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Worship XII Day 14 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!: Digging Deeper

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Worship XII Day 14 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!: Digging Deeper

Debbie Collin

December 7, 2023

Adoring,Cross,Glory,Gospel,Jesus,Joy

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 2:8-14

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!
Read More Of His Words

Hark! The Herald Angels' Sing, verse 4

Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Adam’s likeness, now efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Lyrics – Charles Wesley, adapted by George Whitefield

The Original Intent

1) Who are “all the people” the angel references in verse 10?

I have been captivated by this passage since I was a little girl; it’s my favorite part of the Christmas story! Can you imagine what the shepherds saw and heard? What was it like for them to receive such a message? We’re going to dig a little deeper into this passage through the perspective of an often-forgotten verse of “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing”.

In Haggai 2:7 (KJV), the prophet writes, “and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

As with many Old Testament prophecies, there are many layers, but one of the meanings here is about Jesus’ life and ministry. His advent was not just limited to a specific group of people, but for everyone. The angels’ announcement to a group of shepherds emphasized this widespread message!

In those days, the birth of a king would have been announced to royalty, but God chose to first announce Jesus’ birth to a group of ordinary people. Jesus is no ordinary King, but He came clothed in the extravagance of humility! (Luke 1:32-33)

The Everyday Application

1) Who are “all the people” the angel references in verse 10?

The angels’ proclamation to “all the people” was not just for people in the first century, but includes “all the people” today, too! Do you ever stop to think of the birth of Jesus as a global, historical event? We still use Jesus’ birth to define the years on our calendar.

So then, what is the significance of this event to the world today? Wondrously, it’s the same as it was in the first century. Each person is created in the image of God and is yearning for Him, whether they know Him or not. (Acts 17:26-27) If we have this perspective, the gospel is not an imposition, it’s GOOD NEWS.

Does your soul desire a closer relationship with Jesus? As we approach the new year and consider Bible reading plans, take some time to study what it means to really dwell with the Lord. Our Journey Theme, Dwell, is full of ways to practice truly being with the Lord.

How are you sharing the good news of Jesus with others? Christmas is a beautiful time to carry on the mission the shepherds first began as they told all they met of their encounter with Christ. Check out our Journey Theme, Mission!

The Original Intent

2) What is the significance of the birth of the Savior who is the Messiah? (verse 11)

To truly understand the significance of Jesus’ birth, we need to go all the way back to the first book of the Bible, Genesis. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve made a disobedient choice by eating forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge and good and evil, an act directly against God’s command. This decision introduced sin into the world, disrupting what God intended.

As a consequence, God, in His perfect justice, required them to leave the garden. This separation from God was caused by willful disobedience. (Genesis 2:16, Genesis 3:1-6, Genesis 3:22-24)

But, God is always faithful!

Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed, Bruise in us the serpent’s head. In Genesis 3:15, God gives the first announcement of the gospel (“protoevangelium”) as he cursed the serpent, Satan, “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike His heel.”

This verse contains a promise of a future Savior who would come from Eve’s offspring and ultimately triumph over the power of sin and Satan, symbolized by the crushing of the serpent’s head. While Satan would symbolically strike Jesus’ heel with his seeming victory at the cross as Jesus hung lifeless, Christ would reign as victor by thoroughly crushing the enemy’s head by conquering death with His resurrection!

This verse is key in understanding the redemption theme of the entire Bible, and the birth of Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise of the Savior! Jesus has come to restore the separation between God and man that has been broken, and perpetuated, by every act of disobedience from Adam and Eve to us!

The Everyday Application

2) What is the significance of the birth of the Savior who is the Messiah? (verse 11)

Understanding the connection between Genesis 3:15 and singing the words of this verse deepens my appreciation for the significance of Christmas. It moves beyond the narrative of the nativity story to reveal profound theological implications I need in my everyday life.

The birth of Jesus is the arrival of the promised Redeemer, the Seed who would bring victory and salvation to humanity. Sin no longer needs to rule in me or my relationships when I surrender to Christ for He has crushed the enemy’s head!

Let’s just sit here for a minute in wonder and awe. Wow! Through Jesus Christ, you and I can have victory over sin in everyday life and salvation from sin’s consequence of eternal death and separation from God. That’s GOOD NEWS.

“Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Corinthians 15:56-57)

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)

Does news of this victory make any difference in your life? If so, how? Be an active part of the Christmas story this year and share with someone how Jesus has made a difference to you!

The Original Intent

3) What is meant by the phrase, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!”? (verse 14)

The multitude of heavenly host praise God for the finale of their Good News message in front of the shepherds. This proclamation of “peace on earth” wasn’t about the absence of war, but about the restoration of the broken relationship between God and man that would be possible by the redemptive work of Jesus.

God’s favor would be extended to those who receive Jesus by grace and faith. (Ephesians 2:4-9) He would be found in a humble manger that night, but 30 some years later, He would be hanging, humiliated, from a cross, dying the eternal death and experiencing separation from God we rightly deserve for our sin.

His life was perfect in every way, but He took our punishment and offers His righteousness to us as a glorious, unthinkable exchange if we will accept such a lavish gift. (Romans 6:23)

The theology behind redemption is SO rich, but the hymn writer’s words, “Adam’s likeness, now efface, Stamp Thine image in its place:” capture the meaning of 1 Corinthians 15:49, “And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.”

Sin marred the image of man in Genesis 3, and the Messiah came to heal and replace that image with His own! Praise Jesus, Merry Christmas, and Happy Easter! Blessed are all who call on the Name of the Lord! (Romans 10:13)

The Everyday Application

3) What is meant by the phrase, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!”? (verse 14)

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), it introduced sin to humanity and wreaked havoc on all of us. How has sin affected you, your family, and our world? Here’s a hint, think of anything broken or painful, that’s our marker of sin’s presence.

But God (my favorite words in Scripture!) has a plan of redemption to bring “peace on earth” to you. Yes, you, right now. In Christ, we find healing and restoration. Through new life in Christ, we have adoption into God’s family and forgiveness of sin. (Ephesians 1:5-7) It’s GOOD NEWS.

“Hark the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King.”

“For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. The law came along to multiply the trespass.

But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:18-19)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Have you taken steps to have peace with God through faith in Jesus? If not, what’s holding you back? If you have, are you daily surrendering to Him, letting Him fuel you for His kingdom work and free you from sin’s pull? Romans 8 is a wonderful chapter in Scripture, full of rich truths we could spend a lifetime unpacking and living out. Check out Journey Into Alive for a closer look!

What does having peace with God mean for you today? To be at peace with Him, means to be free from sin’s pull and accusation, so we can live free and dance daily in His delight. What outpouring of peace are you celebrating today? What aspect of peace with Him are you asking Him to make more clear to you this Christmas?

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Christmas,gospel,hope,theology,worship
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Worship XII, Day 13
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“Hark” is old school for “Listen up and pay attention!”. What’s interesting to me is that the shepherds on the hills outside Bethlehem needed no such command.

When the sky became a glorious blaze of brilliant light and the choir of multitudes sang from the heavenlies, there was no need to command them to “Hark!”. No distraction waged war against their attention as the skies filled with angelic warriors. Oh, what a sound that must have been!

“Hark” wasn’t meant to describe a clarion call to sleepy shepherds, it was intended to arrest the attention of scurrying souls.
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Worship XII Day 10 Joy To The World: Digging Deeper

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Worship XII Day 10 Joy To The World: Digging Deeper

Shannon Vicker

December 1, 2023

Faith,Galatians,Holy Spirit,Joy,Pain

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Joy To The World!"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Galatians 5:1, 16-23

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:16-23
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What are we free from according to verse 1?

In order to gain a clear understanding of this verse we must look back to what Paul has already written to the Galatians.

Paul addresses who the Galatian believers were before Christ and what they were like compared to who they are now as new creations in Christ. (Galatians 3:27-29, 2 Corinthians 5:17) He then spends time discussing how they were once slaves of the world and their own desires, but are now a child of God heirs through Christ. (Galatians 4:1-11) He then begins chapter 5 reminding them they have been set free!

Because of Jesus, they are free from the slavery of sin. Expositor’s Bible Commentary says, “It is a triumphant assertion of liberty, a ringing summons to its defense.”

Paul desires the Galatians to embrace their freedom from sin and not revert back to the bondage that once held them captive. Instead, they are to put their focused attention on serving the God who provided their incredible freedom.

The Everyday Application

1) What are we free from according to verse 1?

As I read verse 1, I cannot help but think back to what Jesus said to His disciples, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” He then proceeds to illuminate this truth by a cultural example, “A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever.” (John 8:31-36) ​​

The very concept of freedom means there must have been imprisonment or slavery at some point. Scripture teaches that we are all sinners, and you and I are either current slaves to sin or previously imprisoned. (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:16) Only trusting in Jesus for forgiveness and freedom can change our status from slave to son or daughter.

Through the gift of Jesus’ forgiveness, we are each offered freedom from sin and the opportunity to live as a child of God, an heir in His kingdom. (John 1:12) What an incredible gift of freedom Jesus provides if we will only accept it!

The Original Intent

2) What does it mean to “walk by the Spirit” and how is that accomplished? (verses 16-21)

Paul mentions this idea of “walking by the Spirit” in verse 16. To better explain this, Paul explains that to be “led by the spirit” is to not live under the dictatorship of the law (verse 18). Instead, life by the Spirit means walking by the Spirit (verse 25).

