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Psalm 87 Zion, The City of God

6/25/2016

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For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 14:2
For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Deuteronomy 14:2
​Psalm 87
This Psalm written by the Sons of Korah is short but meaningful. Verses 1-3 read.
On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
2     the Lord loves the gates of Zion
    more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
3 Glorious things of you are spoken,
    O city of God. Selah



It is God who established Jerusalem as His holy city. Long before Israel existed, Jerusalem was a city. At one time King Melchizedek ruled there, he served The LORD as His priest and blessed Abraham and his future descendants (Genesis 14:17-24). God chose Jerusalem and favored her with His presence by allowing His temple to be built there. Jerusalem is the place where the foundations of Christianity were laid in the laws, Davidic line, and sacrifices. It is where Jesus taught, outside her gates He died and rose from the dead. It is where the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost and it is where salvation was offered first to the Jews and then given to the world.
But Jerusalem, Zion is more than an ancient city and more than a geographical city. It is more than the capital of Israel, the spiritual seat of Judaism or birthplace of Christianity. Zion is the people, the city of God is God’s treasured possession. Jerusalem was how the world understood God. Psalm 48:1-3 describes her this way,
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
    in the city of our God!
His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation,
    is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
    the city of the great King.
3 Within her citadels God
    has made himself known as a fortress.

 
Jesus also referred to Jerusalem as the city of the great king (Matthew 5:35). Who is the great king? Was Jesus talking about Melchizedek, David, or Solomon? He was referring to Himself. The Lord is the great King. Jerusalem is the city of God. Believer, you and I are the city of God. Matthew 5:14-16 in The Living Bible reads,
You are the world’s light—a city on a hill, glowing in the night for all to see.  Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father.
 
And Deuteronomy 7:6-8 tells us,
For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
 
Revelation 21:22-27 describes Zion also called New Jerusalem like this,
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.
 
What glorious things does this Psalm speak about Zion? It refers to a record of kept by God regarding Zion’s citizens, it refers to the Lamb’s book of life. Verses 4-7 read,
4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;
    behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush--
    “This one was born there,” they say.
5 And of Zion it shall be said,
    “This one and that one were born in her”;
    for the Most High himself will establish her.
6 The Lord records as he registers the peoples,
    “This one was born there.” Selah

7 Singers and dancers alike say,
    “All my springs are in you.”

Verse 4 refers to Rahab and Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush. None are Jewish nations. Rahab was a prostitute living in Jericho who helped Joshua’s spies and saved their lives. When the city fell, Rahab was saved (Joshua 2). Her name reminds us that there were people who were not Jews who did not keep the laws and were saved by God’s grace. Rahab is the symbolic name of Egypt in the Bible and in verse 4 it refers to Egypt along with the other nations and cities listed who had long-lasting enmity with Israel. Yet, they will be counted as citizens, not naturalized citizens but citizens born there. They are no longer strangers, we are citizens, we are part of the actual structure of the city. Ephesians 2:19-22 reads,
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
In Christ, both Israel and her enemies can be transformed, born again into new creations, citizens of Heaven, the Kingdom of God. We are not naturalized citizens even though we were adopted and grafted in. It is as if we were born in the city and grown from the vine because we are new creatures, born of water and Spirit. That is only something only God can do. Ephesians 2:8-10 reads,
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 1:3-6 in The Living Bible puts it this way,
How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every blessing in heaven because we belong to Christ.
4 Long ago, even before he made the world, God chose us to be his very own through what Christ would do for us; he decided then to make us holy in his eyes, without a single fault—we who stand before him covered with his love. 5 His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us. And he did this because he wanted to!
6 Now all praise to God for his wonderful kindness to us and his favor that he has poured out upon us because we belong to his dearly loved Son.
 
Philippians 3:20-21 reminds us we are citizens of Zion not this world.
 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
 
Believer, The City of God belongs to Him. It is His treasured possession. He is our King and we glorify Him. One day soon we will live eternally as the Bride of Christ in the city He has prepared for us, perfectly united with Him and one another. Let’s remember who we are. Let’s reflect who He is to the wanderers of this world looking for home.
 
