Rev 19: Hallelujah!

Rev 19 NIV

In Chapter 18, we heard a three-fold woe. Today we hear a three-fold hallelujah. Woe to those who worship and serve anything or anyone other than the one true God. Hallelujah for God is GOD and salvation and glory and power belong to our God. His judgments are true and just. With justice he destroys the great whore who has corrupted the earth by her adulteries.

What a battle that will be. In fact, we are already in the midst of a battle to keep her from leading God's children astray. Alas, there is nothing we can do. Only God can save His children. Indeed, he will. The rider on the white horse, whose name is faithful and true, who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, will destroy the prostitute; will destroy the beast and the false prophet who have led God's people astray.

Hallelujah! Our Lord reigns!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Rev 8:13, 9:1-12 - Fifth Trumpet And Locusts

Revelation 8:13, 9:1-12 NIV

A great eagle flies in midair calling out "Woe! Woe! Woe!" The last three trumpets are about to sound ushering in even more destruction. The fifth angel sounds the trumpet opening up the Abyss so that locusts ascend upon the earth to afflict those who do not bear the seal of God on their foreheads.

The vision is reminiscent of the plague of locusts that descended upon Egypt (Ex 10:13-15) except that the locusts in Egypt attacked plant-life that was needed to sustain the people and the locusts in John's vision actually attack and torture the people who do not worship the Lord. The locusts will cause so much fear and pain that people would rather die than endure the attack. But, they will not die. Death will elude them.

The vision of these locusts is most unlike the grasshopper-like locusts from Exodus. These locusts are terrifying creatures to see. They look like horses prepared for battle; yet, their faces resemble human faces. They have hair and upon their heads is something like a gold crowns. Teeth like lions' teeth and breastplates like iron make them formidable attackers. It is hard to imagine what these locusts might actually look like or be. They are sent, we are told, by their King Apollyon (Destroyer), who is the angel of the Abyss. We will know exactly what this vision means for us when we see it with our own eyes. Until, then we would do well to remember that even God saved His people from slavery in Egypt; He is with those who love Him today.

The fifth trumpet has sounded and the first woe is passed. But, it is not over. There are more woes to come.

God's Peace - Pr. J
 

Luke 11:37-54

Luke 11:37-54 NIV
Woe to the Pharisees who heap law upon law; who hold to their traditions and have no real comprehension of justice or the love of God.

I am late writing this today as I spent the night at "the shack" in the town I grew up in so that I could get flowers on the graves. This is Memorial Day weekend and "fixing" the graves is somewhat of a tradition. I did not get to the graves of all my ancestors in the area this year; only about seventeen of them. I did not even know some of them as they died decades before I was born. I am not even sure where a couple of them are in the Paynesville Cemetery; except that they are under a lilac bush. The twins are in unmarked graves. A few years ago, I noticed that no one took care of them any longer, so I started to. It is a reminder to me that we are not islands in the midst of the sea. We are attached to the people around us, as well as those who have gone before us and those will come after us. We are a part of something much greater than ourselves. It is a reminder to me that because we are connected; we should live according to the love of God doing justice; not harm to those around us.

Woe to those who cannot show love or do justice to others.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. No time to not serve, love, and do justice this weekend. One graveside funeral on Friday and five burials after worship tomorrow. Memorial Day weekend provides no less opportunities to love and do justice than any other day :)

Luke 6:20-26 Blessing or Woe?

Luke 6:20-26 NIV
When you are persecuted in any way, because of the Son of Man, it is time to rejoice! I know, it can be difficult at times to rejoice (at least it can be for me); but, that is what Jesus told us to do. He said, "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets." (vs 23) And, when the whole world appears to love you, then maybe it's time to think about whether you are really doing God's will or the will of man, as Jesus also said, "Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets." (vs 26)

Stand firmly on the name of Jesus; stand firmly on the Word. Humankind may not appreciate it; but you will be blessed by God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Zephaniah 3 - Blessed are the Oppressed; Woe to the Oppressors!

"Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled!" (Zephaniah 3:1 NIV)

Woe to those who oppress others. Woe to those who neglect and abuse others, whether it is by word or deed that is done or left undone!  Woe to those who continue in their unrighteous ways and know no shame. What is with that, anyway? What good is in it for anyone who persecutes others unjustly?

God dispenses justice. He so wants to dispense mercy and grace to all His children. He so desires that His children would turn to Him and love Him as He loves them. But, anger abounds; jealousy lives, and greed survives.

But, the story does not have an unhappy ending for those who love Him. He will save! He does save! He is with the oppressed. He is with the abused and neglected. He is, even now, gathering those who love Him, into the Kingdom that is prepared for us by Jesus Christ, our LORD.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 5:8)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Micah 2 - Follow the King

"Woe to those who plan iniquity,
    to those who plot evil on their beds!
At morning’s light they carry it out
    because it is in their power to do it." (Micah 2:1 NIV)

The word of the LORD through the prophet Micah. How many would prefer to hear this word; this prophecy of woe, or as Micah tells it like it is, would prefer to hear a prophecy more on the following lines?

"If a liar and deceiver comes and says,
    ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’    that would be just the prophet for this people!" (Micah 2:11)

Woe, indeed! When we spend our lives planning trouble for others and worldly indulgences for ourselves. Even more woe to those who spend their time in a bar planning iniquity, publically, against others. Woe, indeed!

But, Micah has some breaking good news. The time will come when all this will end. "In Heaven There Is No Beer." No, sorry, that's not the good news - couldn't help but throw that in. The good news of deliverance is prophesied to come through Jesus Christ, our LORD and King.

“I will surely gather all of you, Jacob;
    I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
    like a flock in its pasture;
    the place will throng with people.
The One who breaks open the way will go up before them;
    they will break through the gate and go out.
Their King will pass through before them,    the Lord at their head.” (Micah 2:12-13)

Let us follow the King who has broken through the gateway of death and destruction for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 45 - A Grandfather Creates Woe

"I form the light and create darkness,
    I bring prosperity and create disaster;
    I, the Lord, do all these things." (Isa 45:7 NIV)

"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." (Isa 45:7 KJV)

"I form light and create darkness,
I make weal and create woe, I am the Lord, who do all these things." (Isa 45:7 RSV)

I'm pulling out one lonely verse from this chapter of many verses this morning. I do it because it reminds me of a ecumenical Bible Study I attended in 1996. This verse was topic of a very heated discussion. Among us were Methodists, Roman Catholics, Baptists, and Lutherans of the LCMS, ELCA, and the Apostolic brands and all using various English translations of the Holy Bible. There were some who thought that someone, somewhere, some how in the transcribing of scripture years ago a mistake had been made. God could not, would not. create disaster, evil or woe! After all, God is good all the time!  But, then again... what is good? Do we decide what is good or do we let God decide that?

According to some, it is the devil who creates all evil. It is the evil one who creates disasters and woes. It was/is unimaginable to some that this friendly, loving, grandfatherly figure sitting in a rocking chair on high would ever do anything that would cause us stress. But, what if it were for our own good - for the good of all people that there is a bit of stress in our lives? Would He do it then? What do you think? What does Holy Scripture say?

Today is Father's Day in the United States. Do not earthly father's sometimes make decisions that seem to affect the lives of their children in a negative manner? Sometimes things, that may not be so comfortable for us, have to happen for our own good, for the good of all creation. In many circles it is called "tough love."

And while I'm thinking about it.... I can not begin to count the times that I have been told by someone I was sharing the Good News with, that they simply can't buy into the whole bearded grandfather figure sitting on his throne in the sky type of god. I usually smile and tell them that neither can I. God is more than that. My God creates light and darkness. He makes peace and creates woe. God is a whole lot more than a detached, old (decrepit) bearded man, sitting on a throne or in a rocking chair, as he watches from a distance cloud, the antics of His children and their children. God is active in our lives whether we want Him to be or not. He is not out there in another universe. He is with you, even now, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 30 - Woe To Obstinate Children - Blessings To Children Who Follow In The Way

A woe and a promise....