Paul is unwrapping a wondrously true reality for the believers in Galatia as he helps them understand that, because of Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are now under the good, kind, loving direction of God Himself, the author of freedom and satisfaction! To further make clear the distinction between a spirit-led life and an enslaved life, Paul provides a list of items considered to be “of the flesh”. (verses 19-21)

These actions are in direct opposition to walking by the Spirit; they indicate slavery and walking in the fleshly lusts of sin. Paul is calling the Galatians to look to the example of Christ to know how to live, and ultimately, allow the Holy Spirit to guide them as they surrender themselves and their desires to the God who knows best.

The Everyday Application

2) What does it mean to “walk by the Spirit” and how is that accomplished? (verses 16-21)

The thought of “walking by the Spirit” seems like a difficult and, even unachievable, task. How can we be like Christ?! Our fleshly desires are sinful and strong! (Romans 7:14-15) After all, you and I are living long after the time when Jesus walked the earth. It’s impossible to “watch” His life.

However, God gives two gifts to ensure our success in walking by the Spirit according to the way of Christ: the Spirit and His Word!

Once we accept Jesus by acknowledging our sin and receiving His forgiveness, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit, whose job is to live inside of us changing our lives to look more like Jesus. (Romans 8:9-11) However, it’s not as simple as saying yes to Jesus and then going about our everyday lives, we must know and follow the voice of the Spirit. In order to understand Him and His direction for each day, we must spend time with God through prayer and meditating on God’s Word.

Practicing the discipline of setting aside time every day allows us to learn His teachings, understand His heart, and “watch” what Jesus is like in order to imitate Him. When we intentionally spend time allowing God’s words to settle in our minds and hearts, we are able to hear what the Spirit is saying to us and frees us to walk in His way.

We cannot fail if we come to Him in surrender, for He has already provided everything we need to follow Him! (2 Peter 1:3) Ultimately, the choice is ours whether or not we desire to listen to the Spirit’s voice and choose to obey. God will never force us; the choice is ours. 

The Original Intent

3) Why is the fruit of the Spirit important? (verses 22-23)

Paul does not simply remind the Galatians of who they were, instruct them to walk in the spirit, and leave them alone to figure it all out. He provided a practical list of what it looks like to walk in the flesh, but then he also provided a practical list of what it looks like to walk in the Spirit.

Paul described nine different qualities that flow naturally, like fruit from a healthy tree, out of the life of one who is regularly “walking in the spirit” and who is living in freedom. These nine attributes are the literal outpouring of Jesus in the life of a believer and cannot be “grown” on our own strength or will-power. These are fruits that can only be birthed from the seed of the Holy Spirit and His work in a true believer.

However, whether we choose to make ourselves available to the Spirit’s work in us, is up to us. As long as we refuse to be intentional in speaking with Him in prayer and soaking in His words from the Bible, we will never grow up to maturity in Jesus.

Explore GT’s Journey Into Fruitful and Journey Into Alive for more on the Spirit’s work in us!

The Everyday Application

3) Why is the fruit of the Spirit important? (verses 22-23)

I have often read through the list Paul provided in Galatians 5:22-23 and felt overwhelmed or discouraged. If I’m honest, some of these attributes are more difficult for me than others, but I’m guessing I’m not alone.

Paul didn’t provide this list so we would work relentlessly to achieve perfection in every attribute every minute of every day. He wasn’t pushing for performance. Instead, he wrote these qualities to describe the life Jesus exhibited throughout His time on earth so we could know Christ and long for the Spirit to cultivate these things in us.

Each of these attributes are fruits the Spirit develops in us as we walk by the spirit each day in surrender. These are the visible proof to an unbelieving world we are different and have been made new! When we surrender to the Spirit, He will faithfully grow this fruit in us, allowing us to be the conduits of Jesus’ love to those around us at home, at work, in our neighborhoods and churches.

We should not be discouraged by the moments we fail, but instead look to the Spirit, return in repentance, and allow Him to work in us and make our weak areas strong. The fruit of the Spirit is important because it proves our identity as God’s true children. His work, and the fruit He offers, calls us to not stay complacent, but continue to be changed as we seek after God each and every day. 

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Christmas,grow,Holy Spirit,joy,worship
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Worship XII, Day 10
Journey Study

Maybe I have put the cart before the horse? Maybe my true joy this Christmas season won’t be found in finally pulling off that award-winning Christmas dinner.

Maybe it won’t come from having the most beautifully decorated house on the block. Maybe my joy isn’t actually meant to be found in doing…

Maybe my joy is a Person.
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Worship XII Day 10 Joy To The World

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Worship XII Day 10 Joy To The World

Rebekah Hargraves

December 1, 2023

Covenant,Creation,Faith,Gospel,Grace,Hope,Joy

Read His Words Before Ours!

Galatians 5 
1 Corinthians 13  
Romans 12:1-2 
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 
Psalm 16:7-11

As I sit here writing these words, Lord, I sense the same old feelings of overwhelm, stress, and anxiety beginning to wash over me again. Every year, it’s the same old story – Christmas is fast approaching, my self-imposed to-do list is quickly lengthening, and I am struggling to catch my breath both spiritually and physically. How am I going to make the magic happen – especially in all the ordinary moments of cleaning up messes, chauffeuring kids around to activities, stringing up Christmas lights, cooking yet another meal, breaking up sibling squabbles, and, oh yeah, also trying to still find the time to prioritize my marriage? 

I wonder, dear reader – have you ever felt this way yourself? Have you ever felt a familiar dread wash over you when the calendar turns from November to December and you think of all the Christmas festivities coming around the corner? We find ourselves coming close to the holiday of giving and receiving, yet, oftentimes, our joy is nowhere to be found. We look for, and expect to find, our joy in decorations, festivities, traditions, and in finding the perfect gift. But once again it happens this year just as it did the last, our expectations for the season grow higher and higher only to crumble under their own weight, and joy is still nowhere to be found.  

One of my favorite Christmas songs speaks to our experience. The songwriter of the popular hymn, “Joy to the World,” rightly teaches us Joy’s source is found first in receiving, not in striving. 

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come! 
Let earth receive her King!”
(Joy to the World)
I ponder these words anew as I think back to how I have been feeling. 

Maybe I have put the cart before the horse? 
Maybe my true joy this Christmas season won’t be found in finally pulling off that award-winning Christmas dinner. 
Maybe it won’t come from having the most beautifully decorated house on the block. 

Maybe my joy isn’t actually meant to be found in doing…
Maybe my joy is a Person. 

You have come, O Lord. Help me to receive You and thereby receive my sought-after joy. Help me to remember joy is actually always available because it is not found in my circumstances, but in You. (Psalm 16:7-11) You have come, and now I receive joy when I receive You… into my life, my heart, my stress, my overwhelm, and into my ordinary everyday moments. 

I begin to realize that unless I humble myself,
coming to Christ aware of my sin and need for a Savior,
joy will always be elusive.

After all, isn’t that the basis of the gospel I claim to believe, the gospel that began with the advent of the Christ child? That I, as John Newton famously said, am a great sinner and that He is a great Savior? 

I continue to ponder as my mind goes to the next line… 
“Let every heart prepare Him room!”

After we receive Christ as our Savior, we then must seek (with the help of the Holy Spirit!) to prepare our hearts. We must willingly partner with Him to cultivate a place of worship in our hearts, a home for Joy. 

If we receive a gift, but never use it, it is meaningless. Apostle and early Church preacher Paul tells us in Galatians 5:1 to walk in the freedom God has gifted to us. He goes on to describe a life marked by walking with the Spirit (verses 16-18) and bearing the fruits of the Spirit, including joy. (verses 22-23)

As we walk and bear fruit by the Spirit, our minds and hearts are prepared to dwell with Joy. As we take our thoughts captive to His truth, our minds are renewed (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5) and our hearts begin to overflow with His love (1 Corinthians 13).  

“No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His
blessings flow
far as the curse is found.”

As I consider the third verse of the hymn, it suddenly hits me: we need to spend far more time walking by the Spirit to prepare our hearts for Him than we do sorrowing and striving over how to pull off the most “magical” holiday. The “magic” of Christmas, if you will, is found in the baby in the manger, not in a “Pinterest-perfect holiday”.  

When we receive and then prepare, the Lord of Joy rules and reigns in our hearts “far as the curse is found.” 

We still live in a fallen world, and when we freely confess our ongoing sin and effects of the curse, nothing is ever able to steal our joy again. 

Instead, we encounter “His truth and grace,” 
“the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love.”

“He has come to make His blessing flow” through today and every day of this holiday season and beyond. Thanks to the Advent of Joy Himself, we are able to experience joy, even in the most ordinary moments.
Praise be to God!

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Christ,Christmas,humility,joy,repent,sinner,worship
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Worship XII, Day 10
Digging Deeper

The thought of “walking by the Spirit” seems like a difficult, and sometimes unachievable, task.

After all, you and I live well after the time Jesus walked the earth.

Once we accept Jesus, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit, whose job is to live inside of us changing our lives to look more like Jesus.

However, it is not as simple as saying yes to Jesus and then going about our everyday lives. In order to know what the Spirit is calling us to do we must spend time with God.
Dig Deeper!

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Prayer is central to our ministry as believers in Jesus as we carry eachother’s burdens and intercede for one another. Our team is honored to share the work of praying alongside you!