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Revelation 21 The New Earth and New Jerusalem

1/8/2016

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And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.  Revelation 21:22-23
​Revelation 21
I love this chapter. It is exciting because it describes our hope so beautifully. It is God’s greatest desire come to pass. It is my greatest desire come to pass. It is not a fairy tale nor a promise which will not be kept. It is as certain as history because it is God’s promise and His will. It is already done and we can look forward to it with confidence.
Immediately after Satan is thrown into the Lake of Fire for eternity, never able to do his work again, John sees the next part of his vision. Verses 1-4 read,
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
New Jerusalem is adorned, dressed and prepared for her husband as a gift from God. Just take a moment and consider that. Jesus is our husband. We are His bride, we are New Jerusalem. We are the city of God. And our union will be perfect. God’s dwelling place will be with us. Isn’t that how it should be, a husband with His bride? Just as He dwells with us, as He inhabits the city, we will be His people and He will be our God. This has been God’s desire from the beginning. He said it this way in Leviticus 26:11-12,
“I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you.12 And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.”
The Law was not given to push people away from God nor to make reaching Him impossible, it was given in order to make a way for a relationship with Him. One of my favorite verses is Hosea 6:6, as anyone who reads these devotionals can attest. It reads,
“For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
    the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

Jesus is cited twice in Matthew quoting this scripture (Matthew 9:13 and 12:7). God loves us, He wants a relationship with us. He doesn’t need us, He doesn’t require anything from us (Acts 17:24-27).
When we are finally there in perfect relationship with God it will be absolutely wonderful, wholly good, and utterly joyous. Verse 4 reads,
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
We will not need pain to appreciate comfort, grief to understand joy, nor death to value life. We will not be flawed as we are now. We will be completely and perfectly transformed (1 Corinthians 15:52). Verses 5-8 read,
“And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Believer, you and I can go through this life with courage. We can face any tribulation that comes our way because of our great hope. We know our future and we know the destiny of the enemy. It is done! The Lord’s plan has never changed. He began it with creation and He will complete it with New Jerusalem. We can conquer sin and the enemy because we have Jesus and because of Jesus we have eternal life. We can conquer because Jesus already did.
John describes the city of New Jerusalem amazingly. Treasure such as gold, gems, and pearls will mean nothing to us for their worth, but New Jerusalem will be decked with and embellished with them for their meaning and beauty. God is not limited by finances or imagination. Verses 9-21 say,
“Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16 The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement. 18 The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”
12,000 stadia is equal to about 1,400 miles. The magnificent city is about 1,400 miles tall, long, and wide, a cube stretching halfway across the country and reaching the edge of the stratosphere. The twelve types of precious gems that gild the walls are jasper, sapphire, agate, emerald, onyx, carnelian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst, represent the Apostles and their spiritual descendants, while the pearl gates represent the twelve tribes of Israel. The streets are made with gold so pure it like clear glass. It sounds so beautiful I can’t begin to picture it.
But the best part of the city is what it does not need. Verses 22-27 read,
“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.”
There is no need for the gates to close or lock because it is impenetrable to anything ungodly.
There is no temple because God is the temple and He is there dwelling with us. There is no need for intermediary rooms, sacrifices, or relics. God is there. There is no need for sources of light like the sun or moon because The Father’s glory lights it, Jesus is the lamp, and His Spirit is the never ending oil. What is the Father’s glory, or rather who is the Father’s glory? That is us! We carry His glory and we will be kings and queens carrying that glory, that radiance with us. There will be no need to keep a lampstand lit in the temple. Whatever was once symbolic of Heaven and heavenly things will be there for real.
Believer, remember we will go through some terrible times in this life, but we can do it with Christ, because we know that or perfect union with Him is real and it awaits us.
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JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH –The LORD is There.

10/2/2015

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Psalm 87
Ezekiel 48:30-35 reads,
“These shall be the exits of the city: On the north side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, 31 three gates, the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi, the gates of the city being named after the tribes of Israel.32 On the east side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan. 33 On the south side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun. 34 On the west side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali. 35 The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There.”
The New Jerusalem is called Jehovah-Shammah. The LORD is there. The LORD is not just with His church in a general ‘feel good’ way. No, He (The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is with us in a very real manifest way. He is in us and around us, but we also have the privilege of fellowship or communion with God. We are not separated by a veil, it is not only the high priest who may enter into the holy of holies once a year, where God rested His feet on the footstool. We can boldly approach His throne, where He is seated! The high priest would enter that room with trepidation, having performed rites and sacrifices of atonement so he could perform the rites over Israel. Isaiah 66:1-2 reads,
“Thus says the Lord:
“Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me,
    and what is the place of my rest?
2 All these things my hand has made,
    and so all these things came to be,
declares the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look:
    he who is humble and contrite in spirit
    and trembles at my word.”

