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Prophecy

He Day 15 El Gibhor

June 19, 2020 by Marietta Taylor Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 9:6-7
Luke 23:44-24:8
Isaiah 53
Romans 8:1-4
1 Peter 3:17-22

He, Day 15

When I first began reading the Bible, I didn’t understand much of it (can you relate?). I thought Revelation was the “scary” book and Isaiah was the unnecessarily long one. I found Jesus’ death tragic.

I also wasn’t sure how, or if, all the different books fit together. And finally, I was confused by all the different names of God. Fortunately, God is teaching me a lot about His Word, and I’m honored to share some of what I’ve learned.

Throughout the Bible, God is referred to by many names, each revealing something about His character. One name, El Gibhor, or “Mighty God,” is found in Isaiah 9:6. We frequently hear this verse at Christmas, in reference to Jesus:

“He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

But Mighty God is not only found in this verse; the book I used to think was unnecessarily long, Isaiah, contains many prophecies about Jesus.

Isaiah 11:1-5 foretells of a mighty God who will come from the line of King David. He will be full of God’s Spirit, wisdom, strength, and the fear of the Lord (Father God). He will be a righteous judge for the oppressed and slay the wicked.

The theme of our mighty God as defender of the oppressed is echoed in Daniel. In chapter 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fire because they would not worship false gods. And yet, they were not harmed.

Why? Because El Gibhor protected them by walking in the fire with them.
And then, all who witnessed this deliverance believed in Him and His mighty power. (Daniel 3:28-29)

Isaiah 42:1-16 speaks of a servant who will have God’s Spirit on Him. He will bring justice. He’s appointed to be a covenant to the people, a light bearer, and a rescuer of those imprisoned and in darkness.

Jesus refers to Himself as the light of the world in John 8:12-19. When the religious leaders question His authority, He tells the Pharisees that Father God testifies about Him. And God did, through Isaiah.

I can also personally testify Jesus is our light and rescuer. There was a time, not so many years ago, where I was deep in a pit of sin. I vacillated between wanting the sin and wanting to return to the Lord.

After months of turmoil, and feeling so broken and confused, I asked God to take it all from me if it wasn’t His will. My prayer seems crazy to me now, because of course sin wasn’t His will. But in the dark, you can’t see. 

Within the week, I was back in that same sin, but it felt different. I started thinking about consequences and reasons why I was even in this pit. And suddenly, what I was doing made absolutely no sense to me. El Gibhor had shone His marvelous light into the dark prison of sin and pulled me out. Praise Him!

And now we come to my misunderstanding about the death of Jesus. I’ve come to realize it is so much more than just a tragic story; it is the story of our mighty God.

First, Jesus died because of us. Jesus was rejected by sin-filled humans, just like us (foretold in Isaiah 53:3-9, fulfilled in Luke 23:13-25).

Second, Jesus’ sacrifice was necessary, as payment for our sin. Isaiah 53:5-6 describes how He was pierced, crushed, and punished for my sin and my rebellion.

For all of our sin.
Romans 3:23-24 reiterates, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Third, it was voluntary. Isaiah describes how the Lord’s “own arm brought salvation” when “he willingly submitted to death.” And in the New Testament, we need only peek into the Garden of Gethsemane to hear Jesus say, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39, echoed in Matthew 26:42)

And so, Jesus chose death . . . death unto life.  (Luke 23:44-24:8)
El Gibhor, our mighty God, conquered sin and the grave.  

You see, the death and resurrection of Jesus was a precursor.

As outlined in Isaiah 61:1-2, Jesus’ redemption of His children foreshadows Christ’s return to earth for His people, the ultimate defeat of His enemies, and the establishment of a new heaven and earth.

In Revelation, we see our mighty God, our resurrected sinless sacrifice, ending the rule of sin on this fallen earth once and for all. El Gibor alone is capable and worthy of final victory, final authority, and final creation of a perfect eternity.

Friends, only Mighty God can accomplish these things. There is no person or thing who can do what Jesus, El Gibhor, can. May we live in anticipation of the glorious day when all prophecies will be fulfilled and we will live and reign with Jesus forever.

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Posted in: God, He, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Mighty, Peace, Power, Prophecy, Redemption, Rescue, Sacrifice, Strength, Wisdom Tagged: character, El Gibhor, Eternal Father, light, Mighty God, perfect, Righteous Judge, Wonderful Counselor

Here Day 14 Bethlehem: Digging Deeper

December 26, 2019 by Rebecca Adams 2 Comments

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Bethlehem!

The Questions

1) Such vivid imagery and dramatic beginning of this passage (verse 1)! What does this mean?

2) How does the promise in verse 2 connect with “therefore Israel will be abandoned….” in verse 3?

3) Why is “ruler of Israel” (verse 2) significant and how does it relate to the other benefits prophesied about that would come with the Messiah??

Micah 5:1-6

Now, daughter who is under attack,
you slash yourself in grief;
a siege is set against us!
They are striking the judge of Israel
on the cheek with a rod.
2 Bethlehem Ephrathah,
you are small among the clans of Judah;
one will come from you
to be ruler over Israel for me.
His origin is from antiquity,
from ancient times.
3 Therefore, Israel will be abandoned until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of the ruler’s brothers will return
to the people of Israel.
4 He will stand and shepherd them
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majestic name of the Lord his God.
They will live securely,
for then his greatness will extend
to the ends of the earth.
5 He will be their peace.
When Assyria invades our land,
when it marches against our fortresses,
we will raise against it seven shepherds,
even eight leaders of men.
6 They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
the land of Nimrod with a drawn blade.
So he will rescue us from Assyria
when it invades our land,
when it marches against our territory.

