upon the land of the living. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

This chapter recounts the account of the flood during Noah's time and the events leading up to it. It details how the population of the earth increased and became corrupt and wicked, resulting in God's decision to wipe out all living creatures through the flood. However, Noah and his family found favor with God because of their righteousness and were saved by God's divine mercy through the ark.Genesis 6 also mentions the "sons of God" with the "daughters of men" and the offspring that resulted. While the identity of these "sons of God" is still a matter of debate among scholars, some suggest that they were angels that disobeyed God by mating with human women. This interpretation is known as the "angelic interpretation" and is also mentioned in other biblical texts.Regardless of the interpretation, the overarching message in Genesis 6 is that God detests wickedness and seeks to judge it. However, God also shows mercy to those who are faithful and righteous.In summary, Genesis 6 tells the story of the flood during Noah's time and highlights the importance of righteousness and faithfulness in the eyes of God.The Nephilim**Genesis 6**1 When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them,2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with[a] humans forever, for they are mortal[b]; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.== WikipediaThe Nephilim (Hebrew: נְפִילִים Nəfīlīm) are mysterious beings or people in the Hebrew Bible who are described as being large and strong. The word Nephilim is loosely translated as giants in many translations of the Hebrew Bible, but left untranslated in others. Some Jewish explanations interpret them as hybrid sons of fallen angels (demigods). ==The word Nephilim is found in the Bible two times. The first is in Genesis 6:1-6 and then again in Numbers 13:33. Scholars and commentators translate the word Nephilim as giants or fallen ones. Even among the most brilliant, there is debate on translating this term.One reason Nephilim is often translated as "fallen ones" is the relation to the Hebrew word “naphal” (to fall). One school of thought associates these beings with fallen angels or their offspring.The interpretation of Genesis 6:1–4 is difficult and controversial. The debate centers on the interpretation of the phrase “sons of God.” Who are they?Option 1: Sons of God = Sons of Seth One view understands the “sons of God” as descendants of Seth. In this interpretation, Seth's godly descendants were intoxicated by the beauty of women descended from Cain, thus marrying those who'd rejected God and leading to greater wickedness. God forbade the Israelites from marrying Canaanite women (Ex. 34:16; Deut. 7:3). This can be an indication that this is the correct explanation,Option 2: Sons of God = Fallen AngelsThe oldest, and likely the most widely held, interpretation is that the “sons of God” are fallen angels (demons). This was the interpretation most favored in ancient Judaism and the early churchIn 1 Peter 3:18–22, Peter refers to spirits in prison because they disobeyed in Noah's day (1 Pet. 3:19–20). The connection of these spirits with Noah's day points strongly to Genesis 6. That these “spirits in prison” are fallen angels is further confirmed by similar passages in 2 Peter and Jude.Option 3: Sons of God = Fallen MenLastly, a view held by the minority is the "sons of God" were simply fallen men.This last view claims that the “sons of God” were godly men who married ungodly women. Not from the line of Seth – just common men. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

Genesis 6:5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

Ecclesiastes 9:11 Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.Some religious people teach that in order to receive God's blessings you need to accept Christ as Saviour or to obey to their doctrinal ways. This is a lie! Time and chance happen to all.God blesses you independently of your spiritual condition. Off course there are blessings promised to those who walk with Him but chance can touch anyone independently of their relationship with God.Today I would like to invite you to surrender your life to God and as you do so just believe that chance is yours and God is going to bless you in this time. Receive it! Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

Job said this just before his time of personal victory:Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.This knowledge of Job worked on his behalf. when you know that Gods purpose for you can never be thwarted and that HE is able to all things your faith can catapult you to the next level.Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.The next level of knowledge is that YOU can do all things through th God who's purposes can never be thwarted Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

ISAIAH 43:19 “SEE, I AM DOING A NEW THING!” God's hope for you is of an entirely different nature than all other hopeGod doesn't want to give you a patch or an artificial prosthetic solution but He wants to give you something new.God is the master of newness. In order to receive the new thing that God has for you you must get rid of the old concepts. Religion will lock you into the past and the old truths but God wants to expand your way of thinking and take you into another level.God is taking you to the next level for His reasons. He wants you to give Him your attention and focus.It takes a Next Level Mindset to receive the new things that will take you higher than what you have ever imagined.Some people can never go to the next level, because they won't let go of the old for the new.All things considered, are you willing to do that?God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. And to his credit, Abraham was completely willing to do it, believing God's Word so much that he concluded “God was able to raise [Isaac] up, even from the dead…” (Heb. 11:19).Will you receive the new thing that God is doing? Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

Habakkuk 2:4 ... the righteous shall live by his faith.In the context  Habakkuk was talking about the unrighteous that where facing God's judgment. In contrast, the righteous (or the “just”) would live by faith in God. By contrast, the righteous are humble in God's eyes and will never face God's judgment.2 Corinthians 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.Do not be impressed by the way people that have no God live in this world but be always grateful that by the Grace of God one day all accounts will be settled and your God will give you everlating life as your reward.The righteous will live by faith! Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

A Christian is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)Be bold in your prayers. God promises in2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”We did not inherit this new nature or just decide to re-create ourselves anew. God created something entirely fresh and uniqueOnly the Creator could accomplish such a blessing. Claim it from God and receive this new nature, Ask God for something new! Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

When Jesus has just arrived in Jerusalem for the final days leading up to His death on the cross. He was in the temple, healing the blind and the lame, the leading priests and scribes saw Jesus performing miracles and even heard children shouting, “Hosanna! Praise God for the Son of David.” The religious teachers grew irate, questioning Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus responded to His critics,Matthew 21:16  Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise'?”The older translations say, “out of the mouth of babes You have perfected praise”Jesus was quotingPsalm 8:2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.The idea is that God silences His enemies and puts them to shame by the words coming out of the mouths of babies and infants who tell of the Lord's strength.The Jewish leaders could not miss the implications as they observed everything taking place. They witnessed Christ's victorious entry into Jerusalem, the ecstatic crowd of worshippers, His commanding cleansing of the temple, His miracles of healing, and even children proclaiming His praises. The people hailed Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, and it was more than these religious hypocrites could handle. They became outraged.This lead to the anger that caused the crucifixion of the Messiah. Children are not blinded by pride and hypocrisy and are better able to perceive spiritual truth (Matthew 18:3–4.) Jesus accepts their worship because it is untainted and reserved for God alone.ConclusionThis concludes our series of 24  devotionals on the prophecies of the Messiah. As I said in the begining of these segments.Some say that The Old Testament contains over 400 prophecies about the coming Messiah. Others place the number at around 300. This number may be correct but I will teach you about the most relevant ones on this series of my evening devotional.Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled these prophetic writings and the odds of that happening are just incredible.Mathematics & Astronomy Professor Peter W. Stoner chances of just 8 prophecies has made the statement that the (like these) coming true by sheer chance is 1 in 10 to 17 (100,000,000,000,000,000).  That would be equivalent to covering the whole state of Texas with silver dollars two feet deep and then expecting a blindfolded man to walk across the state and on the very first try find the ONE coin you marked (roughly equivalent to the Province of Ontario being 1.5 feet deep and Quebec about 1 foot deep).When we multiply this number by 6 it would be like covering 6 feet deep all that is in our province with coins and expect that a blind person would find at first attempt one that we marked and hid in the whole colossal pile. Jesus fulfilled these prophecies and mathematically we can prove He is the Messiah.Since I was never strong in Math so most people that I know. He will reveal Himself to us with other signs and wonders of His Glory. I hope that through this series you had more than just learning about Jesus but that you may receive Him as your Messiah. Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

What is the order of Melchizedek?"Melchizedek" comes from two Hebrew words (melek, king and tzedeq, righteous) and can be literally understood as "my king is righteous."The priest Melchizedek appears in three sections of Scripture. He is briefly introduced in Genesis 14:18–20. In a messianic psalm (Psalm 110:4), David addresses the “order of Melchizedek” specifically:Psalm 110:4 “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind:‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek'”The author of Hebrews, in speaking of Christ, quotes this verse in Hebrews 7:17.Hebrews 7:17 For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”Hebrews chapters 5, 6, and 7 describe the supremacy of Jesus as the Great High Priest, using Melchizedek's role as an illustration of Jesus' priesthood and kingship.The phrase "the order of" is ued in the Bible to point to a lineage. As an example an Aaronic priest would have been a priest according to “the order of” Aaron.Another translation of Psalm 110:4 says that the Messiah will be a priest “after the pattern of Melchizedek” (NET) or “after the manner of Melchizedek” (ISV).A priest is a mediator between God and man. Eventually the priest would die, and his work as mediator would cease. Jesus, our High Priest “in the order of Melchizedek,” is not only our mediator but also because of His resurrection, death does not interrupt His work; Jesus remains our eternal High Priest.Unlike the Levitical priesthood, Jesus' priesthood and His sacrificial work were able to remove sin, cleanse the conscience, and purify the heart.Just like Melchizedek was both priest and king, Jesus is also both priest and king.The title of "Melchizedek” will be His forever, and the "order of Melchizedek” is now an eternal order held by an eternal high priest, Christ.Hebrews 7:28 "For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.”In summary, Christ's work in redeeming humanity from their sins is a far greater thing than the Levitical priesthood's work in pointing out the need for such a redemption. Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

In Isaiah 61 the prophet announced the good news of God's restoration for the people of Israel:Isaiah 61:1-2  The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;Jesus taught that He was the promised Messiah. Jesus Christ began this sermon by reading from the writings of Isaiah concerning the future mission of the Anointed One:Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”Seven centuries after the prophecy of Isaiah, Jesus Christ began His public ministry in the synagogue of Nazareth by opening up the scroll of Isaiah and applying this passage to Himself. AT the end of the reading he said “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing,”After his reading those to whom He was speaking attempted to rationalize His message as they rejected Him and "thrust him out of the city." (Luke 4:28.) Jesus had anticipated their rejection and had taught them that even though there were many among them who had afflictions, few would accept Him and be healed. (See Luke 4:22-27.)The brokenheartedJesus concluded the sermon in Nazareth identifying Himself as the anointed Servant-King who would announce “the good news” of salvation and bind up the brokenhearted.The “brokenhearted” are people who are weakened, crushed, or destroyed in spirit. The term describes those who feel spiritually bankrupted, needy, and helpless. They desire God's help, comfort, and salvation.The verb translated “bind up” in the original language means “to inspire with confidence, give hope and courage to, to encourage, to bandage, to dress by covering, wrapping, or binding.”The focus of the message of good news is spiritual restoration and healing. As a physician would “bind up” or bandage a wounded arm, so the Messiah would bandage a wounded spirit.How does Jesus bind up the brokenhearted?1 Peter 2:24, NLT “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed”Jesus Christ knows our troubles, temptations, and sorrows.  He experienced them throughout His life and His death on the cross.Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