But we can boldly approach God’s throne. We have full assurance that we are forgiven. We have Jesus Christ who lived, died, and rose again. He is compassionate toward us. Hebrews 4:14-16 read,
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Believer, you have God abiding in you. You have His very present help. (Psalm 46:1). You have His friendship, blessings, provisions, authority, and salvation. Believer, you have full and complete friendship with Him. As Jesus’ friend, he gave you authority to do great works in love of people. Because you and I are to love people the way, our King loves people. John 15:12-17 reads,
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”
In the old days, God’s people were His servants, but we have been elevated to friends who can confidently approach His throne and ask Him anything. That is pretty awesome! We are completely united, enmeshed with God and with one another. In John 17:20-26 Jesus said it like this,
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Do you see how we are so absolutely united with God, so intricately interwoven and enmeshed that He is always with us? We can lean away from Him, we can feel far off from Him but He never leaves us.
Revelation 21:1-3 describes The New Jerusalem this way,
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people and God himself will be with them as their God.”
Believer, this city is your promise. You are the city of God! It is for you. God assured you time and again He would always be with you. He will never forsake you. Isaiah 60:19-20 illustrates our promise this way,
“The sun shall be no more
    your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
    give you light;
but the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your God will be your glory.
20 Your sun shall no more go down,
    nor your moon withdraw itself;
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your days of mourning shall be ended.”

Remember you are the dwelling place of God, you are the Temple of God. (1 Corinthians 3:36-17). He is There! Believer, you may sometimes feel alone, but that is a lie. God is with you. Go ahead and acknowledge His presence, His beautiful glorious actual presence with you. You are His People and He is your God.
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1 Kings 9 Jesus and The Promises of The Temple of God

9/25/2015

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And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. Revelation 21:22-23 On Photo of Fiery Sky by Donna Campbell
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. Revelation 21:22-23
1 Kings 9

It is truly an amazing feat that Solomon built God such a magnificent house.  As long as Solomon’s Temple stood it was known by his name. For all of the things Solomon did during his reign, he is best remembered for The First Temple. It stood for 400 years until destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. 70 years later Ezra and Nehemiah, understanding how important the Temple was to Israel built the Second Temple which was eventually modified by Herod and then destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.

Solomon was a good king and God honored him as Solomon honored The Lord. It is really something that The Lord appeared to Solomon, but off the chain that He would appear to him twice. The promise He gave Solomon was very special and good, but it was better for us. Verses 1-3 read,

“As soon as Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord and the king's house and all that Solomon desired to build, 2 the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 And the Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.”

What an amazing promise! Believer, do you know that it applies to you too? Read it again and remember that you are the temple of God. (1 Corinthians 3:16).

“I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house (You) …, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.” What name did He put there? His, Jesus Christ! His eyes (His attention) and His heart (His love and will) will be there for All time. Romans 10:13 reads,

“For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

But The Lord had more to say to Solomon. He reiterated what He had told David and Solomon before. God is wonderful like continuously reminding us of His Word and His will. Verses 4-7 read,

“And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, 5 then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ 6 But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.”

While God kept His word, David and Solomon’s descendants did not keep theirs.  Many of Israel’s and Judah’s kings did evil in the sight of the Lord. The Davidic line ended earthly rule with Zedikiah. It is impossible for man to keep the Law of Moses perfectly. That is why we need Jesus. (Galatians 3:10-14). Jesus was not a plan B, He was the plan from the beginning. (2 Timothy 1:8-10). Jesus the King of Kings and Son of God who was born a direct descendent of David was on the throne from the beginning. (Matthew 1:1-17, Luke 3:23-38).

The Lord continued His promise in verses 8-9,

“And this house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ 9 Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore the Lord has brought all this disaster on them.’”

Many of the Davidic Line, the King’s after Solomon who ruled Judah did evil in the sight of God and so this promise was kept.

Jesus predicted it as well, Mark 13:1-2 reads,

“And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Because of Jesus, by 70 A.D. the Temple had outlived its purpose and it was destroyed by the Romans. Jesus transcends the need of an earthly house of God. When He showed His zealous love for The Father and The Temple by ordering the money changers and sellers out of it, He was asked for a sign to prove He had authority to do such a thing and call God His Father. He answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19). Today we understand He was talking about His crucifixion and resurrection, just as His disciples remembered His words after His resurrection. (John 2:18-22).

The Temple could lay in ruins because it was a temporary shadow of a heavenly truth. You and I are the Temple of God today. And when we reside in the eternity of New Jerusalem we will be in the presence of God in a way we can only imagine and practice here and now. There will be no Temple in New Jerusalem, Jesus Himself, The Lord God Almighty will be there and He will be the Temple! Revelation 21:9-21 give a sunning and beautiful description of New Jerusalem, but verses 22-27 top that description with the best part.

“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.”

