Category: Scripture Journal

HIGHLIGHT

1 Kings 8:27 (ESV): 27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!

EXPLAIN

Solomon had employed many workers for seven years to build a magnificent Temple in which the people would worship God. Now, he was dedicating this edifice to God.

You can hear the awe and wonder in Solomon’s voice as he prayed, noting that God had never chosen a city out of Israel in which to have a house, but God chose David to be king.

David had desired to build a temple, but God told him his son would do so. Solomon had done so, recognizing the privilege he had in carrying out such an amazing task.

While this Temple was magnificent, Solomon recognized from the beginning that the King of the universe could not be contained by its walls. Rather, this building would bear God’s name and the people would worship him there.

These words became key many years later when Stephen testified for Christ, arguing that the Jewish religious leaders had lost focus on what was most important, revering the place where God was worshipped so much that they had missed the very Presence of God, the Son of God, in their midst.

APPLY

Like Solomon, we must be wise enough to understand that God is not contained by our buildings, our traditions, our rules. Rather, we should always seek the living presence of our Lord and Savior, worshipping him only.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ. May I worship him only, always, never confusing the trappings of religion with the person of Christ. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

1 Kings 6:11–13 (ESV): 11 Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon, 12 “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.”

EXPLAIN

This word of the Lord came to Solomon in the midst of the building of the Temple. The Temple was a beautiful structure that took seven years to build.

APPLY

While God was honored by David’s desire and then Solomon’s work to build a Temple for the people to worship him, most important was that the people obey God’s Word.

Even though the structure was painstakingly built with utmost care, resulting in a beautiful place of worship, God’s desire and expectation was the people’s obedience.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, in all that I do to honor you, help me to be careful to walk in your ways. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Revelation 15:3–4 (ESV): 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! 4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

EXPLAIN

The previous chapter closes with messages from three angels, one of which promises God’s wrath on those who worship the beast. Thus, the saints are called to endure. After this, the earth is harvested; God’s wrath is poured out and many die.

This chapter begins with seven angels with seven plagues. But before their plagues are revealed, we see a sea of glass mingled with fire, and all those who had conquered the beast and its image standing beside the sea, singing this glorious song.

APPLY

We often don’t understand God’s ways, especially when God allows us to go through hardship and difficulty. But when we gain a greater perspective, we must exclaimed how great and amazing God is, for he is just and true.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, I praise you for your greatness and goodness. You are just and true. You are rightful King of the universe, and I thank you for the privilege of calling you my king. I glorify your name, Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Revelation 12:11 (ESV): 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

EXPLAIN

Within the story of John’s revelation, the woman and the dragon are like a flashback or a pull-out or short vignette.

The woman appears to illustrate the people of God, Israel and then the Church. She gives birth to a male child who is to rule all the nations, but her child is taken up to heaven. Then, the woman flees into the wilderness where she is nourished for 3.5 years.

War arose in heaven, and Michael and his angels defeat the great dragon who is thrown to earth. A loud voice then proclaims praise to God, which includes this highlighted verse.

In the verses that follow, the dragon pursues the woman (the people of God) but the woman is able to escape the dragon who goes to make war against the rest of her offspring.

APPLY

We can live confident of victory over sin and Satan! Our victory comes through Christ’s shed blood and the word of our testimony.

Our confidence does come with responsibility: we must continue to pledge our allegiance by faith in Christ and we must boldly proclaim that allegiance to the world.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for victory in Christ Jesus! May I live faithfully for you, sharing your love and grace with others. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Revelation 10:10 (ESV): 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter.

EXPLAIN

After the 6th trumpet, a mighty angel came down from heaven, standing with one foot on the sea and the other on land. He spoke, but John was forbidden to write the message down.

But this angel held a scroll. John was told to take the scroll and eat it. Then, he was told that he must continue to prophesy about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.

APPLY

The Gospel is good news for our world, but because of sin and how people often respond, it can be bitter to us – sweet to speak and to savor, but bitter due to the response of wicked people.

Yet we must be faithful to share the good news that Jesus is King.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for the wonderful message that Jesus is King. Help me to share that news with someone today. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Revelation 7:9 (ESV): 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

EXPLAIN

This chapter begins with 4 angels purposefully stalling God’s judgment upon the earth so that 144,000 could be given God’s seal on their foreheads.

