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Exod. 1:15–22 Dan. 3:8–18 Matt. 5:38–42 Rev. 13:1–10 Should Christians only ever obey civil authorities, or are there times when we must disobey? Scripture gives us very useful categories for understanding when we must or may disobey the governing authorities. In this message, and with the help of the Protestant tradition, we explore the biblical conditions and reasoning for engaging in civil disobedience.
June 07 2026 Sunday Who Jesus Made You To Be / Week 29 / T. Stacy Hayes #findoutwhoyouare My Vision My vision is to teach the world Who They Are In Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior! To Teach them what the Bible says about them and who they have been made to be in the promises of God's Word. This changed my life years ago and completely transformed me from a person full of doubt, fear and unbelief to a strong confident Christian that knows I can do anything through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. And I'm determined to teach the world what God has taught and commissioned me to teach and that is His Word. That commission takes me to jails and detention centers weekly along with other open doors at many churches and ministries that are wanting to teach these important truths to the world. My podcast goes out 6 days a week to help the people I am ministering to grow in the truths that God has taught me for many years now. This podcast is free to all that want to listen and grow strong in who God has made them to be in Christ Jesus their Lord and Savior. Isaiah 53:5 Healing… Matthew 18:19 Agree with God's Word… Mark 10:29-30 100 Fold Return… Acts 10:34 God is no respecter of persons "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love." John 15:9 KJV ""I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love." John 15:9 NLT "I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love [continue in His love with Me]." John 15:9 AMPC "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20 KJV "For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."" Matthew 18:20 NLT "For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I AM in the midst of them. [Exod. 3:14.]" Matthew 18:20 AMPC "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Mark 16:17-18 KJV "These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed."" Mark 16:17-18 NLT "And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; They will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well." Mark 16:17-18 AMPC "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." John 14:13-14 KJV "You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!" John 14:13-14 NLT "And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son. [Exod. 3:14.] [Yes] I will grant [I Myself will do for you] whatever you shall ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]." John 14:13-14 AMPC "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:23-24 KJV "At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." John 16:23-24 NLT "And when that time comes, you will ask nothing of Me [you will need to ask Me no questions]. I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that My Father will grant you whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]. [Exod. 3:14.] Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete." John 16:23-24 AMPC Romans 10:9-10 Salvation… Romans 10:17 Faith in God comes from hearing His Word… Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus'Yoke is Easy… John 3:16 God gave Jesus to pay for our Salvation… God Loves The abortion dr As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Philippians 12:2 Work out your own Salvation… Romans 8:1 No condemnation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Luke Chapter 15 The Story Of The Prodigal Son… Philippians 4:19 God will supply all your needs let Him… Romans 4:20 Don't Stagger at What God Is Saying In His Word… John 15:5 We can't do anything aside from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:17 We are new creatures in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:21 We are The Righteousness of God In Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Mark 10:29-30 100 Fold Return… Ephesians 2:8 We are Saved by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Believe God's Word Above All Opinions God Loves The abortion dr's As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Mark 10:29-30 100 Fold Return… Share This Podcast On Your Social Media… Website https://the-prodigalson.com Email tstacyhayes@gmail.com YouVersion Bible App https://my.bible.comi iOS App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prodigal-son/id1450529518?mt=8 … Android App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.prodical Social Media https://www.facebook.com/The-Prodigal-SON-209069136315959/ https://www.facebook.com/noreligion1511/ https://twitter.com/noreligion1511 https://www.instagram.com/noreligion1511/ https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCPx4s1CLkSYef6mp4dSuU4w/featured
EXODUS LESSON 73 PART 2 I strongly urge you to listen to Lesson 73 part 1 before listening to part 2. You'll see how important it is to make sure you do this to get a better understanding of the questions and issues in these verses. Here's the link for part 1 - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/exodus-73-part-1-exod-3210-18-god-cant-change-his-mind/ One major problem we'll deal with is the way the translators of the New American Standard Bible 1995 translated the Hebrew in Exod. 32:14 to come up with the phrase, “God changed His mind.” In part 1 it is so clear that God does not change and never changes His mind. This is a major issue and one wonders how this could've happened since again and again the very words of God show the truth that God does not change and never changes His mind. Below check out the chart. You'll see that the NASB is the only Bible version that uses the phrase “God changed His mind.” The King James (KJV) and the Amplified Bible (AMP) and the Jewish Publication Society (JPS) translations are probably the most accurate. The Lord repented or turned away from one thing to turn to another. Repent in Hebrew comes from the Hebrew verb LaShuv לָשׁוּב meaning to turn around or to go back. The Strong's number H7725. It is the verb that forms the Hebrew word for repentance of Teshuvah תְּשׁוּבָה. It is not just connected to doing repentance from sin. It could be one wants to give up smoking. So one would turn from smoking and to turn to something else. In other words one is doing Teshuvah תְּשׁוּבָה from smoking. That is how the Bible uses the word and not just related to sin. Thus, God is turning from one thing to do another. I wrote an article on trying to get at this in a more understandable way. Here's the article below. Does God change His mind? How can this be? We have two verses that contradict each other. Consider ... Exodus 32:14 So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people. (Exo 32:14) Malachi 3:6 "For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed." (Mal 3:6) Which is it? If God does not change then how did Moses have God change His mind and yet God says He will not. This is not like God. This is nuts. I thought the Bible was in full agreement!! Can this be explained?? Also, one reads in the very words of God that certain people will be restricted from the Assembly of God. Deu 23:1-8 "No one who is emasculated or has his male organ cut off shall enter the assembly of the LORD. (2) "No one of illegitimate birth shall enter the assembly of the LORD; none of his descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall enter the assembly of the LORD. (3) "No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the LORD; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the LORD, (4) because they did not meet you with food and water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. (5) "Nevertheless, the LORD your God was not willing to listen to Balaam, but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the LORD your God loves you. (6) "You shall never seek their peace or their prosperity all your days. (7) "You shall not detest an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not detest an Egyptian, because you were an alien in his land. (8) "The sons of the third generation who are born to them may enter the assembly of the LORD. It says that all Moabites are so restricted and yet Ruth gets in. Why? How? (Listen to part 1 carefully regarding the Moabites. No Moabite will be allowed in to the Assembly of Israel up to an including the 10th generation by God's own words. Wait till you see how Ruth is probably of the 11th generation when one studies the Bible in its historical context. So, she can get in and she did!) It says that a MUMZER will not enter and Timothy is a mumzer - his mom was Jewish and his dad a pagan (Hebrew for one of illegitimate birth)!! Timothy!! He became a leader of the assembly of Messiah in Ephesus. We say as Gentiles we are grafted in but the Torah says NO!! God says it loud and clear. What is going on? How can both be true? Oh sure. One is the church and one is the synagogue. Right?? It can't be. This is a conundrum!! Let's check the Hebrew of Exod. 32:14 and Mal. 3:6. Exo 32:14 וינחם H5162 יהוה H3068 על H5921 הרעה H7451 אשׁר H834 דבר H1696 לעשׂות H6213 לעמו׃ H5971 Mal 3:6 כי H3588 אני H589 יהוה H3068 לא H3808 שׁניתי H8138 ואתם H859 בני H1121 יעקב H3290 לא H3808 כליתם׃ H3615 In English we are reading the word “change” (as to change one's mind in Ex 32:14 - word # 5162) and change (as to someone not changing as in Mal 3:6 - word #8138). In Exod 32:14 God "racham's" - it does NOT say He changes His mind!! The word racham is the word that is translated as "He changed His mind." That phrase is not even there. A better way to say this is that God repents; God turns from one thing to another. He REPENTS. Moses did NOT change HIS mind. What happened is God has set in place either punishment or a curse on those who are unrighteous. That is His intention. However, equally part of HIS intention is God's other option to forgive and erase the punishment if there is true repentance. Both options exist for God. It is one or the other - this is His simultaneous intention and purpose. Moses intervened for Israel and God did not change His mind. He can't. What God did was to turn, to repent, and allowed the other option. Both options are in play, both are His intentions. God has laid out those two options as part of His intentions. Thus, He did not change at all. In Mal 3:6 the word is "shanaw." This has the picture of "folding" one side on another. It has the implication of duplicating. God stays constant. He is ONE and will remain ONE. He is the Lord and HE does not go from one intention to another. Like with Moses God had either punishment or forgiveness. Both exist at once as God's intentions. In the case of sin this is God - both exist. He will turn from one to the other, from punishment to forgiveness if there is true teshuvah, repentance from the sin, and will not do option 1 but option 2. God is like that. He is always like that. God has it all covered and these options are already in place with HIM as His intentions. He will not do anything that is not already a part of HIMSELF. Thus, we study Torah to know HIM deeply and intimately and to begin to understand His ways. Finally, Moses was the greatest prophet of the Hebrew Scriptures (Deut. 34:10). God tells Moses the following … “I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.” (Deu 18:18) This is the Lord's prediction of the future coming of His Son, Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah. So, Jesus is a prophet like Moses; for us as disciples of Jesus we'd say Jesus is the Greatest Prophet ever. But, we are to be disciples of Jesus or talmidim תַּלְמִידִים. A talmid is one who is a student of a rabbi and who lives to be like his rabbi. Check out the article entitled "Rabbi and Talmidim" at this link ... https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/rabbi-and-talmidim Jesus says this quite clearly … “A pupil (from the Greek to the Hebrew is TALMID) is not above his teacher (from the Greek to the Hebrew is RAV or master. We say RABBI); but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.” (Luk 6:40) Thus, if we are real talmidim we are to be like Jesus. He was given the words of His Father to proclaim and thus Jesus is a prophet. But we are given the words of Jesus to go and proclaim. So, we are prophets as well in that Jesus sends us to bring the word to the Ends of the Earth. And as Moses offers prayers of intercession for Israel so Jesus offers prayers of intercession for His talmidim and the church, His Bride. Thus, if we are truly living to be a true disciple then we to must be ones who offer prayers of intercession for the ones we meet as well. We are to be like Him and follow Paul's teaching when he taught that we are to be like Paul since he is like his master, his RAV, Jesus (1Cor. 11:1). Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? (Ferret - somewhere in the desert north of Eilat Israel) What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
EXODUS LESSON 73 PART 1 In lesson 73 part one and part two we tackle the question, "Does God change His mind?" As we study Exod. 32:10-18 it is clear the answer to this question is critical. Also, Moses asks the Lord to not destroy the Hebrews. It seems as if Moses intercessory request affects the Lord and He "changes His mind." Or does He? In this lesson I mention the fact that a generation in the days of Abraham and Moses and Joshua and David and most of the Old Testament is roughly 30 years. It is not my opinion and here's a link (see below) to to support the 30 year generation. There are many other scholarly sites that also support a 30 year generation in the Old Testament. This is critical as we study the days of Ruth. God said no Moabites were allowed to join the congregation of Israel. But, Ruth, a Moabite, gets in. Did God change His mind? You'll see how a 30 year generation is related to help us understand this dilemma. Link - GotQuestions.org - https://www.gotquestions.org/generation-in-the-Bible.html Another event in the Bible is the sickness of Hezekiah. Hezekiah asked the Lord to give him more days to live. God answered his prayer. So, God must've changed His mind, right? Related to this is the link below. It discusses the question that for God's chosen, for God's elect, His people, disciples of Yeshua, that God fixes the day of our death. Really? Check it out once again at GotQuestions.org. Link -https://www.gotquestions.org/appointed-death.html So Muslims say Allah الله is our Lord or Adonai יהוה and that our God, Adonai יהוה, is the same as Allah الله. Really? This is a very interesting study from the Quran and the Hebrew Scriptures. It is clear that Allah الله is NOT the same as our Lord or Adonai יהוה. There is only one God, one Lord, He tells us in His own words. There is no other God but Yahvay or Adonai יהוה. Here's two links to two articles you must study. The first shows that Allah الله states in his own words that he can change his mind. His words show Allah الله contradicts himself when this god says he knows all things and does not change. And the 2nd article is a paper I did awhile back that shows that Allah الله is NOT the same as our Lord or Adonai יהוה. Link 1 -https://www.calloflove.org/post/contradiction-in-the-quran-allah-changing-his-word Link 2 -https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/g41mrsjrkidlzatocdhpq/The-Bible-Adonai-Allah-and-the-Quran-Who-is-Who.pdf?rlkey=m1ywwe45v4zp1n28w6qmmyhls&st=b3jdqokx&dl=0 Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? (Ferret - somewhere in the desert north of Eilat Israel) What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Sabbath School panel discussion and insight by 3ABN pastors and teachers. This podcast episode follows 2026 quarter 2, lesson 10 of the adult Bible study guide book. This quarter's book topic is “Growing in a Relationship with God”, and this week's Sabbath School lesson is titled “Repentance & Forgiveness”. Join us every week for a fresh and relevant study of the word of God. Reading: Isa. 61:10; Hosea 6; Acts 3:18, 19; Exod. 34:1-10; Rom. 6:23; Matt. 22:1-14. Memory Text: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9, NKJV). (May 30 - June 5) Sunday (Jill Morikone) - “The Rush of Life”Monday (John Lomacang) - “Holy Spirit Promptings” Tuesday (John Dinzey) - “Real Repentance”Wednesday (Risë Rafferty) - “Sufficient Grace”Thursday (Shelley Quinn) - “The Most Expensive Robe” Want the Panelists' notes? You can sign up here: https://3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com/notes/ Questions or Comments? Email us at mail@3abn.org Donate: https://3abn.org/donate-quick.html
Acts 2:1-4 When the wind and fire came, it got everyone's attention. God had appeared in fire before (Exod 3:2-5; 14:24; 19:18; 40:33-38; Lev 9:22-24; Deut 4:24; 2 Chron 7:1-3). Speaking in tongues is a miracle wherein God's spirit enables someone to speak a foreign language without learning it (1 Cor 14:2, 14). Acts 2:5-11 Pentecost was a major Jewish festival that brought pilgrims in from all over the surrounding regions. Although God always cared about the nations (Gen 10), he confused their languages at the Tower of Babel (Gen 11) and began working with Abraham and his descendants (Gen 12). Now that Jesus had brought salvation, God was taking the nations back—all who call upon the name of the Lord. Acts 2:12-21 Peter pointed to Joel's prophecy to answer the question, “What does this mean?” The spirit of God had gone public—and it happened prior to the end of the age! Acts 2:22-24 Finally, Peter gets to talking about Jesus. He tells them two accepted claims followed by two startling claims. Acts 2:25-33 Looking to David's prophecy in Psalm 16, we see that this event was predicted centuries before. That the spirit has been poured out is now proof that Jesus indeed is the messiah exalted to God's right hand in heaven. Acts 2:34-42 When he boldly confronted the people for crucifying their own messiah, they asked, “What should we do?” Peter told them to repent and be baptized. If they did, they would receive forgiveness for their sins and the gift of the holy spirit too!The post God's Spirit Poured Out first appeared on Living Hope.