Solomon did many good and great things during his reign. He built a great Temple and God promised him wonderful things. God kept every promise, even when men did not. His promises were so much more than Solomon in all his wisdom could ever grasp. Believer, do not forget who you are, who dwells in you and with you, and where you will dwell in eternity.

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Zephaniah 2 God is Jealous and that is Good

9/7/2015

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Zephaniah 2

Yesterday’s devotional of the first chapter of Zephaniah told us that God is Jealous. In today’s world and in a human perspective jealousy is not a good thing. But God’s jealousy isn’t like ours. There is nothing bad in God and so none in His jealousy. (1 John 1:5). He is our creator, when we belong to God, He considers us wholly His. His love for us is passionate, zealous, and intense. But God also disciplines us. He calls us to Him. He calls us to repent. And He calls us to a relationship so close that He indwells us with His Spirit and lets us in on His heart and mind. (Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 2:12-16). Time here on earth is short, the time to answer God’s call is now. Verses 1-3,

“Gather together, yes, gather,
    O shameless nation,
2 before the decree takes effect
    —before the day passes away like chaff--
before there comes upon you
    the burning anger of the Lord,
before there comes upon you
    the day of the anger of the Lord.
3 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
    who do his just commands;
seek righteousness; seek humility;
    perhaps you may be hidden
    on the day of the anger of the Lord.”


Not everyone answers the call to a relationship with The Lord. God’s people are hidden from His anger, His wrath is directed to our enemies, the enemies of Jesus Christ. And because God loves us so intensely and passionately He doesn’t take kindly to anyone who tries to hurt us. Verses 4-6 read,

“For Gaza shall be deserted,
    and Ashkelon shall become a desolation;
Ashdod's people shall be driven out at noon,
    and Ekron shall be uprooted.


5 Woe to you inhabitants of the seacoast,
    you nation of the Cherethites!
The word of the Lord is against you,
    O Canaan, land of the Philistines;
    and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.
6 And you, O seacoast, shall be pastures,
    with meadows for shepherds
    and folds for flocks.”


God’s fiery judgement on The Day of the Lord will obliterate all that is evil and be replaced with what is good. And all that good will be for us! Judah’s enemies were destroyed and the remains they left were a gift to Judah. Verse 7 reads,

“The seacoast shall become the possession
    of the remnant of the house of Judah,
    on which they shall graze,
and in the houses of Ashkelon
    they shall lie down at evening.
For the Lord their God will be mindful of them
    and restore their fortunes.”


God doesn’t forget us. He wants the best for us. He disciplines us but He also makes good come out of situations to make us more like Jesus. (Romans 8:28-29). He knows what we suffer. He knows the persecution we face. God will destroy the pride His enemies take in their hatred of Christians and the false religions they created. Verses 10-11 read,

“This shall be their lot in return for their pride,
    because they taunted and boasted
    against the people of the Lord of hosts.
11 The Lord will be awesome against them;
    for he will famish all the gods of the earth,
and to him shall bow down,
    each in its place,
    all the lands of the nations.”


Verse 15 reads,

“This is the exultant city
    that lived securely,
that said in her heart,
    “I am, and there is no one else.”
What a desolation she has become,
    a lair for wild beasts!
Everyone who passes by her
    hisses and shakes his fist.”


People do not like to think about God’s jealousy or wrath. But His love is fervent. It wouldn’t say much of God’s deep love for us, if He didn’t care that we were injured. We are God’s possession. Deuteronomy 7:6 says,

“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”

He cherishes us. And He has given us eternal life. Because we belong to Him, we are secure. We have enemies, people hate us because of Christ. We look ridiculous to the world. But we depend on The Lord and He keeps us and carries us through. We are citizens of The Kingdom of Heaven now and one day we will be in our eternal city, New Jerusalem. We are the city of God.

God is jealous for us. Is our love for Him as zealous as it could be?

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Psalm 76 Can You Stand before The Lord?

8/5/2015

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Psalm 76

This psalm of Asaph is entitled “Who Can Stand Before You.” As Christians we know the answer to that question. Only Jesus, the Son of God, who is with God and is God can stand before The LORD. The people of earth will not stand before Him. We will fall to our knees, either in adoration or terror. God is awesome. He is not awesome in its vernacular meaning like that cake is awesome, Dude. He is awesome as in, He fills us with awe, amazement, wonderment, veneration, and reverence. Verses 1-3 reads,

“In Judah God is known;
    his name is great in Israel.
2 His abode has been established in Salem,
    his dwelling place in Zion.
3 There he broke the flashing arrows,
    the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah”


We, the followers of Christ know God, and we make Him known to all those around us. We are distinctive in our actions, words, and faith. (John 13:31-35). He has established His tabernacle in us now, and His home in New Jerusalem with us after The Day of Fire. (2 Peter 3:10-13, Revelation 21:1-4). Here and now He fights for us, He is our armor and our sword. (Ephesians 6:10-20). And when we live in eternity with Him there will be no more need of weapons. Isaiah 2:4-5 describes it this way,

“He shall judge between the nations,
    and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
    and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
    neither shall they learn war anymore.