Parables held a major place in Israelite history. It was even prophesied that the promised Messiah would speak in parables and dark sayings. The word “parable” comes from the Greek παραβολή (parabolē), a conjunction of para (meaning along-side) and bolē (to throw). Hence the true meaning is found in understanding the symbolic or figurative words that were “thrown alongside” the intended meaning.Psalm 78:2-4 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generationParables were a well-established part of the Jewish idiom. God used parables and figures of speech through the prophets (such as Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah). Samson and many others also spoke in riddles and parables. In the latter part of the Old Testament, God spoke to Israel through prophets, visions, and parables.Isaiah 6:9-10 And he said, “Go, and say to this people:  “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”The Messiah spoke in parables when he was led by God to do so, which was quite often. Also some of the Messiah's parables concerning the kingdom of God were for his disciples to understand, but not intended to be comprehended by those whose hearts were not for truth:Matthew 13:10-15, 34-35Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.'All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”What Jesus Said or What He MeantThe prophecy in Psalm 78:2 predicted that the Messiah would speak in parables. That is exactly what Jesus did according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. There are 70 parables and illustrations in the gospels accountsWhen interpreting the scriptures, it's not always what Jesus said that matters, but what he meant. Jesus often spoke from a higher plane or a spiritual point of view. For example, when Jesus spoke of the leaven of the Pharisees, he was referring to their false teachings. At first the disciples did not understand what Jesus meant; they thought he was speaking literally about the leaven of bread: Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

In the book of Isaiah chapters 7-12, the prophet speaks of the salvation of Israel from its enemies, with the person of the Messiah in view as a central theme to these chapters.Isaiah 9:1-2  ...but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.Matthew chapter 4 portrays Jesus' ministry in Galilee as the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy.Matthew 4:13-16 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”Isaiah is speaking of the messianic light, fulfilled in Jesus who sheds his light both on the Jewish people and on the nations of the world. The theme of Jesus as the light is prominent in the New Testament. In the gospel of John says.John 1:4-5 “In him was life, and the life was the light of men [i.e., people]. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”Jesus the lightIn John 8:12, Jesus himself says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life,” while in John 9:5, he declares that, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Yet again, in John 12:46, he says, “I have come into the world as light.”The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

Isaiah 11:1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.The words of Nathanael in John 1:46: “Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, "Come and see."  People from Nazareth were not held in high esteem; they were considered backward and, we might say, “trashy.” In fact, Galilee as a whole did not have a sterling reputation. When the Pharisee Nicodemus defended Jesus in front of his fellow Pharisees, they replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee” (John 7:52).Matthew 2:23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a NazareneNo Old Testament prophecy corresponds to these precise words. The paraphrase is based on Jesus' boyhood home, Nazareth, and a similar-sounding Hebrew word netser, which is translated as “sprout,” “shoot,” or “branch.”What does "Nazarene" mean?“Nazarene” refers to the “branch” in Isaiah 11:1The Hebrew word for “branch” in Isaiah 11:1 is ‘netser”, and since Hebrew was written with only consonants, this word would have appeared as NZR, which are the same consonants found in Nazarene“Nazarene” refers to a person who is despisedIn the first century, Nazareth was a small town with a negative reputation.Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.Nazareth may draw on the deeper meaning of the name in application to the prophecies that Jesus would be called a Nazerene. Matthew may also  simply use a word play which might have been recognized by his Jewish audience.  The verb nazar can have very broad application (cf. Lev. 15:31; 22:2; Num. 6:2; Ezek. 14:7; Hos. 9:10). The Messiah would be “set apart” to God in the ultimate sense. Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

Amongst all the titles attributed to him, ‘Son of God' is perhaps the dearest to Christians and most used to try and prove his divinity. After all, the ‘Son of God' must be divine like his father.Psalm 2 speaks of the nations of the world plotting against both God himself and his “Anointed.”Psalm 2:7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.In verse 7, God specifically calls the Anointed “my Son” and promises worldwide rule in the face of the laughable opposition of the nations who counsel rebellion against God.Almost a millennium and a half prior to the birth of Jesus, God began to give His people an enormous amount of specific information about Jesus' life and ministry.The New Testament refers in numerous places to the ideas in this psalm.Matthew 3:16-17 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”God makes a point to declare at Jesus's baptism “This is My Beloved Son.”In the Old Testament, “son of God” is used about angels (Job 1:6), about the nation of Israel (Exodus 4:22-23), and about Israel's king (2 Samuel 7:14). In the New Testament, when Jesus is called “Son of God” or “God's Son,” it implies: 1. He is the Messianic king2. He has a personal intimacy with the Father, whom he addressed as Abba3. He obeyed the Father4. His sonship is unique, unlike any otherJesus tells Nathanael where he was and what was in his heart without having been there, and Nathanael bursts out in verse 49, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Now what Nathanael meant by that was great, but probably not as great as what the words will come to mean in the ministry of Jesus and the Gospel of John.Nathanael probably means: “You are the Messiah. You are the long-expected Jewish ruler that will bring deliverance for Israel and establish God's rule over the nations.” Both the term Son of God and King of Israel were references for the Messiah. Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

God sends the prophet Elijah before the “great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” Elijah's mission is to bring about reconciliation, as the passage indicates:Malachi 4:5-6 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”According to the Old Testament description Elijah did not die but was taken up to heaven directly (2 Kings 2:9-12), Jewish tradition spoke often of the future return of Elijah.Matthew 11:13-14 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.Jesus did not say that Elijah would come in the future. He explained the prophecies as showing that “Elijah, indeed, does come first and restore all things” (Mark 9:12). As Matthew and Mark narrate the story, it was Jesus' understanding that Elijah must precede the arrival of the Messiah and that Elijah has already come.According to the Gospel of John, when asked, “Are you Elijah?” John answered, “I am not.” To the question, “Are you the Prophet?” his answer was, “No.”Jesus did not differentiate between Malachi 3:1 and 3:23. Instead, he identified John as the “messenger” and announced that “he is Elijah.”It was believed that before the Messiah's showing, Elijah would personally appear. This expectation John met in his denial; but his words had a deeper meaning. Jesus afterward said, referring to John, "If ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, which is to come. John came in the spirit and power of Elijah, to do such a work as Elijah did. If the Jews had received him, it would have been accomplished for them. But they did not receive his message. To them he was not Elijah. He could not fulfill for them the mission he came to accomplish.Among all the people that deny Jesus as the Messiah there is some confusion because they do not accept John the baptist as Elijah. We need to take things at face value. Prophecies sometimes are not exact. They are always accurate but not always in the way we tend to interpret them to satisfy our own beliefs.John may not have seen himself as the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5-6. However, Jesus did.This is another fulfilled prophecy. Jesus clearly stated that Elijah had already come, but, tragically, he was not recognized and had been killed. Jesus then predicted He would likewise die at the hands of His enemies.Before the end times and the second coming of the Messiah we will have a similar event where "Elijah will come". We do not know how is it going to happen or if it's going to be Elijah himself or one like Elijah but prophecy will be fulfilled once again and soon we will witness "The days of Elijah". Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

The word Messiah simply means “anointed one” and derives from the Hebrew verb mashach, meaning “to anoint.” The word messiah translated into Greek is "christos", so the name Jesus Christ is a combination of Jehovah's human name, Jesus, and the title, Christ.The Old Testament says that The Messiah would be a prophet like Moses. In Deuteronomy 18, while Moses may have been intimating about the line of prophets to come, certainly long after his death, no prophet “like Moses” had arisen.Moses taught others of the coming of Christ in two ways—by his actions and through his words. Deuteronomy 18:15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen.Moses was teaching his disciples. One function of all prophets was to teach the people about the coming of the Messiah.Jesus fulfilled the propheciesJohn 6:14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!'Jesus considered himself to be a prophet: “They took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.' ” (Matthew 13:57)After Jesus' crucifixion and ascension it is said about Him in the book of Acts.Acts 3:20-22 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.  Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.This is a direct quote to the scripture we read in Deuteronomy. Jesus came as the Messiah, or Anointed One, in all three ministerial offices: prophet, priest, and king. The symbolism of Jesus as prophet fills the Gospels. He is the living Word. Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

In Matthew 21, Jesus has just told a parable: the owner of a vineyard sent some servants to collect the produce from the tenants. But the tenants beat and killed the servants. They did likewise with a second group of servants, and finally, when the owner sent his son, they killed him too. The parable is a sad comment on the history of Israel's leaders (but not all the people!): rejecting the prophets and finally rejecting God's Son.Psalm 69:8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sonsOutward appearance The prophet Isaiah describes a Suffering Servant who dies for the sins of those who reject him and then is exalted by God. This is shocking news to the Jews. The Jews looked at Jesus and said, “This can't be the Messiah because He is not going to enter like this.” They were fixated on appearance and success. And Jesus was not what they had in mind.Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.Why was Jesus rejected?Although there are many reasons, it could be said that He didn't fit into preconceived notions of who the Jewish Messiah should be or how He should act.Rejected in in own hometownJohn 1:11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.Imagine your neighbors, school buddies, teachers, or leaders disliking you so much that they want you dead.  What would you do?  How would it affect the rest of your life?This happened to Yeshua in the synagogue of Nazareth, the town in which He was raisedJohn 15:18 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.Very often we consider the rejection from others, especially from those in our spiritual community, to be a rejection by God Himself.  That belief kills our fruitfulness on earth, a false destiny Satan is rallying for.John 7:5 For not even his brothers believed in him.God does not seek those who are perfect as the world counts perfection but those “whose heart is perfect toward Him.”Sometimes we need help overcoming rejection from the world, we must look to Jesus.  Just as prophesied about Him, He is the One who understands our pain the most, and He will help you in times of need Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

When John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for the Messiah, Jesus Himself bore testimony that there was no greater prophet in Israel than John the Baptist. (Luke 7:28.). Another Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled. Isaiah 40:3-5  A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”The Old Testament prophecies said that The Messiah would be preceded by a messenger.Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.”Malachi speaks of a messenger coming to prepare the way, while Isaiah speaks of preparing the way in the desert. One thing that is significant here, is that in Malachi, God says the messenger will “prepare the way before me,” whereas Matthew and its parallel in Luke have “before you,” referring to Jesus himself. In this passage in Matthew and in Luke, what applied to God in Malachi is applied to Jesus! (It was not uncommon to cite Scripture with variations, just as a modern preacher might paraphrase a bit in order to make a point.)John the baptistLuke 3:3-6 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,[a]make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'”The angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias while he served in the temple and told him that Elizabeth would bear a son, whom they would name John (Luke 1:11-13). The angel also spoke of John's greatness, telling Zacharias thatLuke 1:14-17 "you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." John brought unto the nation of Israel the message of repentance and the imminent establishment of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 3:2).As John preached in the region around the Jordan, he was preparing the way for Christ. Quoting from Isaiah, Luke tells us who John was and another prophecy of the Messiah was fulfilled. Get full access to My Evening Devotional at myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe

Shortly after the time of Christ's birth, King Herod the Great made an unsuccessful attempt to destroy the infant Jesus by ordering the slaughter of all male children age two and younger. What was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilledJeremiah 31:15 Thus says the Lord:“A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.”The Massacre of the InnocentsThe Massacre of the Innocents was the result of King Herod's extreme paranoia and cruelty. Herod would do anything to protect his own interests, including murdering all the little boys in Bethlehem. The wise men had alerted Herod to the arrival of a new king in Bethlehem. In his fear and morbid suspicion, Herod could not allow a rival king to live. Not knowing how old Jesus was, but certain the wise men had said they'd first seen the star less than two years before their visit, Herod took no chances and had all male children under two in Bethlehem killed.Matthew 2:16-18 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”Herod's Massacre of the Innocents was carried out, but his plan to rid the world of the Messiah was thwarted when God intervened to protect Jesus in yet another fulfillment of prophecy. When the Magi left Bethlehem to return to their homeland, Joseph had a dream: “An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,' the angel said. ‘Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.' That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod's death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: ‘I called my Son out of Egypt'” (Matthew 2:13–15, NLT; cf. Hosea 11:1). God the Father saved His Son to fulfill His purpose of securing our salvation.Some ancient Christian traditions claim that the Massacre of the Innocents involved tens to hundreds of thousands of children. However, based on the population of the small village of Bethlehem, the annual birthrate, and the high infant death rate at the time, most biblical historians and demographers estimate the total number of male children under the age of two to be no more than 20 to 40. The lower number makes the crime no less of an atrocity. The death of even one child is a tragedy.Christian MartyrsIn Christianity, a martyr is a person considered to have died because of their testimony for Jesus or faith in Jesus.According to official reports. Every day, 13 Christians worldwide are killed because of their faith. Every day, 12 churches or Christian buildings are attacked. And every day, 12 Christians are unjustly arrested or imprisoned, and another 5 are abducted.The children killed by Herod were the first martyrs of the Church. Why martyrs? For a very simple reason: they were killed out of hatred for the faith and for God; out of hatred for the Child who had given them the honor of being born roughly at the same time He came into the world.Today we see the world slaughtering millions of children through legalized abortion and we are numb to this. Some even boast and glorify this horrendous killing of innocents. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

While Isaiah was prophesying in Judah, a new prophet's voice was heard in the north, in the land of Israel. Towards the end of his book, the prophet recalled the exodus, when under the leadership of Moses, the Israelites left Egypt for the Promised Land. Hosea described Israel as God's child, saying:Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.In this passage, Hosea reminds the people of an earlier time God delivered His chosen people out of Egypt. His people, Israel, were in bondage and slavery at the hand of Pharaoh, King of Egypt. Centuries later, Matthew describes another Egyptian delivery. An angel of the Lord warned Joseph in a dream of the impending annihilation of Jesus. Joseph fled with his young family down to Egypt to escape the destruction ordered by King Herod. Joseph remained with his family in Egypt until the Lord called him out, following Herod's death.Matthew 2:14-15 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt  and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”Herod had already plotted to murder all the boys in Bethlehem two years of age and under. (This actually likely amounted to about twenty childrenMary and Jesus flee to Egypt. This was not a random location. Egypt had a sizable and thriving Jewish community – Philo says it was one million strong. It was friendly towards Jews, and the closest Jewish community outside Israel.And so Joseph and his family leave “by night,” most likely to avoid any detection, and they live there until Herod dies and the threat has passed. They would not have had long to wait, since Herod died in 4 B.C.Out of EgyptJesus and his family likely lived among a Jewish community and enjoyed a degree of anonymity and separation from Hellenistic culture. Herod the Great died in March of 4 BC and Jesus' family returned to Nazareth soon thereafter.Just as the people of Israel came out of Egypt to the promised land lead by their saviour Moses. God then calls Joseph and Mary from Egypt to the promised land to bring the Saviour of the World out of Egypt.Egypt represents the old life of sin. God is also calling you out of Egypt to a land of promise.Perhaps you are in a dark season of your life, as the Egyptians were during the plague, or as when Joseph and Mary fled for their lives to a distant land. But I can promise you this, if you will trust Jesus, which is the mark of being God's elect, out of darkness God will call you; out of thick Egyptian night he will fetch you, and a new land of promise will be waiting for you to dwell in. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

The New Testament was originally written in Greek. “Jesus” is an English rendering of the Greek name Iēsous, which is the Greek version of the Aramaic name Yeshua, which derived from the ancient Hebrew Yehoshua which is translated in the English Old Testament as “Joshua.”Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah also prophesied of the Messiah, “He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Very often prophecies in the Bible have an immediate fulfillment and a prophetic fulfilment in another future time.This prophecy had an initial fulfillment during Isaiah's day, but it ultimately refers to the birth of Jesus, as we see in the gospel of Matthew.Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”There are many “names” given to Jesus both  in the Old and New Testaments.Immanuel is one of them.Saying that Jesus would be called “Immanuel” means Jesus is God.The phrase "God is with us" describes the nature of Jesus. He is God who has become a human. "God is with us" would not so much describe the exact nature of Jesus, but rather that God has been gracious to His people by sending His Messiah.The angel is speaking Hebrew and in Hebrew the name is ישוע or יהושע which means God shall save, but are transliterated as Joshua or Jehoshua. But the story is recorded in Greek which gets transliterated to Ιησούς or Ιησούν depending on the case, which is transliterated into English as Jesus.What does Jesus mean in Greek? God with thee. This is prefigured when Joshua is told, in Joshua 1:5, I will be with thee.Some people have the argument that Jesus should have been called literally Immanuel but this is not how prophecy works.'Emmanuel' means God is among us.'Jesus' is the Greek for son of God.Also the Greek word for God is “Zeus.” and 'Ies Zeus' became 'Ye-sus' became 'Jesus.'The English word 'Jesus' is simply an evolved form of what name He was referred to by all those years ago. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

Old Covenant Scriptures speak of the coming Messiah who would be God's anointed One to deliver Israel and all mankind.In Psalms 45 we read a prophetic chant to the Messiah. The psalmist begins the poem with this introduction: "My heart overflows with a good theme: I address my verses to the King" (Psalm 45:1). Then the song reveals a prophetic message.Psalm 45:6-7 Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity; you love righteousness and hate wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;This prophecy about Jesus was repeated and expanded in Hebrews 1. It was decided before the foundations of the earth were laid and before man was ever created. The Godhead knew that the creature they would create would fall and need a redeemer.Hebrews 1:10-12 And, “In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like clothing;  like a cloak you will roll them up, and like clothing they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never end.”Christ's throne is not an earthly throne. The kings who foreshadowed Christ may have sat on earthly thrones for a time, but Christ sat down with his Father on God's throne for eternity —the true throne and kingdom of Heaven, not an earthly shadow of it.Christ's ScepterA scepter is a rod or staff (adorned with gold and jewels) that a king holds to indicate that he is in authority —the shepherd of his people. "Shepherd your people with your scepter" (Micah 7:14).Jesus is our Kingand he also is the Shepherd, and ourselves are the sheep.Yeshua HaMashiach – Anointed to SaveYeshua HaMashiach is Hebrew for “Jesus the Messiah.” Yeshua is a shortened version of the name Yehoshua, which means “Adonai saves.” Mashiach is the Hebrew word for Messiah and means “anointed one.”Daniel 2:44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand foreverAs we can see more than 2,000 years after His resurrection the Kingdom prevailed, and we know from Scripture that will never be destroyed.  The gospel of Luke starts with this prophecy.Luke 1:33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”Politicians today rule outside the principles of the Kingdom of God, but they will perish one day and history will forget them, however the kingdom of our Lord will last forever.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

Samuel 7:12-13   When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.Second Samuel 7 features God's promise to raise up David's descendant Solomon as king, with the promise that he would build the Temple (“a house”) in verse 13. Yet the “house” also means the line of Davidic descendantsAt the heart of the Old Testament is the expectation that God will send a unique king, associated with the Davidic dynasty, who will bring God's blessing to the nations of the world. Significantly, he will sacrifice his life to atone for the sins of others.The path towards the fulfillment of these promises eventually leads to the Davidic dynasty. Through David and his son Solomon, God establishes Jerusalem as his holy city where he dwells among his people. When subsequent Davidic kings fail to trust God fully, various prophets predict that God will raise up a righteous Davidic king whose reign will be characterised by justice, peace and prosperity.The Messiah prophesied by Isaiah The promise of this future righteous king stands in stark contrast to the corrupt Davidic kings who reigned in Isaiah's day. In a separate oracle, Isaiah announces among other things:Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do thisThe Messiah identified by LukeIn his “carefully investigated” account to Theophilus, Luke describes how the newly born Jesus was brought by his parents to the temple in Jerusalem. They encountered a “righteous and devout” man called Simeon, to whom the Holy Spirit had revealed that “he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ” (Luke 2:26). Luke then introduces an eighty-four years old prophetess, Anna, who, on seeing Jesus, “began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).Luke 1:32-33 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”The Messiah links old and new testamentsMessianic expectations linked to the Davidic dynasty do not exhaust what the Old Testament has to say about Jesus Christ. They are only one strand of a cord of connections between the Old Testament and Jesus, but a very significant core strand.Romans 1:3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