Original Intent

1) Such vivid imagery and dramatic beginning of this passage (verse 1)! What does this mean?
The Jewish nation was struggling to maintain the title “nation”. They had suffered much already at the time of Micah’s prophecies, but would endure much more in the years ahead. The nation had split between Northern Kingdom (Israel) and Southern Kingdom (Judah) following King Solomon’s reign, which was immediately following King David. During Micah’s lifetime, the Northern Kingdom would fall and be dispersed, never to be a nation again. Still to come for Judah was a 70-year exile at the hand of Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. Micah’s short book is packed full of warnings to Judah of all the destruction that was still to come, while also woven through with hope that the punishment would one day end. The “daughter under attack” is the nation of Judah, or Zion, as also referenced in this book. So great was the devastation coming towards her as punishment, that Micah calls for her to “slash herself”. This isn’t intended to read like modern-day “cutting” or suicide, rather it was a call to awareness of how great Judah’s sin was in the eyes of God. A siege was coming (from Babylon), and there was nothing they could do to stop impending judgement from God. Babylon would strike the “judge (or king) of Israel on the cheek with a rod”, meaning it would be shameful for Israel to be conquered and taken captive.     

2) How does the promise in verse 2 connect with “therefore Israel will be abandoned….” in verse 3?
The timing of the Lord is perfect, flawless, and wholly wise. He waited for “just the right time” in the grand timeline of history to send Jesus as an infant. (Romans 5:6) Nothing about His actions were either slow or rushed; they were precise and intentional. Micah had laid out the warning of judgment their sinful actions would bring about. He told of the coming, rightly deserved, punishment on Israel. He had also delivered the word of hope that one day, the Messiah, God wrapped in flesh, would come and rule and shepherd Israel, bringing about peace. Now, God would give space. God would wait. He would wait until the perfect time, for Mary and Joseph to be born and raised waiting for hope, engaged to be married with no expectation for what and how exactly God would intervene. God waited for Caesar Augustus’ call for census so Mary and Joseph would travel to Bethlehem, the prophesied about city of Jesus’ birth. He would wait for Rome to build roads across the eastern world so that missionaries like Paul and Peter could easily reach more people with the message of the cross. He would wait for Greek to be the common language so the gospel would spread quickly. Yes, it looked like God “abandoned” Israel, but He hadn’t, He was waiting. The Hebrew word used for “abandoned” in this verse literally means a setting aside for specific work. God intentionally set Israel aside, deferring their coming salvation, until that very moment when history would forever be divided.

3) Why is “ruler of Israel” (verse 2) significant and how does it relate to the other benefits prophesied about that would come with the Messiah?
Where verse 1 mentioned “the judge of Israel”, meaning the human king, verse 2 speaks of One who would be “ruler over Israel for Me”. The “Me” here is God speaking through Micah. This would not be a human who would speak for God like a prophet, this Ruler would BE God whose “origin is from antiquity”, meaning, exactly like God, He had no beginning, but has simply always existed like John speaks of Jesus (the Word) in John 1:1. This ruler would “stand” with authority, He would “shepherd” Israel with tenderness and care, and all He would do would be done with the strength of Yahweh and all would be done in the Name of Yahweh, which would come to pass by Jesus’ own words of Himself, “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” (John 5:19) He would bring security without fear for His people, and His “greatness” or fame will be endless and known by all. (Isaiah 52:10, Isaiah 45:22) He would be Israel’s peace, their final victory, and mighty rescuer against strongest foes. No human king could attain such lofty goals. Even if someone was able to bring about peace and all these other wonderful things, there is no possible way it would last forever, yet that was exactly Micah’s prophecy. One human being who would come from Judah’s lineage, but was somehow also God, was intended to fulfill each of these incredible prophecies!

Everyday Application

1) Such vivid imagery and dramatic beginning of this passage (verse 1)! What does this mean?
Micah prophesied of an extremely grievous scenario for Judah, but at the time of prophesy, things didn’t seem that bad. They enjoyed relative wealth, and they felt they were “getting away” with their sinfulness. (Micah 2:8) Yet, every act was seen by God, and their debt against Him must be paid. We are not Judah, but the scenario is the same for us! How easy it is for us to justify our sin, to feel like we can get away with it, to ask forgiveness later, and ignore the reality of sin incurring a debt against a holy God. Like Micah warned Judah, telling her to grieve deeply, so should we grieve over our sin. Punishment for our sin must take place, but we could never pay it, which is why God planned to send the Promised One, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to take our punishment for us! Babylon would attack Judah and take what was left of the divided Israeli nation into captivity just as Micah said they would. For us, without surrendering everything to Jesus and trusting Him to pay our debt caused by sin, we too will face a captivity. Ours will be eternal, however, and death will have the final word. There is only one hope, God wrapped in flesh, living our life perfectly for us without sin, and then sacrificing Himself as an atonement for sin, followed by a victorious rising from the dead so that life would have the final word for those who believe in Him! Don’t ignore the warning! Grieve over your sin, and let that grief bring you to repentance! (2 Corinthians 7:10)

2) How does the promise in verse 2 connect with “therefore Israel will be abandoned….” in verse 3?
We are quite familiar with waiting, in fact, it often feels as if that’s the majority of how we spend our lives. Waiting to grow up, waiting to graduate, waiting for the right spouse, waiting for children, waiting for achievement, waiting to be noticed for that position, waiting to be loved well, or waiting for that loved one to turn from their erring ways. Rarely do we consider how God also waits. He waited for just the right time for Jesus’ birth, and only He knew when that fullness of time had come, and all of the intricate reasons why that time was perfect. But that’s not the only time He has waited. Every single time someone turns from darkness, away from their sin, and chooses to walk in the light and love of Jesus, God has been waiting for that moment. He’s been waiting to pour out His Spirit into their hearts and fill them with knowledge of Him. As that person grows in understanding and takes more steps of obedience in Christ, God waits at every pause, holding every tear, celebrating every victory, and waiting patiently while we keep growing. We wait in line, we wait at the microwave, we wait in our relationships, but so does our God. While our waiting can seem pointless and frustrating, His is always intentional and pregnant with purpose. Next time you’re waiting for something, anything, remember God waits too, and He has a set aside, specific purpose for that wait!