5 O house of Jacob,
    come, let us walk
    in the light of the Lord.”


God is awesome! He is bigger than any problem we face. He is stronger than any chain, more powerful than the fiercest opponent, and more desirous of us than the hungriest predator. The enemy cannot stand up to The Lord. Not one of God’s enemies will prevail, not one will live. None will even be able to face Him. God’s presence brings them to their faces in shame and dread. Verses 4-6 say,

“Glorious are you, more majestic
    than the mountains full of prey.
5 The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil;
    they sank into sleep;
all the men of war
    were unable to use their hands.
6 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,
    both rider and horse lay stunned.”


Our Lord is so powerful He only needs to rebuke and His Word is enough to disable the enemy. All those fighting against God with their pride will find out that this temporary earth is just that and they will perish without any of the gains they made in this life. They will find out that 120 years is an extremely short amount of time. The money they made as they stepped on the backs of the poor will mean nothing in eternity. Their pride was misdirected. Their faith was misplaced. Their souls were lost.

There are so many who need to know who The Lord is. They need to be brought to peace with Him through Jesus Christ so their condemnation will become reward, their terror at God’s wrath will become joy at His love, and their subjugation under the enemy will become victory and freedom in Christ. On Judgement Day we will all face God, with or without Christ. The sentence will be either eternal death or eternal life, eternal Hell or eternal Paradise, eternal prison or eternal freedom. Verses 7-9 read,

“But you, you are to be feared!
    Who can stand before you
    when once your anger is roused?
8 From the heavens you uttered judgment;
    the earth feared and was still,
9 when God arose to establish judgment,
    to save all the humble of the earth. Selah”


Submitting to Jesus as Lord seems to the lost, to be foolish. Humility seems ridiculous to people who take pride in themselves and their works. But in the end, the humble will be exalted and the proud will be bought down. 1 Peter 5:4-11 tells us,

“And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

We are on this earth for just a little while, 120 years at most. That is nothing, not even a drop in the bucket of eternity. While we are here we do our best to honor the Lord, to glorify Him and make Him known to the world. We know one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus is Lord. (Philippians 2:9-11, Romans 14:11-12). We want all of those knees to be compelled by veneration of The Lord, not by terror and dread. Verses 10-12 read,

“Surely the wrath of man shall praise you;
    the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt.
11 Make your vows to the Lord your God and perform them;
    let all around him bring gifts
    to him who is to be feared,
12 who cuts off the spirit of princes,
    who is to be feared by the kings of the earth.”


Our covenant with The Lord is simple, He has made many promises to us and He fulfills them all. We make one vow to Him and that is He is our Lord, our Master, He has charge over our lives. When we live in obedience to Jesus, He is glorified. People want to know what it so extraordinary about us, they want to know what we have. As we use the gifts He gave us for Him, others want to know too and then they can bring Him their gifts. Like the old shampoo commercial, you will tell two friends, and they will tell two friends and so on until Jesus’ name is acclaimed all over the world.

To us God is Love and Peace, to the world He will be wrath.

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Psalm 48 Zion, The Eternal City of God

7/8/2015

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Psalm 48

This Psalm of the Sons of Korah is titled Zion, the City of Our God. The psalmist wrote about Jerusalem, but he prophetically wrote about New Jerusalem, God’s eternal city. Verses 1-3 read,

“Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
    in the city of our God!
His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation,
    is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
    the city of the great King.
3 Within her citadels God
    has made himself known as a fortress.”


Jerusalem was not great because of her people or her buildings. She was great because God resided there in the Ark of the Covenant. Later the Temple would be built and the Ark would be placed there. Now you and I are the city of God and He indwells us. One day New Jerusalem will come down from Heaven and it will be truly awesome. God will be there in every way. Revelation 21:2-4 describe our future home.

“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Jerusalem was a joy to the world because that is where Jesus was arrested and just outside the city walls He was crucified in order to give us a way to friendship with God. In New Jerusalem, Jesus will be our light, we will have no need of a sun or moon because Jesus is there. Revelation 21:22-27 reads,

“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.”