My friend Shana Reif suffered from Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic disease that primarily affects the lungs and other organs. It causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the airways, leading to repeated infections, inflammation, and progressive lung damage. In many cases, the disease can advance until the lungs can no longer do what God created them to dobring oxygen into the body and sustain life. Cystic Fibrosis is a horrible and incurable disease, and it was the disease Shana endured all her life. When she was born, her parents were told she would not live much past her twentieth birthday. But Shana lived to be thirty-two. I came to know Shana in high school, not long after I became a follower of Jesus. After high school, we became very close friends. She edited my Bible college papers, and I visited her often during her many hospital stays. I also visited her at home as she recovered from the latest infection. By 2003, her lungs had been so damaged by chronic infections that she was placed on the waiting list for new lungs. She received a double lung transplant in 2004, but even then, her suffering did not fully end. Her body remained fragile. Her fight continued. But Shana loved Jesus. Though she struggled deeply with her disease, she held onto the hope of the gospel. One of the last emails I received from her was signed with words from her favorite hymn: Great is Thy faithfulness. In 2007, Shana died from complications after a procedure to reopen a constricted airway. When someone you love suffers like that, the question How long? is not theoretical. How long will disease ravage bodies? How long will death take those we love? How long will Gods people suffer in a world still broken by sin? How long before Christ makes all things new? Revelation 6:911 brings us to that question. But here, the cry comes specifically from those who have been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they maintained. The Martyrs: The Cost of Their Witness (v. 9) There are three cycles of judgment in Revelation: the seals, the trumpets, and the bowls. These cycles do not unfold in strict linear successionseals, then trumpets, then bowlsbut recapitulate the same period of history with increasing intensity, like birth pains. For our purposes, I simply want you to notice one pattern that helps us understand what is happening in this passage. In each cyclethe seals, trumpets, and bowlsthe first four judgments affect the world in broad, visible ways, but the fifth shifts the focus. The fifth seal shows the saints crying out for justice (Rev. 6:911). The fifth trumpet shows judgment beginning to fall on the enemies of Godthose who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads (Rev. 9:112; especially 9:4). The fifth bowl shows judgment reaching the very throne of the beast, whose kingdom wages war against all who refuse to worship him (Rev. 16:1011; cf. Rev. 13:78, 15). This is why the first four seals show us the horsemen riding across the earth. But when the fifth seal is opened, the focus shifts from what is happening on earth to what heaven sees when Gods people suffer because of the word of God and the testimony they maintain. These martyrs are not beneath the altar because they were victims of history. They are there because they belonged to the Lamb and remained faithful to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Their witness cost them their lives. John is showing us what Jesus had already told His disciples: If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me (Matt. 16:24; NASB). The fifth seal reminds us that following Jesus is not merely a call to believe certain truths about Him; it is a call to bear faithful witness to those truths, even when obedience is costly. Polycarp is said to have been a disciple of the apostle John and later became the bishop of Smyrna. Smyrna, you may remember, was one of the seven churches Jesus addressed in Revelation. Jesus told that suffering church, Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life (Rev. 2:10). Years later, Polycarp was arrested and ordered to deny Christ. When pressed to renounce Jesus, he replied, Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour? Polycarps witness cost him his life, but heaven did not see his death as Rome did. Rome saw a criminal to be silenced. Heaven saw a faithful witness beneath the altar. And we do not have to go back to Polycarp to see this kind of witness. You may remember the twenty-one Coptic Christians who were taken by ISIS in Libya and led onto a beach in orange jumpsuits. They were ordinary men who refused to renounce their faith in Jesus. Their blood was shed on earth, but Revelation 6 reminds us that heaven did not miss a drop. The world saw men being led to execution. Heaven saw faithful witnesses beneath the altar. Since 2015, conservative estimates suggest that more than 50,000 Christians have been killed for faith-related reasons around the world. According to Open Doors 2026 World Watch List, North Korea remains the most dangerous country in the world to be a Christian, while Nigeria is the deadliest, accounting for 3,490 of the 4,849 Christians killed for their faith during the latest reporting period. The seals describe the birth pains that mark this present age. The first four seals show us a world marked by conquest, war, famine, and death. But when the fifth seal is opened, we are shown what heaven sees when Gods people suffer because of the word of God and the testimony they maintain. The Altar: The Cry Before God (v. 10) Notice that John not only tells us that these faithful Christ-followers suffered and died for their faith, but also tells us where he saw these Christians. They are under the altar. This is a crucial detail that you can only understand if you know something about the Old Testament tabernacle that God told Moses to build. Scripture tells us that the earthly tabernacle was a copy and shadow of the one in heaven (Heb. 8:4-5; Exod. 25-31; 35-40). So when John sees an altar in heaven, he is not seeing something new, but the heavenly reality to which Israels worship had always pointed. Within the tabernacle, there were two primary altars. The bronze altar stood in the courtyard, where sacrifices were offered. The altar of incense stood near the Most Holy Place, close to the ark of the covenant, which represented the throne of God. Both altars help us understand what John sees. The blood of the sacrifice was poured at the altars base, and the incense rising before the Lord symbolized the prayers of Gods people ascending into His presence. So when John sees the souls of the martyrs beneath the altar, he sees their lives as precious before God and their prayers as heard before His throne. In the earthly tabernacle, a veil stood between the priests and God's immediate presence. But in heaven, no curtain hides His throne from His redeemed people. The martyrs are not far from God. They are beneath the altar, before the throne, and in the presence of the Lord God Almighty. Now, picture what is happening before Johns eyes. Those who suffered the ultimate cost for following Jesus are not behind the altar, nor are they on top of the altar. These saints are under the altar, which tells us that they are closest to the throne. Also, the martyrs are not passive, but are actively pleading for vindication in Gods heavenly court. There is no magical language here, for their cries are raw and honest. There is no anger hurled before God, but cries of vindication in light of their understanding of who God is! Notice what these dear saints include in their prayer: O Sovereign Lord, holy and true... Now lets stop there for a moment. The ESV translates the word well asSovereign Lord.The Greek word used here is not the most common term for Lord,kyrios, butdespotēs, and this is the only time it appears in the entire book of Revelation. The word these martyred saints use conveys absolute ownership, supreme authority, and sovereign mastery. We get our English worddespotfrom this word, but whiledespotusually carries a negative meaning in English, that is not the case whendespotēs is used of God in the New Testament. When used of God, it emphasizes His complete authority over creation, His servants, history, judgment, and justice. This matters because these Christians are not merely crying out to God as sufferers, asking whether He cares. They are crying out to the One they know to be the Sovereign Master over all things. They are appealing to the One who has the authority to judge, avenge, vindicate, and bring history to its appointed end. They are not crying out in doubt. They are crying out in faith. They know He is able. They know He is holy. They know He is true. And they know that the Sovereign Lord will do what is right. Notice what the saints attribute to God next. Not only is He the Sovereign Master, but He is holy. These saints who have suffered much understand that their God is utterly set apart from all evil, corruption, compromise, and injustice. He is not like the kingdoms and the kings of this world. He is not indifferent to injustice and the bloodshed at the hands of the wicked. He is not morally conflicted. He is pure in all His judgments, righteous in all His ways, and completely opposed to everything wicked. He is holy and these saints know it! God is not only holy; He is also true. When these saints plead their case before the throne of God, they do so knowing that He is faithful to all He has promised. He does not forget. He does not make empty threats or hollow promises. What He has spoken, He will do (Num. 23:19; Josh. 21:45; Isa. 55:1011; Titus 1:2; Heb. 10:23). So when these martyrs cry, How long? they are not questioning Gods goodness, nor are they doubting that He will keep His word. They are asking when the God who is holy and true will act in perfect faithfulness to His word and to those He has promised never to forsake (Deut. 31:6; Heb. 13:5; Rev). The breaking of the fifth seal and the prayer of these suffering saints teach us an important truth about how we can and should pray. They pray from their understanding of who God truly is. This is the kind of thing we read about in Daniel 11:32: ...the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. These saints know their God, and so they cry out, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? This prayer is not a contradiction of Jesus command to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matt. 5:44). It is a plea to the holy and true God to judge evil, vindicate His people, and set the world right. Their cry is rooted in the justice of God, knowing that His Word teaches that vengeance belongs to Him and not to His people (Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:19). The martyrs beneath the altar are asking God to do what only God has the right and authority to do. The Throne: The Completion of Gods Purpose (v. 11) Now, notice what happens next. God responds, meaning He heard their prayer. But He does not respond as we might initially expect. The God who is sovereign, holy, and true responds by giving these Christians white robes as a sign of honor, purity, and vindication. These robes signify the righteousness that is theirs because of Jesus. When we see this great multitude again in Revelation 7, we are told, They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14). These martyred saints represent every faithful witness who has been slain for the word of God and the testimony they upheldfrom the earliest martyrs of the church to our brothers and sisters suffering for Christ today. They are not treated as victims of random violence but as saints who belong to Christ and whose witness is precious before God. God responds by giving them white robes and telling them to do the thing we all hate: wait. Verse 11 says they were told to rest a little longer. That word, rest, matters. God is not dismissing their cry. He is not ignoring their suffering. He is calling them to rest in His presence, assured that perfect justice will come in His appointed time and in His sovereign way. Why must they wait? Because other Christians will suffer as they did, and they must wait until their number is complete. This means Gods justice is not delayed because He is indifferent. It is delayed because His purpose is not yet complete. There are still more witnesses to be gathered, more saints to be strengthened, and more glory to be given to Christ through the faithful endurance of His people. Gods answer to their prayer was to wait a little while longer. Conclusion My friend Shana frequently asked the same question you may have asked more than you can count: How long O Sovereign Lord, holy and true... It is the plea of the suffering. Shana was not a martyr, she was not killed by persecutors because of the word of God. She died on the operating table due to complications at the hands of surgeons who were trying to ease her suffering. Let me tell you what Shana did know. She knew what it meant to suffer in a world that is still waiting for Christ to make all things new. She knew what it meant to groan. She knew what it meant to wait. She knew what it meant to hope. I know that God used her life to encourage and strengthen the faith of others. Revelation 6:9-11 teaches us that we need not pretend the pain we experience is small. We need not pretend injustice does not matter. We need not pretend that death is natural. We can cry How long and do so in faith, not despair. We can cry it to the Sovereign Lord, who is holy and true. The Lamb who opens the fifth seal, is the Lamb who sees the suffering of His people. He honors the witness of His redeemed. He gives those who follow Him rest. The Lamb who died for you, is the Lord who will bring His purpose to completion for His glory and for your good! So, my dear brothers and sisters, we wait. But we do not wait as people forgotten by the One who sits upon the throne. We wait as those who belong to the Lamb. We wait as those whose lives are precious before the One on the throne. And we wait with confidence that the One who is sovereign, holy, and true will do exactly what He has promised. We can trust Him to do what is good and right because that is who He is.
This is another awesome example of scripture that testifies of Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the Christ. We will study the event of the Golden Calf and God will teach us in His TORAH, His instructions, that He had a plan for Israel. He had an awesome purpose for His treasured possession (Exod. 19:5) It all relates to John 3:16 and the love the Lord has for all, the whole world. But, the Hebrews failed and chose another god, a god of gold, a bull calf. They didn't give up on the one true God, they just disobeyed Him in making an animal to represent the one God, the only God, יהוה Yahvay (I pronounce His name Yahvay and not Yahway since Hebrew has no W sound so it is an error to say Yahway for His name). Yahvay put this in His Ten Statements, His Ten Commandments, that we are not to make an image to represent the Lord. The Hebrews did. And they did not follow His commands and went their own way. Once again, I brought up the likelihood that the Hebrews had assimilated into the Egyptian culture. The Hebrews cried out in Exod. 2:23. But, it is more than cried out. The Hebrew word is za'aka זעק H2199 which is shriek or scream in deep anguish or terror. On top of that the Hebrews cried out to no one! In Exod. 2:23 they cried out - to who? God heard them but they did not cry out, shriek in deep pain, to the Lord. Later, at the sea before they crossed over, one they were reintroduced to the God of Abraham, we read in Exod. 14:10 that Israel cried out TO THE LORD. We miss that. We think they cried out to the Lord in Exod. 2:23. That is putting words in the Bible that aren't there. They didn't know the God of their fathers anymore. What happened? What's going on? The answer - they had assimilated into the Egyptian culture. The Bible proves it yet we missed it. All they knew were the gods of Egypt. It is easy to get Israel out of Egypt but it is nigh impossible to get Egypt out of Israel. The Hebrews after hundreds of years were deeply imbedded into the Egyptian culture and ways. Here's the link to study that the Hebrews assimilated into Egypt – https://halakhaoftheday.org/2023/03/29/from-propsperty-to-assimilationn/ Here' a link to lesson 4 part 2 in this series where we study this idea. It is seemingly proven from the very word of God. Here's the link - https://youtu.be/9tY5N0mAJ2I?si=BQ2ID2W8eVXZT1xb I did an “AI” search (artificial intelligence) of the Apis Bull in ancient Egypt. I came up with the following. I know a lot about the Apis Bull from my days traveling and doing research in Egypt plus my own personal study. The “AI” material is right on. So here it is in its entirety. I do this just in case you want to expand your study to learn more about the Apis Bull and ancient Egypt. AI SEARCH ON THE APIS BULL – MAY 2026 The Apis bull was a sacred animal in ancient Egypt, serving as a living manifestation of the god Ptah and, during its life, a powerful symbol of the pharaoh's vitality, strength, and divine right to rule. As a direct connection between the gods and the kingdom, the Apis bull reinforced the legitimacy of the monarch and was frequently referred to as the "strong bull" in royal inscriptions. [1, 2, 3, 4] Connection to the Pharaoh Symbol of Power: The Apis bull directly symbolized the fertility, power, and vitality of the pharaoh. "Strong Bull" Titles: Pharaohs often used titles such as "Strong Bull of His Mother" to equate themselves with the sacred animal. Ritual Union: During the Sed festival (rejuvenation ceremony), the pharaoh participated in rituals with the bull to absorb its divine power, often described as running or walking with the Apis. Divine Manifestation: The bull was considered an earthly avatar of Ptah (creator god) and, upon death, united with Osiris to become Osiris-Apis. [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7] Worship and Life Selection: Priests selected the bull based on strict, specific markings, including a black coat, a white triangle on the forehead, an eagle-shaped mark on the back, and a beetle-shaped mark under the tongue. Royal Treatment: Once selected, the Apis lived in a specialized "House of Apis" in Memphis, treating the bull with the same reverence and luxury as a pharaoh. Afterlife: When the Apis died, it was mummified and buried with immense fanfare in a dedicated cemetery known as the Serapeum at Saqqara. [2, 8, 9, 10] [1] https://www.ancientegyptblog.com/?p=3313 [2] https://www.facebook.com/Egypt.Culture/posts/the-sacred-bull-apis-was-one-of-the-greatest-religious-symbols-in-ancient-egypt-/930050865826543/ [3] https://www.magellantv.com/articles/by-the-horns-of-apis-ancient-egypts-noble-bullgod [4] https://egyptatours.com/what-is-apis-bull/ [5] https://australian.museum/learn/cultures/international-collection/ancient-egyptian/bull-apis-e39829/ [6] https://templeofathena.blog/2016/08/18/god-of-the-month-club-apis-the-living-bull-god-of-egypt/ [7] https://www.livius.org/articles/religion/apis/ [8] https://www.facebook.com/Tresuresofancientegypt/posts/a-sacred-bull-apis-egypt-with-ahmed-graeco-roman-museum-of-alexandria/833234285657958/ [9] https://egypt-museum.com/cows-bulls-in-ancient-egypt/ [10] https://x.com/archeohistories/status/1939677557500293212 In this lesson the Bible supports the idea that Aaron was complicit in the event of the Golden Bull Calf. Orthodix Jewish Rabbis, however, stick up for Aaron and try to argue he is totally innocent with regards to the Golden Bull Calf incident. Their views are merely opinion not based upon God's word and in fact are dismissive of the word when it says that Aaron is guilty and the Lord will destroy him along with all Israel. Their views are totally unacceptable and in great error. Aaron may not have participated in the worship of the Golden Bull Calf, but he made the molten image and thus got all Israel to sin grievously against the Lord. That Aaron was found guilty is clear in the very words of God Himself and God wanted to destroy all Israel and AARON!! "The LORD spoke further to me, saying, 'I have seen this people, and indeed, it is a stubborn people. 'Let Me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.' "(Deu 9:13-14) "The LORD was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him; so I also prayed for Aaron at the same time." (Deu 9:20) Here's some links that will add to your study with regards to Aaron's guilt in this terrible event of the Golden Bull Calf. ARTICLE ON AARON'S GUILT FROM CHABAD – AN ORTHODIX JEWISH SITE - https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/860977/jewish/Why-Did-Aaron-Make-the-Golden-Calf.htm ARTICLE ON AARON'S GUILT FROM www.GotQuestions.org - https://www.gotquestions.org/Aaron-golden-calf.html In this lesson we hear God say, "They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them ..." (Exo 32:8) What is God's WAY that He wanted the Hebrews to follow? The Hebrew word for the word WAY is derekh (דֶּרֶךְ). It is the word used in Genesis 3 when the Lord shows the WAY back to the Garden was closed and guarded by two mighty Khrooveem (not cherubs). The WAY to the Father was blocked. Now in Exodus 32 God talks about His WAY, His derekh (דֶּרֶךְ) He wants the Hebrews to follow. Later, the Lord comes to us and He says in John 14 that, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (Joh 14:6) So, what might he Lord be getting at? What is the lesson? I suggest it seems to be summed up in the first verses of Psalm 119. How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of the LORD. How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways. You have ordained Your precepts, That we should keep them diligently. Oh that my ways may be established To keep Your statutes! (Psa 119:1-6) In TORAH the Lord gives us His intruction to live as His people, His chosen ones. We are to liv in such a way that our lives show we are lovng the Lord God and serving Him by living as per His word, the Written Word. But then He came to us. Yeshua. He is the Living Word. In John 14 we read that Yeshua says if we are His true disciples He is in us and we in Him. We abide together. And as true branches of the "true vine" that is Yeshua we are to be fruitful so that our work in Yeshua keeps until the final harvest of the Vinedresser, the Father, and show ourselves to be His disciples. We live to be His People of THE WAY, derekh (דֶּרֶךְ). Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? (Ferret - somewhere on the Jordan River in northern Galilee) What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Exodus Lesson 71 Part 2 In Exod. 31:13 it says … “But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.” (Exo 31:13) The word BUT is the Hebrew word ACH (אַךְ H389) meaning “never the less, or none the less, or but, or surely and more. It is as if God is saying “What came before is very important but what comes now is even more important that all that has come before, so, Moses, speak to the sons of Israel … “ The Sabbath, the Lord's Sabbath, His Shabbat in Hebrew is more important than all that has come before. More important than all the instruction and all the detail about God's Tabernacle and the dress of the High Priest and the Priests starting in chapter 25. More important that the induction ceremony of the Aaron and his sons. It seems God is saying it is more important than when Moses first went up Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. He's been there since and in v. 18 he gets the two tablets from the Lord and this ends his stay of 40 days and nights on Sinai. It seems that the Shabbat is more important than everything back to chapter 20! That was when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Covenant. Shabbat is bigger than all this. On our YouTube channel I have a “playlist” series I did on the Lord's Shabbat, or the Sabbath. It is incumbent on us, true disciples of Messiah, to know about Jesus' Shabbat, God's Shabbat. We'll find that it is the most important of the Lord's feasts. LINK to the Shabbat playlist - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05bc07ssllo&list=PLvcIXun2BQDLshZetXi0avkG665YNcI5I And now here in Exod. 31:12-18 we see the Shabbat is called a SIGN (אוֹת – “oat”) and it is called the covenant of Shabbat. It is given to man and not man given to shabbat. But the Hebrews are the Bride. Just like in a contemporary religious Jewish wedding, only the bride gets a ring. So, only the bride gets the Shabbat, God's ring, the sign or אוֹת – “oat” of the covenant. But Jesus is our Bridegroom, our future “husband” and He asked us to keep His commandments and the greatest feast of the Lord is the Sabbath of THE SHABBAT. And Jesus said do it to show me our love! (Joh 14:15) "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” The shabbat is like our ring as we are betrothed to our Bridegroom, our Yeshua, our Jesus. We do His Sabbath to tell Him we love Him and to use it as a testimony to the world of God and His Salvation. How dare us say we can Shabbat on any day we want. It is NOT about onl rest. It is about the Lord's Shabbat to testify He is and He is the creator of the universe and He brings His salvation to all of us both Jew and Gentile. We do Shabbat on God's designated day to testify of Him. Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? (Ferret - visiting ancient Gath in Israel. Didn't see Goliath though!) What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ortnret3oxcicu4/BackgrndTeacher%20mar%2025%202020.pdf?dl=0
Sabbath School panel discussion and insight by 3ABN pastors and teachers. This podcast episode follows 2026 quarter 2, lesson 6 of the adult Bible study guide book. This quarter's book topic is “Growing in a Relationship with God”, and this week's Sabbath School lesson is titled “Prayer Warriors”. Join us every week for a fresh and relevant study of the word of God. Reading: Dan. 2:20-23; Dan. 6:10, 11; Acts 20:36; Gen. 5:22-24; Exod 33:15-23; Exod 32:31, 32. Memory Text: "I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, there fore I will call upon Him as long as I live" (Psalm 116:1, 2, NKJV). (May 2 - May 8) Sunday (John Dinzey) - “Faithful Daniel”Monday (James Rafferty) - “The Posture of Prayer” Tuesday (Jill Morikone) - “Enoch Walked and Talked”Wednesday (John Lomacang) - “Moses, Godly Leader”Thursday (Shelley Quinn) - “Moses Intercedes for a Nation” Want the Panelists' notes? You can sign up here: https://3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com/notes/ Questions or Comments? Email us at mail@3abn.orgDonate: https://3abn.org/donate-quick.html
In this study we will take a look at the miracles that Yahweh performed on the Egyptians, when Israel was held in bondage, during this period in Exodus. We will see that those miracles were against the Egyptian deities or gods that they worshipped.The story of Moses is not just the story of the freedom of a group of slaves from Egypt in the second millennium BCE. It is the blueprint of the Plan of Salvation of the world as seen from the structure laid down in the Bible. Moses was the prototype of the Christ or Messiah. More importantly, the nation of Israel saw Moses as a prototype and the Bible record illustrates that point. Moses said: ‘And Yahweh said unto me, they have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.' (Deut. 18:17-18).In this study I finish chapter 10 Chapter 10Verse 21-29 The Ninth Plague Darkness21 And Yahweh said unto Moses = About the eleventh day of the month Abib: darkness = first of 4 instances of darkness in judgments. Exod. 10:22; Matt. 27:45; Jude 13; Rev. 16:10Darkness over the land = like the third and sixth plagues, it is inflicted unannounced; and the parleying, [i.e. the conference with the enemy], the driving of a agreement and then breaking it, by which the eighth was attended, is quite enough to account for thisThis plague would especially affect the spirits of the Egyptians, whose chief object of worship was Ra, the sun-god. Merneptah is depicted in a sculptured effigy with the inscription, ‘He adores the sun.' I READ from the 1611 King James Bible in the Apocrypha ‘The Wisdom of Solomon Chapter 17 of a wonderful description of Darkness22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven, and there was a thick darkness over all the land of Egypt three days = The eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth days of the month Abib; with this compare the fifth vial, Rev. 16:1023 All the children of Israel had light = By thus distinguishing the Israelites, Yahweh showed the Egyptians that the darkness was produced by His power;27 Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart = Yahweh had yet another miracle to work for the complete conviction of the Egyptians and triumph of His people; and till that was produced He permitted the natural stubbornness of Pharaoh's arrogant heart to have its full sway, after each resistance of the gracious influence which was intended to soften and bring him to repentanceHardened = ‘châzaq' ‘khaw-zak'' ‘chet-zayin-quph' ‘Aleph-Tav'Chet = (tent wall) outside, divide, halfzayin = (mattack) food, cut, nourishquph = (sun on the horizon) condense, circle, timeAleph = (ox) strength, strong, power, leaderTav = (cross) sign, covenant seal, mark and crossThis Hebrew word means to Seize: To grab hold tightly. To refrain or support by grabbing hold. But by adding the ‘eth' we see that the Spirit of Yahweh/Yahshua is the one that is actually seizing Pharaoh's heart. Why is Yahweh doing this? I believe so that all of the Egyptian deities would be defeated by the miracles perform by Yahweh/Yahshua Messiah!28 see my face no more = ‘seek no more admittance to my presence29 But before Moses leaves Pharaoh's presence, he announces to him the 10th plague, in Chapter 11:4 and then leaves him for the last time in Chapter 11:8I read from Thomas Horn Book ‘The Gods' to close the section on the hail plagueHave any questions? Feel free to email me keitner2024@outlook.com