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Nov 20 - Dec 8, 2023 - Journey Theme #125

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Worship XII Day 7 It Came Upon A Midnight Clear: Digging Deeper

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Worship XII Day 7 It Came Upon A Midnight Clear: Digging Deeper

Rebecca Adams

November 28, 2023

Anxious,Deliver,Desperate,Fear,Future,Gift,Hope,Jesus,Joy

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Lamentations 3:22-24

22 Because of the Lord’s faithful love
we do not perish,
for his mercies never end.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness!
24 I say, “The Lord is my portion,
Therefore, I will put my hope in Him.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What is the context of these verses?

Lamentations tells the story of Israel’s deepest grief in a format that goes beyond simple words on a page. Its message flows from the deepest, guttural pains of a broken heart surrounded by absolute devastation as told from the heart of Jeremiah, one of the prophets who foretold of Israel’s destruction.

Reading the opening lines of Lamentations 1:1-2 provides a powerful depiction of brokenness, “How she sits alone”,
she “has become like a widow”,
she “has been put to forced labor”,
“she weeps bitterly during the night with tears on her cheeks there is no one to offer her comfort”,
“all her friends have betrayed her”.

Jeremiah penned Lamentations alongside his book of prophecy, which provides the reason behind Jeremiah’s grief. His poetry gave words to the pain ripping through his own heart as well as the agony experienced by his people as they were exiled from their homeland.

Israel was God’s chosen people, set apart to reflect His glory to the world. The Lord had birthed Israel from “Father Abraham” whose wife was barren but who was given a miracle son in her old age, Isaac. Through Isaac, eventually, there came 12 tribes of Israel, and a nation was born.

Despite slavery in Egypt, wandering in the desert for forty years, and countless foes, the Lord protected Israel, grew her into a strong nation, giving her a homeland in Canaan called the Promised Land. All along, the Lord had covenanted with them to be their God and they would be His people. As part of the covenant, they were to live “set apart”, again, to reflect His holiness to the world.

Tragically, Israel forgot God’s great love for them, choosing instead to worship the false gods of the nations around them. Despite decades and decades of warnings through prophets, they turned an ever-deafening ear to their Maker, which earned them horrific destruction, much death, and exile as a people.

The Everyday Application

1) What is the context of these verses?

Just as a lyrical song or even entire composure of instruments alone connects with deep places in us, so does Jeremiah’s pain penned through poetry. Perhaps you’ve seen a sweeping vista or that “picture worth a thousand words” and it hits something in your heart that is indescribable.

Perhaps, as you read Jeremiah’s words of weeping, you’re reminded of a pain that grows heavier and more pronounced in you. The Lord heard Jeremiah’s grief, and His heart broke along with him; so He sits with you in your grief. Whatever it is, He knows and He sees and He’s present with you in it.

God’s called Israel to live radically counter-cultural; their identity was to be altogether “other-worldly”. (1 Corinthians 5:9-10) They were to close their hearts to the pressure of their peers; they were to look nothing like them in their pursuit of being holy as their True King was holy. (Exodus 19:5-6)

But sin’s pull ensnared them. Their love was divided, and eventually won over by sin, which was active rebellion against God.

This fight against the corruption of culture, peers, and sin is exactly the same for us as it was for the nation of Israel in Jeremiah’s day. Jesus’ half-brother, disciple, and New Testament author, James, wrote of this reality, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?” (James 4:4)

Out of His great love for His people, the Lord sent prophets warning Israel to repent of their sin and come Home to Him. Today, His Spirit is at work in the world calling us to put away our sinful lusts and live in holiness for the God who took our punishment upon Himself that we might be rescued from our own destruction. (Titus 3:3-9)

We are called to live in holiness, reflecting God’s good, merciful character to a world around us.

The Original Intent

2) In what ways do we “not perish” and on what does this promise hang? (verse 22-23)

Jeremiah watched death on the streets of Jerusalem as he witnessed God’s righteous judgment descending on his neighbors, his city, and everything familiar to him. Yet, right in the middle of his poem, he wrote, “Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!”

It seems out of place doesn’t it? But Jeremiah knew a truth that Israel would have known also had they listened to his prophetic voice. This was not the end of Israel’s story. In every prophetic book, generous space is given for the Lord’s vow to bring His people Home. Every prophet who spoke of coming judgment and called the people to repent, also spoke of a day when the Lord would restore His people. (Jeremiah 33)

Perspective matters. Jeremiah wasn’t grieving over injustice against Israel. He wasn’t railing at God for committing unfair atrocities as a reckless, raging power-monger. Jeremiah knew the truth; he knew Israel deserved punishment. He had watched firsthand as his fellow citizens worshipped false idols, caved to peer pressure, and mocked the Lord. He knew, too, that he was not innocent either.

When we look at our sin and the just punishment we deserve, we suddenly catch the smallest glimpse of God’s radical mercies that just keep coming every morning and the shafts of His faithful love carrying us along despite our rebellion.

Perspective matters.
True, Jeremiah wept and mourned and grieved; none of us blame him and neither did God. What happened to Israel was tragic. But Jeremiah wept with hope because he knew the character of His God to be redeeming, loving, and merciful. To this truth, he clung with all his might, despite his tears. And one day, in a manger in Bethlehem, God took one more step to bring that redemption to not just Israel, but the whole world for all generations.

The Everyday Application

2) In what ways do we “not perish” and on what does this promise hang? (verse 22-23)

Understanding the context of not only Lamentations, but also the lengthy prophetic book of Jeremiah, we are even more surprised to read these words of extreme hope in the middle of ravaging darkness and despair.

Curiously strange?
Out of place?

Only if you are unaccustomed to a Hope that goes far beyond circumstances and even devastating loss do these words seem impossible, even ludicrous. For the Christ-follower, for the one who knows they have been mercifully saved from an eternal death earned by our sin, Hope in the midst of Horror is exactly what we expect to find. (Romans 6:23)

Israel earned her exile a thousand times over by her rebellion. She broke her covenant with God before it was even ratified at Mt. Sinai with a golden calf they crafted then worshipped as if it had rescued them.

Oh! So have we earned our own rightful death sentence! As we near Christmas, let’s hold truth before our hearts. Because of our sin, yes that lustful thought, those gossipy words, that fierce burst of temper, all of those have rightly earned us separation from all good and merciful kindnesses of the Lord God. Forever.

But because of Christmas, when God entered His creation wrapping His perfect deity in wrinkly newborn skin, we have hope. Hope that is far more than wishful thinking because it knows that tiny babe left the manger, taught us about true holy living that rightly reflects God’s character, then died in our place, so we could be forgiven of every single sin. That’s Hope on display.

Christmas. Easter. Right now. Today. Anchoring hope, in the midst of our mess, our brokenness, our loneliness and loss. Whatever you’re walking through, you have an opportunity to cling to real hope, just as Jeremiah did in the middle of his poem full of grief.

The Original Intent

3) What does Jeremiah mean by declaring, “The LORD is my portion”? (verse 24)

Imagine standing on the street some distance away from your own house, watching it helplessly burn to the ground. Firefighters work to put out the flame, but it’s obvious everything is lost. You gather your children, wrapped in a borrowed blanket, tears mingling with their stunned cries as you take in the tragedy happening right in front of you.

No more family table to dine at, no more closet with clothes or cozy bed to fall asleep in; all gone while you are left home-less on the street.

This was the scene for Jeremiah, except it wasn’t just his house and belongings, it was every home for every resident of an entire nation. A nation displaced. A nation left home-less. Tragic. Unfathomable. Rebuilding was ridiculously impossible. But the slice of the sword’s blade went deeper still for Israel was God’s chosen people and this was her inheritance.

Canaan was the Promised Land. Jerusalem was the city of God. The same God who had spoken through a burning bush to a shame-filled shepherd calling Him to make Yahweh’s name great as He would set His people free from slavery in Egypt. The same God who carried His people through the wilderness for forty years. The same God who destroyed every enemy in Israel’s path as they first took possession of Canaan. The same God who caused Israel to flourish and grow, protecting them from every army. The same God who chose to dwell with His people in the Holy of Holies at the Tabernacle. Now, because of her rebellion over generations of time, Israel would lose her land, her promise, and her position as chosen people. They lost what they thought was their inherited portion.

The Everyday Application

3) What does Jeremiah mean by declaring, “The LORD is my portion”? (verse 24)

As Jeremiah surveyed the losses piling up on all sides, he chose to direct his gaze on the One Source who would not be revoked. Yahweh Himself. When all else was gone, everything demolished, and every loss counted, Yahweh remained. In the ashes of it all, Jeremiah looked to the Lord and declared with every fiber of his being, “The LORD is my portion, therefore, I will put my hope in Him.”

It takes trust to hold onto a truth you don’t feel or see. Trust requires familiarity and intimate knowledge in order to be genuine. Jeremiah trusted the Lord God because He knew Him. He listened to the words of the Lord’s mouth given to him through prophecy. He watched the Lord fulfill exactly what He said and Jeremiah placed every ounce of trust on Yahweh.

When you can survey the ashes, grief, sorrow, loss, and disappointment happening around you, but still say with the ancient prophet, “The LORD is my portion, therefore, I will hope in Him” peace happens, stability is given, and joy bubbles up. Worship begets peace, Sister. Jeremiah knew this and he practiced it, instructing his heart, and Israel’s, to praise the One who held all things even when it seemed all was lost.

