Category Archives: Praise / Worship / Glorify God

Born Again (spiritually), Faith / Trusting God, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Purposeful / Intentional, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant

Starting on a Personal Journey to Walk with Yahweh

The historical record of Naaman in the Bible is quite extraordinary. I have recently covered in a previous article, but as I was sharing the story with another, I realized another significant perspective I had overlooked. This can often be the case as scripture is often so packed with meaning (and sometimes just action in general), that we can read right over certain more subtle parts. To read the prior post on Naaman, use the following link: Do Things God’s Way, Not Our Way.

2 Kings 5:1-19

Naaman Is Healed

      1Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper. 2Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3She said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel.” 5Then the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He departed and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold and ten changes of clothes.

      6He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.”

      8It happened when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha. 10Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” 11But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’ 12“Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean.

      15When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.” 16But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules’ load of earth; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD. 18“In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter.” 19He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him some distance.

In this article I am going to focus on verses 17-19. Naaman humbles himself to call refer to himself as a servant to the prophet. He commits to no longer offer burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods. He commits himself to Yahweh. This is noble and good, an appropriate response.

Notice, however what follows. We now see the struggle of a new believer trying to start on his path to Yahweh without full understanding and surrounded by pagan cult of false religion ‘back home’. I am going to copy here and share from Barnes commentary for consideration.

Two mules’ burden of earth – This earth, Naaman thought, spread over a portion of Syrian ground, would hallow and render it suitable for the worship of Yahweh.

Rimmon is known to us as a god only by this passage. The name is connected with a root “to be high.” Hadad-rimmon Zechariah 12:11, the name of a place near Megiddo, points to the identity of Rimmon with Hadad, who is known to have been the Sun, the chief object of worship to the Syrians.

When he leaneth on mine hand – The practice of a monarch’s “leaning on the hand” of an attendant was not common in the East (compare the marginal reference). It probably implied age or infirmity.

Naaman was not prepared to offend his master, either by refusing to enter with him into the temple of Rimmon, or by remaining erect when the king bowed down and worshipped the god. His conscience seems to have told him that such conduct was not right; but he trusted that it might be pardoned, and he appealed to the prophet in the hope of obtaining from him an assurance to this effect.

There was a lot Naaman did not understand yet about Yahweh. The soil seems right to a new believer coming from history of false religion, but to a mature believer we would recognize that the soil does not make something holy. Yahweh makes it holy and our relationship with Him, setting ourselves apart for His service. None the less, we see Naaman means well to seek after Yahweh. He is already evaluating plans for when he returns home to do so.

Naaman also thinks ahead and realizes there are other conflicts with his return home and his desire to worship Yahweh. He will encounter his master and his master relies on him and still worships Rimmon. Naaman does not yet come to the right answer that a mature believer should. He should completely step away from bowing before idols or participating in this kind of service to a false god. However, He is still very much reacting to a dramatic life change and has not had time to adapt and change his life. Making these dramatic changes is hard. He is on the road and has the desire. He seeks a pardon, but he does not receive one from the prophet. It is interesting to note, that the prophet also does not rebuke him. He gives a neutral answer.

Some may take “go in peace” to be an affirmation that Elisha condones Naaman remaining in false worship.  I take it to be a neutral answer. I do not know if Naaman went on to worship Yahweh and be pleasing to Yahweh or if he fell back into pagan practices. He had going for him enthusiasm and intent to change. He had working against him being surrounded by pagan beliefs even in his master’s home in which he served and that he may not have access to reliable teaching on how to worship and live for Yahweh. I tend to think he may have ultimately come to recognize that he would need to be set apart from false worship and perhaps even later plotted a path out of that lifestyle. Maybe I am just an optimist, but the LORD healed him and I think it was not just so he could turn back to his old ways once he got home.  Even the way the LORD healed him leans into the symbolism of baptism and new birth by dipping in the river.

For each of us, let us remember in our lives that as we identify changes to make to more closely follow Yahweh (such as celebrating the appointed times in Leviticus 23 or turning away from false teaching in the church), we will often face the same challenge Naaman did. We will be surrounded by the people who think our change is wrong and we should remain where we were. It is hard when those people are in our own family or household or perhaps bosses at work. We may want to try to plan a way out of those influences or at least some situations in which those become particularly tough. For example, maybe Naaman could find a way to still help his master but not go in to worship Rimmon. I am not sure if Naaman could simply leave his master’s service.