3) Why is “ruler of Israel” (verse 2) significant and how does it relate to the other benefits prophesied about that would come with the Messiah?
With such wondrous promises at stake, it’s no wonder that Bethlehem kept holding onto the hope of being the birthplace of “the one”. As the years stretched into decades and centuries, I wonder how many people scoffed at the prophesies made by a long-ago prophet named Micah. But, then, I think about today, and my life, and our time. We wait for the same coming King. Yes, the Ancient One, the Word become flesh, has indeed arrived in insignificant little Bethlehem just as God foretold through Micah, but we wait for another coming Day. The same Jesus will come back again! “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11) It’s been over 2,000 years since this Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and though no one knows the day or the hour when He will come back to “stand” with authority, to “shepherd” His people with kindness we’ve never imagined, and bring a “peace” that will last for eternity because He is God, we know He absolutely will. So, we, like Bethlehem of old, wait with anticipation!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Posted in: Digging Deeper, God, Imagination, Jesus, Perfect, Promises, Prophecy, Salvation, Waiting Tagged: Advent, Bethlehem, Christmas, coming, Here, Messiah, perfect time

Here Day 13 Bethlehem

December 25, 2019 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Micah 5:1-6
Matthew 1:18-25
John 1:43-51
Luke 2:1-7

Here, Day 13

Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah;….
Small indeed.
Truthfully, we barely make the map.
A few hundred people, maybe 300 during high feast times when we have an influx of people. And children? We can only boast less than 10 under the age of 12 months. We may be small, but at least we don’t have a poor reputation like…pfft, Nazareth. Nothing good comes from Nazareth. And I do mean nothing. Impoverished and despised, to come from Nazareth is like walking around with a sign reading “lowest of the low worthless nobody”. Yes, we are small, but we have reason to hold our head high with dignity, for we are the keepers of an ancient prophecy.

….one will come from you….
For 700 years we have protected this prophecy. For 700 years we have waited. For 700 years we have made it known to everyone that we, Bethlehem, would one day be the city of origin for the One. By the power of the Spirit of God, Micah the prophet, spoke these incredible words for all to hear and take to heart. One prophecy tucked into a scroll, foretelling of the One who would indeed come. Seeing as how it’s been seven-hundred years, there have been many who scoff that Micah’s prophecy cannot possibly be true. It’s been too long, they say. Critics, and even some faithful Jews, are wondering…. Will the One actually come? I can’t say I blame them. It’s been 400 years since the last prophetic words were even spoken to Judah. 400 years of silence from Almighty God. Even the most faithful student of the Torah would have reason to doubt the truth, right? But we, Bethlehem, hold fast to our special prophecy… one will come from you.

….to be ruler over Israel for me….
Not just any One. No, this coming One, this Promised One, He about whom rabbis utter in holy hushed whispers, “Messiah”, will be ruler over Israel. Hope spills in with this One. In Micah’s day, Samaria and Jerusalem (the capital cities of Israel and Judah respectively) enjoyed wealth and prosperity, but today, 700 years later, we are ruled by the iron fist of Rome. We are not the nation we once were. Assyrian conquest and Babylonian exile scattered our people, the Jews. Micah warned the Jews of coming destruction, as did his contemporaries, Isaiah and Hosea, but Israel turned a deaf ear. Surely not, they boasted, as they chased their sinful lusts for more. More wealth, more power, more wine, and more women. More of everything except Yahweh, the Lord of Lords.
For this trade of Sin for the Savior, history records their rightfully earned destruction, which brings us to here in Bethlehem. On any given day, shepherds can be spotted across the surrounding hills and plains. Small, dirt pathways are well-worn from calloused, bare feet trodding the same span of miles between shoddy home and meager field. We are poor. We are small. We have little, if anything, to offer, but we do have hope. Hope of the Messiah. Hope that Yahweh’s appointed Ruler will come and overthrow our enemies. Surely, Judah will be great and powerful again!

His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.
Deity.
With eyes full of wonder, from studied priests to young Jewish boys, all who read Micah’s words are hushed to silence with the awesomeness of this description. This One is not ordinary, nor even merely a man full of wisdom beyond his years. No, this One is the One, The Only One. He is God. Only God has existed from antiquity. Only God Almighty is known as the “Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:9). Yahweh alone exists from “everlasting to everlasting”. (Psalm 90:2) Dare we even put words to the thought racing wildly in our minds? God with us? Can it be? Might He dwell again with us as His presence rested in the Tabernacle in the days of Moses and David? Hope ignites in our hearts as we guard this precious prophecy seven-hundred years in the waiting. We wait for the unthinkable. Truly, the impossible. We are scattered. We are a broken nation. We are oppressed. Our sin weighs upon us. How could Yahweh come to us?!

Then, lo, a young girl’s scream of agony, blood splattering hay, animals defecting, a Jewish man turned midwife, a cold cave…our cave, Bethlehem’s cave.
A baby’s tiny fingers shaking in the cool air as his lusty cry is heard for the first time, echoing against the harsh walls and mixed amid the chords of animal noises.
He’s here.
The Promise has come.

Here, in our brokenness, our chaos, our long-awaitedness, in our doubt, in our grasping onto hope….Here.
He is here!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Here Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Here!