The name Jew is really a shortened form of Judah. This name came to be used for the Israelites after their return from the Babylonian Captivity. Although there were representatives of all the tribes in the land at that time, the dominant tribe was Judah, and the land was called Judea. In the New Testament the words Hebrew, Israelite and Jew are synonymous terms to describe the people of Israel. The Apostle Paul applies all three terms to himself at various times.Genesis 49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoplesThis prophecy says that The Messiah would be the coming one to whom the scepter belongs. This is part of Jacob's prophetic blessings on his sons; The promise of the “scepter” and “ruler's staff” indicates that Judah would exercise rulership. This was fulfilled in King David and his descendants, ultimately being fulfilled in the rule of the Messiah. In the New TestamentHebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priestsHebrews 7:14 explicitly traces Yeshua's descent from Judah, while Revelation 5:5 calls Yeshua “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.”The ruler from Judah will receive the “obedience of the peoples” – that is, nations that are not Jewish.The genealogyChristians view this is a prophecy that Jesus will establish an everlasting kingdom in the future. Jesus was born about 2000 years after Jacob died, and his ancestry is traced back to Judah in Luke 3:23-34 and in Matthew 1:1-16.Luke 3:33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of JudahA question raised is: Why do we need two genealogies, especially since Yeshua (Jesus) was not the real son of Joseph? A popular and common answer is: Matthew's Gospel gives the royal line, whereas Luke's Gospel gives the real line.The southern Kingdom of Judah, with its capital in Jerusalem was the birthplace of the Messiah. In Matthew 1:1 he is called the Son of David and the Son of Abraham. In Luke 3:38 he is called the Son of Adam and the Son of God. As the Son of David, it means that Jesus is king. As the Son of Abraham, it means that Jesus is a Jew. As the Son of Adam, it means that Jesus is a man. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

Genesis 17:19 God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac.[a] I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after himWho was IsaacThe Messiah was to be a descendant of Isaac. Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah. Sarah had not bore any children until a very old age. God appeared to Abraham and told him she would birth a child when Sarah was about 90 years old.Abraham was 99 years old and had a son, Ishmael, through Hagar, the Egyptian slave. But God's covenant promise would not be through Ishmael, but through the child, Sarah would bore. Isaac would be in the line of blessings God promised Abraham he would fulfill.Abraham had two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. God promised Isaac that the Messiah would be through his family line.Genesis 21:12 But God said to Abraham, Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.The prophecy fulfilledThe gospel writer Luke in the New Testament details for us the baptism and genealogy of Jesus. Luke 3:34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of NahoLuke works the genealogy in reverse order, Matthew uses a chronological list. In this gospel Luke starts with Jesus and works it all the way back to Adam, the first man. We find Isaac in the genealogy record of Jesus.This way Luke shows us how Jesus is related to the whole human race. Luke also traces the bloodline of Joseph to David.The bloodline of Jesus' familyJesus fulfilled a number of prophecies that have to do with the Messiah's genealogy, or family line. God narrowed down the family line of the Messiah in such a way that eliminated most people who have ever been born.John 5:39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about meJesus told the religious leaders to search the Scriptures and discover where they spoke about Him. The coming Messiah was to be born in one particular family.This is one of the details of the Messiah's family line that was fulfilled by JesusThe coming of the Messiah was predicted in the Old Testament. Jesus fulfilled these prophecies and, in doing so, has the right to claim to be the promised Messiah. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

God raised up His servant Jesus the Messiah (described in Isaiah 53) to fulfill the promises God made to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This fulfillment comes through Jesus, through whom Israel and the nations receive the blessing of atonement for sins.First, God would make a great people from Abraham. The second promise was of the land itself. The third promise was that through Abraham and his descendants, all the nations of the world would be blessed.Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.God promised Abraham that his ligneage would bring blessing to the whole earth. This was a promise also of protection against curses.Genesis 22:18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voiceAbraham's obedience is the origin of the blessing promised to "his offspring" this can be interpreted as Israel but also as an indication that the Messiah would be his offspring.The New Testament descriptionMatthew 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of AbrahamThe first book of the New Testatment starts with the description of Jesus Christ's genealogy and it goes as back as Abraham. Romans 9:5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.Paul didn't mention Abraham but uses the word "Patriarch" wish by association includes Abraham.The Blessing of GodWhen God made the promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, Hebrews 6:13–15Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.Our God guides our steps and goes ahead of us, when He walks with us through hard times and brings us to good and pleasant places. God blesses us with His constant presence. Whatever trials you face, nothing can separate you from His love. Whatever twists in the road, nothing can interfere with His sovereign power and goodness. Whatever missteps you take, He can redeem. Whatever hurts you experience, He can heal your soul and revive your spirit.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

Some say that The Old Testament contains over 400 prophecies about the coming Messiah. Others place the number at around 300. This number may be correct but I will teach you about the most relevant ones on this series of my evening devotional.Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled these prophetic writings and the odds of that happening are just incredible. Mathematics & Astronomy Professor Peter W. Stoner chances of just 8 prophecies has made the statement that the (like these) coming true by sheer chance is 1 in 10 to 17 (100,000,000,000,000,000).  That would be equivalent to covering the whole state of Texas with silver dollars two feet deep and then expecting a blindfolded man to walk across the state and on the very first try find the ONE coin you marked (roughly equivalent to the Province of Ontario being 1.5 feet deep and Quebec about 1 foot deep).Today we see a very specific prophecy about the virgin birth of the Messiah.The prophecy of IsaiahAround 700 years before Jesus was born, a man named Isaiah told King Ahaz that a time was coming when a virgin would have a child named Immanuel.Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name ImmanuelIsaiah promised that God would give a sign — the miraculous birth of the Messiah to a virgin. The Messiah is called here “Immanuel” which means “God with us.”Some 7 centuries later, Joseph and Mary, who were from the city of Nazareth, were engaged to be married. Mary, still a virgin, was “found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18). An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him that his wife-to-be would deliver the Christ child.Jesus was born to a virgin Matthew 1:22-23 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”The name of Jesus in Hebrew is Yeshua, which means “he will save us.” Jesus is Immanuel, God with us, the promised Messiah who has the authority and power to save us from our sins.Nothing is impossible to GodFirst, for those who say a virgin birth is physically and scientifically impossible, Luke remarks that “nothing will be impossible with God.”Luke 1:26-31 26  the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.The virgin birth of Jesus is an example of God's gracious work on our behalf. God took the initiative—Mary was not looking to become pregnant—it was all God's idea. Joseph had no role in the conception—his body was not involved—so the power had to come from God. In a similar way, our salvation is based solely on God's initiative and God's power—we did not seek God, but He sought us; and we did nothing to earn our salvation, but we rely on God's power. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

Some say that The Old Testament contains over 400 prophecies about the coming Messiah. Others place the number at around 300. This number may be correct but I will teach you about the most relevant ones on this series of my evening devotional.Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled these prophetic writings and the odds of that happening are just incredible. Mathematics & Astronomy Professor Peter W. Stoner chances of just 8 prophecies has made the statement that the (like these) coming true by sheer chance is 1 in 10 to 17 (100,000,000,000,000,000).  That would be equivalent to covering the whole state of Texas with silver dollars two feet deep and then expecting a blindfolded man to walk across the state and on the very first try find the ONE coin you marked (roughly equivalent to the Province of Ontario being 1.5 feet deep and Quebec about 1 foot deep).Today we see a very specific prophecy about the birthplace of the Messiah.Bethlehem EphrathahMicah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.In the New Testament the gospels start with the fulfilment of this prophecy. In Micah 5:2, we see prophecy revealed that Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Messiah, the ruler of Israel. This prophecy was written about 700 years before the birth of JesusLuke 2:4-6 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,[a] who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.Because Jesus' first years were spent in Nazareth, it was assumed by some that he was born there as well. In John 1:46, Nathanael said about Jesus to Philip, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” We know also that “The Messiah would be called a Nazarene.”Herod felt threatened Concerned that his rule would be threatened by this “king of the Jews,” Herod convened a committee of those “in the know” and asked them about the Messiah's birthplace. They gave a unanimous answer: Bethlehem, in Judea, and in proof they cited the prophet Micah. The location, Bethlehem, was an open secret, having been predicted by the prophet Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah. But Micah offered further details that should've given Herod pause. The Messiah had existed since before ancient times and would be king and shepherd to his people, ruling the whole earth in the name and majesty of God.When Matthew wrote his Gospel, he was bringing incredible news. He quoted prophecies from the Hebrew Scriptures to make his point that our long-awaited Messiah had come and His name was JesusMatthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem.Matthew alters “Bethlehem Ephrathah” to “Bethlehem, in the land of Judah” – which is the same place, and specifies which of the two Bethlehems was meant – in order to underscore that it was Judah and not some other place, the very land of the tribe of Judah, from whom the Messiah was expected to come.How beautiful to see this prophecy from 700 years' prior being fulfilled in Christ! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