We live in a day when worship is often treated casuallybut Scripture makes it clear that God does not take worship lightly. And yet, many of us rarely stop to consider what is actually taking place in heaven right now what true worship really looks like before the throne of God. Last week, we were given a glimpse into that throne room, where everything centers on the One who sits upon the thronesurrounded by splendor, power, and unshakable sovereignty. But as Johns vision continues, our attention now shifts from the throne itself to the worship that surrounds it. After the Lord delivered Israel from the clutches of Pharaoh by parting the Red Sea, Moses and the people sang a song of praise. At the center of that song is this question: Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? (Exod. 15:11). It is here that we are reminded why we existnot for ourselves, but for God, whose holiness sets Him apart from all else. Scripture repeatedly shows us what happens when that holiness is not regarded. Nadab and Abihu approached God in worship on their own termsand they were consumed (Lev. 10:12). Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the arkand he was struck down (2 Sam. 6:67). These are not isolated incidents. They are warnings. Worship that disregards the holiness of God is not merely deficientit is dangerous. For as the Lord has said, You shall be holy, for I am holy (Lev. 11:44; cf. 1 Pet. 1:16). And it is precisely this holinessthe holiness that cannot be ignored, redefined, or approached on our termsthat fills the throne room of heaven in Revelation 4, where unceasing worship rises before the One who is holy, holy, holy. The worship we see in Revelation 4 is not casual, and it is not optionalit is the only right response to who God is. So if Revelation 4 shows us what true worship looks like in heaven, then the question we must ask is this:Why is God so worthy of that kind of worship? We Worship the LORD Because There is No One Like Him (v. 6a) Revelation 4 shows us that the experience of Gods presence is not rooted in what we feel, nor is it produced by the latest worship songit is grounded in the truth of who God has revealed Himself to be in His Word. Do you remember what I said about the sea of glass before the throne of God? The sea represents chaos and opposition to Gods purposes, and it is from the sea that the beast comes. Yet here, before the throne, the sea is stilled, reminding us that what threatens creation elsewhere is powerless in His presence. In the presence of the One on the throne is where the redeemed find shalom (peace). What John sees in Revelation 4 is not only a display of powerit is a revelation of who God is. He is the Lord Almighty who rules over all things. He is a covenant-keeping God who keeps His promises. And He is a worship-worthy God before whom all of heaven bows down. And what is heavens response? Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power He is worthynot because of what He gives, but because of who He is. There is only one other place in Revelation where the sea of glass is referenced, and it appears in Revelation 15the fourth of the seven heavenly throne-room scenes in Johns apocalypse. There, John describes the same sea of glass, but with an added detail: And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fireand also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands (v. 2). At the Red Sea, Gods presence stood between His people and their enemiesbringing light to one and judgment to the other (Exod. 14:1920). In Revelation, that same reality is intensified as the sea itself is mingled with fire (Rev. 15:2)symbolically pointing us back to Exodus 14, where God prevented Egypt from pursuing Israel (Exod. 14:2425). After allowing Pharaoh and his army to begin crossing the parted sea, He then consumed the enemies of God by bringing the waters of the Red Sea upon them (Exod. 14:2628). This connection is not incidental. The redeemed stand beside the sea with harps in their hands and sing what John calls the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb (v. 3). Just as Israel stood on the far side of the Red Sea and sang of their deliverance, so now the people of God stand victorious and sing once moreonly this time, their deliverance is final. And just as the plagues of Egypt preceded Israels redemption, so here the song is sung on the threshold of judgment, just before the seven bowls of wrath are poured outjudgments that unmistakably echo the plagues that fell upon Egypt. For now, lets focus on a single verse from the song Israel sang after crossing the Red Sea: Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? (Exod. 15:11). In Revelation 15:34, a similar song is taken up and directed to the Lamb: Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. What began as a song of deliverance at the Red Sea becomes, in Revelation, a song of final redemption before the throneand at the center of both songs is the same unchanging truth: there is no one like Him. We Worship the LORD Because He is the Creator of All (vv. 6b-7) We are now introduced to four living creatures whose praise echoes that of the seraphim inIsaiah6, who declare of the One on the throne: Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory (Isa. 6:3). Like the seraphim, these creatures have six wings, but unlike them, they are described as being full of eyes in front and behind. These eyes symbolize unceasing awarenessnothing escapes their sight as they live in continual service before their Creator. At the same time, each creature is distinct, representing a different realm of creation and reflecting the goodness of the One who made all things. There are four creatures because they represent the fullness of creation, yet each highlights a distinct category of created life. The creature like a lion represents the wild animalsstrength, majesty, and power. The creature like an ox represents domesticated animalsservice, endurance, and strength under authority. The creature with the face of a man represents humanityintelligence, reason, and the image of God. The creature like an eagle in flight represents the birds of the airswiftness and dominion in the skies. Together, these four living creatures represent the strongest, wisest, most powerful, and most majestic forms of created lifeand all of them are oriented toward the worship of their Creator. Some scholars have also noted a possible connection between these four living creatures and the way Israel was arranged in the wilderness. InNumbers2, the twelve tribes were divided into four groups and positioned around the tabernacle, with the presence of God at the center. Later Jewish tradition suggests that each group bore a distinct imagesuch as a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagleimages that closely resemble the creatures described here. If this connection is valid, it adds another layer of meaning: the living creatures would not only represent the fullness of creation, but also reflect the people of God gathered in ordered worship around His presence. In that sense, they may point to humanity as it was always meant to bea community centered on God and devoted entirely to His glory. Whether these creatures are the cherubim described elsewhere in Scripture or a distinct class of heavenly beings, the point remains clear: they represent all of created life, and they perform the very function that all of creation was designed to fulfillwhich is worship. And like the seraphim, they never cease to say: Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come! (v. 8). We Worship the LORD Because He is Perfectly Holy (v. 8) The declaration of the four living creatures is not that He is lovethough He most certainly is. Nor do they declare that He is just, though everything around the throne testifies to His perfect justice. They do not highlight any of His other attributes. Instead, they declare the one attribute that lies at the very core of all that He isHis holiness. And they declare it to the highest degree. He is not merely holy, nor even holy, holy. Noour God is: Holy, holy, holy! This is the only attribute of God raised to the third degree in all of Scripture. But what does it mean that God is holy? To be holy is to be set apart and separate from all that is sinful, impure, or morally imperfect. As it relates to God, there is nothing like Him in all of creation, and there is nothing in Him that is flawed, corrupt, or deficient. Gods holiness is the beauty of all that He is. Stephen Charnock rightly said, Holiness is the beauty of all Gods attributes. Brothers and sisters, it is Gods holiness that makes Him gloriousit is what makes His justice just, His mercy merciful, and His power pure. This is why the worship of God is both serious and dangerous. As Michael Horton argues in his bookIn the Face of God, the danger is not in drawing near to Godthe danger is in doing so on our own terms. Nadab and Abihu approached God on their own termsand they were consumed (Lev. 10:13). Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the Ark, assuming his hand was cleaner than the dirtand he was struck down (2 Sam. 6:67). Ananias and Sapphira were more concerned with their image than Gods gloryand they too fell dead (Acts 5:111). Why? Because the holiness of God cannot be approached casually, on our own terms, or treated as common. And, just in case you are tempted to think that these examples are extreme and ought not be taken too seriously, consider the way Jesus taught us to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Jesus did not say to recite this prayer (though that is okay), but to pray like this. We are to begin with something like: Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name. That first petition is not one request among manyit is the foundation of them all, just as holiness is for the character of the Lord God Almighty! Every other request modeled for us in our Lords prayer flows from it and serves it: Your kingdom come for the hallowing of your name. Your will be done for the hallowing of your name. Give us this day our daily bread for the hallowing of your name. Forgive us as we forgive others for the hallowing of your name. Lead us not into temptation for the hallowing of your name. Deliver us from evil... for the hallowing of your name. Do you see it? We exist for the renown of Gods holy name in every area and part of our lives because He is holy, holy, holy! This is exactly what we see in Revelation 4. Heaven is not centered on man but on God. He is the Creator, and we are the creature. He reigns from heaven, and we are on earth. He is eternally sufficient, and we are utterly dependent upon Him. All that we dohow we live, how we pray, how we worshipis to be shaped and motivated by one great purpose: that Gods name would be hallowed! As His Word reminds us, For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen (Rom. 11:36). Only when God becomes the center of your universe will you begin to see your life rightly. And only then will you experience the kind of joy and satisfaction you were created for. At the center of that reality is the question sung in victorious celebration by Moses and the rest of Israel: Who is like you O Lord... majestic in holiness? (Exod. 15:11) We Worship the LORD Because He Alone is Worthy (vv. 9-11) Notice the response of the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. They fall down before Him who is seated on the throne. Their posture shows us the proper response to Gods holinessnot pride, but surrender. The twenty-four elders lay down their crowns because they recognize that whatever authority, honor, or reward they possess ultimately belongs to the One on the throne. In response to the declaration that our unchanging God is Holy, holy, holy, the elders proclaim: Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. Everything that exists does so because God wills it. That means your life is not random, nor did it come by chance. You were created by Him and for Himand the only right response is to lay down whatever you are holding onto and give Him the glory He deserves. Listenif you approach God on your terms, you will never experience Him as you were created to. Your way of worship will always lead you to your idols and away from the living God. But when you see Him for who He truly isholy, holy, holyyou will do what heaven does: you will bow, you will surrender, and you will worship. Heaven is not confused about who it is that sits on the throne. Heaven is not distracted by lesser glories. Heaven is not divided by that which does not last. All of heaven is fixed on one reality that outweighs everything else infinitely more: God is holy, and He is worthy of it all! One day, you will join this scene that we are given in Revelation 4. One day, you will stand before the One who sits on the throne. The only question is this: Will you bow before Him now in worship, or will you bow before Him then in judgment? If you really want to experience God, if you really want to live your life for that which will last and which matters, then be determined in your heart to do this: Turn from lesser things by giving God what heaven already declaresglory, honor, and all that you are. Why? Because there is no one like Him. Because He is the Creator. Because He is holy. And because He alone is worthy.
Exod. 26:26–30 1 Chron. 16:1–7 Luke 4:16–22 Heb. 8:1–7 Christ is the true worship leader. As our mediator and high priest, He leads the worship of His people and summons them up to heaven with Him. In this message, we explore the glories of New Covenant worship done not according to passing trends, but according to the Word.
April 2, 2026 Exod. 39:1–43; Ps. 35:10-18; Prov. 12:11; Mark 1:1-15
March 29, 2026 Exod. 35:10–36:7; Ps. 34:4-10; Prov. 12:4; Matt. 27:32-53
The Bible Isn't the Point (But You Can't Get There Without It)There's a story near the end of Luke's gospel that doesn't get enough attention.Two disciples are walking away from Jerusalem, heading toward a village called Emmaus. They've just watched Jesus be crucified. Their hope is gone. And as they walk, talking through everything that happened, a stranger falls into step beside them.The stranger asks what they're discussing. They stop, looking at him with disbelief. He's the only person in Jerusalem who doesn't seem to know what happened. So they explain everything: the miracles, the arrest, the cross. And then the stranger opens his mouth and takes them through the entire Hebrew scriptures, showing them how it all pointed to this moment.It's what I can only imagine was the greatest Bible study ever given. And it has everything to do with how we read scripture today.God Has Always Been Trying to Be KnownThe story of the Bible is the story of God pursuing his creation.It starts in Genesis, where God doesn't snap creation into existence or simply will it to be. He speaks. “Let there be light.” That's not a small detail. Actions can reveal that something exists, but words reveal what someone wants. God speaks because he wants to be known.When Adam and Eve hide after the fall, what does God do? He calls out to them. “Where are you?” Even after the first rupture in the relationship, God is looking for his people with his words.That impulse doesn't stop. The first time the Bible mentions itself is in Exodus 17, when God tells Moses to write down what's happened so that future generations won't forget. God's spoken word becomes a written word, preserved across time so that people who weren't there could still know the story they were living inside.Moses receives all of this, leads his people through the wilderness, and then asks for something more. “Show me your glory.” He's heard God's voice. He has the written law. But there's something he's still after: encounter with God himself.God tells him no one can see his face and live. But Moses' longing points to something real. Knowing what God says is not the same as knowing God.The Word Became a PersonThe Gospel of John opens with language that would have stopped both Greek and Jewish readers in their tracks.For Greeks, the word logos meant reason itself, the organizing principle of the universe, the logic behind all of reality. For Jews, John's opening lines echoed Genesis: “In the beginning, God created…” and now “In the beginning was the Word.”John is doing something remarkable here. He's saying: that thing the Greeks called logos, the ultimate logic behind the cosmos? It's not an idea. It's a person. And the Word that spoke creation into existence, that called out to Adam in the garden, that thundered on Sinai, that has been pursuing humanity since the beginning? That Word became flesh.Jesus is God's fullest self-revelation. Not a book. Not a set of rules. A person.The author of Hebrews says it plainly: in the past, God spoke through the prophets in many ways, but in these last days he has spoken through his Son. The same Word that was present at creation is now walking around in sandals, eating fish, asking questions, touching lepers.So what does that mean for how we read the Bible?The Bible Points Beyond ItselfJesus, still walking with the two disciples on the Emmaus road, shows them how every thread of scripture points to him. But then, when they reach the village, he keeps walking. He doesn't force himself through their door.That's not an accident. God wants to be sought. He's always wanted that. He doesn't force himself on us, even in scripture. The Bible is an invitation, not a guarantee.Jesus confronted the Pharisees about exactly this. They had the scriptures memorized. They had built their entire lives around the written word. And they completely missed Jesus standing in front of them. You can know the Bible inside and out and still miss the whole point.The point is encounter. The point is meeting the Author behind the words.Whatever you come to the Bible looking for, you'll probably find it. Rules. Validation. Ammunition. The Bible has been twisted and weaponized throughout history by people who came to it looking for something other than Jesus.But if you come to it wanting to meet Jesus, that's what it's built for. That's what it's always been built for.Back in Emmaus, the two disciples invite the stranger in. He breaks bread with them. And suddenly they recognize who he is. They turn to each other and say, “Weren't our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road?”That's the invitation. Not just to read the Bible, but to let it lead you somewhere. To let it lead you to someone. Burning hearts. That's what's waiting on the other side of the words, if you're willing to look for more than information.Have you encountered Jesus? Or have you just been reading about him?
March 26, 2026 Exod. 32:31–33:23; Ps. 33:12-19; Prov. 11:29-31; Matt. 27:1-14
March 23, 2026 Exod. 30:11–38; Ps. 32:8-11; Prov. 11:24-26; Matt. 26:47-56
Exod. 18:13–27 Prov. 11:14; 15:22 Matt. 23:1–4 1 Tim. 3:1–13 Every group on earth has to get organized in order to get anything done. It's the same with the Church. But the difference is that the Church is a heavenly institution that also exists on earth. In this sermon, we learn that Christ's care for and rule over His people is experienced in the order and officers of the Church.
Series: God's Promises, Our JourneyTitle: "Are You Marked by the Promise or by the Promiser (Promise-maker)?"Scripture: Genesis 17:1-27Romans 4:9-12Galatians 5:16-17Colossians 2:11-12Bottom Line: The sign (mark) identifies you—but the Promiser defines you.INTRODUCTIONCONTEXTSERMON OUTLINECONCLUSIONNOTESOUTLINESQUESTIONS TO CONSIDER DISCUSSION QUESTIONSMAIN REFERENCES USEDMy opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same. ⸻Context (Opening Paragraph)In Genesis 12, God calls Abram and makes a life-altering promise—to make him into a great nation. (Among other things) In Genesis 15, that promise becomes a formal covenant, secured entirely by God Himself. (Remember the flame and smoking pot? Abram sleeping?)Now in Genesis 17, that same covenant is expanded—Abram becomes Abraham, Sarai becomes Sarah, and God establishes circumcision as the covenant sign. The promise is now not only declared and guaranteed, but embodied and carried forward through generations.This isn't the first time God used a symbol to remind us of a covenant. Rainbow (Noah)Circumcision (Abraham)Sabbath (Moses)Baptism (New covenant)There's another one that isn't in the bible but is used in Christian tradition…⸻Opening Illustration (Wedding Ring)“When my daughters were younger, I used to tease them with my wedding ring. I'd slip it off and say, ‘Look, I'm not married anymore.' Then I'd put it back on—‘Now I am.' Back and forth—married, not married. They'd laugh, but also feel the tension. Then I'd say, ‘No, really—we're still married whether the ring is on or off. The ring is just a symbol of the covenant promise I made before God.'Think about the symbols we sometimes cling to—church attendance, family heritage, even baptism or communion. These are good, but they're signs. The real question is: are we holding on to the sign, or the One who made the promise?”⸻Bottom Line: The sign identifies you—but the Promiser defines you.⸻Outline (Genesis 17) 13 years later...(after Gen 16)1. God Reaffirms His Covenant (vv. 1–8)• “I am God Almighty… walk before me and be blameless”• Abram → Abraham (identity shift)• Covenant remains rooted in God's initiative
March 20, 2026 Exod. 28:15–43; Ps. 31:21-22; Prov. 11:20-21; Matt. 26:1-13
March 17, 2026 Exod. 25:31–26:29; Ps. 31:3-8; Prov. 11:15; Matt. 25:1-13
Exod. 30:1–10 Isa. 29:11–16 Matt. 15:1–9 Acts 7:51–60 In Acts 7, Stephen brings down an indictment on the Pharisees, who were the leaders of the church in that day, saying, “You…received the law as delivered by angels, but did not keep it.” In fact, they did the opposite. They opposed and persecuted the prophet, they resisted the Holy Spirit. Stephen strong words shows us there is such a thing as false churches. Those who have the trappings of religion, but are actually enemies of God. How can we know? We have the marks of false churches to help us.
March 14, 2026 Exod. 22:14–23:13; Ps. 30:1-3; Prov. 11:9-11; Matt. 24:15-28
Staan als een huisDe Wijsheid heeft haar huis gebouwd. En zeven pilaren uitgehouwen. Het woord voor "uithakken" duidt op het maken van onderscheid en het creëren van een veilige, omheinde plek waar men thuis kan zijn. In dit leerhuis onderzoeken we deze zeven pilaren in de zeventig pilaren van de Tabernakel. Want Mijn huis is een huis voor alle volken. Exod. 38:21-40:38, 1 Kon. 7:51-8:21Support the show
Before we step into the fire of Amos's oracles, we step back into the story.From the beginning, God's vision has always been the advancement and maturation of human nature, drawing humanity into deeper participation in His own life. Within that grand design, Israel is called God's “firstborn son” (Exod. 4:22), chosen not for privilege alone but for responsibility. Israel is meant to be the older brother among the nations - a covenant partner with God who models maturity, justice, and communion so that the nations, too, might flourish. But Israel struggles to embody that calling.Into that tension walks Amos. Amos is not a professional prophet. He is not part of the “sons of the prophets.” He was not trained in a prophetic guild or raised in a school of ecstatic spirituality. He was a shepherd and dresser of sycamore figs - summoned unexpectedly by God from ordinary life. And when Amos speaks, he does so with startling intimacy. His oracles often shift into the first person - as though God Himself is speaking directly through him. The prophetic word becomes intensely personal. Nowhere is this clearer than in the refrain of chapter 4: “Yet you did not return to Me…” This is not merely a critique of social injustice or religious hypocrisy. It is the lament of a Father calling His son back into relationship. The issue is not behavior management. It is relational rupture. Israel's failure is not simply ethical - it is filial.Amos is also unique among prophets in the way he addresses the surrounding nations. He does not speak only to Israel. But to all the nations surrounding Israel. And then, in chapter 9, something remarkable happens. Amos reminds Israel that the Lord who delivered them from Egypt also acted among other peoples — bringing the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir. God's mighty acts are not exclusive. His redemptive concern has always extended beyond Israel. The nations have never been an afterthought.This is where the story bends forward. Jesus carries Israel's vocation faithfully. Where Israel failed as firstborn, Jesus fulfills the role of true Son. And just as Amos revealed God's concern for the nations, Jesus embodies it - delivering not merely from political oppression but from the deeper powers of sin and death. His resurrection becomes the decisive act of liberation for all peoples.And now, astonishingly, He calls the church to participate. We are invited to partner with Him in the advancement of human life — to embody justice, mercy, and relational fidelity in a fractured world. The nations are still on God's heart. Key Passages: Amos 7:10-17Amos 9:7-8Explainer Video on how to use www.biblehub.com and www.blueletterbible.orgLeave us a question or comment at our website podcast page.
March 11, 2026 Exod. 19:16–20:26; Ps. 28:6-9; Prov. 11:5-6; Matt. 23:13-26
March 8, 2026 Exod. 16:19–17:16; Ps. 27:7-10; Prov. 10:31-32; Matt. 22:23-33
March 5, 2026 Exod. 13:17–14:31; Ps. 27:1; Prov. 10:26; Matt. 21:23-32
This is another one of those chapters in the Bible that is not necessarily inspirational or having meaning for us as disciples of Messiah Jesus as we read it. It is interesting for sure, but it seems only God's details to Moses for how to conduct the induction of (I'm using the Hebrew pronunciation of the names) Ah-aron as high priest and his sons, Naydav, Aveeoo, Elahzar and Ithamar as priests. But, then we put this text in its historical context and everything changes. It is clear this is about God's intention to continue to separate His chosen people, the Hebrews, from Egypt. The had assimilated into the Egyptian culture and now the Lord was doing all things necessary to get Egypt out of Israel. And it is not as easy for Him as taking Israel out of Egypt. I did a podcast on showing that indeed the Bible implies that Israel had indeed integrated into the culture of Israel and perhaps assimlated. Check it out ... Exodus 4 part 2 - Exod. 2:11-25 - https://lightofmenorah.podbean.com/e/the-gospel-according-to-moses-lesson-4-part-2-exod-211-25/ Now we ask the question how did those Hebrews who just came out of Egypt (it had only been no more than 3 months since they left Egypt) possibly understand this ceremony and the sacrifices. When we put this text back to the year 1446 B.C. we understand that to know the symbolism of this induction of Ah-aron as high priest and his sons, Naydav, Aveeoo, Elahzar and Ithamar as priests we need to understand Egypt, the Egyptian gods, the Egyptian pagan religion, and the Egyptian culture. One scholar that the Lord provided me was Dr. John Currid. He is a reputable and proven archaeologist, Egyptologist, and proven theologian. I highly recommend two of his books. Check out the pictures below. Both are available for reduced price at www.Thriftbooks.com. Get them. You won't be sorry. To know the Torah you need to know Egypt. Amazing stuff. In this lesson we talked about a number of awesome topics. Here's more on those topics. * OUR BODY LIKE A TENT Rabbis plus Greek scholars of Paul's day teach that the human body is like the Mishkan (Tabernacle) or a tent, symbolizing a portable dwelling for God's presence. This concept primarily found in 2 Corinthians 5:1 and the Wisdom of Solomon 9:15. This concept emphasizes the mortality of the physical body and the anticipation of an eternal, heavenly, and "not made with hands" body to replace it. along with Greek philosophers plus later in mystical Jewish tradition (Kabbalah) and midrash, sees the body as a sacred space housing divine sparks. [1] https://www.berotbatayin.org/why-do-we-need-to-know-all-these-details-of-the-mishkan-tabernacle/ [2] https://medium.com/@coulter.daniel/bible-study-exodus-26-269ea6d7b466 [3] https://biblehub.com/study/psalms/15-1.htm * APIS BULL - sacred diety of ancient Egypt - https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/bullcult/ * AMUN RE https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/amun/ * LEAVENED BREAD DISCOVERED IN EGYPT - https://youtu.be/LlipgR0sWqY?si=9sJuGuX9WTytqc0C * LIVERS AND DIVINATION https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-practice-of-divination-in-the-ancient-near-east Rev. Ferret - who is this guy? (Ferret - on Tel el Safi or ancientGath Israel) What's his background? Why should I listen to him? Check his background at this link - click here for the teacher's background
March 2, 2026 Exod. 11:1–12:13; Ps. 25:16-22; Prov. 10:22; Matt. 20:17-28
Today's readings.. (Leviticus 5,6), (Psalm 105), (1 Corinthians 14)Our Psalms reading (105) stresses that God is fully conscious of all that happens among his creation. Many examples are given that illustrate the reality of what Paul told the Athenians, that God “is actually not far from each one of us” [Acts 17 v.27) that “we have our being” within the Divine presence and, as Job expressed it, “In his hand is the life of every living thing” [12 v.10] Look at some of the illustrations of this in today's Psalm, note how it tells us to “seek the LORD and his strength; his presence continually.” [v.4] We do not have to travel to seek his presence, we need to start each day by doing that: we need to “remember the wondrous works that he has done.” [v.5] These works are seen, both in creation, and in the wonderful way “all things work together” (see Romans 8 v.28) to achieve God's purpose. This is seen in history; David reminds us of “his miracles, and the judgments he uttered” to the “offspring of Abraham” [v.5,6]. But it is not just with Israel that God is involved, “his judgments are in all the earth” [v.7] and the full reality and climax of this will be seen when Jesus returns. The detail of the divine involvement in human life is made clear in our Leviticus reading (ch. 5 & 6). We read of more of the divine laws being put in place to cause the nation being formed in the wilderness to become a genuine “”holy nation” (Exod. 19 v.6). Sadly, they failed in this. David and his son Solomon did their best in their days to lead the people into becoming a holy nation. Then God's son came to inspire people to develop personal holiness. The aim must be, as we will read next week in Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthians, to “cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” [7 v.1]In our chapter today Paul is urgently encouraging them to “let all things be done for building up … for God is not the author of confusion but of peace …” [14 v.33]. Confusion comes when God's word is not read properly – we should not pick and choose the parts which suit us, fully realizing that when “his judgments are in all the earth” when Christ returns, “then each of us will give account of him(her)self to God.” [Rom. 14 v. 12] Let us “seek … his strength and “his presence continually.”
