"Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD; for He is aroused from His holy habitation." Many things come to my mind as I reflect on these words. One is when parents call out to a disobedient child, "Don't make me come in there!" Another is the song I learned throughout early "church-life" and has beautifully stuck with me: "The Lord is in His Holy Temple". Although based on Habakkuk 2:20, it sounds similar to this verse from Zechariah: "Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord" is a call to man to contemplate an awesome and powerful God. And if they do not keep silent; if they rage against Him or His people, then what? He will be aroused from His holy habitation!!
To be aroused is to be evoked, awakened, or provoked. Our anger is something in view here but our raging and fury is nothing compared to what will occur when the same is ignited with God. You don't want God to be aroused from His holy habitation unless of course, like I said in the last post, you are the "apple of His eye."
And for this post today, while, yes, I thought of parents, the song, and the awesomeness of worshipful silence before a holy God, my major thought and the depth of emotion came from Acts when Stephen was stoned. "He gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." Here was this wonderful example of godliness in the beauty of his compassion to his people as he boldly proclaimed the truth, arousing in them unholy fury and in turn, their unholy fury, aroused in our blessed Savior love beyond understanding as He stood from His holy habitation to receive this unforgettable saint saved by His own grace and welcomed him into his eternal dwelling. Powerful, amazing, awesome word of God!!!
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
"The Apple of His Eye"
Have you ever been poked in the eye? It's not something that you can easily ignore. In my experience, even with the slightest poke, it can debilitate for at least a moment. The eye is sensitive to touch, with even a speck of dust causing great discomfort. As John MacArthur explains "apple of His eye" in Zechariah 2:8, he says that to touch God's own is like striking God in the pupil of His eye. This is imagery I can comprehend given my experience with eye pain.
I realize this imagery could be carried to even greater understanding with medical knowledge but for my post today, I'll let my own base understanding suffice and rally to the wonderful knowledge of the protection of our loving Heavenly Father. "For thus says the LORD of hosts, 'After glory He has sent Me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye." Is this not comforting to you, "...he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye"? He will know. He will experience the impact of what impacts you. He cares for you. And if this doesn't stir you to utter excitement, listen to the words of verse 13 from the same chapter, which describes God's reaction to those who think they will get away with harming His people: "Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD; for He is aroused from His holy habitation."
I realize this imagery could be carried to even greater understanding with medical knowledge but for my post today, I'll let my own base understanding suffice and rally to the wonderful knowledge of the protection of our loving Heavenly Father. "For thus says the LORD of hosts, 'After glory He has sent Me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye." Is this not comforting to you, "...he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye"? He will know. He will experience the impact of what impacts you. He cares for you. And if this doesn't stir you to utter excitement, listen to the words of verse 13 from the same chapter, which describes God's reaction to those who think they will get away with harming His people: "Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD; for He is aroused from His holy habitation."
Friday, May 10, 2013
"His Israel"
As I watched a portion of a movie about the Holocaust, I became intensely overcome with despair. I watched as husbands and wives, parents and children were separated by the Nazi soldiers. I had all I could stand and I protested watching any more of this atrocity. It's hard enough to know it happened, but to watch it performed was gut-wrenching. Two days later (this morning) it came to me as I read Zechariah, that this was not the first time this has happened to the Jews. The Bible is full of this kind of history for God's people.
Funny, that I don't remember thinking through this before. Over and over, God tells His people to repent, return and obey. They were stiff-necked, His word tells us. But they are His people and He loves them and He will never forsake them. I guess it's just that this holocaust happened closer to my own time, that it seems worse.
In the movie, an especially evil Nazi commander makes a speech about how the Jews have always come back and reproduced throughout history but not this time, he concludes. And from that speech came the scene of separation described above. But the Nazis were not the first to think they had power over God. It was an act of evil nations hundreds of years before the forties that have tried this great feat. But they found they fought against the God of Creation, something no one can do and win.
In the book of Zechariah, the angel of the LORD said, "O LORD of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah...? And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words... 'I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion...' Therefore, thus says the LORD, 'I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy, my house shall be built in it... My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.'" (Zechariah 1:12-17)
God will never allow the extermination of His people. John MacArthur states in his study Bible for the introduction to verses 18-21, "The second of night visions adds details to the judgment of the nations who persecuted His Israel, building upon God's promise to comfort His people." They are "His Israel" and His people, as are the Gentiles whom God has "opened a door of faith" (Acts 14:27). Let us "enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise" for the compassion and comfort shown us by our great God. (Psalm 100:3-4)
Funny, that I don't remember thinking through this before. Over and over, God tells His people to repent, return and obey. They were stiff-necked, His word tells us. But they are His people and He loves them and He will never forsake them. I guess it's just that this holocaust happened closer to my own time, that it seems worse.
In the movie, an especially evil Nazi commander makes a speech about how the Jews have always come back and reproduced throughout history but not this time, he concludes. And from that speech came the scene of separation described above. But the Nazis were not the first to think they had power over God. It was an act of evil nations hundreds of years before the forties that have tried this great feat. But they found they fought against the God of Creation, something no one can do and win.