The people of Jerusalem felt completely safe from her enemies. God fought for her against them and until He chose to let Jerusalem be taken it was a fortress of a city. The victory being celebrated in this Psalm was one against the Assyrians, in which the Holy Spirit visited the Assyrian camp and suddenly killed 185,000 men. God protected that city from her enemies. He fought for His people then, and He fights for us now. No one can hurt us. He is our Avenger and Protector. Verses 4-8 say,

“For behold, the kings assembled;
    they came on together.
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
    they were in panic; they took to flight.
6 Trembling took hold of them there,
    anguish as of a woman in labor.
7 By the east wind you shattered
    the ships of Tarshish.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen
    in the city of the Lord of hosts,
in the city of our God,
    which God will establish forever. Selah”


New Jerusalem will be the city established forever. Jerusalem was thought to completely safe, it was because God protected it. But, because The Lord had to discipline His people He did eventually allow Jerusalem to be taken by enemies. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took the city and she sat empty and desolate for seventy years until King Cyrus allowed the Israelites to return and rebuild. (2 Chronicles 36:17-21, Ezra 1:1-40). New Jerusalem will be absolutely impenetrable by the enemy. God will not only protect us in that city, He will be there with us. Revelation 21:9-14 describes the walls and beauty of Zion, our wedding gift from The Lord this way,

“Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”

After the Assyrians ran home in defeat, the people of Jerusalem worshipped and praised God. God saved His people from the enemy. He saved us from the enemy as well. God’s enemy is defeated. We praise Him all day long for our salvation. He loves us immeasurably. New Jerusalem is for us from Him. It is literally, Heaven on Earth. It is not for anyone who can’t appreciate the goodness, greatness, and holiness of The Lord. It is for His children. We will worship our Mighty God forever. Verses 8-11 read,

“We have thought on your steadfast love, O God,
    in the midst of your temple.
10 As your name, O God,
    so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11     Let Mount Zion be glad!
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice
    because of your judgments!”


After their victory the citizens of Jerusalem acknowledged it was God who had saved them as they looked at their beautiful city, the city of God. They gave Him the glory and they remembered so they could teach each generation after them. Verses 12-14 read,

“Walk about Zion, go around her,
    number her towers,
13 consider well her ramparts,
    go through her citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
14     that this is God,
our God forever and ever.
    He will guide us forever.”


We haven’t seen New Jerusalem, but we can imagine what she will be like. We have the Spirit of God to give us a foretaste. We have descriptions like those in Revelation 21. It will be stunning but its real beauty will come not from the pearl gates or jewel adornments. It will come from the presence of God. Its safety won’t come from its walls made of gold, but from The Lord.  It is not a secret to be kept, but a promise to be shared. Envision the magnificence of God with us, not only in Spirit but in totality, face to face. The love, the joy, and the peace of God forever and ever.

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1 Peter 1:1-12 Rejoice in the Eternal, Imperishable, Undefilable, and Unfading Hope of Christ.

3/28/2015

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1 Peter Chapter 1 Verses 1-12

Peter wrote this letter to Christians scattered across Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, modern Turkey. He calls the believers elect exiles of the Dispersion. Just as in the days of the Old Covenant when Israel was exiled to places that were not the Promised Land, their home, today during the New Covenant  believers are exiles because our Promised Land is Heaven, our home is New Jerusalem and we are exiles among the world. But we are not hopeless. We know where our home is, we know who our family and fellow pilgrims are, and we know who our Lord is. He keeps our citizenship for us. Verse 2 describes believers.

“according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”

Our Father knew us and chose us from the beginning. The Spirit consecrates and purifies us. He makes it possible for us to walk in obedience to Jesus Christ who saved us by His blood. That is wonderful news. And because of that we have hope. Not some distant fantasy, but confidence we live in and with, in the everyday. Because God is with us. He loves us, sanctifies us, and saves us. That is a living hope.

Peter describes that hope beautifully in verses 3-5.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Jesus is alive! His life gives us life. Peter describes eternal life as an inheritance, the legacy or bequest we receive from our Father. Normally to leave an inheritance the father would die, but in this case God rose from the dead and it is through His life that we live and receive eternal life. We died to our previous life, to sin and eternal death and live as new creations, sons of God eternally. Romans 6:8-11 reads,

“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Our salvation, our eternal life is kept safe for us by God. Peter describes it as imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us.  Imperishable means permanent, eternal, and enduring. It cannot be destroyed. Undefiled means pure spotless and unpolluted. It remains perfect. It can’t be corrupted. And unfading means it can’t even lose a little of its richness or vibrancy. And it is being kept in Heaven for us. Not far from us, not for one day but for us now, since we live in the Kingdom of Heaven. It is protected and will remain safe until Jesus is fully revealed in us on The Day when we are in New Jerusalem face to face with Jesus.