February 26, 2026 Exod. 7:1-25; Ps. 24:3-6; Prov. 10:17; Matt. 19:1-12
February 23, 2026 Exod. 4:1-26; Ps. 22:27-31; Prov. 10:11-12; Matt. 18:1-14
February 20, 2026 Exod. 1:1-2:10; Ps. 22:1-18; Prov. 10:6-7; Matt. 16:21-17:9
What a mixture of fascinating readings we have today! We recall how the 12 tribes in escaping from Egypt, first asked many things from the Egyptians, (Exod. 3 v.22)”…you shall plunder the Egyptians.” It was from these things that they could provide all that was needed to make the golden ark, lampstands, etc. We read today that from “everyone whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution … gold, silver, and bronze, blue and purple and scarlet yarns and …” [25 v.2-4] Our God desires our freewill service of heart, may our hearts be moved in this way.The 72 verses of our Psalm 78 is teaching “a parable” [v.1,2] about the wonders of God's actions in delivering them from Egypt, to “tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD” [v.4] Yet we know that the generation that experienced the miraculous escape from Egypt failed to serve God acceptably; they did not develop genuine faith and died in the wilderness: a lesson for us.Our N. T. reading shows the primary weakness of human nature. In Mark's gospel we read how two of Jesus' disciples. “said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.'” [10 v.37] Jesus told them that “those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you.” [v.42,43]Our news constantly contains accounts of conflicts between those seeking to exercise authority, seeking the ‘top' job, especially in politics: there is particular aggressiveness in election campaigns. But Jesus told his disciples (and us) “whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”[v.43-45]In the future, those who have truly followed the example of Jesus, will be made “great” in whatever way the Master decides. We looked back at v.29-31 and the teaching of Jesus that “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters …. who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time…” also “houses and brothers and sisters (in Christ – now) … with persecutions” (and we think of those today in countries such as Iran) – all such will receive “in the age to come eternal life.” Let us seek the ‘slavery' of service to our Lord now, with its blessings of a spiritual family – anticipating in faith, when the angels are sent forth, we will be dramatically delivered from the ‘Egypt' that surrounds us today.
We read today in great detail of the arrival of the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai on “the third new moon” [Exod. 19 v.1]. For the great mass of people with their flocks and herds, it had been a testing journey from Egypt; there had been many faith testing experiences along the way. Now they are “encamped before the mountain” [v.2] and the “LORD called to” Moses and tells him to remind them of all their experiences. “Thus you shall … tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.” [v.3,4]And today, we have God's word, if we will regularly and diligently read it, to bring into our minds all that God has done in the past and promises to do in the future. We must read it – so that our awareness of God's past actions. words and promises become ‘heart felt' – and not just head knowledge. Those who commit their lives to God, find their relationship with him keeps growing – we realize we are in a two-way relationship – as Israel had to realize. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” [63 v.9]We also read today in Exodus 20 details of the giving of the 10 commandments: these were accompanied by “thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled” [v.18] “ Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” [v.20] but “the people stood far off …” [v.21] How close are we to God? Do we feel inclined to stand “far off”? Perhaps not – but, are we finding getting really ‘close' not at all comfortable? If we read God's word diligently we will see many examples of this testing; our convictions of belief should be increasingly seen by the things we give priority to each day. When we spend much of our time and money mingling with the world, our God is “jealous.” We must never forget we “were bought with a price” [1 Cor. 6 v.20; 7 v.23].There is a sense in which we no longer belong to ourselves! We had been, in a sense, in slavery to the world, it surrounded us; physically it still does and it threatens to suffocate us! How joyful were the Israelites – at first – in their deliverance, what a sense of freedom they must have felt; and surely we were joyful when we first accepted Christ as our deliverer from the world around us – the sense of purpose in our lives – the optimism for the future! Have those feelings faded? How inspiring are the words in today's Psalm 73, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart … for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge” [v.26,28] Our reading and meditation of God's word is an essential part in maintaining that “strength” – then when events “test you” you have the strength to endure and find “refuge” – and – indeed, you then feel even stronger!
Parasha Jithro. Centraal staat de vraag: wat betekent de goede raad van Jethro, de schoonvader van Mozes? We onderzoeken de ontmoeting tussen Mozes en zijn schoonvader Jethro, de priester-koning van Midian.Jethro, een directe afstammeling van Abraham, voegt zich bij Mozes in de woestijn nadat hij heeft gehoord over de wonderbaarlijke bevrijding uit de Egyptische slavernij. Hij ziet hoe Mozes van de morgen tot de avond alleen rechtspreekt over het volk, een taak waaronder zowel de leider als het volk dreigen te bezwijken.In dit leerhuis ontdekken we dat Jethro's advies om taken te delegeren verder gaat dan louter organisatieleer; het draait om het aanbrengen van structuur en 'maat' (Midah) in de wereld. Deze ordening is essentieel voor het herstellen van de harmonie (Shalom) en vertoont diepe parallellen met de scheppingsorde. We zien hoe rechtspraak helpt om tegenstellingen op te heffen, zodat het volk in vrede voor God kan staan.Exod. 18:1-20:23 / Jes.6:1–7:6, 9:5–6(7)Support the show
Permit me to share a story from my own experience that helps explain why it took me so long to preach a sermon series on the book of Revelation. When I was twenty-eight, I had been ordained as a minister of the gospel only a short time earlier and was serving as an interim pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, a congregation of roughly three hundred people. The church was struggling. Years of poor leadership decisions and the dismissal of one of its senior pastors had left it in a fragile state. I was young, inexperienced, and keenly aware that I had far more to learn than to offer. When Calvary eventually called its next senior pastorwhom I will refer to as Bobhe inherited both me and another assistant pastor. Less than a year into his tenure, Bob called me into his office to discuss my future. He asked what I hoped for in ministry, and I told him I planned to finish seminary and learn as much as I could from him, given his decades of pastoral experience. Then, without warning, he asked me what I believed about the rapture. Caught off guard, I answered honestly: I believed Christ would return for His people, but I was not yet certain whether that would be before, during, or after the tribulation. Bob paused, looked at me, and said simply, Well, thats a problem. It was a problem because Calvarys doctrinal statement treated a pre-tribulation rapture not as a point of discussion, but as a nonnegotiable. One passage often cited in support of that view is 1 Thessalonians 5:9For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet the wrath Paul describes there is not the suffering believers endure in this world, but the final judgment reserved for the condemned. That conversation marked me deeply. It revealed how quickly the book of Revelationand the questions surrounding itcan become a test of loyalty rather than a call to faithfulness. And it helps explain why I approached Revelation for so many years with caution, hesitation, and no small measure of pastoral concern. Suffering (Tribulation) is a Part of the Christian Life (v. 9) What troubled me about Pastor Bob and the doctrinal statement Calvary Baptist Church has since removed is that this view is difficult to reconcile with Jesus own teaching on what Christians should expect as His followers. Jesus said plainly, You will be hated by all for my names sake (Matt. 10:22). And again, In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world (John 16:33). The apostles echoed the same expectation. Paul warned new believers, Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God just after he was stoned and left for dead outside of the city of Lystra (Acts 14:22). Peter likewise urged Christians not to be shocked by suffering, but to see it as participation in Christs own path: Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you rejoice insofar as you share Christs sufferings (1 Pet. 4:1213). The word tribulation simply means affliction. In Revelation, tribulation is never portrayed as some vague or theoretical idea, but as a real and immediate experience for faithful believers.1It is the context of Johns exile, the churches suffering, and the cry of the martyrs. Tribulation is the setting in which the church endures, bears witness, and waits for Christs victory. Let me press this one step further. In Matthew 24, Jesus warned His disciples, And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains (vv. 68). Then He said, They will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my names sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (vv. 914). Jesus then went on to prophesy about events we know with certainty occurred in AD 70: So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be (vv. 1521). History records that everything Jesus warned would happen did, in fact, occur. Roman soldiers under Titus breached Jerusalem, entered the temple, slaughtered priests while sacrifices were being offered, piled bodies in the sanctuary, erected pagan images, and offered sacrifices to Roman gods, including sacrifices to the emperor himself. The temple was dismantled stone by stone, fulfilling Jesus words: Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down (Matt. 24:2). John lived through those events. More than twenty years later, he wrote to seven churches not as a distant observer but as a participant: I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. The question to consider until we reach Revelation 6 is: What tribulation is John participating in? The persecution of Christians didnt end in AD 70. What began as local opposition has become global. Some regions where the gospel once flourishedsuch as North Korea and Nigeriaare now among the most dangerous for Christians. A challenging reality of the Christian life is that faithfulness to Jesus often leads to suffering. John introduces himself not as an exception, but as a fellow participant in this tribulation. Whatever view of the tribulation you currently hold, know that John and the first-century church were convinced they were living in itnot as a fixed or future timetable, but as a present season of suffering that began with Christs ascension and will end only with His return. Jesus Will Not Abandon the Christian in Life (vv. 9-16) When John received his visions, it was on the Lords Day. Before anything was revealed about Gods plan for the world, it was a day set apart for worship. Many believe this is the earliest technical use of the Lords Day to refer to Sundaythe day of Christs resurrection and the dawn of the new creation. What is most significant is that John hears from the Lord while worshiping the Lord. While in a state of worship, John hears a loud voice behind him like a trumpet. This recalls Sinai, where we are told, there were thunders and lightnings and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled (Exod. 19:16). The trumpet-like voice commands John: Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches (v. 11). When John turns, he does not see a trumpet, but seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man (v. 12). Do not miss the significance: the lampstands represent the churches (v. 20), and Jesus stands in their midst. The Greek word mesos means among and in the middle. In other words, in the midst of tribulation and suffering, Jesus has not abandoned His people. This is the fulfillment of His promise: Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt. 28:20). The long golden sash Jesus wears is that of a priest (cf. Exod. 28:4; 29:5). His golden sash is not a fashion statement but a firm reminder that He is our great High Priest, who intercedes on our behalf as the One who advocates for all those He has redeemed through the shedding of His blood once and for all. As Hebrews 7 tells us, He holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them (vv. 2425). The hairs on Jesus head are white like the whitest wool, as Daniel describes the Ancient of Days: His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire (Dan. 7:9). Here Jesus is identified with eternal wisdom and divine purityequal with the Father, yet uniquely the Son. He is the Everlasting One, and His wisdom is infinite. Jesus eyes are like a flame of fire. This does not mean He has literal beams shooting from His eyes any more than the sharp two-edged sword from His mouth is a literal sword (v. 16). His eyes blaze like fire, revealing that nothing escapes His sightno motive hidden, no deed overlooked, and no wound His people suffer that will go unnoticed. His knowledge knows no bounds. Our Saviors feet are like burnished bronze. There is no tiptoeing with Him. Our great High Priest and awesome King embodies unshakable strength as the One who will judge the nations with perfect justice and holy resolve. He is omnipotentsolid, sure, and infinitely strong. The voice of our Savior matches His divine wisdom, all-encompassing knowledge, and unequalled strength as Yahweh. When He speaks, He does so with pervasive power: For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things were created through him and for him (Col. 1:16). His wordevery wordcarries divine weight. Why does this matter in light of what John and the churches suffered? Why does this matter for your brothers and sisters in North Korea or Nigeria? Why does this matter for us today? It matters because in the right hand of the Divine Sonwho is infinitely wise, who sees His bride perfectly and completely, and who stands with omnipotent strengththe seven angels of the seven churches are held. Whether these refer to messengers who shepherd the churches or to angels with a particular charge, the point is unmistakable: His servants belong to Him. They are His, and they serve under His protection. We are told that Jesus not only holds the seven stars and stands among His churches, but that from His mouth comes a sharp, two-edged sword (see Heb. 4:12). There are no dull edges on this sword, because it is the Word of Godliving and powerful, with the authority to judge, cut, cure, wound, and heal. And if that were not enough, His face shines like the sun in full strength. What John sees is Jesus in His gloryholy, majestic, and awesome, worthy of all our worship. This Jesus is not the one often presented as safe, domesticated, or passive. This is the glorified Lord, whose word creates, sustains, and brings all things to account. Richard Phillips wrote of these verses: This vision does not show us what Jesus looks like but rather what Jesus is like,symbolically depicting his person and work. Biblically trained Christians organize the work of Christ in his three offices of Prophet, Priest, and King.2 With Jesus, there is No Need to Fear in Life or in Death (vv. 17-20) It is no wonder, then, that when John sees this Jesus, he falls at His feet as though dead (v. 17). The beloved disciple, who once leaned against Jesus chest during His earthly ministry, is now an old manweathered, worn, and wiser. Confronted with the risen and exalted Christ, John collapses in reverent awe. Yet it is this Jesus, standing in the midst of His church, who places the same right hand that holds His servants upon John. Johns response is both right and appropriate. It echoes Isaiahs encounter with the Holy One, in which he saw the Lord seated on the throne and heard the seraphim cry, Holy, holy, holy (Isa. 6:3). Isaiah responded in terror, Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts! (Isa. 6:5). Johns response also mirrors Habakkuks reaction before a holy God: I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble (Hab. 3:16). Throughout Scripture, when sinful people encounter Gods holiness, fear is the natural response. But notice Jesus response to Johns terror: Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades (vv. 1718). Fear not. Why? Because unlike Caesar, the Roman Empire, or any power that seeks to silence Christs church, Johnand all who belong to the true churchbelong to Jesus. He is the One who died to save John from his sins, the One who rose again to secure his salvation and resurrection, and the One who now holds the keys of Death and Hades. This is why Jesus can promise all who belong to Him: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand I and the Father are one (John 10:2730). With Jesus, there is no need to fearnot in life, and not in death. Conclusion Let me leave you with three points of application in light of all that we have seen in these verses: First: Dont be surprised by sufferingfaithful Christians have always faced tribulation. If tribulation is the normal setting of the Christian life, then suffering is not a sign that something has gone wrong; it is often a sign that something has gone right. John does not present himself as an exception but as a partner in tribulation, reminding us that faithfulness to Jesus does not remove us from affliction but places us squarely within it. So when hardship comespressure tocompromise, opposition at work, isolation for following Christ, or quiet endurance no one else seeswe are not abandoned; we are walking the same path marked out by the apostles, the early church, and believers around the world today. Second: Find your security in Christ, not in your circumstances. Revelation does not calm our fears by minimizing danger but by revealing Christ. John is not comforted by explanations or timelines but by the presence and power of Jesusthe eternal Son, our great High Priest, the all-seeing Judge, the omnipotent King, and the living Lord who has conquered death itself. Fear loosens its grip not when life becomes safe but when Jesus becomes central, because the size of our fear is always tied to how clearly we see Christ. Third: Do not fear deaththe One who died and rose again holds the keys of life and death. Because this Jesus holds the keys of Death and Hades, nothingnot persecution, loss, or even deathhas the final word over those who belong to Him. The same hand that holds the stars touches His servants, and the same voice that thunders like many waters speaks reassurance to fearful saints. So we need not fear what tomorrow brings or what awaits us at the end. With Jesus, there is no need to fearnot in life, nor in death. 1 Revelation consistently presents tribulation not as a distant, isolated future event, but as the lived experience of faithful believersexpressed through imprisonment, martyrdom, deception, and violent oppositionbeginning in the first century and continuing until the final vindication of Gods people (Rev. 1:9; 2:910; 6:911; 12:17; 13:7; 17:6; 20:4). 2 Richard D. Phillips, Revelation, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: PR Publishing, 2017), 64.