In the book of Zechariah, the angel of the LORD said, "O LORD of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah...? And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words... 'I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion...' Therefore, thus says the LORD, 'I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy, my house shall be built in it... My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.'" (Zechariah 1:12-17)
God will never allow the extermination of His people. John MacArthur states in his study Bible for the introduction to verses 18-21, "The second of night visions adds details to the judgment of the nations who persecuted His Israel, building upon God's promise to comfort His people." They are "His Israel" and His people, as are the Gentiles whom God has "opened a door of faith" (Acts 14:27). Let us "enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise" for the compassion and comfort shown us by our great God. (Psalm 100:3-4)
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Self-Will or God's Will?
As I wind down on Haggai, it was appropriate that on the way to exercise this morning, I heard a song by Twila Paris that goes with the "I wills" of God in that book. I have it on my favorites, have listened to it multiple times and today I heard it like never before.
I basked in the security of God's sovereignty throughout the prophets. I take the comfort afforded me by the love shown us through the "I wills" of our gracious Creator. But what about us?? What will we do with this knowledge? Will we nod in agreement and go on our merry way? Or will we stop and consider (as He also tells His people to do in that book) the magnitude of the knowledge of God? Even a little knowledge should keep us amazed. Will we continue to feel justified in our bad attitudes, whiny "first world problems" and casual spirituality? Listen to these words and be moved with humble adoration of what we as believers have a part!
"My lips will praise You, for You are holy! My voice will ever rise before Your throne. My heart will love You for You are lovely. And You have called me to become Your own. I am Your own! And I will worship You alone! I am Your own! I am Your child. I am Your own! And I will worship at Your throne. I am Your own and I will love you."
God is holy, lovely, and has called me to become His own! What should be my response? My lips will praise You. My voice will ever rise before Your throne! My heart will love You. I will worship You alone!
Do not be self-willed! "Set your minds on things above. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:2-3) As we consider God's wonderful "I wills", let us be moved to the adoring "I wills" of obedience toward Him. I will praise You, Father, for the conviction of Your Spirit Who continues to sanctify me through Your word.
I basked in the security of God's sovereignty throughout the prophets. I take the comfort afforded me by the love shown us through the "I wills" of our gracious Creator. But what about us?? What will we do with this knowledge? Will we nod in agreement and go on our merry way? Or will we stop and consider (as He also tells His people to do in that book) the magnitude of the knowledge of God? Even a little knowledge should keep us amazed. Will we continue to feel justified in our bad attitudes, whiny "first world problems" and casual spirituality? Listen to these words and be moved with humble adoration of what we as believers have a part!
"My lips will praise You, for You are holy! My voice will ever rise before Your throne. My heart will love You for You are lovely. And You have called me to become Your own. I am Your own! And I will worship You alone! I am Your own! I am Your child. I am Your own! And I will worship at Your throne. I am Your own and I will love you."
God is holy, lovely, and has called me to become His own! What should be my response? My lips will praise You. My voice will ever rise before Your throne! My heart will love You. I will worship You alone!
Do not be self-willed! "Set your minds on things above. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:2-3) As we consider God's wonderful "I wills", let us be moved to the adoring "I wills" of obedience toward Him. I will praise You, Father, for the conviction of Your Spirit Who continues to sanctify me through Your word.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Shake, Take & Make
In Haggai, God in His mercy warns Zerubbabel of the coming disaster but also of the hope in which he can rest. "I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power the kingdoms of the nations... On that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will take you, Zerubbabel...and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you."
I could really get on a soapbox about the personableness of our Creator!! Here in this one little snippet of scripture lies a storehouse of hope and encouragement of how much He loves His creatures!! Fills me full ! Praise His Holy Name !!
I could really get on a soapbox about the personableness of our Creator!! Here in this one little snippet of scripture lies a storehouse of hope and encouragement of how much He loves His creatures!! Fills me full ! Praise His Holy Name !!
Friday, May 3, 2013
Life's Arena
The following was written by Maltbie Davenport Babcock, D.D. and is from a book of his writings published in 1901 called Thoughts for Everyday Living. This particular writing is a good lesson for all Christians to remind them their duty for this life: NOT making heaven on earth but making disciples from earth!
"How utterly opposed to the thought of Jesus Christ is all asceticism, all religious isolation and retreat from the world. His aim was not to get His followers out of the world, but to get them into the world. Society, not solitude, is the natural home of Christianity. The Christian is not to flee from the contagion of evil, but to meet it with the contact of health and holiness. The church is not to be built on glass posts for moral insulation, but among the homes of common men for moral transformation. What use is a light under a bushel? It must shine where there is darkness. The place of need is the field of duty, though we are not to be of the world, we are to be first and last in the world and for the world."
"How utterly opposed to the thought of Jesus Christ is all asceticism, all religious isolation and retreat from the world. His aim was not to get His followers out of the world, but to get them into the world. Society, not solitude, is the natural home of Christianity. The Christian is not to flee from the contagion of evil, but to meet it with the contact of health and holiness. The church is not to be built on glass posts for moral insulation, but among the homes of common men for moral transformation. What use is a light under a bushel? It must shine where there is darkness. The place of need is the field of duty, though we are not to be of the world, we are to be first and last in the world and for the world."
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