That awesome hope, our eternal life, which we live now and it is guarded and protected by The Lord Almighty is what gives us reason to rejoice. Life is messy, hard, and difficult. Tragedy and calamity happen. But because we have Jesus Christ our hope, we can celebrate and be glad though all of it.

Do you realize that the precious treasure of eternal life can actually become more pure, more vibrant, and stronger? It does. It does when we go through the fires of life clinging to our Hope, rejoicing in our Peace, and remaining faithful to our Lord. Can you imagine what the world sees when you go through some awful experience and rather than break and curse God, rather than grumble and whine, you praise the Lord and allow the Spirit to build you, strengthen you, and make you more like Jesus? They see Jesus revealed in you. They hear about the awesome power of God’s Spirit. They see the proof of El Shaddai. And so do you. He becomes more concrete to you. Verses 6-9 say it this way,

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

Think about what an awesome gift salvation is. There is no earning it. There is no buying it. The only way to get it is by the grace of our Father, the blood of Jesus, and the power of the Spirit. It is eternal, guaranteed, and perfect. Eternal life is a wonderful legacy. It is ours now. It can only get better, stronger, and bigger. It is an inheritance that we receive not through our Father’s death but because Jesus lives and brings us out of death. May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Bless the Lord! Praise Him forever. He is the Author and Perfecter of our faith. He is keeping it safe for us with Him, imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.

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Ezekiel 40-48 The Lord Is There

3/21/2015

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Picture
The Lord Is There. That is the glorious name of New Jerusalem. That is the awesome name of the City of God. You are the City of God. Is Jesus there?
Ezekiel Chapters 40-48

In these eight chapters of Ezekiel, The Lord gives Ezekiel very specific instructions, ordinances and measurements for the reestablishment of Israel, the Temple, and the land. He was restoring Israel and the covenant that she had so brashly thrown away. But Faithful God kept it even when they didn’t. These instructions were given fourteen years after Jerusalem had been taken, and in the middle of Israel’s captivity. It gave them hope, a reminder that they were still God’s people and He was still their God.

In Chapters 40-44 Jesus and as He shows Ezekiel the restored temple and its specifications, He shows us a glimpse of what the promise of New Jerusalem. Chapter 40 verses 2-4 describe Him.

“In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. 3 When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway. 4 And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.”

His instructions for Ezekiel were serious and they are important for us as well. Ezekiel had to hear, see, and understand what the Lord was telling him in order to obey Him. We also must look with our eyes, hear with our ears, and set our heart upon all that Jesus shows us so that we can obey and declare it to the world. God brought Ezekiel to the mountain for a reason. He brings us to the places in our lives for a purpose as well. He wants to teach us, show us, and tell us and He wants us to testify with our words, deeds, and lives.

In chapter 43 Ezekiel sees the Glory of the Lord coming just as he had seen in Chebar when the Lord came to destroy the city, but now He came to restore it. As He came Ezekiel fell on His face in worship, awe, and fear. Verses 4-7 read,

“As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, 5 the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

6 While the man was standing beside me, I heard one speaking to me out of the temple, 7 and he said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever. And the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoring and by the dead bodies of their kings at their high places”

God’s presence is the most important aspect of the Temple. He is the most vital part of us as His temple as well. We can’t have a relationship with Him if He isn’t invited into it. We can’t have a relationship with Him if we have muddied it with idolatry.

The chapters continue with rules, laws, and edicts concerning the Temple, worship, feasts, and the land. Most are not new instructions but some are a bit stricter than before. Chapter 44 describes the East Gate and requires it to be kept shut. No one may enter or leave by that gate to remind Israel that that is the gate by which the Lord entered and He is there, the core of who they are and His presence is the most important aspect of the law.

In chapter 47 Ezekiel is brought back to the Temple and sees a water trickling out of the south gate of the temple. As Jesus measures the water coming out though it becomes deeper and deeper until it is no longer a trickle but a flowing river so deep Ezekiel couldn’t pass through it but He could swim in it. Verses 6-12 read,

“And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8 And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh.9 And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. 12 And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

What an amazing vision of Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness. He is the living water. He brings truth and life. The gospel which was first preached in Jerusalem at the very temple and gate where Ezekiel saw the water trickle out was then preached further and further out until the whole world benefited from the life giving liberty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Where Jesus is, there is life, fruit, and healing.