Posted in: Birth, Christ, God, Hope, Jesus, Promises, Prophecy Tagged: Advent, Bethlehem, Christmas, He is Here, Here, Yahweh

The GT Weekend! ~ Here Week 2

December 21, 2019 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Think about those moments when you have been utterly caught off guard by the Holy One. You are living your mundane, breathing in and out, and suddenly, you realize it, He Is Here. He is speaking. He is calling. He knows your name, your face, and your story. Pause to reflect on how you have most recently encountered the God of the Universe. It probably wasn’t angels singing and a heavenly message delivered with swirls of light, but be assured, if you haven’t heard from the Lord lately, it’s not because He doesn’t want to speak to you. Draw near Him with a humble heart, bring all you have, offer it up, and let His Spirit speak to your heart through His powerful Word!

2)  “I have no room for another” was Herod’s mantra. His perspective on Bethlehem and the coming Messiah gives me chills as I recede into the light of wanting to find myself at the manger with the shepherds. But, am I being honest? Can I find myself here as well, in the cold-hearted, clenched-fisted heart of King Herod? I am learning to love my Savior more every day, but I would be flat-out lying to you if I said there aren’t places where I throw my own gauntlet at the wall and scream in defiance, “I have no room for another!”. I want my way, apart from Christ, at various moments and in various seasons. Do you? Pray through some of those areas, as I do the same. May the true King soften our hearts and teach us to love Him most!

3)  It’s easy to forget Simeon’s role in the Christmas story. Jesus is only 8 earth days old, yet the Timeless One had pre-determined to encounter one man in the temple that day. One man who had waited his entire life for God to prove faithful to His Word. Here, in the waiting, do you see your face in this mirror held up by Simeon? One glimpse, only a few moments, after waiting a lifetime, but it was more than enough because Simeon saw the faithfulness of God towards himself, and all peoples. Chances are pretty good that you’re waiting on something this Christmas. A relationship to heal, finances to turn around, a diagnosis to shift, a heavy sadness to lift, an ache to be filled. And oh, here we wait with Simeon. Turn your eyes of faith to the Timeless One who sees and knows and satisfies in His way and His time. Turn over your waiting to the One who waits for you to lean into Him!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Micah 7:7 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

But as for me, I will look to the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me.

Prayer Journal
The shepherds waited. The Jews waited. Simeon waited. Mary and Joseph waited. Even the angels waited for this moment in time when You would announce Your arrival and bring hope that would last. Lord, let me not scoff the waiting. Remind my feeble faith to trust. Surely, You who drew the poorest and the most outcast in close as You announced the arrival of Your Son, will not overlook my wait. Teach me to come near, to trust, to wait because I know You hear.

Worship Through Community

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Posted in: Attention, Birth, Comfort, Dream, Faith, Fullness, God, Hope, Jesus, Obedience, Peace, Promises, Prophecy, Significance, Worship Tagged: birth, GT Weekend, Here, holy, Jesus, prophecy, significant, waiting, worship

Here Day 10 Simeon

December 20, 2019 by Briana Almengor Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Isaiah 52:13-53:1
Luke 2:22-35
Isaiah 25:1-9

Here, Day 10

Though I often stumble as I amble because I am an old man,
today I could run like the youth and fly like an eagle. (Isaiah 40:31)

I have seen the salvation of my people!
He came in flesh, wrapped in linen, carried by a virgin.
Oh, the miraculous grace of my Lord!
Oh, His kindness that He gave sight to my faith.
Oh, the wonder of how this baby will save my people and more than I can imagine.
Oh, the heartache his mother will bear, his father will not be able to spare her from.

I endured a fitful night of sleep, woke early, and felt I must go to the temple right away as the Spirit led me. As I watched precious parents parade into the temple with lambs, or turtledoves and pigeons for those of meager means, I spotted Him and my heart quickened as God’s Spirit moved within me, opening my eyes to see His Promised One.

I stood for a few moments, taking in the scene before me. So long have I waited. So long have I prayed. Shamefully I recall my doubt when the years stretched on without answer. Yet, despite my doubt, the Lord has proven faithful. Tears stream unabashedly down my beard as my eyes drank in the long-awaited sight of the Messiah.
His mother so attentive to His cry, His father so attentive to His mother, and I marveled at the miracle of it all.

The Messiah!
How many have waited for this day right along with me, and yet, as I looked around at the crowd, my heart broke with agony.
They do not know! The ONE we have waited generations for is here, in our midst! Yet, they carry on. Oh Lord, make them see, I breathed.

The priest accepted their offering, 2 turtledoves, the offering marked out for the poorest of the poor. (Leviticus 12:8) Emotion flooded me as I realized Yahweh’s powerful grandeur lay before me wrapped in peasant flesh. Here. He was here with us.

And suddenly, overwhelmed by the Spirit, I moved forward with eyes only for the small, poor, sacred family of three as they left the altar. I approached, gently inquiring if I might prophesy over their child. They eagerly handed Him over as though they knew already what I was going to say. Had they been visited, too? Did they know Whose tiny fingers gripped theirs? Did they see how the One who held all things together was now being held by them? Unfathomable!

Nevertheless, I took this boy, just eight days old, raised him in the air and proclaimed by the Spirit,
Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised. For my eyes have
seen your salvation.
You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples—a light for
revelation to the Gentiles
and glory to your people Israel.

I returned the boy to His parents, having held the Author of Life in my hands. Though my tongue had now stilled from the Spirit’s work, my heart continued in prayer as my soul lifted to heights I’d never experienced.
The wait was over, Hope was here!

Yes, this baby will bring joy, peace, and salvation, but His life will also perplex, anger, and confuse others. He will not rise on the accolades of all, nor fall from the targeted anger of those He offends, but He will live out His destiny.

And now I have lived out mine.
You promised, my God, that my faith would be given sight. You promised I would see Your Salvation.
You promised I would see the Messiah.
You promised, and though it felt like I might have misheard you at times for the longing of it, and the waiting for it, You have kept your promise. You have kept Your word.
You are faithful!

Here I am, an old man fulfilled in your kept word.
Here I am, a man whose life has been devoted wholly to you, satisfied and finding it all worth it.
The questioning, the doubting, the mocking at times by my own?
All worth it.
You kept your word.
You are worthy. 

For those who have yet to experience You and Your faithfulness,
may Your grace be upon them. 

For sweet Mary, whose heart will near break in two at the fulfillment of your word,
may Your grace be upon her. 

For Joseph, just a man called to raise the Son of Man,
may Your grace be upon him.

For all those who will question the life of this baby, the far-reaching grace of His life,
may Your grace be upon them to believe.

For those who will be questioned in their belief because they do not fit the mold of your Promised people,
may Your grace be upon them to persevere in hope.

For those who will condemn and betray this Messiah because He is not who they want Him to be, may Your grace be upon their souls. 

Have mercy, dear God, upon all
just as You have had mercy on me. 

And, now, I am at peace.
However much longer my days, I know a peace that nothing can pierce for my hope has been realized. Give this peace to all who may look upon the eyes and life of this baby and hope as I have, now, and for all time to come.  Amen!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Posted in: Believe, Called, Deliver, Faith, Gospel, Journey, Legacy, Ordinary, Powerless, Prophecy, Purpose, Redemption, Significance Tagged: faithfulness, fulfillment, Here, insignificant, intention, promise, prophesy, purpose, small

Here Day 8 King Herod

December 18, 2019 by Merry Ohler Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Matthew 2:1-18
Micah 5:1-6
Jeremiah 31:15-25

Here, Day 8

“WISE men?” I laughed mirthlessly as I swirled the ruby liquid in my goblet. Without warning, I hurled the heavy object across the room as I roared in anger. Wine sprayed across the white marble floor as the goblet shattered with a crash. The dark color reminded me of blood. High priests and scholars who had been sharing whispered information with me only moments ago scurried from the throne room like frightened children, eager to escape my wrath. A servant hurried silently to clean the spill and restore order.

My thoughts churned, an equal mixture of fury and disgust. They couldn’t be THAT wise! How dare they show up in my kingdom, unannounced, to inquire about the newborn king of the Jews?! I am the King of the Jews. There is no other. I rule with the support of Rome and most of Jerusalem.

Did they truly think this course of action could possibly end well for them? If they had any sense or skill at all, their stars and signs would have forewarned them what a mistake it would be to come here! I’ll make sure it’s a mistake they won’t make again. They won’t be doing anything once I’m through with them.

Although… Perhaps there’s a way I can use their idiocy to my advantage. I stood and took a few steps toward the opposite wall before turning to pace back the other way. The whispers of an idea were beginning to take shape.

The prophecy plainly states the Messiah will come from Bethlehem. Of that, everyone seems certain. If it is true, and he is here, I know that’s the region where he’ll be. He is only an infant. He is weak and defenseless…for now.

I am the only king of the Jews. I will not allow him to become my successor.  A darker thought took root and began to grow. He will never make it to adulthood; I won’t allow it.

“Simeon!” I barked, fists clenched, robes rustling behind me.

He appeared at once and bowed. “Yes, my king?”

“I want you to arrange a meeting with the men from the East. Tell no one. I want to meet with them at once!”

Simeon bowed again. “Yes, my king.” He left as silently as he had appeared.

Yes. This will work, I can feel it!

I will convince them that I, too, want to worship the newborn king.
I will convince them that my motives are pure.
Then, I will find him. 

I will find him, and I will kill him.

I felt a cold smile curve my lips. The prophecy was good for something, after all. God may have intended it to inspire hope, but instead, it would serve to secure my reign against His “Messiah.”

I retrieved the new goblet a servant had placed on the table beside my throne and poured a generous helping. What kind of God sends His Messiah as a baby, anyway? Kings are powerful. They command armies, and respect. They deal with rulers, and other authorities. Nothing about this makes any sense. 

Lost in my thoughts, I sat on my throne and studied the gems adorning one hand, swirling the wine with my other hand. The sound of someone clearing their throat brought me back, and I noticed Simeon had returned.

“It is done, my king. They will be here soon.” He bowed, never once making eye contact.

I chuckled with dark delight. “Well done, Simeon! Leave me, I need to be alone with my thoughts.”

He strode quietly from the room as I stood and began to pace once more.

“Thank you so much for coming to meet with me! Yes, I too, am thrilled that the prophecy is fulfilled and am eager to…” I snorted aloud as an unsolicited bout of laughter overtook me. “…worship the newborn king!”

Yes. This will work splendidly…if only I can keep from laughing outright! 

No one will take my kingdom from me.
No one will take my power, my position, my status.
No one will bow to any other king of the Jews. 

I ALONE determine my fate, and the fate of all I rule.
I will NEVER allow this infant Messiah to survive, to fulfill the prophecy. 

And once I kill him, I will kill these foolish “wise” men, too. They will rue the day they dared set foot in my kingdom to seek to worship my successor. 

I am the King. I am Herod. I have no room for another.

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Here Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Posted in: Birth, Christ, God, Hope, Power, Prophecy, Worship Tagged: Advent, Christmas, Here, King Herod, Messiah, Newborn King, Wise Men

Here Day 4 Mary: Digging Deeper

December 12, 2019 by Dr. Leslie Umstattd 2 Comments

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Mary!

The Questions

1) What does “in the sixth month” refer to in this passage?

2) Why does Luke tell us Mary was a virgin and betrothed to man in the house of David? Why does it matter?

3) Why is Mary troubled at what the angel said to her?

Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Original Intent

1) What does “in the sixth month” refer to in this passage?
When we ask a question of a passage, our first response should always be to examine the broader context first. Verses were not meant to tell a story all on their own. The first part of chapter 1 details the account of the angel Gabriel’s visit to Zechariah as he foretells the birth of John the Baptist. In verse 24, we see Elizabeth has conceived with John and has been carrying him for five months, but has told no one. Then, in verse 26, Luke uses the phrase “in the sixth month” as he transitions to Gabriel visiting Mary. This phrase “in the sixth month” is a reference to how far a long Elizabeth is in her pregnancy. John, Jesus’ cousin, and Jesus were six months apart in age.

2) Why does Luke tell us Mary was a virgin and betrothed to a man in the house of David? Why does it matter?
There are over 300 prophecies found within the Old Testament that point to the birth of Christ, the coming Savior. When God established Jesus, His Son as the answer to the world’s problem of sin, He already knew exactly how His birth would happen. Thousands of years before Jesus was ever born, prophets were telling the world about a coming Messiah as the Holy Spirit led them to speak His truth. One such passage is Isaiah 7:14, which specifically states Immanuel “God with us” would be born of a virgin. In Isaiah 9:6-7, we are told a child will be born from the ancestry of David. It is important Joseph was of the lineage of King David in order to fulfill this prophecy. Luke is informing the reader Jesus’ birth is happening just as He said it would. Only God could know those details, orchestrate them all, and speak through prophets about these specifics for centuries before they occurred. Luke does not offer these details for the sake of details, although he was a meticulous writer when it came to details. He tells the reader these things because it is the fulfillment of prophecy, pointing his audience towards the unfailing, unchanging faithful character of God.  The chances of one person perfectly fulfilling only eight prophecies are 10 to the 17th power. Imagine the odds of stacking silver dollar coins 2 feet deep across the entire state of Texas, then asking one person to find the one coin with a black mark on it by choosing only one, single coin. Those are the odds of 1 person fulfilling just 8 prophecies! Yet, Christ perfectly fulfilled all 300 prophecies made about Him! Truly, none is like the Almighty God!

3) Why is Mary troubled at what the angel said to her?
We are not given clear indication about why Mary is troubled. Given the situation, an angel of the Lord is speaking with her and has just called her, “favored one”. I am sure there is uncertainty about what is happening. We need to remember Mary is a young teenager. Scripture does tell us she is pondering, wondering, discerning why the angel has come to visit and why he greeted her in this way.

Everyday Application

1) What does “in the sixth month” refer to in this passage?
I think when we read this verse in isolation, we may want to attribute a date from the calendar to this timeframe, but as we read it in context, we can see Luke continuing his thought as he transitions from Elizabeth to Mary. These two were six months a part in their pregnancies, and as we continue to read Luke, we find Mary visiting Elizabeth. We are told of the sweet encounter when Elizabeth sees Mary for the first time in verses 39-44. There is a special bond between Mary and Elizabeth that goes beyond family relation. Although simply a marker of time, it leads to a connection within the book of Luke between Mary and Elizabeth that is created only by a coming Messiah who would save His people. As you live in your everyday moments, let this small detail remind you of a God who works mighty things in the midst of small things, even things like due dates!

2) Why does Luke tell us Mary was a virgin and betrothed to man in the house of David? Why does it matter?
Mary was part of God’s plan all along. Thousands of years before Gabriel spoke to Mary, God set in motion a plan to save the world by sending His Son. Only and infinite, perfect God could possibly pay for the sin of finite mankind once and for all with a single sacrifice. This God would need to live the human life flawlessly on behalf of man, and then take on our punishment in our stead. This is precisely how God determined to rescue us! Throughout history we see God use the unlikely, the undesirable, and the lowly to bring about His glory. God chose a teenage girl in a society that values age and wisdom, God chose a girl to carry out His most intimate of plans in a society that gave no value to women, and God chose a peasant to bear His Son which made no worldly sense. God’s plan does not always make sense, but it is always perfect! Take heart there exists no chaos where God cannot bring perfect order and work for our good and His glory!

3) Why is Mary troubled at what the angel said to her?
I think about what my response would have been if an angel had stood before me as a young, teenage girl. Sometimes when we read the Bible, we have read or heard the story so many times we forget it is a real historical account that includes real people. We aren’t reading an elaborate, fictitious story about a young woman whose life is changed forever in a moment of time, but rather a real story about God, the Creator of the Universe encountering His people in a very real way. Mary is troubled I’m sure because maybe she does not understand, maybe she questions if this is really happening, or maybe she wonders “why me?”. In her wondering and troubled heart, she does not demand an answer, or throw a fit, but rather submits with joy as she trusts God with her fears. Although we question God at times over what He is doing or how things will ever work out, there is joy found in simple, trusting submission! Mary did not have all the answers, but she knew the truth of the situation and what God had called her to in that moment. She would be the mother of the Jesus: the Savior of the World, the Son of the God Most High, Emmanuel, God with Us!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with The Groom &His Bride!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Here Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up
to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Posted in: Birth, Christ, Digging Deeper, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Prophecy Tagged: Advent, Christmas, favor, Here, Mary, wonder

Glimmers Day 13 Hope In The Manger: Digging Deeper

December 26, 2018 by Shannon Vicker Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Hope In A Manger!

The Questions

1) What is this registration and why is it important?

2) Who is this baby lying in a manger?

3) What do we learn from shepherds being the first to learn of this baby’s birth?