“Woe to the obstinate children,”
declares the Lord,
“to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,
heaping sin upon sin;
who go down to Egypt
without consulting me;
who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection,
to Egypt’s shade for refuge.
But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame, Egypt’s shade will bring you disgrace." (Isa 30:1-3 NIV)

Woe to those obstinate children who do not listen to the word of the LORD given through the prophet. Those who trust Pharaoh to protect them are going to be very sorry, indeed... God tells Isaiah:

"For these are rebellious people, deceitful children,
children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.
They say to the seers,
“See no more visions!”
and to the prophets,
“Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things,
prophesy illusions.
Leave this way,
get off this path,
and stop confronting us
with the Holy One of Israel!”

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it."

(Isa 30:9-11, 15)

They are in trouble. They are in fear for their futures, their lives. Rather than turn to God, they turn to Egypt. They run, they flee, to Egypt when all it really would take to be helped is to repent and rest in the assurance of their salvation.

Isaiah 30 provides those who trust in the LORD a promise as well as a great woe for those obstinate children who won't and don't.

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Then you will desecrate your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, “Away with you!”

 

He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad meadows. The oxen and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder and mash, spread out with fork and shovel. In the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill. The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted."

(Isa 30:18-26)

Are you in trouble? When you are, what is it that you do? Do you turn (repent) to the LORD and follow in the Way or do you attempt to make a way out of the trouble for yourself? Sometimes, I find that we attempt to do both, carve a path for ourselves while begging God to keep us safe. Isaiah reminds us that there is only one way to salvation... You cannot travel on both ways. May God keep you in His Way.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. I am posting much of Isaiah 30 as a reminder that the point of this blog is that you read scripture. Please, open your Bible and read it...

Isaiah 22 - Look To the One Who Loves You

"...but you did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago." (Isa 22:11b NIV)

A woe, a prophecy against even Jerusalem. Jerusalem's enemies have heard of their demise, now it is Jerusalem's turn. They, who have been blessed by God are revelling on the rooftops. They are rejoicing and partying. But, they are not rejoicing in the LORD. They've become complacent. They do not look to the LORD, but to themselves and to their own (individual) pleasures.

And... they will suffer. The LORD Almighty cannot be mocked - not unless you are willing to accept the consequences of putting Him on a back burner in your life.

Hmmm.... Now how do I put a good construction to this prophecy against Jerusalem after all "...we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him..." (Rom 8:28) I guess that's the key. The people of Jerusalem forgot their first love. 

May God help us to always remember our first love - the one who first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

God's Peace - Pr. J   

Isaiah 18 - Woe or Blessing

"Woe to the land of whirring wings along the rivers of Cush, which sends envoys by sea in papyrus boats over the water. Go, swift messengers, to a people tall and smooth-skinned, to a people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers." (Isa 18:1 NIV)

Woes sometimes have the effect of bringing us around to the Worship of God.

Over the years, I've noticed that some Christians, when confronted with trouble in their lives, tend to stay away from public worship of God. I'm thinking this might be because they are embarrassed that they have not been able to control their lives in a manner that is Christ-like. They don't want others to know that they have slipped up, they have sinned. There's a little problem with this and that is that they think that they have been saved by their good works. They think that they are or were good because they had been able to keep up the appearance of morality by their own inner strength. The glory was not God's, but theirs. Consequently, because they thought their good character was attributed to themselves, so was their fall, and they are embarrassed by their fall. They failed or so they think. Hopefully, they will come to understand that the LORD can use these failures to open our eyes so that we see the way to return to Him.

Others, when their sins begin to cause them stressful living, decide that it is God's fault that their lives are spiraling downhill. They cannot acknowledge that maybe they have chosen to follow another path that the LORD would not have them follow through the wilderness. Again, the LORD can use these times of woe so that we will seek the light and turn from the path of darkness that we have been following.