The true treasure was never land or a name, it was always Yahweh. Somewhere along the way, Israel had forgotten God was their Portion. I don’t know about you, but especially in the mass chaos of Christmas, I need to remember that truth too. Hopefully, I won’t need to watch my house go up in flames to be reminded of where my true inheritance and portion lie, but if that’s what my heart needs, I sure hope my lips repeat Jeremiah’s words of worship, “The LORD is my portion, therefore, I will hope in Him.”

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Christmas,Desperate,hope,joy,peace,struggle,worship
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Worship XII, Day 6
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On this journey, God always provides precisely what we need and invites us to rest in Him.
- Rest in God because our salvation comes from Him. (Psalm 62:1)
- Rest in God because He alone is our rock, salvation, and stronghold. With God, we are never shaken. (Psalm 62:2)
- Rest in God, for our hope comes from Him. (Psalm 62:5)
- Rest in God because He is our refuge. (Psalm 62:7)
- Rest in God because we can trust Him and pour our hearts out. (Psalm 62:8)
- Rest in God because He is our strength. (Psalm 62:11)
- Rest in God because He is faithful and loves us. (Psalm 62:12)
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Worship XII Day 5 O Holy Night: Digging Deeper

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Worship XII Day 5 O Holy Night: Digging Deeper

Melodye Reeves

November 24, 2023

Adoption,Adoration,Believe,Glory,God,Gospel,Holiness,Holy Spirit,Joy,Worship

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "O Holy Night"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Colossians 3:11-16

11 In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.

14 Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What does it mean to be “in Christ”, the One who “is all and in all? (verse 11)

The believer’s life “in Christ” was a recurring theme in the theology of the apostle Paul. (GotQuestions.org) Due to the original Greek text having no sentence break spanning verses 9-11, “in Christ” is supplied in our English Bibles for clarity.

It was so important to Paul for his mostly-Gentile (non-Jew) audience to understand the universality of the gospel message (Romans 10:11-13), as well as the supremacy of Christ (Colossians 1:17), he uses the word “all” 32 times and speaks of Jesus’ centrality 27 times in this brief epistle. The apostle’s compelling passion flowed from his conviction that God, in Jesus, had come to earth to reconcile all humanity to Himself. (Ephesians 2:4-7) Though Christ’s appearing as a baby was greatly removed from the glory and honor given Him in Colossians 1:15-20, the birth of the infant Jesus to parents of meager means would ultimately provide an eternal reconciliation to God for all who would receive Him.

On that holy night, when the Christ-child was placed in His mother’s arms, it was just the beginning of Mary’s many personal reflections of Who Jesus really was as the God Man. (Luke 1:28-29, Luke 2:16-19, Luke 2:33-35, Luke 2:46-51) Years after Messiah’s appearing, the apostle Paul would come face to face with Jesus in a much more dramatic way than the simplicity surrounding His birth. (Acts 26:12-18)

This encounter would drive him to spend his life declaring the worth of becoming united with an all-sufficient Christ. The best news of Paul’s message was quite radical to those who heard it; none were excluded from the invitation of reconciliation with the God of the universe! (Acts 15:17) Jesus came to receive everyone.

In modern terms, verse 11 marvelously states every Jew or non-Jew, every person who kept the law or not, every foreigner, every free person or slave, every uncivilized and uncultured person that exists has access to Jesus.

The Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to be “in Christ”, the One who “is all and in all? (verse 11)

“Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother, and in His name all oppression shall cease.”

IN HIM, the slave is our brother!
IN HIM, no one has the upper hand or the higher position or the closer connection.
IN CHRIST, everything has become completely and perfectly leveled for all people in all places for all time. Our salvation has brought us together as brothers and sisters in Jesus, and it frees us from bondage of sin that divides us and holds us captive.

The prophet, Isaiah, brought the good news to those who would hear it. (Isaiah 61:1-3) My Sister in Christ, I want you to know we are not enslaved by a label someone has given us.

We are free to love each other with no boundaries. I may have never met you face to face, but if you are in Christ, you are my sister because of Jesus. I also want you to know you won’t be left out when the gifts are distributed.

There is no “bad list” that includes where you’re from or something you’ve done that would deny you access to the good grace of Jesus. In Christ we have been given gifts of wisdom, forgiveness, faith, hope, understanding, endurance, strength, and righteousness. (Colossians 1:3-14) But the best gift of all is Jesus Himself.

We all come to Him from the very same place despite our nationality, our culture, our income level, our appearance, and even our past. In HIM, our sweet Lord Jesus, we have become forever family. Let’s fall on our knees and worship Him!

The Original Intent

2) How does our relationship with Christ change our relationships with others? (verses 12-14)

When Paul was changed by Jesus, he developed a deep kindred connection with believers near and far. Most of the Colossian believers had never met Paul in person, yet in his pleas and prayers, along with the prayers of his companions, we feel his longing and desire to know their friends in Colossae were thriving in Christ. (Colossians 1:3-14, Colossians 1:27-29)

Jesus broke down many barriers among the people in His day. He loved those others dismissed. (Luke 13:10-17) He loved those others ignored. (Mark 10:13-16) He loved those others hated. (Mark 2:14-17) Paul had adopted this kind of attitude from Jesus and extended it toward others, and he wanted all believers to experience this kind of love with each other. (Philippians 1:8-10)

Paul had experienced the grace of God so deeply, he could not keep from extending grace to others. (1 Timothy 1:12-16) Jesus’ life and death were much more than an example for us, but they weren’t less than one. The characteristics in verses 12-14 were personified in Jesus.

Paul encouraged the believers at Philippi to remember Jesus and follow His example in love, fellowship, affection and mercy. He goes on to remind them of Jesus’ humility and sacrifice. He tells them to “adopt the same attitude of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 2:1-11) Ultimately, we are to love others with the kind of love Jesus demonstrated on the cross when He forgave us. (Romans 5:8)

Paul makes sure we understand where the strength lies to live this kind of life. In verse 12 he says “Therefore, since Christ is all and in all, … and since in Christ we’re unified,” we have His power within us to forgive and love like He did!

The Everyday Application

2) How does our relationship with Christ change our relationships with others? (verses 12-14)

“Truly He taught us to love one another.” The Lord of all creation has been showing us the way of love since the first man and woman rebelled against Him and He held out grace, forgiveness, and the Hope of reconciliation.

“It was the first Gospel sermon, preached by God Himself, not in words but in symbol and action. It was a setting forth of the way by which a sinful creature could return unto and approach his holy Creator. . . . It was a blessed illustration of substitution—the innocent dying in the stead of the guilty.” (“Gleanings In Genesis” by Arthur Pink)

My sweet Sister, if Christmas is anything at all it is this: IN CHRIST JESUS, we have been filled with such sacrificial love that we should overflow with love toward others.

Many of the songs we sing during this season reflect that truth. I’ve sung songs that mention how Love has come down at Christmas. Some talk of the miracle of Love that was born. As believers, we embrace one another with the Love we receive from Jesus.

Have you noticed we seem to “see” each other a little more clearly this time of year? Maybe we just have more accessible opportunities to give to those in need. I’m thankful for the many services in our communities providing food and gifts for those we call “less fortunate.” But let’s all remember this: IN Jesus, we are all called to love and serve our brothers and sisters …all year long.

Together, let’s fall on our knees and worship Him and let our lives prove the authenticity of that worship!

The Original Intent

3) How does Christ’s peace “rule” in our hearts? (verse 15)

It’s important to determine what kind of peace Paul is writing about in verse 15. In Colossians 1:19-20, Paul tells the believers God was pleased to reconcile them to Himself. The Greek word used in verse 20 is apokatallassō, meaning “the act of restoring a relationship to harmony”. (blueletterbible)

The purpose of Christ’s death was to bring all created things into a harmonious relationship with God. Jesus established a relationship of peace between God and His world through His sacrificial death on our behalf. Paul reiterates this in Ephesians 2:14-18 as he speaks of peace and reconciliation to God and with each other.

Although not completely different, the peace Jesus speaks of in John 14:27 is a residing peace within us personally, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.” This is a peace that characterizes Christ Himself and is kindly imparted to His people.

Returning to our phrase in its context, it seems Paul isn’t referencing a specific kind of individual peace, rather we should exhibit peace with each other since we are in Christ together. We notice this is likely the case as he is encouraging them “in one body,” meaning the church. (Colossians 1:18)

The meaning of the word “rule” conveys the responsibility of an umpire in an athletic game to render decisions about the plays, penalties, and scoring, with his final declaration of the winner. (preceptaustin.org) Paul is calling on the believers to conduct themselves in relation to one another in ways that will most effectively sustain the “peace of Christ”.

Paul repeats it in his letter to the Ephesians. (Ephesians 4:1-6) As we allow the peace of Christ to “rule” in our hearts, wisdom’s peace then directs our hearts toward humility, love and unity. (James 3:13-18)

The Everyday Application

3) How does Christ’s peace “rule” in our hearts? (verse 15)

“His law is love and His gospel is peace.” Without Jesus, we are all in the same situation, living without hope or life. It is Christ who brings us peace with God and peace with one another! (Ephesians 2:12-14)

In 1847, when Placide Cappeau wrote these lyrics, he offered an invitation to us to step into the Christmas story. Friend, I hope you feel the glorious weightiness of what Jesus did entering humanity WITH us. Love for one another and peace with another is ours in Christ. Jesus said the whole law can be summed up in one word: Love. (Galatians 5:13-14)

Jesus’ call to freedom, peace, and love reflects His mission. Jesus invites us to join Him in His mission of rescue and restoration. Just as the law of love supersedes all the rest, the peace of Christ rules our every thought, word and action. The gospel of Jesus brings love and unity to those who receive it.

