Mark 1:16- 20 ~ immediately

Luke 13:24

Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Mark 1:16- 20
Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men." 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

Why is it that many feel cut off from God - maybe HE exists - maybe HE cares - and others fight the good fight? Just as He says -

Proverbs 14:10
The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.

We are transparent to our Heavenly Father and HE does not ask us to Judge one another. And we will make that important distinction first. I would venture a guess, with all the trees He writes of.

John 1:48-49
48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

Matthew 13:32
It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.

It might be HIS opinion, the narrow door is like the book - "The Secret Garden."

Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart

The famous analogy four blind men discover an elephant / an analogy of God. They grope about, seeking to understand and describe this new phenomenon. One grasps the trunk and concludes its a snake - perhaps those who dismiss the Bible as hateful - or flexible and wobbly. Another explores one of the elephant's legs and describes it as a tree - has possibilities and the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the examination, and it proves unfruitful. A third finds the elephant's tail and announces that it is a rope - like Jacob - a way to contend with God for blessings. And the fourth blind man, after discovering the elephant's side, concludes that it is, after all, a wall - the law is solid.

Each describes the same thing in a radically different manner. For the last eleven posts we have looked over well-known prophets Samuel, Peter, the Disciples running away from Jesus, minus beloved John, Jonah. Add to the group - Moses. Jeremiah resisted the call.

What drew these people to God - who would send His Son. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person. How often He has longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and for the willingness to be gathered. The enormous compassion, because we were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Nathan saw God loves like a Shepherd. Tenderly caring in love.



Samuel mourned. Like the Prodigal Father - He longed to run to his son and have that embrace.



Jonah mourned a plant - not even caring for the repentant. Jonah had no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

 

Abraham felt God should be merciful, asking God to spare mankind. And earned the blessing of the millenniums. God's attitude on mercy - Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Ishmael was said to be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.

Genesis 17:18-20
And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” 19 God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac.[f] I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.

Abraham gathered blessings and mercy for others. This is what drew him to God. 


Moses wanted justice for the people he felt were abandoned. God provided more than justice, and the slaves left with their former masters' gold and jewelry. God guarded them tenderly.



Jacob fought God all of his days for a Blessing and sought to bless his children and grandsons. God granted Jacob the blessing all of his days. As Jacob believed he lived the blessings of God.


Eli wanted God's Words to be fulfilled. He wanted Hannah to be blessed. And Samuel to hear. Eli lived to see all of God's Word fulfilled.



Jeremiah wanted to be left alone. Well, unfortunately for Jeremiah - he was left alone. And God grew him. Jeremiah began in the most glorious of religious reigns reviving the Temple and discovering the forgotten Word of GOD. Jeremiah gave God's prophecies, enduring ridicule, and lived to see the Word fulfilled, immediately. He lived to see an abandoned Jerusalem have peace.




Isaiah jumped into serving GOD with glee. He got his feet wet in Uzziah's reign and lived seeing Isaiah 6.
Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
10 Make the heart of this people dull,
and their ears heavy,
and blind their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”

He joyously bringing the Good News of faith in the LORD let the people to hear, understand, see and perceive, the heart of the people worked tirelessly to be turned and healed. King Hezekiah's faith brought the prosperity of God bring faith in placing HIM first.

Isaih's willingness was a forerunner of "behold the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."





Elijah was pressed to the wall in famine, unbelief and war. He believed God. Listening to the reassuring small voice - "God had not forgotten him."
John 16:33
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

 

Elisha saw the measure of Elijah's faith endure and carry him through hardship. He began seeing the blaze of Elihah revealing God's glory, in a time of abundance as Ahab was defeated. The joys of the world were not going to overcome his faith.

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

 

Ezekiel believed better times were coming during war. He knew God would show up when their righteousness was gone. He trusted God to be merciful to them.

Hebrews 13:5-7
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”

7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.

 


Daniel 1
But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel

Daniel understood a concept of God.

Hebrews 13
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name

1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
 


Habakkuk cried out for help so loudly, insistently with expectation. God answered.

Habakkuk 1:5
“Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.

John 20:29
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Hebrews 11
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

The last paragraph is daunting for us believers. However Moses did not lead his people into the promised land. Why? God buries his workmen, but His Works go on. Joshua did not reclaim all of Israel for the Children of Israel. David did reclaim the land and did rend his family. He was unwelcome to build the Temple. Solomon built the Temple and fractured David's Kingdom for David's grandson in his own indulgences towards family life. These people understood the huge work God placed in front of them. Samuel lived Saul's kingdom, not David's. We can Always Depend Upon the Promises God Gives Us. God's Word is Enough.