Luke 2:1-20

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. 2 This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

4 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, 5 to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

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!

15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.

Original Intent

1) What is this registration and why is it important?
The registration Luke writes about is a census for tax purposes. The Roman Emperor called for this census, requiring everyone to travel back to their hometown.  Joseph came from the line of David and therefore he and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem (the City of David). Mary was nine months pregnant and about to deliver her son, which is important because through this specific travelling, God places Mary and Joseph exactly where they needed to be in order for prophecies regarding Jesus’ birth to be fulfilled. Micah 5:2 declares the Messiah will come out of Bethlehem. 2 Samuel 7:12-13 says the Messiah will come from the line of David. Through this census, God shows the Israelites, who would have known these prophecies, this baby is the baby who has been promised.

2) Who is this baby lying in a manger?
In the narrative of Christ’s birth Luke never mentions the name of the baby born. In verse 11 Luke does tell readers the baby is “The Messiah, the Lord”, but He is not specifically named. Luke provides other basic details of the birth and tells of the announcement to the shepherds and their visit to the manger, but never His name. We must look further in the narrative to discover ‘this baby’ is Jesus. In Luke 2:21 Jesus is named on His eighth day according to Jewish custom. This baby is the long-awaited Messiah God had been promising to His people for generations. After 400 years of silence from God, He is finally heard from again in the form of a baby crying in a manger.

3) What do we learn from shepherds being the first to learn of this baby’s birth?
After 400 years of silence a baby cries and God is heard again. However, God first announced this miracle to shepherds in a field. God chooses a group of people who are probably the most unlikely group imaginable to announce His Son’s birth.
Luke doesn’t provide much information about these shepherds, but we know the angels visit them and they are afraid. Their fear quickly changes to action as they visit and worship this baby in a manger. Immediately, they left their sheep traveling to find this baby, their Messiah, and worship Him.

Everyday Application

1) What is this registration and why is it important?
This registration (census) is the means by which God divinely moved Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem in order to fulfill the prophecies that told of the Messiah’s coming. God will take any steps necessary in order to accomplish His will. From the beginning, God knew humanity would need a Savior, a Messiah (a promised coming deliverer). God foretold of Christ’s coming so when He arrived, the Israelites would recognize Him as the One who had been Promised. I am certain this trip was anything but comfortable for Mary, yet God took her on it to accomplish His plan. For believers today, God spares no expense to fulfill His ultimate plan and purpose in our lives. We can rest assured knowing that God will use all situations and circumstances we journey through to accomplish His ultimate plan of restoring humanity to Himself just as He did with Mary.

2) Who is this baby lying in a manger?
This baby lying in the manger is the long-awaited Messiah God promised to His people for generations. Today, believers are God’s people, therefore this is the Messiah or Savior we need. Jesus is the answer to sin, He is the answer God promised at the fall to redeem His creation to Himself. This baby is God Himself who chose to put on human flesh for us. We cannot leave Him in the manger though. This baby grew up, lived a perfect life, performed many miracles, and then chose to take on the punishment for every sin of every person taking them to the Cross and bearing the consequence for those sins… death. He then conquered Death and the grave providing redemption from our sin and eternal hope for all who place their trust in Him alone. If we leave Jesus as a baby in the manger, we fail to see the entire picture of who this baby truly is… our everyday Savior!

3) What do we learn from shepherds being the first to learn of this baby’s birth?
The most unlikely group of people first heard of the birth of the Messiah. One would probably expect God to announce His Son to the royal or religious leaders, but instead He chooses to announce His Son’s birth to shepherds in a field. This isn’t a massive amount of people but a few lowly shepherds. Jesus didn’t come only for the rich and royal or the religious leaders, but for all. No matter who we are, where we come from, or what we have done, the gift of Jesus’ birth is for us. The shepherds immediately leave their sheep to seek out Jesus and worship Him. This is the response God is looking for. He came for all, but simply wants those who are willing to set aside everything and worship Him. He will accept you into His family no matter who your circumstance or your past baggage, as long as you are willing to open your life to Him to full worship through surrender!

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Hope In A Manger!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!

Our Current Study Theme!

This is Glimmers Week Three!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up
to receive every GT Journey Study!

Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Posted in: Adoring, Believe, Birth, Character, Deliver, Digging Deeper, Faith, Faithfulness, Future, God, Gospel, Grace, Holiness, Hope, Inheritance, Jesus, Life, Love, Mercy, Mighty, Ordinary, Peace, Praise, Prayer, Promises, Prophecy, Relationship, Scripture, Strength, Thankfulness, Trust, Truth, Worship Tagged: birth, Christmas, glimmers, humble, Jesus, promise, worship

Glimmers Day 9 Hope; It’s Coming: Digging Deeper

December 20, 2018 by Melodye Reeves Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Hope; It’s Coming!

The Questions

1) Did the vision given to Habakkuk (verse 2) offer him any hope?

2) When people talk about their hope, especially non-Christians, they are most often referring to a feeling or mindset regarding their future. With this in mind, what is the difference between biblical hope and the hope we frequently observe in many people?

3) Are we, as people of the new covenant, still waiting for that “appointed time” (verse 3) of which was spoken to Habakkuk or was this vision fulfilled?

Habakkuk 2:2-3

2 The Lord answered me:
Write down this vision;
clearly inscribe it on tablets
so one may easily read it.
3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
it testifies about the end and will not lie.
Though it delays, wait for it,
since it will certainly come and not be late.