During this season, we will likely experience everything from normal brokenness in humanity to encounters with irritating people and provoking circumstances. We will experience disappointments and emotions common to all image bearers of God. But in Christ, we can learn to steward our negative reactions and learn to respond as redemptively as possible.

Maybe someone in your circle needs you to “overlook an offense” this year (Proverbs 19:11), or embrace them with unexpected acceptance. This doesn’t mean we ignore deep conflict or sweep it under the rug, but it’s possible there’s someone in your life who needs extra grace this year.

And you have it to give. Do it! And let’s all fall on our knees and worship Him.

The Original Intent

4) In what ways are we to “admonish” one another during this season in which we celebrate the coming of Christ? (verse 16)

The Greek word translated “admonishing” (noutheteō) means “to give counsel about … a course of conduct.” Paul uses the same word in verse 16 as he does in chapter 1, “We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” (Colossians 1:28)

Our admonishments to one another aren’t meant to stir angry or opposing feelings in others, though that may occur. The goal is worship! Paul says in verse 16 we are to let the word of Christ in us be used to admonish each other to sing songs. Not everyone will be gifted by the Spirit to be a public teacher of God’s word, but all can engage in the work of teaching by confessing the Word to one another through “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.”

In Ephesians 5:17-19, the CSB (Christian Standard Version) uses the word “speaking” to communicate the same idea. It seems the apostle is instructing the believers to confess the Word of God to one another, even in their songs. The “word of Christ” likely refers to ALL biblical revelation concerning Jesus, meaning the gospel. (Colossians 1:3-6) Continuing his theme of community, Paul wants them to learn God’s revealed Word so they can corporately instruct one another about Him from their hearts.

Based on Colossians 1:15-20, Paul’s life embodied his instruction. Is this passage a hymn? Is it a poem? Is it a confession? YES! Paul could not contain his deep affection and appreciation for Jesus, his Creator and Savior. He confessed Him in his songs, in his preaching, and his living. It was this confession that led him to live a life of thankfulness. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

The Everyday Application

4) In what ways are we to “admonish” one another during this season in which we celebrate the coming of Christ? (verse 16)

“Sweet hymns of joy, in grateful chorus raise we, let all within us praise His holy name.” Let all that is within us praise HIM. Self-centered admonishing is never the will of the Lord. We are to encourage others in a way that assists them to look and see God’s glory.

To do this involves prayer, love, and patience as we lead others to an awareness of who God is and what He’s done for us. As we do this, we are teaching each other to confess everyday thankfulness. Our songs can be a vehicle for declaring the gospel, which is the good news of Jesus.

This is the season of JOY. Not the “falalalala” kind of jolly, but the wonder of Emmanuel for God in the flesh has come to us. We can gather together and sing our praises to God and confess our joy to one another.

Sisters, I admonish you to sing for joy this season. Together in Christ, let’s allow the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts and cause us to be thankful people. Let’s allow the word of Christ to dwell among us and cause us to be thankful people.

But mostly, let’s fall on our knees and hear the angel voices. Oh night divine when Christ was born!

“But the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord!” (Luke 2:10-11)

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Thank You for coming to bring hope and healing! Lord Jesus, You proclaim liberty, You replace ashes with beauty and despair with joy. (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Because of what You did, we can experience true freedom from sin and shame, freedom only You can give. Empower us as we seek to help others grasp and experience this wonderful truth.

Help us never lose our sense of wonder as we consider all You have done.

“Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, Let all within us praise His holy name.”
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Known Day 6 El Chuwl

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Known Day 6 El Chuwl

Sara Cissell

July 17, 2023

Alive,Daughter,Family,God,Good,Joy

Read His Words Before Ours!

Jonah 3:1-4:11
Psalm 139:13-18
Romans 12:1-2

El Chuwl
The God who gave you birth. 

I love how the Lord moves and orchestrates all the elements of my life, including this Journey Study. Before I truly quieted my heart to listen for the Lord’s direction, I had multiple ideas for where this study may have gone and I guarantee Jonah’s story (an ordinary Hebrew man, commissioned by God to deliver a call to repentance to one of Israel’s fiercest enemies) was not one of them.

Yet within Jonah’s story, I found the Lord’s heart beating for His creation. 

More often than not, I have read the book of Jonah primarily from Jonah’s perspective and considered how it related to my life. However, as I pondered El Chuwl, I saw the four chapters in a new light. 

All genuine Christ-followers have two births: our physical one and our spiritual one. Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, a religious leader whose curiosity was sparked by Jesus’ stunning teaching and ministry (John 3), is a great place to begin to comprehend just what the Lord means by being twice birthed.

Our physical births are denoted by our birthdays. Each year, we mark the time we have spent on earth, and declare ourselves another year older. Even before our physical births, the Lord knew us in the womb. Psalm 139 says He knit us together; His involvement in our physical births was deeply intricate and intimate. 

Scripture is clear that His involvement in our spiritual births is equally intricate and intimate. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” (John 6:44) “For He (Father) chose us in Him (Christ), before the foundation of the world…” (Ephesians 1:4) Our spiritual births take place when we ask the Lord to be our Savior, to forgive our sins, and we surrender control of our hearts to Him. (1 John 1:9) We are born into His family and now have eternity with Him as our secured future. 

I had my spiritual birth when I was a pretty young child, so I don’t fully remember all the elements occurring in my life at the time. However, I do remember my older brother starting his life with the Lord two weeks before I made my decision. I watched him over those two weeks to determine if I wanted to make the same choice. Thankfully, I did, and I have a vivid memory of the moment I prayed to the Lord. 

For those of you who became a Christian later in life, what was your story? 
Can you look back over your life and see the fingerprints of God leading you towards Him? 

The Lord is an involved Father and He watches over His children and His children-to-be.

This leads us back to Jonah. 

After literally running away from the Lord (Jonah 1) and spending time in the belly of a great fish rethinking his choices (Jonah 2), Jonah finally obeyed the Lord and went to Nineveh, where he obediently declared the coming destruction from the Lord. (Jonah 3) When the Ninevites actually repented, Jonah grew angry at the Lord’s mercy for a wildly undeserving people. The Lord’s response in chapter 4 stopped me in my tracks and spoke directly to my heart. 

The Lord is intensely for us; if you’re breathing, His heart is to draw you near. Jonah was ready to watch the city of Nineveh and all of its inhabitants burn, but the Lord saw His creation. When the people of Nineveh repented, the Lord’s righteous anger turned to sovereign grace. 

For some in Nineveh, that may have been the moment of their spiritual birth; only the Lord truly knows. Regardless, the Lord proved His faithfulness to everyone who had experienced a physical birth in Nineveh by sending Jonah to get their attention and challenge them to change their ways. 

The Lord’s character is consistent, and I know He has not changed throughout the years since Jonah walked the earth. (Hebrews 13:8) His heart is still for His creation, and He still longs for us to walk with Him. He is the God of Life who gives us both of our births.

So how do we respond? 

I think Romans 12:1-2 lays out a plan of action quite well: offering ourselves to the Lord and renewing our minds moves us closer to walking with Him. 

I imagine a toddler reaching up for her father, asking him to pick her up. She may even use the innocent phrase, “hold you.” 

This faith like a child rises up within me as I comprehend just a hint of the Lord’s heart for the Ninevites, which brings the realization of the Lord’s intense love for me too. 

So Lord, I turn to You. Thank You for being the God who gave me both my births. Thank You for loving me and leading me each day since. I surrender my will and life again to You today. Transform me and renew my mind. I turn my eyes to You and raise my arms. Hold me, Abba!

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Digging Deeper

When we focus on God as the Master Craftsman, it is easier for us to appreciate that we are His marvelous workmanship (Ephesians 2:10).

Tara Sun asserts that “when we stand in proper view of the reality of our Savior, we can stand in thankfulness and contentment for how we were created. Bumps, dimples, curves, saggy skin and all.”

Thank You, Lord, for hand-crafting each one of us into a unique masterpiece!
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Sketched XI Day 4 Feast In The Famine: Digging Deeper

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Sketched XI Day 4 Feast In The Famine: Digging Deeper

Carol Graft

June 22, 2023

Joy,Peace,Provider,Rest,Shepherd,Sketched

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Feast In The Famine"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

John 6:24-35

24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

26 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.” 28 “What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.

29 Jesus replied, “This is the work of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.” 30 “What sign, then, are you going to do so that we may see and believe you?” they asked. “What are you going to perform? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”

32 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you; Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”34 Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What is the context of this conversation? (John 6:1-23)

Studying context can be as simple as reading the chapter before and after or can be as in-depth as reading the whole book in a single sitting for a solid overview of purpose, theme, and insight. Studying Scripture will always be worth it for it accomplishes God’s purposes every time it’s read. (Isaiah 55:11)

This discussion follows two significant miracles. One involved the disciples (John 6:16-21) and one also included numerous followers (John 6:1-14). John highlights these and 4 other miracles to emphasize the overall point of his gospel, Jesus is God! John uniquely recorded only those miracles that could not be replicated by magicians or soothsayers of that time. Also unique, John provided the “I Am” statements of Jesus that clearly tie Him to the God of the Old Testament as One and the Same, proving He was God incarnate.