Some say that The Old Testament contains over 400 prophecies about the coming Messiah. Others place the number at around 300. This number may be correct but I will teach you about the most relevant ones on this series of my evening devotional.Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled these prophetic writings and the odds of that happening are just incredible. Mathematics & Astronomy Professor Peter W. Stoner chances of just 8 prophecies has made the statement that the (like these) coming true by sheer chance is 1 in 10 to 17 (100,000,000,000,000,000).  That would be equivalent to covering the whole state of Texas with silver dollars two feet deep and then expecting a blindfolded man to walk across the state and on the very first try find the ONE coin you marked (roughly equivalent to the Province of Ontario being 1.5 feet deep and Quebec about 1 foot deep).The first prophecy in this series is that the Messiah would be born of a woman. This odd is one that self-eliminates since everyone is born of a woman but we will start with a foundation.The Old Testament prophecyGenesis 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head,  and you shall bruise his heel.”After the fall of mankind by Adam and Eve's sin God established new rules, a new environment and what would happen between the guilty parts of this act of disobedience.The language is mysterious and is illustrated by an image of a man stepping on a serpent crushing its head and at the same time receiving a bite on his heel.From the moment this proclamation was made, the clock was set waiting for the one who would crush the devil's head to appear.The offspringThe question among Old Testament scholars is, "Who is the offspring?". Today we have a large group of people that consider Jesus Christ to be the one mentioned by God in this prophecy but there is also a large group of people that do not agree with this.Matthew 1:20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.The miraculous birth of Jesus caused him to be God's offspring of the woman since Joseph is "son of David" but Jesus is the "son of God".The fulness of time fulfilledGalatians 4:4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,This means that when God has planned it, things happen when they are supposed to and nothing ever catches God by surprise. In the Old Testament there were many prophecies that pointed to the coming of the Messiah. The one thing that was evident however is that no one knew when that exact moment would come. Crushing the head of the serpentThe Greek word rendered as “crush” in Genesis 3:15 is (syntribô; Strong's #4937) in verse 20 means “to break the power of, deprive of strength, debilitate.” It can also be translated as “crush” or “bruise”.God says plainly that Satan would be put down; the woman's Seed—The Messiah—would “bruise his head.” The Hebrew word for “bruise,” qâmal, means “to slay, kill.” When a person's head is “bruised” in this way—given a killing blow—he dies, while the same blow on the heel causes pain and damage, but not death. God's curse on the serpent signals what the ultimate end of Satan will be.Revelation 12:7-9 shows someone who is called "the dragon" as “the ancient serpent, who is also called the Devil and Satan. The woman in Revelation 12 is fighting the serpent. On this prophetic scripture Jesus and Mary are on the same “team” for “crushing the head of the Serpent.This is the first prophecy in this series that we will learn about the Messiah. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

God called to Jonah one day and told him to go preach to Nineveh because the people were very wicked. Jonah hated this idea because Nineveh was one of Israel's greatest enemies and Jonah wanted nothing to do with preaching to them!Jonah tried to run away from God in the opposite direction of Nineveh and headed by boat to Tarshish. God sent a great storm upon the ship and the men decided Jonah was to blame so they threw him overboard. As soon as they tossed Jonah in the water, the storm stopped.Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.Could a man survive in a fish's belly? The Hebrew idiom "three days and three nights" has been clearly shown both from Scripture and other sources to mean a period of time beginning on one day and ending on the day after the one following. It doesn't necessarily mean three full days and nights.God sent a big fish, some call it a whale, to swallow Jonah and to save him from drowning. While in the belly of the big fish (whale), Jonah prayed to God for help, repented, and praised God. For three days Jonah sat in the belly of the fish. Then, God had the big fish throw up Jonah onto the shores of Nineveh.Jonah preached to Nineveh and warned them to repent before the city is destroyed in 40 days. The people believed Jonah, turned from their wickedness, and God had mercy on them. Jonah now became angry and bitter because God did not destroy the Ninevites who were Israel's enemy! When Jonah sat to rest God provided a vine to give him shade. The next day, God sent a worm to eat the vine. Jonah now sat in the hot sun complaining and wanting to die. God called out to Jonah and scolded him for being so concerned and worried about just a plant while God was concerned with the heart condition and lives of 120,000 people who lived in the city of Nineveh.Jesus and JonahMatthew 12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earthThe “sign of Jonah” is mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 12:38–42 and Luke 11:29–32. The scribes and Pharisees ask Jesus for a sign to which he replies he will not give any additional signs to this evil generation besides the one already given in Jonah. There are three elements to this sign: (1) both Jonah and Jesus spent three days inside something (fish, earth), (2) Nineveh repented but Jesus' generation will not, and (3) Jesus is the greater Jonah.  Jesus spent three days in the belly of the earth; dead with our sins on his innocent head. God commanded Sheol to spit him out into glorious, resurrection life. Even the message is still the same, though a little more fleshed out: Repent and believe in Jesus for judgment is at hand. All you who are weary laden by your sin; come to Jesus. For his yoke is easy and his burden is light (Matt 11:28–30). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

The event at Belshazzar's feast occurs when Daniel is an old man. The author of the Book of Daniel is showing how the Babylonian empire (whose inhabitants don't worship Yahweh, except for the exiled Jews among them) will be swallowed up by a much mightier empire (the Persians).During a party, thrown by the grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar, a large hand appears and writes four words on the wall. These four words written on the wall declare the end of the Babylonian Empire and the oncoming invasion from the Medo-Persians that very night.Nebuchadnezzar, when he invaded the southern kingdom of Israel, took holy items from the temple 2 Chronicles 36:7. Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar's grandson, misuses these as party favours. The guests drink from goblets from the temple, getting sinfully drunk from the wine from them.A large human hand inscribes four words no one seems to understand. Frightened, Belshazzar summons all the wise men in Babylon to interpret these, but their wisdom falls short. Nebuchadnezzar's widow likely, who'd seen Daniel interpret Nebuchadnezzar's confounding dreams, encourages her grandson to bring in Israel's prophet to translate the meaning.Daniel 5:25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.MENE (Used twice) – Meaning a number or mina (a unit of money). This indicates God has numbered the days of Belshazzar's reign.TEKEL – Meaning weighed or shekel (a type of currency). Similar to the Egyptian book of the dead, God has weighed Belshazzar's heart on a scale and found he fell short of the glory of GodUPHARSIN (Depending on the translation) – Has similar roots to Persia. This word indicates God would divide the Babylonian kingdom between the kingdoms of Mede and Persia.Don't misuse anything sacred. This can range from a gift God has given a believer to His Holy Word, which is sacred. Belshazzar and his guests abused the objects from the temple of God, and thus, invoked the wrath of the Lord.Luke 12:48 Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more”  Is the handwriting on the wall today?  We need to consider our ways and respect what is sacred. We need to value what God has given us and if we want to keep it let's be faithful This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

The story of Daniel in the lion's den teaches us about the promises and faithfulness of God, even if we feel like everything has been lost.King Darius was ruler over Babylon and had an appointment with several men to help him govern and lead. Daniel, the leader of advisors, was a man who believed in God and followed the Lord's commands. The other men did not like Daniel and did not want him in charge so they devised a way to get rid of Daniel.Politics are usually dirty and the plot was well thought. These men knew that Daniel served the God of Israel. They told King Darius to make a new law in which people could worship and pray to only the king and if they worshipped or prayed to other gods, they would be thrown into the den of lion's. The starving lion would eat and kill the lawbreaker.The punishmentDaniel prayed three times a day with his windows open. When the men saw Daniel and brought accusations against him to King Darius, the king was devastated because he favored Daniel. The king knew he could not change the law and Daniel was thrown into the lion's den.Verse 10 of Daniel 6 tells us that, “when Daniel knew that the writing was signed,” he knelt and prayed as he always had." Daniel prays toward Jerusalem, a city leveled by the Babylonians, and he prays toward a temple that no longer stands.In the Lions' DenAt sundown, they threw Daniel into the den of lions. The king could not eat or sleep all night. At dawn, he ran to the lions' den and asked Daniel if his God had protected him. Daniel replied,Daniel 6:22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.King Darius had the men who falsely accused Daniel arrested. Along with their wives and children, they were all thrown into the lions' den, where they were immediately killed by the beasts.Because of the lions' den experience, Darius reached this conclusion about God:Daniel 6:26–27, NLT For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end. He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.The king issued a decree, ordering the people to fear and reverence the God of Daniel. Daniel prospered under the reign of Darius and King Cyrus the Persian after him.A "type" of JesusDaniel is a type of Christ, a godly Bible character who foreshadowed the coming Messiah. He is called blameless. In the lions' den miracle, Daniel's trial resembles that of Jesus before Pontius Pilate, and Daniel's escape from certain death is like Jesus' resurrection.The story of Daniel encourages those who follow God to focus more on what God says about them than what others say about them. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

The story of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego from the Bible book of Daniel 6 tells us of three Jewish boys who refused to bow down to the King of Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar.These three men refused to bow down and worship the idol and god of Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown into the fiery furnace which was heated seven times hotter than normal. Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego had faith that God would save them. The Fiery FurnaceDaniel 3:14-18 King Nebuchadnezzar questioned them: “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up? Now, if you are ready to fall down and worship the statue I made, whenever you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, dulcimer, harp, double-flute, and all the other musical instruments, then all will be well; if not, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, you should know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.”Extremely irritated, king Nebuchadnezzar ordered them to be sent into the furnace straightaway, instructing his servants to heat it to seven times its usual temperature. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound and cast into the furnace, they began lifting their voices in praise and prayer to God. The king's servants continued to stoke the flames, but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego remained unharmedWhen King Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fire he saw four men walking around in the furnace unharmed -  Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego, and the Son of God. Nebuchadnezzar Turns to GodDaniel 3:26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.King Nebuchadnezzar brought the young men out of the flames, promoted them to a higher office, and decreed that the God of Israel be worshipped. Daniel 3:29 no other god can save in this way.These three young men demonstrated complete confidence in the sovereignty of God and were unafraid to stand up to the most powerful ruler in the land. They were willing to accept whatever price they might have to pay for defying the king's edicts, acknowledging that God may or may not choose to save themJesus and the Fiery FurnaceRegardless of the outcome, they were committed to their faith, even when faced with a painful death. Because of their faith, God delivered them from the evil – and in doing so, brought the mighty king of Babylon to recognize his Lordship over heaven and earth.The Son of God, Jesus Christ took on the suffering and death of his people at the cross to rescue them ultimately from suffering and death. Just like these three Hebrews, Jesus was captive under a pagan world empire (foretold in the dream of Daniel 2 and the vision of Daniel 7) – Rome. He was put to death because of his faithfulness, and then he walked away from death three days later. In Jesus Christ our God walked through the fire of death for us and for our salvation.Who is the God who is able to rescue out of the fiery furnace? Our God who walks through the fire with us and ultimately for us.Jesus Christ will be with you in the fiery furnaces of life. Trust in Him and stay firm in your faith. Be like these three men and confess that God will save you but if not you will still not bow your knee to the idols of this world! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