I believe there are certain situation where the best approach is to remove ourselves from the bad influence as much as possible. However, there are situations where this may not be practical. In these situations, I like the example of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They held true to Yahweh even in the midst of strong pressure to do the wrong things.

There is a lot there in a few verses at the end of this scripture in 2 Kings 5. It is easy to overlook, but powerful to prayerfully reflect on how it still applies in our lives today.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Courage / Fear, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, False Prophets / Teachers, Idols / False Gods, Miracles, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Submitted / Servant, Through Prophets

The Faith of a Prophet – Elijah on Mount Caramel

The record of Elijah challenging the priests of Baal on Mount Carmel is a classic contrast of those who put their faith in false gods and those who put their faith in Yahweh. You see ultimately both side by side, played out in front of the people of Israel.

Those who trust in Baal are humiliated as Baal and all false gods have no power. By stark contrast, however, we see Yahweh deliver in spectacular fashion. He does not do so for Elijah’s glory, but for His own.

1 Kings 18:20-46

God or Baal on Mount Carmel

      20So Ahab sent a message among all the sons of Israel and brought the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word. 22Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23“Now let them give us two oxen; and let them choose one ox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other ox and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire under it. 24“Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people said, “That is a good idea.”

      25So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” 26Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they made. 27It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.” 28So they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. 29When midday was past, they raved until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention.

      30Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD which had been torn down. 31Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” 32So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed. 33Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood. 34And he said, “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. 35The water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water.

Elijah’s Prayer

      36At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. 37“Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.” 38Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God.” 40Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

      41Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.” 42So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees. 43He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go back” seven times. 44It came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’” 45In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 46Then the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel.

If we dig a little deeper we quickly see the depth of Elijah’s faith. He went to a wicked king who blamed him for the drought, rather than accepting that it was the king’s own sin that brought it on. He comes before the people of Israel to confront 450 priests of Baal. He is clearly outnumbered. He has such strong faith that he intentionally lets them go first and then makes his own challenge seemingly more difficult by pouring water over everything. Reflect for a moment on the strength of his faith.

Elijah was focused on Yahweh, not himself. He did not do this for his own glory, but for Yahweh. In the end, Elijah’s faith and courage to stand firmly and openly for the LORD brought glory to God and led many people back to Him.

Reflect personally on where in our lives we can make a public stand for our Father, for His glory and to bring others back to Him. It likely will not always be as dramatic as Elijah on Mount Carmel, but there are many opportunities where we can stand up for the LORD or remain quiet and fade into the background, avoiding putting the focus on Him. Ask our Father to help you stand firmly for Him and for His glory!

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Fear / Reverence for God, Guide, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Idols / False Gods, Obeying God, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Selfishness, Traditions / Holidays, Wickedness / Evil

Stick With What God Has Said, Even When It Seems Hard

We should all take great care to avoid changing YHWH’s guidance for our own personal gain or comfort or convenience. There may be difficulties you face to be faithful to what YHWH has said to do. Putting the LORD first and obeying often feels like taking personal risk. Just consider Moses going to Pharaoh, Gideon sending most of his army home when already outnumbered, Paul preaching the truth of Christ even as he face persecution, and many more. If there was no potential “risk”, then too there is little faith required. I don’t need much faith to obey if the LORD asks me to tie my shoes. Neither does it bring Him much glory.

Jeroboam should have remained faithful to YHWH’s commands even if he felt his kingship and his life were at risk. He did not have faith to look toward YHWH, but instead looked only toward himself without consideration of honoring YHWH.

An additional important point is that we should never just create our own versions of what YHWH has said is right. Jeroboam not only did this, but he led many others into his idolatry. This is selfish and wicked. (It is interesting to consider the LORD put him in as king, knowing this. His ways are not our ways.)

1 Kings 12:25-33

Jeroboam’s Idolatry

      25Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel. 26Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. 27“If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28So the king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 29He set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31And he made houses on high places, and made priests from among all the people who were not of the sons of Levi. 32Jeroboam instituted a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast which is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; thus he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made. And he stationed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. 33Then he went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised in his own heart; and he instituted a feast for the sons of Israel and went up to the altar to burn incense.