John wrote to Jews and Gentiles of Jesus’ deity while Matthew wrote to Jews who had converted to Christianity. Mark wrote for the Gentiles who knew nothing of Jewish culture. Luke meticulously demonstrated how God’s love is intended for both Jew and Gentile.

This conversation about bread follows on the heels of Jesus feeding the 5,000, so we can imagine sitting with the crowd, being miraculously fed and astounded by Jesus.

The Everyday Application

1) What is the context of this conversation? (John 6:1-23)

While all of God’s Word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12)  and we can glean much from regularly reading its entirety, the Gospel of John is a wonderful place to begin if you are new to reading the Bible. John shows us throughout his eyewitness account that Jesus is indeed God incarnate. Consider taking a deeper dive and looking up the cross references for Jesus’ “I AM” statements and see what you discover about His divinity! (Hint: Cross-references are provided in many Bibles, they are the tiny-print references to other passages that relate to a verse or words in a verse. They are usually denoted with lowercase alphabet letters.)

In this passage, Jesus tells His disciples that He is the fullness of their satisfaction. There is no want or desire that will satisfy us better than Him, no matter how hungry we become. Jesus’ message of delightfull satisfaction for the crowd and disciples is just as relevant to us today.

Whether you’ve given your whole life to Jesus by repenting from your sin and making Him your Savior, or whether you have only used His name as a cuss word, or anywhere in between, His truth stands as unchanging as His invitation, “No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again.” (verse 35)

All we need to do is come hungry to the One who satisfies in full!

The Original Intent

2) Why was the crowd arguing about Moses, Manna, and Jesus? (verses 26-31)

Some Jews from the crowd (verse 24) became offended when Jesus pinpointed the real reason they were looking for Him after the feeding of the 5,000. (verse 26) Further, they likely didn’t enjoy His prodding that undercut their self-reliant religious system, “Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal of approval on Him.” (verse 27)

They didn’t enjoy the clear insinuation from Jesus that they were working hard for perishable food that wouldn’t last for eternity by doing good works and abiding by Moses’ Law. When they asked Jesus what works they could do to get the “food” that would last for eternity and carry the favor of God’s approval seal, Jesus’ reply pointedly told them they couldn’t do anything. God was the One who did the work that would last, and this lasting work was available freely to them if they would only believe in the One God had sent who stood right in front of their eyes as Jesus, God incarnate!

Highly offended by now because, like all good Jews, they rested the hope of their salvation on exactly that, being good Jews by their work. Frustrated, they pitted Jesus against Moses by saying Moses’ miracle of Bread from Heaven was superior. (Exodus 16:31) From their vantage point, Jesus simply multiplied existing food whereas Moses made manna fall from the sky. (John 6:29-31) Because it was Passover (John 6:4) Jews were freshly hearing Exodus passages in their synagogues. They expected more from the “Promised Messiah” and weren’t convinced Jesus was the Great I Am who led Israel through the Red Sea and Wilderness.

Just believe in Jesus and God’s seal of approval would be upon them because they had trusted in Jesus who provided the only “food” that would last for eternity? Impossible!

The Everyday Application

2) Why was the crowd arguing about Moses, Manna, and Jesus? (verses 26-31)

We all hunger and thirst both physically and spiritually. Jesus is the “better Moses” because He Himself is the Bread of Life. Had the crowd looked past their full bellies to see the God who stood before them wrapped in flesh, they would have worshiped Him instead of becoming distracted by arguments over physical bread and self-righteousness.

In the same way, we can also be distracted by the things we can experience with our senses and forget about the spiritual realm. When we do, we become tempted to sin, which will always trap us. Yes, even as committed Christ-followers, we fall prey to temptation; none of us are immune to the distracting allure of sin. 

Our antidote is found by leaning into the Word of God and the Word made Flesh, Jesus, who was offered for us by God’s design as a payment in full for our sin. Jesus did all the work for us by living a perfect life needed to please God. Just like the ancient Jews, we can’t do anything to earn God’s favor.

When we repent of our sin and “come hungry” to Him, we find He is indeed bread for our soul; He provides true nourishment. The more we come to Him for satisfaction, the less we hunger for the things of this world as we practice feasting on the Bread of Life.

We may scoff at those who begged for more signs that Jesus is God or who grew offended at Jesus for pointing out how their self-rescue attempts would fail, but we are more alike than different.

Many seek a rescue and Eternal Hope, but they don’t see the True Rescuer standing before them. If you are hungering after something, whether in this world or beyond, my sister, I urge you to run to the Father who gave His Son as a ransom for you. (Mark 10:45) Run to Jesus. His word is life!

The Original Intent

3) What is the difference between manna and the bread of life? (verse 33)

Manna is mentioned in Exodus 16 when the Israelites were grumbling and hungry in the wilderness after their rescue from slavery in Egypt. Who was the Rescuer? The “I AM” God who spoke with Moses from a burning bush. (Exodus 3:14)

Moses interceded to God on behalf of the grumbling, hungry people and in the morning, there were flakes like dew on the ground. These flakes were “manna” given by God who gives good gifts to His people (Matthew 7:11) and who knows what they need before they even ask (Matthew 6:8).

The Israelites were given specific amounts to gather daily, and manna appeared every morning. If someone collected extra because they didn’t trust God to provide it again, the manna would rot by morning. However, the day before Sabbath, they were instructed to collect extra; that manna did not rot. The “I AM” God provided perfectly, doing the work of providing on their behalf. All they needed to do was trust Him.

The Jews were offended and bothered by Jesus who was the “Better Moses” because they failed to see the purpose of both Moses and the manna. Both were meant to point forward to the day when the true Bread of Life, Jesus, would be provided and readily available to all who trusted Him.

The same God who provided flakes of food in the wilderness, sent Jesus as God in the flesh, to provide the perfect atonement necessary for our salvation. It was never about Moses, and always about God. (verse 32) The same God who stood before the Jews calling Himself the Bread of Life and extending an invitation to all to come and be satisfied.

““I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again.” (verse 35)

The Everyday Application

3) What is the difference between manna and the bread of life? (verse 33)

The first Jews who wandered the desert, grumbling and complaining about their hunger, were satisfied and provided for in full every single morning of their forty years in the wilderness. Thousands of years later, the Jews were still fixated on the gift of manna and the fulfillment of their physical desires instead of worshiping the Giver who abundantly satisfies all desires!

Jesus reminds the grumbling crowd that manna only fulfilled the temporary need of daily hunger with a temporary solution.

The “bread” we eat fills a temporary hole, and we ravenously stuff the empty spaces of our lives with every lust imaginable. Physical food, fitness, social media, careers, children, friendships, and all manner of lusting idols. These “temporary foods” will always let us down, leaving us just as empty and even more disappointed than we were before. What we need is to feast daily on the Bread of Life. Jesus, the true Bread, fills every single empty space if we surrender them. The best part? His filling lasts!

We don’t realize we are actually hungry for the provision only God can provide, but we look to the world to fulfill our longings. When we look to God to fulfill our needs, we will never experience lack!

If you are hungry, if you are thirsty for more than what you are finding in your corner of the world, turn to Jesus. Repent of your sins, confess them openly to Him and allow Christ to fill you to overflowing with His living water. Worship the Giver for the Gift of Himself, the “I AM” God who fills you with the Bread of Life!

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Sketched XI Day 3
Journey Study

A culture of rebellion against Yahweh was all I had ever known, growing up in Tishbe in the northern kingdom of Israel, and yet I had come to believe that Yahweh is God and that, despite the seeming chaos all around, Yahweh is Sovereign.

Ahab was the worst in a series of wicked kings, leading the people in worship to Baal, but I knew Yahweh was the true King.
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Sketched XI Day 2 One Light?: Digging Deeper

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Sketched XI Day 2 One Light?: Digging Deeper

Melodye Reeves

June 20, 2023

Adoring,Affectionate,Dwell,Joy,Know,Praise,Prayer

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "One Light?"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 16

A Miktam of David
1 Protect me, God, for I take refuge in you.
2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good besides you.”
3 As for the holy people who are in the land, they are the noble ones. All my delight is in them.
4 The sorrows of those who take another god for themselves will multiply; I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood, and I will not speak their names with my lips.
5 Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing; you hold my future.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7 I will bless the Lord who counsels me— even at night when my thoughts trouble me.
8 I always let the Lord guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices; my body also rests securely.
10 For you will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.
11 You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) Against whom or what is David asking God for protection? (verse 1)

David. That shepherd boy turned king. His name and story were a significant part of Israel’s religious and political history long after his reign. Bri’s Journey Study yesterday sketched him well as “… a king whose sinful humanity was undeniable, but who remained a man after God’s own heart, worshiping God alone.” It is he who penned this psalm.

Commentators are unsure of the original meaning of the psalm’s Hebrew title, “A Miktam of David.” So, without certainty of its title’s meaning, we read it and learn it is a prayer-like reflection of David. It centers on what he had come to know about his God and how this knowledge had so often brought him comfort. Verse 1 is a prayer for protection from an unidentified distress. Though it may leave us curious, it appears this psalm is more of a general prayer rather than a request regarding a specific situation or person. Herein lies its beauty.