Either way, both of these are symptoms of an underlying issue - a control issue. It is really hard to relinquish our whole lives into the hands of Almighty God. But, when we do, something marvelous happens, by the power of the Spirit of Christ, we will become more Christ-like. We will desire to Worship the LORD.  It needs to be understood that worship of God is not a good work credited to you. It is a natural outpouring of the love that we have for the one who first loved us.

Whoever, these tall, smooth skinned people who live between the rivers are that God sends this warning of woe to, many of them end up worshipping the LORD Almighty.

"At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord Almighty from a people tall and smooth-skinned, from a people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers—the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty." (Isa 18:7)

Woes can be turned to blessings. Let us rejoice for God for the gifts that God has given us. Let us give all glory to God "for in him we live and move and have our being." (Act 17:28)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 17 - Woe To Those Who Think Too Highly Of The Work of Their Own Hands

"In that day people will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles and the incense altars their fingers have made. (Isa 17:7-8 NIV)

Does is really have to get that bad before people will look to their Maker, the Holy One of Israel? It just amazes me that we have to face destruction, even live through it, before we give up trusting in the work of our own hands, before we turn and trust the LORD. 

Isaiah prophecies that the people will plant and they will grow, yet the harvest will be worthless. The work of their hands will come to nothing. They will be hungry. He prophecies against those who rage like the stormy sea. "In the evening, sudden terror! Before the morning, they are gone! This is the portion of those who loot us, the lot of those who plunder us." (vs 14)

Woe to those who rage against others. Woe to those who plot secretly to destroy them. Do you not know that you will not prevail? Do you not know that you are bringing an end to yourself? Leave off trusting in your own ability to prevail. You are not a god. Leave off trusting in your false gods.

Return to the LORD, look to your Maker, and rejoice for our Father has mercy on all who hear His Word and believe. Live life justly!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 6 - Will You Really Go?

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” (Isa 6:5 NIV)

 

Can you imagine having a vision of the LORD, seated exalted on his throne, surrounded by six-winged seraphim, shaking the temple, with their singing "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."?  

 

I think we'd all be crying "Woe is me!" We will all be crying "Woe is me!"

 

One of the seraphim takes a live coal from the altar and touches Isaiah's lips and says, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” (Isa 6:6)

 

Now that Isaiah has been made clean, he hears the voice of the LORD saying "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"  And I said, “Here am I. Send me!" (vs 8)

 

And.... God sends him. He sends him to the people.

 

"He said, “Go and tell this people:

“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
Make the heart of this people calloused;
make their ears dull
and close their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts,and turn and be healed.”" (Isa 6:9-10)

This prophecy is to be fulfilled when the cities lie in ruins, the people have been dispersed from the land, and the land is utterly forsaken, when; hopefully, the ears, eyes, and hearts of the people will be opened and they will turn and once again worship and serve the LORD.

 

Isaiah's response to the LORD reminds me of the song, "Here, I am, LORD." It is a favorite among many people. Whenever, we sing it, I wonder if they actually know what they are committing to when they sing with such gusto: "Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord? I have heard You calling in the night. I will go Lord, if You lead me. I will hold Your people in my heart."

 

When God asks you to go, when He calls you to do something, to be a messenger for His Word, an appropriate response would be to say yes. That yes, if we have any sense, would drop us on our faces to the ground in humility and trepidation of the awesomeness of God and the . What is more God is sending us out to share His Word. He is not saying that we get to sit at home in front of our television sets and just think about it. He is saying go - go to a people who have ears, but cannot hear; eyes, but cannot see; hearts, but cannot understand. Go to them with my Word, that they might hear and turn and be healed.  Now, if you have any delusion that bringing the Word of the LORD to others is going to be easy, think again! 