The remainder of chapter 47 and 48 give measurements of the land and its divisions and there is an inference to these measurements not being about the Jerusalem Ezekiel knew but some other place, more spiritual than physical. Chapter 48 ends with a description and measurements of the gates of the City. There are twelve gates, three on each side of the perfect square, just like the description of New Jerusalem in Revelation. The name of the city is not called Jerusalem any longer. Verse 35 ends with “And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There.”

How awesome is that name? The Lord Is There! He is, and He is never leaving. I am a citizen of that city. Are you? Is Jesus your Lord? Does He live in your heart? Do you declare it to the world? Does the Living Water flow out from you and give life to others? Are you sealed with the Holy Spirit? Is your relationship with the Father pure? You and I, Believer are the Temple of God, the City on the Mountain. The Lord is there! God is with us!

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Ezekiel 37 The Valley of Bones

3/19/2015

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Ezekiel Chapter 37

The Lord showed Ezekiel a valley bones. The valley was filled with dry bones completely clean of any flesh. Verses 3-6 read,

“And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

When God spoke to Ezekiel and said, “Can these bones live?” the obvious answer for most people would have been a resounding “No!” But Ezekiel trusted God. He knew there was a purpose for the vision, and he knew that God is God and all things are possible with God. Ezekiel saw a valley filled with skeletons but God saw more. God saw what could be and what would be. So Ezekiel answered, “O Lord God, you know.” The Lord’s response was to tell Ezekiel to prophesy, to deliver His word and will to the bones. Ezekiel obeyed even though it seemed hopeless to expect a valley of bones to receive that word. Verses 7-10 describe what happened next.

“So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.”

When the Lord has a word, a will, it will be done. Even the impossible becomes possible. God gave the very dead remains life again. They were so dead, there was nothing left of them, not a single shred of flesh, just very dry bones. But the Word of God restored flesh and blood to the bones, and the Spirit gave them breath and life and they stood and became a great army.

God used Ezekiel to speak His word and command life to the bones. He uses you and me to speak His word to the dead today so that they can be restored to life. When Jesus becomes Lord of someone’s life, they are brought out of death to new life. They are made whole, healed, and given the new promise of eternal life. They are given the Holy Spirit and sealed eternally. People may have lost all hope of life. They may think their sin is too grievous and that there is no way to have a relationship with God. Even others looking at them may see them as doomed but the Lord doesn’t. The Lord knows there is possibility and if He tells us to give His word to someone we must reply, “O Lord God, you know.” Verses 11-14 read,

“Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

Not only can everyone experience spiritual resurrection but there will be a physical one as well. Believers have been called out of their spiritual graves, no longer headed for Hell and now headed for New Jerusalem. One day we will be called out of our physical graves and gathered together in New Jerusalem with Jesus as our King forever. That resurrection is the perfection of the new life we receive now on earth. We were once dead in sin, destined for eternal Hell. Now we are alive in Christ living eternal life with Him. One day we will raise out of our graves and be completely transformed and completed whole and holy.

At the time of Ezekiel’s prophecy Israel was two nations, Israel and Judah. But the Lord had promised to restore them and He meant absolutely. He said He would unite the divided nation to be the one nation they were meant to be. He even had Ezekiel perform a miracle of taking two sticks and making them one stick. Verses 21-22 read,

“then say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. 22 And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms.”

These verses refer to the spilt nation of Israel, and they refer to the Jews and the gentiles united in Christ. In unity it no longer mattered if the Jew were from Judah or Ephraim, he was from Israel. In Christ it doesn’t matter if we were Hebrew or Greek, we are belong to Christ. Verses 26-28 read,

“I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. 27 My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.28 Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”

Jesus is God with us forever. He is our sanctuary. We are the temple of God and His Spirit is within us and with us forever. Nothing can take us out of God’s hand. Nothing can separate us from Him. That is His awesome promise. Once we were dead. We were a pile of dry brittle condemned bones. Now we are fully alive, filled with the Spirit of the Living God, living with Jesus as our King forever. We are united with God, inseparable from Him.

You have the power to speak that life to the dead. God didn’t show Ezekiel the valley of bones and say ‘What a pity for them’ He showed Ezekiel the valley of bones and said, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord… you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” I encourage you today, to listen to the Lord, obey His Spirit and prophesy to those He calls you to. Give the hopeless the hope of Jesus. Show them they can be united with God. He will be their God and they will be His people.

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    Donna Campbell

    As I read the Bible every day, I take what God teaches me, what He says, and write it out. I then share that with you. It gives me a deeper understanding of the Word and I hope that it will encourage you as it does me, to put your love and faith into action.

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    October 21st 2015
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