David’s plea for protection is not about his circumstances. It is about his God! David’s confidence in God’s character isn’t conditional. The Lord is his refuge. Always. Although he is not identified, the writer of Psalm 91 repeats this sentiment. The psalmists saw refuge, not so much in a place but in a Person.

“The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say concerning the Lord, who is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2, emphasis mine) It doesn’t appear David was looking to God for protection from anyone or anything particular. Rather, He was requesting God Himself to be near, which is a reflection of his personal desire to abide (dwell) in God’s presence.

Just as Moses desired. (Psalm 90:1-4)
Just as Elijah desired. (1 Kings 19:11-13)

The Everyday Application

1) Against whom or what is David asking God for protection? (verse 1)

What a joy to remind myself and you, my Friend, that God is so present. It’s who He IS and who He has always been.

It’s the reason we can cry out to Him right along with David as if no time has transpired in these thousands of years. Emmanuel: God with us. (Isaiah 7:14) This is our confidence.

We are not facing a crisis too big. We are not too broken to approach Him with our request for His nearness. Jesus is our place of refuge. (Matthew 11:28-30)

There is no right or wrong time to plead with Him to receive us in our weariness or woundedness. When we cry out to Him, it isn’t necessary to define the who or the what in our prayers.

All we must know is this: The Lord will always be who and what we need most. It will never ever be about the circumstances behind our need. It will only and always be about the One to whom we go.

HE IS our hiding place, our song in the night, our deliverance.

Listen in to Selah’s “You Are My Hiding Place”!

The Original Intent

2) What is the importance of the declaration David made to the Lord? (verse 2)

In verse 2 David reminds himself of what he knows about the Lord and has confessed previously. In the Hebrew text, two different words are used for “Lord”. He repeats what he knows: The LORD (Yahweh, Exodus 3:11-15) is his Lord (Adonai, Blue Letter Bible) and is the only truly good thing in his life (Mark 14:60-62).

David has already declared Yahweh as his master. He is now rehearsing his very own declaration of dependence. He had pre-determined that amid his troubles he would speak the truth to himself about His God. It was a practice he observed throughout most of his life.

David does not underestimate the value of speaking to his own soul. Other psalm writers did the same by preaching songs to their souls. The sons of Korah were leaders of music in the tabernacle during the time of David’s reign.

Their prayers of reflection offer more insight into the relationship the Old Testament writers and singers had with God, their God. (Psalm 42:4-8) The musician Asaph led the people to sing, “Who do I have in heaven but you?” (Psalm 73:21-26)

The importance of this declaration is seen in David’s posture toward Yahweh. I have nothing good besides You. God was all the world to David. This didn’t mean David wasn’t aware of, or thankful for, his many other blessings. He had simply come to know God as incomparably greater than all other things in his life.

His LORD was the all-sufficient, all-satisfying joy, truth, and purpose of David’s life. (2 Samuel 7:18-24)

The Everyday Application

2) What is the importance of the declaration David made to the Lord? (verse 2)

Oh, my Sister, this declaration of David is ours too! His confession exalts the Creator God as the only God while acknowledging a personal connection to Him. It was David’s regular practice to consider the Lord as his personal source of peace and strength.

Many of us may have one of his well-known psalms memorized, “The LORD is my Shepherd. I have everything I need.” (Psalm 23)  David knew the Good Shepherd was his only truly good thing. His very best thing!

Jonathan Edwards said, “God is the highest good of the reasonable creature. The enjoyment of Him is our proper happiness, and is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied.

To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here: better than fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of any or all earthly friends.

These are but shadows; but God is the substance.
These are but scattered beams; but God is the sun.
These are but streams; but God is the fountain.
These are but drops; but God is the ocean.” (The Works of Jonathan Edwards, 17:437–38)

There is nothing more important in our lives than to practice dwelling in the presence of God by rehearsing who He constantly is.

The Original Intent

3) What necessary comparison is David making in verses 3-6?

David delighted to consider others who also shared in thirsting after God in the same way as himself. Again, we see the evidence of David’s confidence in the Lord as he chose to keep company with these.

In contrast to sincere worshippers, David pondered the false worship of the pagans to their idols. These traded worship of the true God for what they believed they would gain from following other gods. Sadly, they only received multiplied sorrows. David found their godlessness and despicable habits so distasteful he refused to mention their names. (verse 4)

Unlike them, Yahweh was David’s “portion”. He was ascribing to God the reward of a valued inheritance passed down to him by his family. His God was like a choice wine in a cup that brings great joy and pleasure to the one who drinks it. (verse 5 Isaiah 25:1-10)

He also recognized God as the One who supported him in his “lot in life”. (Proverbs 21:1) The life ordained for David was pleasant in as much as God was in it. The lines marking the boundaries of David’s inheritance had turned out to be good lines, offering him joy and pleasure because of Yahweh. (verse 6)

He viewed his inheritance as lovely, and he was pleasantly content with God who had provided so generously. These images of land and food communicate David’s feelings of peace, prosperity, and safety which were all grounded in his personal relationship with God.

The Everyday Application

3) What necessary comparison is David making in verses 3-6?

Psalm 2 is filled with the promises of inheritance made to David at his coronation. The blessing for us is that the promise is made to all of the children of God because of Jesus. (Acts 2:29-36)

David delighted in being in the presence of those who, like him, were set apart to be in communion with God. It’s good to remember the fellowship we have in the family of God as believers together following Jesus.

Elijah felt alone. Oh, but he wasn’t! The New Testament says sorrow isn’t limited to the unbeliever. The difference is our sorrow is temporary, and future glory is for all the saints! (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

We have a united hope that refreshes our souls amid whatever we face that brings us pain right now. The reason we rehearse the blessings of God is because it reminds us of our future inheritance.

The apostle Peter included David’s words from Psalm 34 to remind the believers to let their sure and certain hope be the bold testimony to those who are looking for a real, lasting kind of hope. (1 Peter 3:8-15)

Friend, it is a testimony to our God’s good sovereignty when our lives are filled with hope instead of despair or dread. It points to His glorious promise which WILL BE fulfilled because He is a promise-keeping God!

It may look like “the bad guys” or “the wrong side” is winning, but the enemy’s doom is sure. We have a never-failing bulwark WHO is the LORD of all creation. What is true about God is always true. His kingdom and rule are forever.

(Listen to “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God by Martin Luther sung by Matt Boswell)

Praise His name with me, my Friend, as we rejoice that our “boundary lines have fallen for us in pleasant places; indeed, we have a beautiful inheritance”! (2 Peter 1:5-11)

The Original Intent

4) David’s confidence does not come from his circumstances. How does his perspective shape his outlook? (verses 7-11)

David proclaims his trust in God even as he is praying, “I will bless… even at night.” (verse 7) He has purposed to put his confidence in his God whatever day or night brings. He is aware that negative thoughts may tempt him to despair, so he makes a commitment to preach to himself.

David makes a bold claim in verse 8 as he says he “always” lets the Lord guide him and “will not” be shaken. Other translations say he “constantly” or “continually” trusted the Lord. (biblehub.com) Attentive Bible students know David better than to think he was bragging about his ideal faith; he wrote too many psalms admitting his weakness, his doubt, and his fear to read a spirit of vanity into this psalm.

Based on prior knowledge of David’s struggles, he was not attempting to communicate that he had attained perfect trust in God. (Psalm 56:3) He was spotlighting God’s character! God had never failed to be a God he could trust. David rejoiced greatly and rested securely because of who God is!

This was the reminder to himself, “For You will not abandon me to Sheol; You will not allow Your faithful one to see decay. You reveal the path of life to me in Your presence is abundant joy; at Your right hand are eternal pleasures.” (verses 9-10) 

 When faced with difficult circumstances, Elijah began to tell himself all the wrong things. (1 Kings 19:10)

Thinking on God’s character brought David the perspective he needed to face the potential struggles to come.

The Everyday Application

4) David’s confidence does not come from his circumstances. How does his perspective shape his outlook? (verses 7-11)

Can you hear David’s heart, sweet Sister? I really can. Maybe it’s because I’m going through a season of heartache right now in which I simply need to know a few things for certain, beyond my circumstances.

This is David’s confidence; He was persuaded that his God was holding him fast forever. This is our confidence, as well. Paul reminded Timothy to keep this truth in mind as he suffered, or when he heard of Paul’s suffering. (2 Timothy 1:9-12)

We may wonder and doubt and even have moments of fear. Neither Elijah nor David were strangers to all of these feelings. But we must continue to preach to our souls the truth of who God is. On every page of our story as believers is the watermark of His goodness and love.

It isn’t about our circumstances. It’s about our God!!

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God;
born of his Spirit, washed in His blood.

Perfect communion, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight.
Angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blessed.
Watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

This is MY story,
this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
This is MY story,
this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

(Listen to the Getty version of this classic hymn!)

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Sketched XI Day 1
Journey Study

Despair settled over me like a too-heavy yoke.

I’d secured my sandals, slung a pack of provisions over one shoulder, and caught up my walking staff. Then, with hand on door, I froze, unable to push through the dread into the sunlight outside.

I can’t do this, my mind protested. I’m only one man.

Go, the small voice whispered.