 

According to the Book of Hebrews 4:12. "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

 

In my mind, I often picture the Word of God as a two-edged sword. One edge is used to put to death. That side is the law. The other side of the sword, when heated, has been used on battle fields to cicatrize wounds, bringing healing and wholeness, even new life to those who have been wounded. This side of the sword represents, of course, the gospel. This two-edged sword, that is the Word of God, will not be welcomed by everyone. And, if you plan on actually answering the call to follow Jesus, and to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom to all people, please know, that this is Almighty God sending you out. I'd be taking this call a little more seriously than just thinking about it and putting it off for another day. Might not hurt to consider falling on our faces in humility, as Isaiah did. God is not just giving you a catchy song to sing His praises and definitely not our praises! This is Almighty God who is sending you to bear His Word to the nations, to our neighbors, that they who have been wounded, might be healed. If someone were dying along side the road, would you leave them there to die or would you help them? Would you try to save their life? No mistaking it, you cannot save one soul. But, the Word, who is Jesus the Christ can and does and has. As Christians, you are merely the vessels which brings Christ, who is the Word of God, to the world. But, the vessel does have a purpose which encompasses more than just sitting there. It holds something. It carries something.

 

Take the commission that the Word of God gave to us seriously, please.... It may not be easy. It might even be downright frightening at times, but go. ".... go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matt 28:19-20)

 

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Isaiah 5 - Woe To Those Who Call Evil Good

A lot more woes, today, for the children of God, who have proven fruitless! There are consequences, it seems, for real world sin. There are consequences for those who have turned their backs on God and followed in their own ways. Isaiah uses a parable of a vineyard, to warn the people before it is too late and they suffer the consequences of their own greed and self-centeredness.

God has planted a vineyard. He planted it with the choices vines, but it has yielded for him only bad fruit. Woe says, the Word of God, through Isaiah to the children of God.

"Woe to those who call evil good

and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
and clever in their own sight.

Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine
and champions at mixing drinks,
who acquit the guilty for a bribe,
but deny justice to the innocent.
Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw
and as dry grass sinks down in the flames,
so their roots will decay
and their flowers blow away like dust;
for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty
and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Therefore the Lord’s anger burns against his people;
his hand is raised and he strikes them down."  (Isa 5:20-25 NIV)

Has anything changed since Isaiah's time? God's children suffer the consequences of their unfruitfulness, they repent, they turn to God, and then do it all over again. Will we ever learn? Over and over again, we do the same things that lead us into trouble, but so often we just never learn. Here's one - how about that drunk driver who either almost or does kill someone and; yet, refuses to acknowledge that he has a drinking problem so he's out there sneaking behind the wheel while he's intoxicated the first chance that he has when he thinks he won't be caught. Or... the prescription drug uses who abuses these "legal drugs" to the point that they can no longer care for their families appropriately. They use these "legal drugs" and then blame the fact that they are crabby or mean or neglectful of their family or maybe can't even work because they are sick when the reality is that they can't do these things because the "legal drugs" have made them sick. This illness we call addiction. Get help before you (and the people you love) suffer worse consequences than you already have. And, please don't try to justify your abuse of "legal drugs" by saying it's the only thing that helps. I hear this way too often, by way too many people. God knows better. I know better. You know better. Calling evil good is one of the things we are warned about by Isaiah. If it damages your body, mind, and spirit; if it damages your family, your relationships, how can it be called good? There are consequences for doing those things which we call good, but are not.

Prophecy (in the Old Testament) is not so much a prediction of what will come. It is more of a prediction (a warning) of what might come if something doesn't change. It doesn't have to be. Remember that no matter what we have done in the past, through faith in the redeeming power of the Son, Jesus the Christ, we are forgiven all the evil that we have done. You are forgiven, through Jesus the Christ and that alone should be cause enough to rejoice and return most fully to the LORD! We can change. With the help of God, we can be changed so that our lives are more fruitful. Give up on those desperate attempts to go against God's will - receive His love - His grace - His mercy - and live life!

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. The list of evil that we call good, in today's world, is way too long to even think about enumerating in a blog.