Lord, let us put out our hands like Isaiah and live with joy, salt, light and verve for the day you give us. Give us the Day! You be our Bread of Life and in You we will be fruitful. Forgive us our sins, and assist us in Your mercy and grace to forgive those who sin against us. Only because Your name is Holy, and upon Your goodness alone, do we claim the Promises of God allowing us to move, dwell and have our being with You. For Yours is the Eternal Kingdom of Power and Glory, to the Highest Name of Jesus, as LORD do we pray and say the great Amen. 

 

 

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Malachi 1 ~ I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?”

Malachi 1

1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.^{[My Messenger]}


2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob's brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob 3 but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” 4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’” 5 Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

Malachi is found in 445 and 432 B.C. He is a contemporary of prophets Zechariah and Haggai - close in historical time periods. Malachi is very familiar with Ezra and Nehemiah. The Targum reads, "by the hand of my angel, whose name is called Ezra the scribe."


I wondered why Nehemiah and Ezra were not considered to be prophets rebuilding the Second Temple - but they focused on rules of etiquette and genealogy - excluding the Samaritans like Elisha. Excluding those who lost their genealogy.

The LORD restores the Temple Tools of Moses, but not the Ark of the Covenant - the Mercy Seat of the Lord. Hidden by the Prophet Jeremiah.

2 Maccabees 2:4-62
One finds in the records that the prophet Jeremiah ordered those who were being deported to take some of the fire, as has been mentioned, 2 and that the prophet, after giving them the law, instructed those who were being deported not to forget the commandments of the Lord, or to be led astray in their thoughts on seeing the gold and silver statues and their adornment. 3 And with other similar words he exhorted them that the law should not depart from their hearts.

4 It was also in the same document that the prophet, having received an oracle, ordered that the tent and the ark should follow with him, and that he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and had seen the inheritance of God. 5 Jeremiah came and found a cave-dwelling, and he brought there the tent and the ark and the altar of incense; then he sealed up the entrance. 6 Some of those who followed him came up intending to mark the way, but could not find it. 7 When Jeremiah learned of it, he rebuked them and declared: "The place shall remain unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy. 8 Then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear, as they were shown in the case of Moses, and as Solomon asked that the place should be specially consecrated.


Which leads us to -


Malachi 2

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Lord Rebukes the Priests

2 “And now, O priests, this command is for you. 2 If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. 3 Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. 4 So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. 5 My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. 7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. 8 But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, 9 and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

10 Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!

13 And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God[g] seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”


God expects us to Trust HIM. And give acts of justice with mercy.


Ephesians 5
8 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 

33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Malachi is the last book placed in the Old Testament. Jesus went to the Woman at the Well - A Samaritan and declared to her -

John 4
25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.

Matthew 22
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

This is the Eleventh Prophet Post in our Series of Prophets - were they thundering for a vengeful GOD - or is the message much more of love and inclusion. Rethink what you've learned about those angry, grey bearded men. And remember who Jesus proclaimed Himself to be Messiah to.

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Nahum 1 ~ Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace!

Where was Ninevah? This was the laugh of the Biblical critics - Ninevah was so destroyed, it was not uncovered until the 1980s. Today Ninevah is known as Mosul, Iraq. 

Today Iraq sells off ruins to be used as military posts.

Nahum and Jonah were contemporary prophets in history - does this mean God is not steadfast?

Jonah was less than thrilled to find repentance and God's mercy.

Nahum 1


1 An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.


2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God;
the Lord is avenging and wrathful;
the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries
and keeps wrath for his enemies.
3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,
and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.
His way is in whirlwind and storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry;
he dries up all the rivers;
Bashan and Carmel wither;
the bloom of Lebanon withers.
5 The mountains quake before him;
the hills melt;
the earth heaves before him,
the world and all who dwell in it.

6 Who can stand before his indignation?
Who can endure the heat of his anger?
His wrath is poured out like fire,
and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.
7 The Lord is good,
a stronghold in the day of trouble;
he knows those who take refuge in him.

8 But with an overflowing flood
he will make a complete end of the adversaries,
and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

9 What do you plot against the Lord?

He will make a complete end;
trouble will not rise up a second time.

10 For they are like entangled thorns,
like drunkards as they drink;
they are consumed like stubble fully dried.
11 From you came one
who plotted evil against the Lord,
a worthless counselor.

12 Thus says the Lord,
“Though they are at full strength and many,
they will be cut down and pass away.
Though I have afflicted you,
I will afflict you no more.
13 And now I will break his yoke from off you
and will burst your bonds apart.”

14 The Lord has given commandment about you:
“No more shall your name be perpetuated;
from the house of your gods I will cut off
the carved image and the metal image.
I will make your grave, for you are vile.”

15 Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him
who brings good news,
who publishes peace!
Keep your feasts, O Judah;
fulfill your vows,
for never again shall the worthless pass through you;
he is utterly cut off.


Where was Ninevah? This was the laugh of the Biblical critics - Ninevah was so destroyed, it was not uncovered until the 1980s. Today Ninevah is known as Mosul, Iraq.

Well - we encounter the wrathful God of the Old Testament. And perhaps this is a good day to point out to those who don't like the Word of God - um. He tends to be right.

If we look at the hard times of Elijah and the abundance of prosperity for Elisha - we see the same God. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Surely we can stretch to incorporate Ezekiel's mercy for Tyre, God's insistence Jonah go to Ninevah, God's anger at Jonah's hard heart towards the repentant.

Jonah, son of Amittai appears in 2 Kings 1,a prophet from Gath-hepher (a few miles north of Nazareth), during the reign of Jeroboam II (786-746 BC). Jonah is also in the Book of Jonah. Ordered by God to go to the city of Nineveh, to prophesy against it "for their great wickedness is come up before me: - Jonah is unhappy they repent.

And now Nahum - Nahum prophesied guestimation at the beginning of the reign of Ahaz (740s BC). Others, however, think that his prophecies are to be referred to the latter half of the reign of Hezekiah (8th century BC).

In historical proportions, we could call them bookend prophets. Boy, that mean ol God hates the goys (heathens - roughly that's you and me). The Book of Zephaniah attributes its authorship to “Zephaniah son of Cushi son of Gedaliah son of Amariah son of Hezekiah, in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah. Um hate to remind us of Biblical history, but um Cush - is, roughly, an Iraqi. A son of Noah. Cushi is Ethiopian we think, but that's slicing bread because the grandchildren of Noah were off to Ethiopia. Zephaniah does not shrink from condemning the Cushites or Ethiopians. Chapter 2:12 “You also, O Ethiopians, Shall be killed by my sword.” Is the questionable translation. Ethiopia is a long way away from Jerusalem, but Iraq is not.

Oh - seems the LORD employs the Goy. Good to know.

I don't know a lot about the minor Prophets but let me tell you I am thrilled with this verse. Love it and hold on to this - Let's start with the explanation and go with the complete zinger.

7 The Lord is good,
a stronghold in the day of trouble;
he knows those who take refuge in him.
8 But with an overflowing flood
he will make a complete end of the adversaries,
and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

This explains Trouble in the World - the Lord overcomes and the DAY OF THE LORD -

9 What do you plot against the Lord?
He will make a complete end;
trouble will not rise up a second time.


Some Trouble shines a Light to send more help. The Ships of Tarshish - are gone. Tyre is gone. Nineveh - gone. The Hittite Empire? Was also a joke, completely missing the Empire, the whole Empire, before the Hittite Library echoed the battles shown where - The Word of the Lord.

Now you might wonder, if they repented???? Abraham begged the Lord eyeball to eyeball for mercy. After all Assyria never invaded? (Yes, its a miracle because Hezekiah quit paying the puppet/tribute to the Assyrian Empire.) Evidently the LORD saw that some of the seed ...

Matthew 13
the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

How we do not understand the hand of God and attempt to backseat and umpire His judgements.

A crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

That would be...

Nebuchadnezzar styles himself as Nabu's "beloved" and "favourite". "Firstborn son" or "oldest son". Variations of the Hebrew form include נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר and נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר (Nəḇuḵaḏreṣṣar). He is also known as Bakhat Nasar, which means "winner of the fate", or literally, "fate winner". Nebuchadnezzar was the oldest son and successor of Nabopolassar, who delivered Babylon from its three centuries of vassalage to its fellow Mesopotamian state Assyria.

Nebuchadnezzar was also mentioned in .... (If History is written by the Victors - we have a very certain level of reasonableness going on here - wow!)


Here is the testimony of Nebuchadnezzar about self-glory, other cares choking out his walk with the Lord and his open heart with reasonableness. Is this historically accurate. Yes.

(Daniel 2:

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. 47 The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel 3
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside[f] the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.


Daniel 4
At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,

for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;
35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand
or say to him, “What have you done?”

36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.)

Jesus made the religious completely angry when He reminded them - the great works of Elijah went to the goys. Look at Namaan and Elisha -


2 Kings 5
2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman's wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” 5 And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”


10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. 12 Are not Abana[c] and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

15 Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.”


Nebuchadnezzar was willing to open his heart to God. Namaan was the same, taking advice from a slave girl and his household.


Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him
who brings good news,
who publishes peace!
Keep your feasts, O Judah;
fulfill your vows,
for never again shall the worthless pass through you;
he is utterly cut off.


Father God, In Your majesty, let Your Word be enough. Jesus loved the Centurion for understanding about Your Word. Let us always be the leper who when healed, returned to give thanks. Let us not have hardened hearts, instead Lord - let us be so fruitful for You. Blessed be Your Name - Jesus Christ the LORD. Forever. Amen.


 

 

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Ezekiel 1 ~ There the hand of the LORD was upon him.

Tyre, Lebanon today - the coast and southern half are devoid of population and are in ruins.

Israel is not.

Ezekiel 1

1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

2 On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin- 3 the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. There the hand of the LORD was upon him.

The Voice of the Lord is heard even when circumstance wouldn't suggest HE is there. These are Prophets from the Exile. When He was applying the judgment the Children of Israel had earned. Ezekiel preached a message of Heaven, hope for Israel and kindness for those nations who were not helpful.

Deuteronomy 31:8
It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

In 581 B.C., Priest turned Prophet, Ezekiel had already been taken to Babylon. Ezekiel's name means "God will strengthen". (!) He was one of the Israelite exiles turned into slavery, settled at a place called Tel-abib, "in the land of the Chaldeans." Not the modern city Tel Aviv, which is named after it. He was carried away captive with King Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:14-16) in the first of 3 waves of captive taken.


Ezekiel 27:1-4

1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
2 Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus;
3 And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty. 4 Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.

Tyrus had provided trade with Israel, but wasn't an ally.

Proverbs 24:17
Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice

Job 31:29
"If I have rejoiced at my enemy's misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him--"

 Cyrus's Cylinder

1995 Dr. Bryant Wood found Cyrus's Cylinder, declaring freedom for captives in Babylon to return to Israel and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and the temple. Ezra 1:2-4

Ezekiel's Words did not go out alone. Other prophets rose up to record and establish His Word.


Ezra 1

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”

 


Romans 8:19
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.



The LORD did not give His Word and Work only with Ezekiel, but also to Daniel
and Habakkuk.

Habakkuk, a minor prophet, wrote the Book of Habakkuk. From the Chaldeans mentioned, we learn Habakkuk was giving prophecy during the time of the 597 B.C. Invasion of Nebuchadnezzar. I'm greatly interested in the apocrypha, for the 400 Bishops picking the 80 Books of the Bible - the men risking all their lives and families to proclaim Jesus during the rise of the Early Church. Even St. Nicholas voted for these books, straight out his prison in Turkey. "Bel and the Dragon", which is part of the Additions to "Daniel" found in the apocrypha. Verses 33–39 state Habakkuk, in Judea, after making stew, is by-located by an angel to take stew to Daniel, in Babylon, in the lion’s den. Habakkuk gives Daniel the food, and is immediately relocated to “his own place.” Read some of Padre Pio, for other examples of by-location. And Jesus taking the boat He and the Disciples were in "immediately to the other side."


Ezekiel 14:14
even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord God.

And in case we missed that:

Ezekiel 14:20
even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord God, they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness.

Daniel grew during his years of  exile, there were  changes in Daniel, from interpreting dreams and then angelic messengers of God interpreting for Daniel.

Daniel is alive to see the Exiles return to Rebuild Israel as a Promise of God!

Daniel 10:1
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed unto Daniel


We read about the joy of the redemption! The people were so brave being part of the fulfilling of the return - they carried the Temple Tools of Moses through hostile areas and told King Cyrus - they did not require a guard.

Nehemiah 8:9-18 ~ The Message

⁹ Nehemiah the governor, along with Ezra the priest and scholar and the Levites who were teaching the people, said to all the people, "This day is holy to God, your God. Don't weep and carry on." They said this because all the people were weeping as they heard the words of The Revelation. 

¹⁰ He continued, "Go home and prepare a feast, holiday food and drink; and share it with those who don't have anything: This day is holy to God. Don't feel bad. The joy of God is your strength!"


Father God, be the joy of our lives. Let Your presence bring the strength of joy - making us be fruitful for You. Each day. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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1 Kings 19 ~ he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree

1 Kings 19

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” 8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.