2 Kings 15:5 Then the LORD struck the king, so that he was a leper until the day of his death; so he dwelt in an isolated house. And Jotham the king's son was over the royal house, judging the people of the land.King Azariah (also known as Uzziah) was one of the better kings of Judah. In many ways he honored God and he had a lot of success and power. Yet even good kings have their problems, and Uzziah didn't end well. He died a leper and a disgrace – because he could not handle his success and power.2 Chronicles tells us about Uzziah's pride, seen when he was strong and successful: but when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense (2 Chronicles 26:16). Uzziah, had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became annoyed by the resistance of the priests. While he was angry at them in their presence before the incense altar in the LORD's temple, the Lord struck him with leprosy on his forehead (v. 19).Uzziah violated what had become a general principle in God's dealing with Israel: that no king should also be a priest.King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house and was excluded from all people.It was God's plan that the offices of prophet, priest, and king should not be combined in one man – until the Messiah, who fulfilled all three officesCategories to which King Uzziah belongs- He is counted among the kings who did right in the sight of the Lord.- He is counted among the kings who peacefully inherited the throne from their predecessors.- He falls in the category of kings who died with diseases. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

2 Kings 20:1-11. Isaiah the prophet gave God's word to King Hezekiah.King Hezekiah got ill and Isaiah had said he would get better. The King asked for proof. Isaiah said King Hezekiah do you want the shadow of the sun to go forward ten steps or back ten steps. King Hezekiah replied to the prophet Isaiah for the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.Hezekiah's Illness2 Kings 20:1 During this time, Hezekiah became sick with a fatal illness, so Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, approached him and told him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your household in order, because you are dying. You will not survive.'” …Now Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What is to be the sign that the LORD is healing me and that I'll be going up to the LORD's Temple three days from now?”So Isaiah replied, “This will be your sign from the LORD that the LORD will do what he has promised. Shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?”Hezekiah answered, “It's an easy thing for a shadow to lengthen ten steps. So let the shadow go backward ten steps.” So Isaiah cried out to the LORD, who brought the shadow back ten steps after it had gone down the stairway of Ahaz.The shadowI don't know what is causing the shadow. I don't think it matters too much. For this answer I will assume that the steps are literal, and the shadow is a building or some other structure.To move a shadow you must move either the light source, or the object blocking the light source (or both). The object making the shadow has the part of the top fall off, and this makes the shadow go back 10 steps. This, to me, is the simplest solution.This is an explanation for the phenomenon however what is important to note is not how it happened but that this was the word of the prophet and it confirmed the Word of God to the King.Prophetic confirmationThere were likely a number of false prophets around at this time (e.g. Isaiah 44:25). Perhaps in asking for a sign Hezekiah was trying to ensure the truthfulness of the prophecy (and prophet).2 Peter 1:19a: Moreover, we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing.We surely need confirmation for every prophetic word we receive. If the word comes through a prophecy or whether you hear God's voice directly you will need confirmation. How to Respond to a Prophecy? You've just heard a prophecy. It could have been a personal prophecy, or a word from the Lord delivered corporately, or to a group of people. Either way, you are now in possession of a message from God. So, what do you do now?1. Identify the prophets (true or false)2. Words that come through prophetic utterance are not to be taken lightly.“Do not scoff at prophecies!” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)When you hear a prophecy, you can't sit back and wait for it to happen. There is something you need to contribute to keep it moving along—praying, declaring and standing in faith for that word to come to pass. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

King Sennacherib was a powerful Assyrian monarch. His name literally means “Sin has increased the brothers.” “Sin” was the moon-god of Assyrian mythology. The capital of Assyria was the wicked Nineveh. The Assyrian Empire was famous for its barbaric society; its ruthless treatment of others. It was a vicious, evil culture. Sennacherib's war on Judah is recorded in Scripture.2 Kings 18:9-13 – The Assyrian army attacked and conquered 46 cities and strongholds of Judah. More that 200,000 prisoners were taken into captivity. Hezekiah offered tribute to Sennacherib so the Assyrian army would cease its attack (2 Ki 18:14-16).After the conquest the tribute of the jewish people did not satisfy the greedy Assyrian. Sennacherib immediately broke his promises and prepared to lay siege to Jerusalem. This was almost instantly after he accepted the tribute. From Sennacherib's annuals he described the situation as thus: “I shut him up like a caged bird within his royal capital, Jerusalem. I put watch-posts closely around the city.”The Assyrian king then demands for the full surrender of Jerusalem. This was made by  a group of three Assyrian officials (2Ki 18:17). The duty of these three was to intimidate Hezekiah into full surrender or to provoke such unrest within the citizens of Jerusalem that they would revolt and overthrow Hezekiah. Opposing GodThe opposition of Sennacherib presents the pattern of all who oppose God's rule for their lives. The root of opposition to God is selfishness. This originates also pride and arrogance. This selfishness prodded Sennacherib to mock and insult the Lord God Almighty.Here are the words of king Hezekiah2 Chronicles 32:7-8 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. 8 With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.Believe in God for yous victoryStand upon the promises of God and then let go and let God do his work. God has promised never to leave or to forsake you in the face of your enemy! He has promised to stick closer than a friend. Like Hezekiah said in the verse above, ‘…there be more with us than with him…with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles'. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. No weapon formed against you shall prosper. The prayerHezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 3"Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. The answer was not long in coming through Isaiah the prophet.God's answer is both amazing and wonderful. A prophet of God prays and immediately God both changes his mind and sends alternate instructions to his prophet. A few minutes after Hezekiah prays, Isaiah returns to his bedroom. Hezekiah is still lying on his side facing the wall. Isaiah says: "Hezekiah, this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says...."Miraculously, an angel of God destroyed Sennacherib's army2 Chronicles 32:20-21 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. 21 And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.God has promised you the victory if you will just put your faith in him! Today, God will give you victory without a fight in Jesus name. If God can send an angel to destroy the Assyrian army he will do the same for you.Sennacherib went home in shame. Do you depend on God to rescue you from though situations? Learn to be like Hezekiah and trust the Lord to help you This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

Elisha became sick, the illness ran its course, and Elisha died. He was not carried up into heaven the way his mentor Elijah was. That was not God's plan or will for Elisha. Like countless others before and after him, Elisha simply became old, sick, and then died. Then they buried him.This is one of the more unusual miracles in the Bible. There is no explanation about how or why this happened.2 Kings 13:21 So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.Dead man's anointingElisha was dead. And yet when a corpse was thrown into his tomb hastily in an attempt to hide from marauding bands of Moabites, the man came back to life simply by his corpse touching Elisha's bones.The bones of Elisha almost seem to be the perfect proof-text for the power of relics. And so, no wonder we evangelicals are somewhat more reticent to talk about Elisha's bones.During his ministry, Elijah had performed 14 miracles by the power of God that rested upon him.  If Elisha received a double portion of Elijah's spirit, he would perform at least 28 miracles.  When he died, though, he had only performed twenty-seven miracles.  This miracle of resurrection involving his bones made the 28th miracle performed. Life from a TombThat that man was by an unexpected emergency cast into the sepulchre of Elisha when they wanted to bury him and, because the brigands came upon them, did not have time to make a grave. They opened the cover of the sepulchre that was nearest, which was that of Elisha, and did not lay the dead person in it (for they did not have time for that), but threw in the corpse. When it had fallen to the bottom, it touched the bones of Elisha and came back to life.In this story Elisha is a symbol of Jesus Christ, whose life and death are equally beneficial to both the dead and the living. The dead body got in contact with the bones of Elisha and life was revived in it.  There is a tomb that brings life — but this is the empty tomb of Jesus, risen from the dead. We're grateful that there are no bones in the tomb of Jesus, and that in Him we are promised eternal life.God can make you stand up on your feet, as this man did. He revives you, then he makes you stand, we are able to stand and live a life that counts in the context of eternity.After Elisha was dead and buried, the dead body of a soldier was thrown hastily into the grave where Elisha lay. When the dead soldier's body touched Elisha's bones, the man revived and walked out of the tomb. God still spoke and God still moved through the bones of a dead prophet.The power of resurrection In the Old Testament when a dead man touched one prophet's bones he came to life. In the New Testament when Jesus touches dead people they come to life. Luke 7:11-15 (The Message) Not long after that, Jesus went to the village Nain. His disciples were with him, along with quite a large crowd. As they approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession—a woman's only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow. When Jesus saw her, his heart broke. He said to her, “Don't cry.” Then he went over and touched the coffin. The pallbearers stopped. He said, “Young man, I tell you: Get up.” The dead son sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

2 Kings 6:5-7 When they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was felling a log, his ax head fell into the water; he cried out, "Alas, master! It was borrowed." Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float. He said, "Pick it up." So he reached out his hand and took it.This story of the ax is the last in a series of stories which describe the interaction between Elisha and “the company of prophets.What is the significance of the floating axe head? Was it just to show that Elisha did great miracles by the power of God? Was it to demonstrate that God cares about His people being in debt? The debtThe servant of God losing the axe head in the river Jordan signifies the man owe a great debt, and are under the judgment of the law for it. This truth characterized by it falling into the river that separates the people of God from the promised land. The axe head lost causing debt, and the law requiring that debt must be paid.Elisha is divinely inspired to cut a stick from a tree, that through the power of God it would bring up the axe head, removing the judgment by removing the debt. When the axe head is restored, the servant is now free from debt. It signifies that debt is no longer owed and God's servant is no longer under judgment of the law concerning it. The stick and the crossWhen the prophet shows Elisha the place where the axe was lost, Elisha then went and cut a piece of wood or stick from a tree and he cast it into the water at the place the prophet confessed the axe head fell. That stick represents the work of Christ on the cross to remove the curse of the law, the debt that requires judgment. That Hebrew word in 2nd Kings 2:6 [ets] that is translated stick, is the exact same word that is translated "gallows" (Esther 5:14), representing the tree, a tool of hanging. Likewise it is the same word translated tree in Deuteronomy chapter 21:22 and if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:The stick or tree (translated both) represents the power or work of Christ in the redemption of the debt. It was for this reason that Christ died on the tree.Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:Debt ForgivenessMatthew 18:26-27 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. This is the compassion of God, and we should be just as compassionate to those who are indebted to us. The compassion Elisha had on his disciple for his dept is a portrait of the compassion God has upon us for ours. This story of the miracle of Elisha raising the lost axe-head that is recorded in 2nd Kings 6:1-7, is the sign (miracle = sign) of the debtor's recovery and restoration through Christ Jesus.We see through this story that Elisha used the wood to remove this student's debt, and this redemption was made through the water of Jordan. This whole episode demonstrates to us the condescension of the Son of God in humbling himself that he might be nailed to a tree (become a curse for us) and come through the waters of death to provide solution for our debt. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