Original Intent

1) Did the vision given to Habakkuk (verse 2) offer him any hope?
The context of Habakkuk 2 places the people of Israel in a predicament they had created for themselves. Because of their disobedience towards God, they are experiencing the consequences of being among godless people (Chaldeans, aka the Babylonians). In the first chapter (Habakkuk 1:3, 3:1), the prophet is literally questioning God’s plan for His people in Judah. He recognized their unfaithfulness, but He believes God is good. God’s answer, through a vision, is probably not the answer that initially produced in Habakkuk a hopeful heart. In essence, God said it would get worse before it got better. When God told Habakkuk He was going to deal with Judah’s rebellion by using their enemies to do so, Habakkuk had to rely on the kind of faith mentioned by the author of Hebrews (Hebrews 11:1-2). The kind of faith that doesn’t have all the answers. Though we aren’t given much information about Habakkuk’s vision itself, the kind of ‘hope’ it apparently offered was the waiting and trusting God’s character and His Word kind.

2) When people talk about their hope, especially non-Christians, they are most often referring to a feeling or mindset regarding their future. With this in mind, what is the difference between biblical hope and the hope we frequently observe in many people?
One of the ways Webster defines hope is “to want something to happen or be true … without any basis for expecting fulfillment”. Typically, we have this in mind when we hope for something. It’s more like a wish. But biblical hope is much more than a wish. In verse 3, God tells the prophet that it “will certainly come.” Biblical hope centers our desire in “someone … accompanied by expectation of fulfillment.” The Bible dictionary connects hope to words like “trust” and “confidence” and “eager expectation”.
“The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth…He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless. Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and become weary, they will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 20:28-31)
Peter reminds us that “after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10)
Biblical hope is about Who. In Luke 2, Simeon waited expectantly for God’s promised One for many years. God was faithful to allow him to see the promise unfold. God will always accomplish His good purpose, even if we have to wait for it.

3) Are we, as people of the new covenant, still waiting for that “appointed time” (verse 3) of which was spoken to Habakkuk or was this vision fulfilled?
Reading Old Testament prophecies can leave us wondering if they were meant only for the specific reader/hearer or if they had future application. We study the context of a passage to help us understand what is occurring. In verse 3, the ‘appointed time’ would come specifically, and will come ultimately. Though there would be waiting, God was faithful in His judgment against Babylon (Isaiah 13; Jeremiah 50-51) and the enemy kingdom would certainly fall. (Daniel 5:28-30)
As we meditate on these words of God to Habakkuk in context of all of Scripture, I believe we can also conclude that God was communicating His ultimate judgment and redemption. At the ‘appointed time’ God will render His judgment on His enemies and He will save His people through His Son. Every single word of His will come to pass exactly as He has spoken. The God of Habakkuk never changes. Just as He told the prophet, he spoke similarly to John. “Mark my words: I AM TRUE AND FAITHFUL.” (Revelation 21:3-5)
So, the answer to the question is YES! “For every one of God’s promises is ‘Yes’ in Him. Therefore, through Him we also say ‘Amen’ to the glory of God!” (2 Corinthians 1:20-22)

Everyday Application

1) Did the vision given to Habakkuk (verse 2) offer him any hope?
In verse 3, Habakkuk was told to wait, but that God would certainly fulfill His plan. This is what biblical hope looks like for us in our daily lives. We are to trust in who God is even when we can’t understand what He’s doing. We believe His word and can expect Him to keep His promises. The vision gave hope to Habakkuk only as much as he was willing to trust and wait patiently for God’s fulfillment. God’s perfect plan will happen. But it will happen in His time. Maybe you’re experiencing suffering and confusion. Like Habakkuk, you are wondering how long it will take for God to reveal what He’s doing. (Habakkuk 1:2)
Even though it took some time, Habakkuk ultimately learned to rest in God’s sovereign plan for himself and the nation. In the waiting, he learned to hope in faith. In our waiting, we can unveil a present and very real hope by seeking the faithful and true God Himself. Who was. Who is. Who is to come. (Revelation 1:8)
When we’re tempted to fret and ask God for a timeline, it is our sure hope that gives us the strength to wait.

2) When people talk about their hope, especially non-Christians, they are most often referring to a feeling or mindset regarding their future. With this in mind, what is the difference between biblical hope and the hope we frequently observe in many people?
Proverbs 13:12 tells us that “delayed hope makes us heartsick.” In our human frailty, when we must wait for something we can succumb to feelings of hopelessness. When we continue to pray without receiving the answers we long for, we tend to despair. But biblical hope is connected to faith. It’s not just wishful thinking. Biblical hope helps us rest in the reality of a future we can’t yet see because of the God who controls it. The old hymn says it this way: Standing on the promises that cannot fail when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail; by the living Word of God I shall prevail, standing on the promises of God.
God’s promises CAN’T fail. Faithful in His character and true to His Word, He will give us the strength to prevail. This kind of hope is sure and steady in the midst of long days that might otherwise tempt us to doubt.

3) Are we, as people of the new covenant, still waiting for that “appointed time” (verse 3) of which was spoken to Habakkuk or was this vision fulfilled?
God was faithful to do what He told Habakkuk He would. The appointed time for the destruction of the enemies came. But in another way, it hasn’t yet come completely. In the New Testament book of John, Christ says on several occasions that His time “has not yet come.” He was referring to the first part of His coming to earth. The time when He would die and be raised again. But there’s a second part to the story. And God will be faithful to see it to the very end. The final fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the judgment and redemption of Lord will come at the end of history when Christ will return to claim His Bride, the Church. God will punish evil and fulfill all His promises. To make it clear, the writer of Hebrews points us to Jesus: “For yet in a very little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. But my righteous one, will live by faith; and if he draws back, I have no pleasure in him. But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved.”
Christ has come and will come. It is in Him we have a working faith, believing in what is not yet fully known. He is our living Hope!

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Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Hope; It’s Coming!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14