And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”

15 And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21 And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.


Sitting under a tree. These exceedingly hot days of Texas had me thinking about Abraham dwelling voluntarily under the huge Oaks of Mamre. Jesus told Nathaniel, He had seen Nathaniel under the tree in the first chapter of John's Gospel. Nathaniel replied that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus said a seed of faith grows in to a huge tree where the birds of the field would gather in the branches. Stories of inner reflections. Becoming prayer. This is where relationship begins and dwells.

We remember the Prophet Elijah with so many amazing stories of faith. Yet Elijah did not dwell in abundance. His Works from God came from famine, drought, a cave. The earthquake, the fire and the whisper are about HIM. Not Elijah. The abundance of Elijah are the Works of God, not Elijah's abundance.

In complete contrast, Elisha is found plowing with twelve oxen. This is abundance. Try to find a photo of someone plowing with twelve oxen on the internet - you can't find that photo. We love to compare and contrast the two e-guys. The truth is we all have gifts and abilities. It's the Father who encourages us to use our abilities to grow into the fruit He provided us to be.


Psalm 29
A psalm of David.

1 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his[a] holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
with flashes of lightning.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
11 The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.


We could go into a study comparing and contrasting Elijah to Elisha. This just isn't needed. The miracle is part of Psalm 29. Elisha could have seen HIM in the earthquake or in the fire. It would be the way He chose to reveal Himself to Elisha. Like David.

2 Peter 1:21
For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Isn't it a fact, we are told the Bible is the work of the Holy Spirit. We have to walk with faith saying to ourselves, this is true. We never are explicitly told. The work actually is HIS.

All of these gifts are HIS. We don't ever see Elijah saying I'm better than Elisha, we only see a human story of Elisha praying fervently - give me twice the Holy Spirit. Why? Elisha was probably worried he would muck things up.

Ephesians 3:18
may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

The miracle is to see - God sees us completely. Transparently. Trans Parently. And He chooses to Love us.


1 John 4:19

We love him, because he first loved us.

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Isaiah 6 ~ the Train of His Robe filled the Temple

The Prophet Isaiah Meets the LORD and Recognizes His Holiness, painted by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

Isaiah 6

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”

4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people:

“‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
10 Make the heart of this people dull,
and their ears heavy,
and blind their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”
11 Then I said, “How long, O Lord?”
And he said:
“Until cities lie waste
without inhabitant,
and houses without people,
and the land is a desolate waste,
12 and the Lord removes people far away,
and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
13 And though a tenth remains in the land,
    it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak
    leave stumps when they are cut down,
    so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.”



I love words. Just to say the Word 'Isaiah', is to be uplifted.

We are in the seventh post of Prophets.
Prophets approach this calling in various ways. Rarely, in fact, never do we see a Prophet approach the Lord God, Most Holy, with such beauty.

Nathan was creative. Samuel was known to be afraid and complain. Jonah didn't love. Jeremiah said he was but a youth. Abraham thought God meant for him to be the problem solver. Moses was rash. Jacob had flaws. Gad thundered. And Isaiah, the sixth chapter tells us we are in the presence of Holiness. Which frankly, puts me in awe.

Can you picture seeing God's Holy Robe filling the Temple, almost the way the cloud of Heaven filled the Temple during Solomon's opening of His Temple.

Isaiah has received the calling to work great works of HIM.  King Hezzekiah is most blessed to understand the vision of God and has ears to his own soul, listening to Isaiah tell him of Father God. No other reign but Solomon's was blessed with such prosperity. Reflected in archeology today, we can visit Jerusalem and see the mighty works of Hezekiah, with the people of God, working God's Plan. 

Isaiah is further blessed, to be the Prophet who hears the most of Jesus Christ the Lord. Seven hundred years before Jesus chooses to live among us. 

Isaiah saw His Robe fill the Temple.

John 20:29
Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."


We are still, today, this generation, in the power of faith.

Matthew 4:4
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

The woman touched the hem of Jesus' garment in Luke 8:44. The Greek word for "edge" is "kraspedon" meaning "fringe". The complex knots of Jesus' robe spell the word "Yahweh".

We come from a prodigal son generation, yet when we seek Him with our hearts - He runs to us. We see Isaiah end with reseeding of faith. In this generation, we see Asian Christians and African Christians boldly carry back their early Church Acts faith to us.

Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest

Mark 10:32
They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe

Father God, each day, let me walk with You. Let the meditations of my heart and the words of my mouth, be pleasing to You. My Rock and my Redeemer. In the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

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