Yesterday we saw the story of Naaman, the Aramean (Syrian) general in the book of 2 Kings, This is one of the most amazing and inspiring chapters depicting the grace of God in the Bible.As incredible and wonderful as Naaman's miraculous healing story is, there is another figure in the fifth chapter of 2 Kings who ends up as a notorious down-note in this story, and ultimately, as a warning for believers.  The man's name is Gehazi, the servant of Elisha.Elisha the prophet healed Naaman of his leprosy by the power of the Lord (verse 14), and Naaman praised God and offered Elisha a gift, which Elisha refused to accept (verse 16). The deceiverNaaman departed for Syria, but Elisha's servant Gehazi ran after him and told a lie in order to get Naaman's gift for himself. In his lie, Gehazi invoked his master's name, making it appear as if Elisha wanted the gift after all: “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing'” (verse 22). Naaman was only too glad to comply—he was happy to be able to give something out of gratitude for his healing—and he urged Gehazi to take twice as much silver as he had asked for. Gehazi went home with the silver and the garments, which he hid. Later, when Gehazi came before Elisha, he lied again in response to Elisha's direct question as to where he had been (verse 25). It soon became apparent that Elisha knew the truth, its having been revealed to him by God: “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you?” (verse 26). Then came Gehazi's punishment: “Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever” (verse 27). And, just like that, Gehazi was a leper.The love of moneyGehazi witnessed a miracle, an undeniable display of God's power that involved the redemption of a man's health, life, and soul. But all he could think about was money. Naaman needed to see the grace of God in the free and abundant blessing he received; Gehazi destroyed grace by demanding payment.“The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10), and “you cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13). After years of seemingly faithful service, Gehazi fell. His sin began in the heart, as he coveted what Naaman was offering. Other sins soon followed in a series of lies. Gehazi would have been wise to heed Moses' warning of long ago, “You may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

In 2 Kings 5:1-19, Naaman met Elisha, the mighty prophet of God and he was supernaturally healed. Naaman was the commander of Syria's (Aram's) army and well regarded as a military man, but he had leprosy. His Israelite servant girl suggested he go to Elisha to be healed.Instead of Elisha coming to the door to greet Naaman, he sent a messenger to him saying,  Naaman Seeks Special TreatmentNaaman arrives with chariots to pay Elisha honor. Through his riches and social standing, he hopes to convince the prophet that he is worthy of a healing.He even stops at the door like a beggar for alms, humiliating himself in hopes that Elisha will return the favor and stoop down and give him a healing.Naaman was furious with the message and turned away in a rage. His pride was bruised because he expected Elisha to greet him, lay hands on him and miraculously heal the leprosy. He wanted special treatment for his faith.Naaman's servants urged him to reconsider, and Naaman wisely did. After dipping himself in the Jordan River seven times, he was completely healed as Elisha had said. In fact, 2 Kings 5:14 his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy Naaman had decided how God should heal a man as important as himself. He was not about to wash in the dirty Jordan River! Naaman was about to lose his blessing when he was entreated by his servants to obey the prophet. Naaman repented. The scripture says his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child.What can we learn from Naaman?1. God Doesn't work on our terms2. Salvation is the same for everyone3. God doesn't do  distinctions between peopleJust like Naaman, we are in need of a cure, the same cure given to everyone who will come to Christ.Jesus mentioned this storyJesus used the story of Naaman and Elisha as an illustration of Israel's problem of unbelief. In Luke 4:27, Jesus tells the crowd in the synagogue of Nazareth, “There were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” The lepers of Israel overlooked the healing that could have been theirs through Elisha, so God healed a Syrian instead. In the same way, the Israelites of Jesus' day were missing the Power right in front of their eyes. But God is no respecter of persons, and the Gentiles eventually received the gospel that Israel rejected. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

2 Kings 4:42-44 Then a man came from Baal Shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack. And he said, “Give it to the people, that they may eat.” But his servant said, “What? Shall I set this before one hundred men?” He said again, “Give it to the people, that they may eat; for thus says the LORD: ‘They shall eat and have some left over.'” So he set it before them; and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD. Jesus twice fed multitudes with a few loaves and fish (Matthew 14:13-21 and 15:32-39). God used Elisha to do a similar miracle hundreds of years before.We see in this story that they had relatively few loaves of barley bread to feed many. Elisha told his servant to give the twenty loaves of bread to the one hundred men He asked, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.'” Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.Also barley was regarded as simple food, better for feeding animals than people. Humble barley loaves aren't much to work with, but God doesn't need much.More than enoughBy God's miracle, few loaves were made many and they had more than enough. It says, “they ate and had some left over,” and it was all according to the word of the LORD.” God promised more than provision, but to provide beyondthe immediate need. Elisha trusted the promise of God, acted upon it, and saw the promise miraculously fulfilled.Here in 2 Kings it was 20 loaves for about 100 people. In the ministry of Jesus, it was 5 loaves for 5,000 people! In 2 Kings there was some left over, but in the ministry of Jesus they filled 12 big baskets with the leftovers (John 6:13).God's provisionPsalm 37:16 Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.Times were tight, food was scarce, but the company of prophets were learning from Elisha about God's faithfulness in providing for his people even through times of famine.Isaiah 61:7 Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, Everlasting joy will be theirs.God promised a double portion many times in the Bible. We need to believe that he is our provider and can multiply the little that we have.Zechariah 9:12 Return to the stronghold, O prisoners who have the hope; This very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

Elisha was visiting the school of the prophets at Gilgal, instructing them in the things of God. At the close of a meeting he gave orders that a simple meal should be prepared for them; so one of them went out into the field to gather herbs, that they might have a vegetable stew. He found a wild vine with gourds. Securing a goodly quantity, he returned and shred them into the pot of pottage, quite unconscious that he was making use of a poisonous plant.2 Kings 4: 38:4138 And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and see the pottage for the sons of the prophets. 39 And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not. 40 So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof. 41 AßDeath in the potThe pottage was found to be dangerous; so that they cried out, 'there is death in the pot', (v. 4:40). Elisha immediately cured the bad taste and prevented the bad consequences of this poisonous pottage.“But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm [or ‘evil thing'] in the pot” ( 2 Kings 4:41).Meal or flour is a substance that has been crushed to make a rough powder, esp. plant seeds crushed to make flour. It was used to thicken the sauce. The “meal” we regard as the Word of God: either the written or the personal Word. One of the great types of Christ is seen in the meat (i.e., meal) offering of Leviticus 2. It is only by the Word we are safeguarded from evil. See how graciously God provided for “His own.” Though there was a “dearth in the land,” yet these sons of the prophets were not without “meal”! How thankful we should be for the Word of God in our homes in such a day as this. Though someone else fetched the meal, “he [Elisha] cast it into the pot”!Jesus told the disciples in Mark 17:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”The promise of JesusThe expression translated "when they drink deadly poison" could be translated "If they consume deadly substances" and it's not just literal poisons like arsenic, antrax, etc. God is able to protect us from anything poisonous, from herbal poisons to dangerous vaccines.Mark 17:19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

Second Kings 4 records the account of Elisha and the Shunammite woman. The woman is described as a wealthy married woman in the village of Shunem.The wealthy woman had an extra room built on to her house and furnished it comfortably for Elisha. Elisha and his servant used the room whenever they passed through the area of Shunem. In thanks for the help she gave to the preaching of the word of God, Elisha told the woman that she would give birth to a son even though her husband was very old. She did give birth to a son but after a few years, he died. The woman placed the boy's body in Elisha's special room and then went to find Elisha. Elisha came and raised her son from the dead.2 Kings 4:32–35 describes what happened next: “When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.”When Elisha arrived, he went into the room with the dead child, shut the door, prayed, stretched himself on the child to warm him, and prayed. God heard his prayer and restored the life to the child!Life and deathThere is a reference in the New Testament where Jesus mentions life and death that I believe has something to do with this story.John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,1. Elisha shut the door and prayed. Are you praying regularly for the salvation of your children or for someone else's children?2. There was personal contact. The intimate contact there was of eye, mouth and hands. This suggests that if we are going to win the children to Christ we must: 1. be able to see things from the child's standpoint; 2. be able to speak in the child's language; 3. be able to enter into the child's interests.3. There was intense desire and effort. In verse 34, we are told that the prophet “stretched himself out upon him”.Bringing God to someone is hard work, demanding the sacrifice of time and energy. It often proves disappointing, but it is gloriously worthwhile work and brings great reward to the worker.4. There was patience and perseverance.. Elisha had to hold on to God and to work on in faith. The child sneezed 7 times before coming back to life, then there is the sign of vision, for we are told that the child “opened his eyes”.The message that brings lifeJohn 5:24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.Metaphorically everyone is spiritually dead before responding to the message of the gospel. Just like the shunammite's  son we passed from death to life through the sacrifice of Jesus. It was hard work and perseverance from Him that caused the mircle of resurrection in our lives. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

A prophet died and left debts that his widow and two sons could not pay. The creditor decided to take the two sons as slaves in payment of the debt. When the widow begged for Elisha's help, the Lord miraculously provided them with enough oil to sell and pay off the debt.In one town a poor widow approached Elisha. Her husband had been a prophet.This poor widow was unable to pay the debts that her husband had left her with. She had only a small amount of olive oil in her home – nothing else of value. As was the common practice of the time, her two sons were going to have to work for the lender until the money was paid back. In this case, he was going to exact a more harsh payment. They were to become his slaves.God's servant, Elisha, told the woman to borrow all the empty jars from her neighbours that she could possibly get, close her doors, and begin pouring the oil from her jar into the borrowed jars. As she obeyed, the widow saw that God provided enough oil to fill all the jars.2 Kings 4:5-7 So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”Lessons from this miracle1. Pray and ask for God's wisdom2. Use what you have to get what you need3. God will give you supernatural abundance when you obey to His word.2 Corinthians 12:9-10 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."What do you have in the house?" said the prophet to the womanJesus afterward said to His disciples, "How many loaves do you have?"God can multiply the little that we have and transform it into abundance. Our tendency is to hold back and hold tightly what we perceive to be insignificant in our lives (or what we don't have enough of). Yet, in God's order, rather than hoarding our talents (or whatever it is we're holding on tightly to), you'll discover that it is in the pouring out of the LITTLE you have that it becomes more. What does the little jar of oil in this story represent in your life? WHat can you place in God's hands today? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