Peso Pluma Biography Flash a weekly Biography.Hey darlings, its your AI gossip guru Roxie Rush here, and being powered by AI means I sift through the global tea faster than you can say sold-out stadium—delivering the unfiltered, verified scoop without missing a beat. Todays Peso Pluma flash is sizzling, straight from HOLA, his official site, Secret Miami, and College Football Playoff announcements.Our corridos king just lit up socials gushing over girlfriend Kenia OSs dramatic new 90s-vibe bob haircut she debuted Tuesday in steamy pink bodysuit snaps—Peso commented MY GIRLFRIEND BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL with that new look, all caps passion after their cozy Aspen New Years getaway. HOLA reports theyre stronger than ever, no drama, with Kenia calling him her prince charming and love of her life—they sparked in late 2024, went public at Pegasus World Cup, even smoked up at the Super Bowl. Shes teasing her K de Karma era with Belladona dropping January 15, but Pesos hype steals the show.Business-wise, his site confirms massive tour dates: headlining Lummus Park in Miami Beach tonight, January 18, then Festival Estéreo Picnic in Bogotá March 21—hes dropping heat like PEO PLUMA ft. Cardi B and more Double P Records collabs. Secret Miami and College Football Playoff news blast hes headlining the free AT&T Playoff Playlist Live tonight at Lummus Park, gates at 6 p.m. with Latin Mafia and Greeicy, hyping the National Championship chaos—pure cultural icon move, cementing his 45-million Spotify listeners and Grammy-winning legacy from GÉNESIS and EXODÓ.No fresh 24-hour headlines beyond that Miami megashow, and older cartel threats from TMZ are just echoes—no new verified drama. This beach bash could be biographical gold, proving Pesos unstoppable global takeover.Thanks for tuning in, loves—subscribe to never miss a Peso pulse, and search Biography Flash for more glam bios. Muah!And that is it for today. Make sure you hit the subscribe button and never miss an update on Peso Pluma. Thanks for listening. This has been a Quiet Please production."Get the best deals https://amzn.to/42YoQGIThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Exod. 29:38–46 Hos. 6:1–6 Matt. 5:17–20 Col. 2:16–3:6 Many are exploring movements like the Hebrew Roots, or traditions like Eastern Orthodoxy, both wildly different but filled with ceremonies. What does Scripture teach about such ceremonies? We look together at Christ's claim to fulfill the Law, and how that teaches us to seek Him in heaven, not in the earthly ceremonies of the Old Covenant, whatever form those take.
Reading through Luke 2:1-38, we see both God's provision as well as his restraint in the events surrounding the birth of the Messiah. Instead of cluing in the elite and powerful, he worked through shepherds and the elderly to confirm Jesus's destiny to Joseph and Mary. God delights to work with the ordinary to do the extraordinary! Luke 2:1-5 Mary had learned that her child would not be an ordinary boy, he would sit on the throne of David (Luke 1:30-33). Nevertheless, she had to follow the laws of the land, which included traveling while pregnant to be counted in the census. Luke 2:6-7 Ancient houses typically had a space for animals on the first floor. A “manger” is a feeding trough. These were not ideal circumstances from a health and sanitation perspective, yet everything went well. Luke 2:8-12 These shepherds were probably bored watching their flock by night. Seeing an angel and hearing him announce the birth of the Messiah must have been quite the shock! Luke 2:13-14 I get the impression that the angels were bursting with joy at the baby announcement. Rather than keeping it a secret (Luke 9:20-21), they blasted out the good news that the Messiah had been born. Luke 2:15-20 After they found Joseph, Mary, and Jesus in Bethlehem, they recounted what happened, which must have affirmed Joseph and Mary's confidence that this baby really was who they thought he was. Luke 2:21-24 Joseph and Mary followed the commandments of the Torah, including circumcising the child on the eighth day (Lev 12:3), offering the sacrifice for purification on the 40th day (Lev 12:6-8), and paying the redemption fee for a firstborn son (Exod 13:13-15; Num 3:47). Luke 2:25-38 Simeon and Anna confirmed, once again, that this baby was special. He would bring a light to the Gentiles and glory to Israel. Pastor Sean uses the Bible version NRSVUEThe post What Child is This? first appeared on Living Hope.
POWER FOR TODAY is intended to equip the believers with the supernatural dimension of God, through the teaching of the unadulterated word of God.
The book of Judges shows us what life looks like when a people try to live without God. Israel was religious, but their religion had drifted far from the God of Adam and Eve, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Joshua. Judges tells us bluntly that a generation arosewho did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel(Judg. 2:10). Surrounded by nations with kings, Israel wanted one too. Wanting a king wasnt the problemGod had already promised a coming ruler from Judah:The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the rulers staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples(Gen. 49:10). He even gave instructions for Israels future king in Deuteronomy 17. The issue wasnt the idea of kingship, but Israels motivation. They wanted a king not to be more like God, but to be more like the nations. Their first king, Saul, looked the parttall, strong, impressivebut his heart was far from God. He cared more about preserving his image than obeying the Lord. The breaking point came when God commanded him to destroy the Amalekites. The Amalekites were a brutal nomadic tribe who had been Israels sworn enemies since the days of Moses, attacking Israel from behind when they were weak and exhausted (Ex. 17). Instead of obeying fully, Saul spared their king and kept what pleased him. So the Lord said through Samuel: Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrificesAs in obeying the voice of the LORD?Behold, to obey is better than a sacrifice,And to pay attention than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as reprehensible as the sin of divination,And insubordination is as reprehensible as false religion and idolatry.Since you have rejected the word of the LORD,He has also rejected you from being king. (1 Sam. 15:2223) Saul finally confessed,I have sinned because I feared the people and listened to their voice(1 Sam. 15:24), but the damage was done. Samuel told him the kingdom had been torn from him and given toa neighbor of yours, who is better than you(v. 28). That neighbor was a young Judean shepherd named Davidsomeone no one expected. When Samuel arrived at the home of Jesse (Boaz and Ruths great-grandson), he assumed Israels next king would look like one of Jesses oldest sons. But God corrected him:Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart(1 Sam. 16:7). After seven sons passed by without Gods approval, Samuel asked,Are these all the boys?Only then did Jesse mention his youngestDavidso overlooked that even his family hadnt considered him. But when David appeared, the Lord said,Arise, anoint him; for this is he(v. 12). And from that moment on,the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward(v. 13). David Was Gods Man The first time we are invited to look into Davids heartand to see what set him apart from everyone elseis in 1 Samuel 17 when he faced Goliath in battle. While Israels army stood frozen on the front lines, David had only been sent to deliver food to his brothers. The Philistines had proposed a champion-to-champion battle: Goliath against anyone Israel dared to send. The stakes were highthe losing side would become the servants of the winner. No one in Israel wanted to step forward. After Goliath roared,I defy the battle lines of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together!Saul and all Israel weredismayed and extremely afraid(1 Sam. 17:1011). For forty days, the giants taunts filled the valley. And for forty days, young David went back and forth between tending his fathers sheep and tending to his brothershearing the escalating tension firsthand. Eventually David had heard enough. Offended by Goliaths insults against God and His people, he asked,What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes the disgrace from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he has dared to defy the armies of the living God?(v. 26). When word reached Saul, David was brought before the king. Without hesitation, he said,May no mans heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight this Philistine(v. 32). David stepped forwardnot with armor, experience, or military strengthbut with confidence in Yahweh. Armed only with a staff, a sling, and five stones, David stood as Israels champion. Goliath mocked him, saying,Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?and cursed him by his gods (v. 43). He then threatened,Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild animals(v. 44). But Davids response revealed everything about his heart and his source of confidence: But David said to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a saber, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I will strike you and remove your head from you. Then I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that this entire assembly may know that the Lord does not save by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lords, and He will hand you over to us! (1 Sam. 17:4547) Davids confidence was not in his ability, but in Gods character. The God who had rescued Israel before would rescue them again. David slung one stone, struck the giant in the forehead, and killed him with what seemed like nothing more than a slingshot. There was no earthly guarantee that David would defeat Goliath. But he knew God had promised Abraham that Israel would represent Him among the nations, and that a king would one day rise from Judah, the one to whomthe scepter shall not depart and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples(Gen. 49:910). David trusted that Gods purposes could not be stopped by a Philistine giant. David Was Israels Flawed King Under Davids leadership, Israel finally defeated and subdued the Philistinesthe nations greatest threat throughout the time of the Judges and during Sauls reign. David had been one of Sauls most successful military commanders, and the women of Israel even sang,Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands(1 Sam. 18:7). Under Davids rule the borders of Israel expanded, and the promises made to Abraham appeared closer than ever to becoming reality. Some of the high points of Davids reign include making Jerusalem the capital of Israel, bringing the ark of the covenant back into the city as the visible sign of Gods presence, preparing the way for Solomon to build the temple, and establishing Jerusalem as the spiritual and political center of the nation. David wanted God to be at the center of everything Israel did, reflecting Gods covenant at Sinai where the people were called Godstreasured possession, Hiskingdom of priests, and Hisholy nation(Exod. 19). But David is also remembered for one of the darkest moments of his lifehis adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband in a desperate attempt to cover up his sin. Uriah, one of Davids most loyal soldiers, was a man devoted to his king and to Israel. He also happened to be married to a woman of striking beauty named Bathsheba. We are told in 2 Samuel 11 that while Israels army was out fighting, David remained in Jerusalema decision that placed him exactly where temptation could reach him. What follows is one of the most sobering accounts in Scripture: Now at evening time David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the kings house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. So David sent messengers and inquired about the woman. And someone said, Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? Then David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he slept with her.(2 Sam. 11:24) Soon after, Bathsheba sent word back to the king:I am pregnant. David never imagined his sin would come to light so quickly. Like many who try to hide their sins, he moved from temptation to adultery, and from adultery to deception. He brought Uriah home from battle, attempting to manipulate him into sleeping with his wife so the pregnancy would appear legitimate. But Uriah refusedhe would not enjoy the comforts of home while his fellow soldiers risked their lives. With his plans unraveling, David chose a darker path. He wrote a sealed letter to Joab, the commander of the army, and sent itin Uriahs own hand as messenger. The letter read: Place Uriah at the front line of the fiercest battle and withdraw from him, so that he may be struck and killed (2 Sam. 11:1415). It was a death warrant. And David made Uriah carry it. Uriah died just as David intended, and for a moment the king must have felt deep reliefhis sin was concealed. But the covering of sin never hides it from God. The Lord sent the prophet Nathan to confront David, and when the truth broke through Davids self-deception, he finally said,I have sinned against the LORD.