There is a list of twelve tribes from which 12,000 each are sealed. But these tribes do not match the listing of tribes in the Old Testament, neither the actual 12 sons of Jacob nor the 12 tribes as laid out under Moses with Joseph’s two sons as tribes and Levi not listed. Instead, in this list, neither Dan nor Ephraim are listed, but Levi is.

Immediately after this listing, we find the highlighted verse which talks about a great number from every nation.

Whether the 144,000 are purely symbolic, and whether they represent only Jews sealed by God or Gentiles also can be debated.

But verse 14 makes it clear that this great multitude of Christ followers comes from the great tribulation.

APPLY

Going from an area where the population is less than one hundred thousand to an area populated by a couple million people, it is easy to experience feelings of being swallowed up by one’s surroundings.

As followers of Jesus, we may also feel overwhelmed by the world’s opposition or mere indifference to the kingdom of God. But John’s revelation assures us that if we remain faithful, we will one day worship the Lamb with an innumerable crowd, shouting the praises of our King.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, may I live faithfully for you, no matter how the world may respond, so that I may worship you with the Church Triumphant for eternity. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Revelation 5:5 (ESV): 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

EXPLAIN

What has the Lion of Judah conquered? Chronologically, at this point Christ was not pictured as having returned to the earth to conquer the devil, his minions, and the people of this world.

Revelation 6 begins with the Lamb opening the seals, and the first seal is of a white horse and rider who comes out conquering. This horse does not represent Christ, but a time of war on earth.

What has the Lion conquered? The very next verse, Revelation 5:6, says John then saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain. The reason the Lion could open the scroll is that he had conquered as Lamb being slain to take away the sins of the world!

Revelation 5:9–10 (ESV): 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

APPLY

The response of the four living creatures and the 24 elders, seemingly representing all of creation and the people of God, should inform us how to react to the reminder that Jesus has conquered sin and death.

He is worthy of all our worship!

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, I thank you for your son, the Lion-Lamb, who has conquered sin and death, and will return soon to establish his kingdom for eternity. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Revelation 3:22 (ESV): 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

EXPLAIN

At the beginning of John’s revelation, Jesus dictated letters to seven churches in Asia Minor. These were real churches in real places.

While some would suggest these churches represent periods of church history, we should not overlook the fact that these were real churches with real problems.

Some of these churches had very serious spiritual problems, but each of these churches were in need of turnaround. The wonderful church of Smyrna was in danger of becoming intimidated by opposition. Philadelphia Church was to continue in the open door of ministry Christ had given her despite the opposition of others.

To each of the churches, Jesus gave the exhortation to listen to what the Spirit was saying to them.

APPLY

Are we listening to what the Holy Spirit would be saying to us today, not only as individuals but also as local churches?

Are we, as a local church, following the voice and the will of the Spirit? Or, do we make our plans and ask God to bless them?

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to tune my ear to the Spirit’s voice, not only for me individually and for my family, but also for my local church. Help me to hear and obey your will. Amen.

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Image by Deborah Windham from Pixabay

HIGHLIGHT

Jude 20–21 (ESV): 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

EXPLAIN

Jude wanted to write the believers about salvation, but found it necessary instead to urge the believers to stay true to Jesus. Certain people had crept into the churches unnoticed who were perverting God’s grace.

Jude then wrote very descriptively of these people’s error, using illustrations from the past to picture their sin, error, and coming judgment.

Jude reminded the believers that this was prophesied to occur, and so he encouraged them to build themselves up in the faith.

APPLY

As followers of Jesus, our focus should be on growing in the faith, praying, and loving God and others, waiting hopefully for Christ’s return.

The question is then: am I growing in my faith? Am I careful to pray? Is my character becoming ever more noted for love? Am I living for a future in Heaven, or for this world only?

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to continue in these essentials of the faith so that I might not be distracted or deceived, but rather be built up in you. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

3 John 11 (ESV): 11 Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.

EXPLAIN

John was writing to Gaius to thank him and encourage him in his practice of receiving traveling preachers and supporting them in their ministry.

John contrasted Gaius’ faithfulness with Diotrephes who was self-focused, refused the authority of the apostles and refused to show hospitality to traveling ministers.

APPLY

In these verses, we see discipleship in action: practicing one’s faith by putting it into action, helping others with real needs and imitating those who living as disciples of Christ.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, I want an alive, practical faith that imitates Christ and his followers in demonstrating love in action for others. Amen.

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Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay