READING FOR DECEMBER 13, 2024: DEUTERONOMY 30, REVELATION 8, PSALM 121 DEUTERONOMY 30 It appears that God had already foreseen that Israel would not remain faithful to Him because he makes for provision for them to repent and be restored to the land. The 10 Northen tribes apparently never repented because they were exiled to Assyria, never to return (although Mormons teach they later came to North America). Judah’s disobedience led to their deportation to Babylon. A number of them did return after 70 years, just as God said they could upon their repentance. Notice God said they would be restored after they andtheir children obeyed everything the Lord had commanded them that day. It appears they had a responsibility to guide their children toward to God and that meant obeying all God’s commands. Two questions for us: 1) Are our children and grandchildren walking with the Lord today? and 2) Are we obeying everything the Lord has commanded us to do? Let’s be honest before the Lord with our answers.
Since we are under grace and not the law after Jesus paid the price for our sins, does this mean we no longer need to obey what God has commanded? Hear the words of Jesus regarding the last days: “The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears, let him hear” (Matt. 13:41-41).
In verse 13, God said what He has told His people was not too difficult. They did not need to travel to some distant Mecca or achieve some exulted state of spiritual enlightenment. Verse 14 states: “No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” Paul quotes this verse and shows how it applies to us: “’The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:8-9). God told Israel then as he tells us today: “See, I have placed before you today life and happiness, and death and adversity” (vs. 15). God respects our free will and allows us the choice: experience life by receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord (our total boss) or go our own way to eternal death.
REVELATION 8: Chapter 8 begins with 30 minutes of silence once the seventh seal was opened. The seventh seal reveals seven angels who are each given a trumpet. Each trumpet will sound and bring about crisis upon the earth. Chapter 8 reveals the first four trumpets:
First Trumpet: Hail and fire mingled with blood will cause the grass on earth and a third of the trees to be burned up.
Second Trumpet: A great mountainous burning object will be thrown into the earth’s oceans, causing one third of them to become blood, one third of sea life to die and one third of the ships to be destroyed.
READING FOR DECEMBER 13 CONTINUED: REVELATION 8, PSALM 121
Third Trumpet: John saw a burning star fall from heaven on sources of fresh water, causing one third of the water to become bitter and kill many.
Fourth Trumpet: The light of the sun, moon and stars upon the earth will be diminished by one third.
As terrifying as these trumpets are, there is a word of hope before they are blown. Consider the hope found in verse 3-4, “Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand.”
This is another reminder that our prayers really do make a difference. Our prayers are brought to the altar before God’s throne. This is seen elsewhere in Scripture:
May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice (Psalm 141:2)
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (Revelation 5:8)
Take a few minutes and lift your concerns and joys to God with the confidence that your prayers are rising like incense before God.
PSALM 121 Yorktown, Indiana is flat. But if we had hills, like those viewed by the travelers to Jerusalem, looking up at them might remind us that our only real help comes from above, from God. He who created the heavens and the earth is certainly capable of caring for us. Several years ago, someone asked in a YMC Sunday School class, does God ever sleep? The Psalmist says He doesn’t even take a nap. He is always available to us in any time zone, day and night. So agrees this great Irish hymn:
“Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.”