God is able to take care of every problem you bring to Him. Whatever you are facing may be big to you, but nothing is impossible for Him!Three kings had banded together to mount a surprise attack on the Moabites. Their strategy was to lead their combined armies through the desert and attack Moab where an attack would be least expected.2 Kings 3:9-10 tells us: “So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched on that roundabout route seven days; and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them. And the king of Israel said, ‘Alas! For the Lord has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.'”The only thing that could save them was a miracle. Jehoshaphat, the godly king of Judah, recognized this and urged the other kings to seek God's direction from the prophet, Elisha.“Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, ‘What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.' But the king of Israel said to him, ‘No, for the Lord has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab'” (2 Kings 3:13).Elisha was not found of the king but he delivered God's word to them. “Thus says the Lord: Make this valley full of ditches. For thus says the Lord: you shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink. And this is a simple matter in the sight of the Lord; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand” (2 Kings 3:16-18).Then they went to sleep and the miracle happens in the morning.2 Kings 3:20 tells us: “Now it happened in the morning, when the grain offering was offered, that suddenly water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with water.” God miraculously filled every ditch they dug. Not only did He give them life-sustaining water, but, if you read the rest of the chapter, you will see that God also gave them a stunning victory!You may not have a prophet to consult, but you do have the Bible. It is God's Word, and Hebrews 4:12 tells us it is active and alive; powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. It is full of victory, grace and truth, but it won't do you any good if it just sits on the shelf. It needs to be down deep on the inside of you.God wants you to prepare your life with ditches that He can fill. He can make it rain in such a way that every area of your life is touched. But you have to dig the ditches.You might not see clouds or hear any thunder, but when you dig ditches, even in your desert place, God is faithful to rain down blessing, healing, deliverance, guidance, provision, peace…whatever it is that you need.God calls them to do unexpected things. He calls them to this little act of obedience in a time of struggle…to the obedience that doesn't make sense.God calls us also to do the same kind of things as we obey Him. What ditches is he calling you to dig? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

After its destruction as part of the Conquest, Joshua ordered that Jericho should never be rebuilt (Joshua 6:26). The city lay as a testimony to God's power for a long time. However, in the time of Ahab, a man named Hiel rebuilt Jericho (1 Kings 16:34).Jericho was a city rebuilt against the command of God, and a city that was part of a kingdom that worshipped Baal and the golden calves.2 Kings 2:19-22 The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.”20 “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.'” 22 And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.God as a last resortThe men of the city came to Elisha the prophet for help. This was not because they trusted the true God, or because they served a faithful city; it is likely because they had tried other gods and solutions and nothing had worked. Elisha is the last resort.Elisha throws salt into the spring and it heals the water, not just then, but forever.The Gospel in this storyThe men of Jericho did not deserve God to help them, yet he did. Likewise, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We can only come to God and ask for help. The salvation shown to the people of Jericho and those who trust in Jesus is only due to God's grace.God saved those who came to him in faith through his representative. In 2 Kings 2, it was Elisha, and for us today, it is Jesus.God saves people using unexpected means. Salt is an odd thing to use to purify water; it usually makes it unusable rather than usable! Similarly, a death is an odd way to secure a victory; it usually means defeat. God loves to save people through ways we cannot expect and would not have thought of ourselves.The salvation given is permanent. Jericho's water wasn't healed for a day but forever. Likewise, Jesus' payment for our sins is once for all, not just the sins we have committed to the point we believed.We are the salt of the earth and God uses us to heal the world and produce living waters in all that believe.None of us deserve what Jesus has won for us, any more than the men of Jericho deserved their water to be healed by a God they only came to in desperation.Water represents purification, life in ChristJohn 7: 37 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture says: Rivers of living water will flow from within him This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

Before Elijah departs into heaven in a whirlwind, riding on a chariot of fire, Elisha asks him for a "double-share of his spirit."Elijah transferred the prophetic mantel to Elisha just before Elijah ascended to heaven. And as it had done in the shift from Moses to Joshua, the Jordan River parted for Elijah and Elisha, who crossed on dry ground2 Kings 2:8 And Elijah took his mantle (coat) and rolled it up and struck the waters, and they were divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.Elijah then departs into heaven on a "chariot of fire" carried up into heaven on a whirlwind sent by God.2 Kings 2:14 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he too had struck the waters, they divided this way and that, and Elisha crossed over.Parting of the Sea/Water Occurs 5 Times in the Bible.We often find ourselves in state of crossing and transition after times of being stuck in a “wilderness.” The Jordan river is at the border of wilderness.The Jordan River – Your Place Of TransitionHow do we break the “wilderness cycle” and get to the place of crossing?John the Baptist chose this same area to baptize.Because the Jordan River represented a place of transition — in fact, of new beginnings — it became the place where John baptized Jesus. But instead of the waters parting, the heavens did.Mark 1:10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.The transitions that occurred there were very importantl — as with Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, and John and Jesus.Matthew 3:6 and Mark 1:15 describe John the Baptist baptizing the people from Jerusalem, Judea and the surrounding area. He di this at the Jordan river.The Jordan river represents an opportunity we all have before us. With confessing our sins to God and one another, and in physical baptism, we can be renewed and refreshed. We can have that breakthrough and moment of clarity that we may have been seeking in our lives.Entering the Promised Land by crossing the Jordan remains a timeless metaphor for crossing over from death to spiritual life. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

Close to the end of his life, Elijah was called upon to meet another crisis, this one involving the son of Ahab, King Ahaziah, who had succeeded his father on the throne of Israel. Ahaziah was sick and had sought to inquire of Baalzebub regarding his recovery. Elijah's message to him was:2 Kings 1:3-4 Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely dieThe king then sent a squadron of 50 soldiers to bring Elijah to him.There is no indication that Elijah's life was in danger. When Elijah finally appeared before the king he simply delivered his message. We are not even told the king's reaction. There was no indication of an arrest attempt.Then the captain of the 50 men who said, it seems almost respectfully:2 Kings 1:9 Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.As an answer we see something strange happened.Fire From Heaven2 Kings 1:10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.There is a debate about this miracle. Elijah may have been saying essentially: “You dare to doubt me! Let me show you. I can prove that I am a man of God.Jesus and this incidentAt one point, when Jesus was not welcomed at a Samaritan village, his disciples reacted by saying:Luke 9:54 Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?The disciples were referring to the event under discussion. In their understanding, the fire was sent by God. Jesus' response was revealing:Luke 9:54-56 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.They expected that Jesus would approve of their wanting to act like Elijah. However, Jesus reprimanded the spirit behind their response. It was one of revenge not of forgiveness.Apparently Jesus did not agree with doing a same type of miracle, Nevertheless Elijah did things that are hard to understand.A love messageMatthew 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.The Character of Christ is forgiveness. In the days of Elijah we see a belligerent type of actions and this is a miracle that is hard to understand. This story is similar  to that of Ananias and Sapphira who ended up dying because they lied to the Lord.The life and character of Jesus should instruct us in such situations that we are confronted by threats. Many times our flesh wants to bring fire from heaven but God wants to give a chance to people for repentance.2 Peter 3:9  The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

1 Kings 18:45-46 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.God's word through Elijah was proved true. The long drought was over, and it was demonstrated that the prayers of Elijah both withheld the rain and then subsequently brought the rain.Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab: This was an obviously supernaturally empowered 14-mile cross-country run. We don't know exactly why it was important to God for Elijah to reach Jezreel first; perhaps it was so that he would be the first to tell Queen Jezebel.God prepared Elijah for this miracle 1 Kings 18:1 After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: "Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land."The chapter started out with God speaking to Elijah and telling him to go and meet with King Ahab and that God would send rain on the land. Essentially, God was telling him, “Prepare yourself, it is about to rain.”42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.Elijah had to pray down the rain in spite he was already informed by God that the rain was about to come.When at the prayer of Elijah rain was given after so long a course of years, a little cloud not bigger than a person's hand appeared, then grew as clouds do, and poured out such generous showers that all things were restored.The prayer of a righteousJames 5:16 (NLT) Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.God does miracles out of the ordinary course of things. Rain always happens in a natural cycle. There are seasons of drought. This was a miraculous rain. There are forces in operation in nature but may be we may compelled to recognize a greater force.The rain that came on Elijah was a miraculous extension of God's absolute power or an example of God's ordinary power manifest in the outworking of nature. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com

Mount Carmel in the Bible is actually a mountain range in northern Israel. It is twenty-four miles long, stretching from the Mediterranean Sea in the north near Haifa southeastward into the heart of Israel."When he saw Elijah, he said to him, 'Is that you, you troubler of Israel?'" (1 Kings 18:17)Elijah had been in hiding for the 3 ½ years of a drought. The Lord now told him to reveal himself to King Ahab. There where 850 priests of the false gods, Baal and Asherah present.  Elijah asked the prophets of Baal to build altars to their “god”. The “god” that made fire appear would be the real and powerful god.1 Kings 18:19 Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table.”The prophets prayed and chanted all day but they could not get their “god” to send fire down to burn the sacrifices on their altars. Finally, Elijah had his altar doused in water and then prayed to the Lord to send fire. Fire immediately consumed the sacrifice, the wood, stones, soil and even the water that had overflowed into the trenches around the altar. After this miracle rain also came to end the drought.1 Kings 18:38 When Elijah then prayed to the One True God, God sent down fire that consumed not only the sacrifice, but "the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trenchAt Mount Carmel, God displayed His power through Elijah, using both a consuming fire and life-giving water in the form of rain. God revealed Himself to be the One True God worthy of all our worship.The meeting at Mount Carmel wasn't a circus. The purpose wasn't to entertain but to demand a choice between Yahweh and Baal. Elijah's desire is expressed later in his prayer: “So that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God”Elijah challenged his generation who believed the same thing. They acknowledged Yahweh but believed following Baal was a more practical way for farmers and merchants to live. However, if God is God, then we must submit to Him and surrender every area of our lives to His lordship."Then Elijah said to all the people, 'Come here to me.' They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which was in ruins.'" (1 Kings 18:30)Israel was “hesitating” or “limping” or “wavering” between Baal and Yahweh (v. 21).God answers prayerToday the test is the same. The only God who answers prayer is the God of the Bible, and He is the true and living God.1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT Never stop praying. (pray without ceasing)In our world, and in most modern countries the altars are broken down and need to be repaired! Revive us again, O Lord! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com