Groaning, I straightened my shoulders and set out to Samaria.
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June 19 - July 7, 2023 - Journey Theme #120

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Mission Day 15 Mission Accomplished: Digging Deeper

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Mission Day 15 Mission Accomplished: Digging Deeper

Patty Scott

May 26, 2023

Alive,Faith,Glory,Joy,Welcome,Worship

Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

This DD Connects With "Mission Accomplished"
Why Dig Deeper?

Read His Words Before Ours!

Revelation 19:1-9

After this I heard something like the loud voice of a vast multitude in heaven, saying, Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God, 2 because his judgments are true and righteous, because he has judged the notorious prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality; and he has avenged the blood of his servants that was on her hands.

3 A second time they said, Hallelujah! Her smoke ascends forever and ever! 4 Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who is seated on the throne, saying, Amen! Hallelujah!

5 A voice came from the throne, saying, Praise our God, all his servants, and the ones who fear him, both small and great!

6 Then I heard something like the voice of a vast multitude, like the sound of cascading waters, and like the rumbling of loud thunder, saying, Hallelujah, because our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns!

7 Let us be glad, rejoice, and give him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has prepared herself. 8 She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure. For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.

9 Then he said to me, “Write: Blessed are those invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These words of God are true.”
Read More Of His Words

The Original Intent

1) What does this passage tell us about the end of time? (verses 1-9)

At the end of time, God will destroy sin and the source of sin. In verse 2, God judges the “notorious prostitute” referencing the actual city of Babylon. More deeply, however, the Lord God is judging the symbol of what Babylon stands for within the broader scope of Scripture. Babylon represents the highest symbol for immorality and the chief seat of idolatry. (Got Questions)

The word used for prostitute in the Greek is porne, signifying “a prostitute, a harlot, one who yields herself to defilement for the sake of gain.” (Studylight.org) In conveying judgment over Babylon, God proclaims judgment over all idolatry, meaning all things that counter the right rule and reign of the Lord God.

All manner of worship of anything or anyone that does not worship the One True God will be eliminated until all that remains is a harmonious and cooperative worship of His goodness and power and salvation in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)

Following this true and righteous judgment, there will be a wedding feast to celebrate the final victory of the consummation between the Bride (the Church made up of genuine believers in Jesus) and Christ. (Revelation 21:12-17)

The Everyday Application

1) What does this passage tell us about the end of time? (verses 1-9)

From God’s preserved words in Revelation 21:4, we know important details about the end of linear time on earth when all tears will be wiped away. Sin, and the source of sin, will be eliminated once and for all. We can’t fathom what this will be like while we live so entangled by the fleshly desires of sin that battle to overtake us. (Hebrews 12:1, Galatians 5:17)

To ask a fish to imagine a non-aqueous life would be beyond comprehension; we are that fish living in a world of sin. To ask us to imagine a life free from sin, both ours and the sin around us, in others and the world, is unfathomable.

Regardless of our ability to comprehend the magnitude of this existence, we surely will experience freedom we have never imagined. There will be joy, abounding love, pervasive peace, and a complete absence of all things rooted in the broken emptiness of sin. No longer will we harbor fear, act selfishly, or endure the hardship that comes from oppression or addiction. We will, at last, be unhindered.

True to His faithful Word and character, Jesus will complete everything He has promised. The “end of the age” is earmarked for complete restoration and full redemption. Those of us who have chosen to accept God’s invitation to join Him in sweet relationship will be fully with Him face to face while also enjoying the perfect, unified joy of relationship with one another as believers in Jesus. No sin will encumber us; death and suffering will simply cease to exist, forever swallowed up by life! (2 Corinthians 5:4)

This knowledge of what is to come and will last forever is what made Paul unable to say whether it is better to live or die. (Philippians 1:21-24) This confident knowing allowed Paul and James to encourage us to persevere in suffering because we recognize troubles are truly light and momentary when held against the backdrop of the beautiful, promising reality of eternity with Jesus. (James 1:2-4; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

The Original Intent

2) What is the appropriate response to God’s just actions? (verses 1-9)

This passage is filled with images of complete, unadulterated worship in spirit and truth. Nothing detracts the worshippers from the object of their delighted adoration, The Lord God.

The people worship with their whole bodies, falling down as their mouths can’t help but proclaim, “Hallelujah!” as they join together with angels, elders, four living creatures, and the whole Body of Christ. Together, with one united voice that sounds like rushing waters with a thunderous roar, they worship the Only One Worthy of Worship. (verse 6)

Every praise, and cry of faith when we cannot see, we have given to the Lord God in our time on earth points forward to this eternal refrain of victorious “Hallelujah!”.

Our response to the culmination of God’s promises is deep, unified worship alongside every other believer in heaven and on earth. Unfathomable!

The Everyday Application

2) What is the appropriate response to God’s just actions? (verses 1-9)

One glorious day, all true believers will worship with our bodies and voices in response to the flawless beauty of God Almighty. (Revelation 4:8) Until then, we are still called to worship the Lord with our whole lives.

Romans 12:1-2 describes the call on Christ-followers to give themselves, together with each other, as a unified “living sacrifice”, which is our “true worship”.  This happens practically as we pattern our everyday lifestyles in a manner reflecting genuine heart-worship. As we wait for Jesus to fulfill all His promises, we worship Him with hope, assured of the Life that is certain to come; we worship in faith, looking with eyes that see what is yet unseen. (Hebrews 11:1)

When the end of time has come and we are united with Him and other believers, free from all sin, we will worship in pure spirit and sheer love. Nothing will hold us back from giving God all glory He deserves for Who He is and what He has accomplished for us. We will delight in Him as a bride delights in her beloved husband and He will receive us as a husband delighting in His Bride whom He has desired and given everything for.

Knowing this deep love of God and the future that awaits us, results in worship even now. We don’t wait for the end to worship the Timeless God, even though we, along with all creation, groan inwardly for the end of suffering and Jesus’ soon return. (Romans 8:22-25, Revelation 22:20) We can choose worship now. Our hosannas, “God save us,” become our hallelujahs “Praise the Lord!” when we worship in faith with our eyes set firmly on the “yet to come”. We no longer cry out for God to do this or do that, instead, we choose worship simply because of His good, gracious, kind, just character that we know will one day right all things.

The Original Intent

3) How is the Bride to prepare herself now in preparation for the Groom’s coming at the end of time? (verse 7)

Matthew 28:16-20 records Jesus’ clear missional plan for Christ-followers, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”


Christ’s mission encompasses at least four missional directives for the global Church as we await His return, but each are wrapped within His overarching command to simply and profoundly love God and love others. (Matthew 22:37-40) One simple mission requiring a lifetime of discipline and surrender to the Spirit.

Christ commands us to 1) make disciples of all nations, 2) baptize believers in the Name of the Triune God, 3) teach believers to follow Jesus, and 4) remember we are never accomplishing Christ’s mission without Him.

In Jesus’ day, sought-after teachers were surrounded by followers who adhered to their teaching; these were disciples. In appointing His own disciples as “disciple makers”, Jesus was giving them His authority as teacher. Just as they had learned from Him, so they were to invite others to learn from them. (1 Corinthians 11:1, John 15:16)

In Scripture, a person’s “name” represented the wholeness of their character. To baptize into another’s name was an alignment with their character. Christ assigned believers to be baptized, set apart, for the mission of living according to His Name as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. No part of God, His character, or His mission could be excluded from this appointing. (Isaiah 43:7, Revelation 3:12)

In His earthly ministry, Christ was known as Teacher. (Luke 18:18) He stated He was our example, teaching us how to love others in the pattern of how God loves us. (John 13:15) Christ alone is the Good Teacher; none compare to Him.

Christ concludes His commission to mission with a command to remember His constant presence; He is with us “to the end of the age”. (Matthew 28:20) Though He was sending His disciples out as “sheep among wolves”, His presence would comfort, guide, and protect. Christ, the promised Messiah, proved to be Immanuel, “God With Us”. (Isaiah 7:14)

The Everyday Application

3) How is the Bride to prepare herself now in preparation for the Groom’s coming at the end of time? (verse 7)

Disciple. We are to testify of Jesus to the world around us for the purpose of demonstrating what it looks like to follow Jesus in real life. Would you follow a fitness guru who lived on pizza and ice cream while channel surfing? No. Neither should we expect “disciples” to follow us as we lead them to Jesus unless we are authentically practicing following Jesus ourselves.

Baptize. In baptizing others, we are helping new believers take their first step of obedience in following Jesus as they publicly declare their faith and alignment with God’s name, character, and mission. Baptism represents the internal decision an individual has made to die to their old pattern of sin and live a new life by walking in the mission of Christ by His powerful Spirit.

Teach. We are to teach believers, one another, to observe everything Jesus commanded in His Word. This necessitates being intimately familiar with His teachings and choosing to consistently walk in them while leaving ourselves transparently open to accountability within the context of biblical community.

Remember. God is a present God and there is nowhere we can escape His presence. (Psalm 139:7-12) Sometimes it feels as if God is remote and detached, especially when we face struggles for following Him. Christ’s words remind us to hold to the truth that He is a “with us” God. He intimates this truth by telling us His sheep hear His voice. We know we belong to Him and have cultivated a relationship with Him when we hear and recognize His voice in our spirits as we seek to follow Him. He is near; His presence is marked with gentleness! (Philippians 4:5)

We do not serve a God who came and left, but a God who is present and active. When we remember this, we do not rely on ourselves to live out His mission, but rest upon his constant presence.

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