[1] The difference between David slaying Goliath and Davids failing with Bathsheba was not his strength, his ability, or his statusit was his dependence on God. When David trusted God, giants fell. When David trusted himself, David fell. We Need a True and Better David It was before Davids great sin with Bathsheba that God promised him that through his linage would come another king in 2 Samuel 7:1216; this moment is one of the most breathtaking moments in the entire Old Testament. Before a flawed king of whom God knew would fall terribly. The One David worshiped exclusively announced that the hope promised to Adam and Eve, the covenant repeated to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that would one day burst into reality through one of Davids descendants: 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. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever. (2 Sam. 7:1216) This covenant echoes the very promises God made to Adam and Eve, and later to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was a promise given specifically to Judah, and its path can be traced through some of the most unlikely people in Scripture. It moved forward throughTamar, a Canaanite woman surrounded by scandal. It continued throughRahab, another Canaanite woman who married Salmon of Judah and became the mother of Boaz. Boaz then marriedRuth, a Moabite widow, and they had a son named Obed. Obed fathered Jesse, and from Jesse came David. Consider the astonishing depth of God's grace, mercy, and loveHe chooses to accomplish His purposes through people with significant flaws. The covenant God was fulfilling through them is what theologians refer to as an unconditional covenanta promise not reliant on human strength, virtue, or even obedience, but founded solely on the perfect will of our good and holy God![2] Think about the weight of the promise made to David: Aforever throne that will never be compromised by sin.Aforever kingdom that will never be overcome by evil.Aforever King whose righteousness will never need improvement. Israel didnt just need a brave king, or a talented king, or even a repentant kingIsrael, and indeed the entire world, needed a perfect King. A King who would never fail, never fall, never waiver, and never walk away from God the way David did on the roof that night. And here is where the grace of God overwhelms:God chose to fulfill His forever covenant promise through the very place of Davids greatest failure. Bathshebathe woman David exploited, the woman whose husband he murdered, the woman whose story began with sinis the very woman God folded into the line of redemption. Bathsheba bore David five sons; the first was conceived through their affair and was taken from them by God through death. Of the other four sons listed in Scripture, was Solomon and the last child listed was Nathan. ThroughSolomon, the royal line flowed to Joseph, throughNathan, the line flowed to Mary. And standing at the end of both genealogies is the One the prophets longed forJesus, the Son of David. Jesus is the King that David could never be. He is the flawless Son whom God promised.He is the Shepherd-King of Ezekiel 37 who gathers the broken, restores the wandering, and rules with justice and compassion. He is the One who never surrendered to temptation, never hid His sin, never needed to be confronted by a prophetbecause He lived in perfect dependence on the Father every moment of His earthly life. Every one of us knows what it is to stand in front of a Goliathan addiction, a fear, a bitterness, a woundand feel small. And every one of us knows what it is to stand on the roof like David, spiritually lazy, drifting, self-confident, and one decision away from disaster. But Gods purpose was never for David to be the hero of IsraelDavid was the signpost, not the destination. His victories pointed to the kind of dependence God wants from us, and his failures pointed to the kind of Savior we desperately need. The remarkable message of the gospel isnt simply that God offers us another chance, but that He provides us with a greater Kinga true and better David. This King never surrendered to temptation, never acted out of pride, and never misused His power for harm. Instead of taking anothers life to hide His wrongdoing, He willingly gave His own life to atone for ours. Jesus, as the Son of David, is the true and better Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Boaz, and David. He is the King David could never be. And to the weary and the woundedto the Davids who have fallen, and to the Bathshebas whose stories have been marked by anothers sinHe speaks: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matt. 11:2830). [1] David is remembered as a great king, but also as a deeply flawed man. And yet, Scripture still calls hima man after My heart(Acts 13:22). [2] Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you wrongdoers. Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, My plan will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure... (Isa. 46:8-10).
When the king of Egypt is first introduced in our OT book of Exodus he is not named, nor thereafter. But the book itself in Hebrew is called "Names," and even the midwives are named (Exod. 1:15). Egyptians tended to treat the kings of their enemies the same way. Dr. Oliver Hersey is the 11th president of Jerusalem University College. This college, located on the southwestern corner of Mount Zion, equips for ministry by providing immersive study of the ancient and modern contexts of Israel and the surrounding regions for a deepened understanding of God and his word. B.A. in Classical Languages (Greek, Latin, Hebrew): https://bit.ly/4qXJAsL M.A. in Biblical Exegesis: https://bit.ly/4i2FEmo
Sabbath School panel discussion and insight by 3ABN pastors and teachers. This podcast episode follows 2025 quarter 4, lesson 7 of the adult Bible study guide book. This quarter's book topic is “Joshua”, and this week's Sabbath School lesson is titled “Ultimate Loyalty: Worship In a War Zone”. Join us every week for a fresh and relevant study of the word of God. Reading: Josh. 5:1-7; Exod. 12:6; 1 Cor. 5:7; Josh. 8:30-35; Deut. 8:11, 14; Heb. 9:11, 12. Memory Text: " 'But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you' " (Matthew 6:33, ESV). (November 8 - November 14) Sunday – (John Lomacang) - Covenant FirstMonday – (James Rafferty) - PassoverTuesday – (Ryan Johnson) - Altars of RenewalWednesday – (Shelley Quinn) - Written on StonesThursday – (John Dinzey) - Longing for His Presence Want the Panelists' notes? You can sign up here: https://3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com/notes/ Questions or Comments? Email us at mail@3abn.org Donate: https://3abn.org/donate-quick.html
Episode NotesEpisode 95: Matthew 8 - Using Infectious Skin Diseases for OutreachNovember 1, 2025 - Host: Dr. Gregory HallIn this episode we'll dive into a particular formula (3 stories of healing followed by a call to discipleship) that Matthew uses to present Jesus' ministry. When we're done, you might ask if infectious skin diseases could be a part of your church's outreach ministry!Resources Referenced and/or Read:The list of Lepers in the Bible is pretty short: Exod 4 - Moses' hand became leprous as snow, as if he had a skin disease, after he encountered God at the burning bush.Numbers 12:10 - Miriam, sister of Moses, became leprous when she spoke against Moses' leadership.Naaman - 2 Kings 5 - Elisha sent a messenger to him saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.”Gehazi, the servant of Elisha - 2 Kings 5:20Joab - 2 Samuel 3:292 Kgs 15; 2 Chr 26 - Uzziah [Azariah], king of Judah, was punished with a skin disease after he went into the temple of the Lord so that he might burn incense.Simon the Leper - Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9Three gospels likely share the same event: Matthew 8:2-4 - unnamed, Mark 1:40-45 - unnamed, Luke 5:12-16 - unnamedLuke 17:11-21 - 9 unnamed Jews - one unnamed SamaritanMatt 11:1-6 - When John the Baptist was imprisoned, John asks if Jesus is the Expected One… and in his response Jesus mentions several miracles associated with his ministry including “the lepers are cleansed”.Show Music:Intro/Outro - "Growth" by Armani Delos SantosTransition Music - produced by Jacob A. HallPodcast Website:The All-America Listener Challenge Updates: https://rethinkingscripture.comMy New Podcast Studio... The Upper Room: https://rethinkingscripture.com/podcast-episodes/More information about The Homes and Help Initiative: https://rethinkingscripture.com/homes-help-initiative/Sister site: RethinkingRest.comRethinking Rest... the Book is now available. The Rethinking Rest audiobook is available only on Audible: More information: https://rethinkingrest.com/the-book/Social Media:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RethinkingScripture Twitter: @RethinkingStuffInstagram: Rethinking_ScriptureYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6YCLg2UldJiA0dsg0KkvLAPowered and distributed by Simplecast.
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Sabbath School panel discussion and insight by 3ABN pastors and teachers. This podcast episode follows 2025 quarter 4, lesson 4 of the adult Bible study guide book. This quarter's book topic is “Joshua”, and this week's Sabbath School lesson is titled “The Conflict Behind All Conflicts”. Join us every week for a fresh and relevant study of the word of God. Reading: Josh. 5:13–15; Isa. 37:16; Rev. 12:7–9; Deut. 32:17; Exod. 14:13, 14; Josh. 6:15–20. Memory Text: “There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel” (Joshua 10:14, ESV). (October 18 - October 24) Sunday (Jill Morikone) - Commander of the Army of the LordMonday (Ryan Johnson) - War in Heaven Tuesday (James Rafferty) - The Lord is A WarriorWednesday (John Lomacang) - The Lord Will Fight For YouThursday (John Dinzey) - The Second Best Option Want the Panelists' notes? You can sign up here: https://3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com/notes/ Questions or Comments? Email us at mail@3abn.org Donate: https://3abn.org/donate-quick.html
Raising Deborahs & Defending the Word: Spiritual Warfare for the Last Days | KIB 501 Kingdom Intelligence Briefing Description In this Feast of Tabernacles episode of Kingdom Intelligence Briefing (KIB 501), Dr. Michael and Mary Lou Lake call the remnant to the Word and the War—urging believers to return to a physical Bible, cultivate a warfare worldview, and pray for strong women of faith to rise like Deborah and Esther (and for redeemed Rahabs and Tamars to step boldly into God's plan). We unpack why everything is spiritual warfare, how the Word of God births, cleanses, protects, heals, and equips, and why Psalm 22 stands as a stunning fulfilled prophecy of Messiah's crucifixion. Practical tools for marking your Bible, study tips, and a recommended read—God at War by Gregory Boyd—are included. What you'll get in this message How God uses flawed people and raises mighty women in this hour Why a physical Bible (with margins & proper highlighters) matters The warfare worldview from Moses to Paul—and what it means for daily discipleship Ten+ ways the Word transforms believers (life, cleansing, protection, healing, discernment, faith, renewal, equipping, fruitfulness, alignment with God's will) Psalm 22 as a precise, fulfilled prophecy of the crucifixion A call to pray over leaders, courts, and national issues with hope and perseverance Scriptures & themes referenced (not exhaustive): Judg 4–5 (Deborah), Esth 4–5 (Esther), Gen 38 (Tamar), Josh 2 (Rahab), Exod 15:1–3; Gen 1–3; Deut 32; Ps 1; Ps 22; Ps 107:20; Prov 4:20–22; Isa 55:11; John 6:63; 15:3; Rom 12:2; 10:17; Eph 6; 5:26; 2 Tim 3:16–17; Heb 4:12; Luke 8:11–15. Recommended resources: God at War: The Bible and Spiritual Conflict by Gregory Boyd. Bible Hi-Gliders Kohinol Color Pencils, Dry Highlighter Set Pentel Arts 8 Color Mechanical Pencil Moleskine Cahier Journals Partner with the ministry / stay connected: • Weekly podcasts & updates: Kingdom Intelligence Briefing • Support Biblical Life TV and the KIB mission to equip the remnant Timeline (Chapters) 00:00 Opening & KIB mission: empowering the remnant 00:36 Feast of Tabernacles context & personal update 02:02 Women of real strength: Deborah, Esther, and redeemed Rahabs/Tamars 07:55 Guarding against strange fire & counterfeit prophetic movements 10:18 Hope for the nation: prayer over leaders, courts, and laws 15:14 Call to steadfast intercession; refusing despair about “Babylon” narratives 18:40 Why a physical Bible matters: editions, margins, binding, and longevity 22:28 Marking & studying your Bible: highlighters, pens, notebooks, word studies 27:05 If systems go dark: why hard copies are strategic 29:10 Everything is spiritual warfare—a worldview for discipleship 31:22 Book spotlight: God at War (Gregory Boyd) & reading the Bible as warfare literature 35:30 From Adam to Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus: the shepherd's staff & conflict with the powers 41:12 The long war against the Word of God through history 45:25 Canonicity, translations, & practical guidance (ESV, NKJV; cautions on paraphrases) 50:10 What the Word does in believers: life, cleansing, protection, healing, discernment, faith, renewal, equipping, fruit 57:18 Psalm 22: precise prophecy of the crucifixion fulfilled in Jesus 1:04:10 Living by the Word in the last days; building your well-marked Bible 1:08:12 Prayer & closing blessing; next steps for the remnant SEO Hashtags (copy/paste) #KingdomIntelligenceBriefing, #KIB501, #BiblicalLifeTV, #FeastOfTabernacles, #DeborahAnointing, #EstherAnointing, #SpiritualWarfare, #WordOfGod, #Remnant, #EndTimes, #BiblicalWorldview, #Psalm22, #ProphecyFulfilled, #Holiness, #Prayer, #Revival, #Discernment, #KingdomPriesthood, #MichaelLake, #MaryLouLake