Do not dismiss this message. Look hard at what the Christian church at large celebrates and compare it to what Yeshua celebrated when He was walking as a man to set the example of godly and righteous for us. Followers of Christ largely dismiss the Moedim, or appointed times, which YHWH told us to celebrate. Instead, we continue in the holidays that are culturally normalized but are really a mixture of paganism and Christianity. Consider Christmas or Easter as examples. Don’t get defensive because they are emotionally important to you. Research the history and how they are celebrated and why some common customs (e.g. egg hunt) are part of it. Hint: much of it will never be found in the Bible. It’s not there. To learn more consider our previous posts on Traditions/Holidays. In large measure, we are celebrating in a similar way that Jeroboam did… following celebrations created by man rather than God.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Curse, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Learning To Pray Effectively, Obeying God, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Wickedness / Evil

David’s Last Song – Walking with YHWH

David was a gifted musician and a man after YHWH’s own heart. He saw both the blessing of obedience and the punishment of disobedience personally in his life as well as in those around him through his life. He wrote many psalms and songs that capture an important perspective on how YHWH interacts with people who are righteous vs. wicked. We should reflect on both. Let our focus always remain on our Father. Let us seek to be righteous and find favor with YHWH.

2 Samuel 23:1-7

David’s Last Song

      1Now these are the last words of David.
David the son of Jesse declares,
The man who was raised on high declares,
The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel,

      2“The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue.

      3“The God of Israel said,
The Rock of Israel spoke to me,
‘He who rules over men righteously,
Who rules in the fear of God,

      4Is as the light of the morning when the sun rises,
A morning without clouds,
When the tender grass springs out of the earth,
Through sunshine after rain.’

      5“Truly is not my house so with God?
For He has made an everlasting covenant with me,
Ordered in all things, and secured;
For all my salvation and all my desire,
Will He not indeed make it grow?

      6“But the worthless, every one of them will be thrust away like thorns,
Because they cannot be taken in hand;

      7But the man who touches them
Must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear,
And they will be completely burned with fire in their place.”

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Learning To Pray Effectively, Obeying God, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Protector / Deliverer, Salvation, Seeking God, Thankfulness

Praise YHWH for Deliverance

Included within the book of 2 Samuel, we find a psalm of deliverance from David. Surely we all do well to reflect on and rely on deliverance by the LORD from what comes against us. We do well to praise Him and thank Him and not forget or take for granted what He has done on our behalf.

2 Samuel 22

David’s Psalm of Deliverance

      1And David spoke the words of this song to the LORD in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.

2He said,
“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;

      3My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge;
My savior, You save me from violence.

      4“I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
And I am saved from my enemies.

      5“For the waves of death encompassed me;
The torrents of destruction overwhelmed me;

      6The cords of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.

      7“In my distress I called upon the LORD,
Yes, I cried to my God;
And from His temple He heard my voice,
And my cry for help came into His ears.

      8“Then the earth shook and quaked,
The foundations of heaven were trembling
And were shaken, because He was angry.

      9“Smoke went up out of His nostrils,
Fire from His mouth devoured;
Coals were kindled by it.

      10“He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With thick darkness under His feet.

      11“And He rode on a cherub and flew;
And He appeared on the wings of the wind.

      12“And He made darkness canopies around Him,
A mass of waters, thick clouds of the sky.

      13“From the brightness before Him
Coals of fire were kindled.

      14“The LORD thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered His voice.

      15“And He sent out arrows, and scattered them,
Lightning, and routed them.

      16“Then the channels of the sea appeared,
The foundations of the world were laid bare
By the rebuke of the LORD,
At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

      17“He sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.

      18“He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.

      19“They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the LORD was my support.

      20“He also brought me forth into a broad place;
He rescued me, because He delighted in me.

      21“The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.

      22“For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
And have not acted wickedly against my God.

      23“For all His ordinances were before me,
And as for His statutes, I did not depart from them.

      24“I was also blameless toward Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.

      25“Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to my cleanness before His eyes.

      26“With the kind You show Yourself kind,
With the blameless You show Yourself blameless;

      27With the pure You show Yourself pure,
And with the perverted You show Yourself astute.

      28“And You save an afflicted people;
But Your eyes are on the haughty whom You abase.

      29“For You are my lamp, O LORD;
And the LORD illumines my darkness.

      30“For by You I can run upon a troop;
By my God I can leap over a wall.

      31“As for God, His way is blameless;
The word of the LORD is tested;
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

      32“For who is God, besides the LORD?
And who is a rock, besides our God?

      33“God is my strong fortress;
And He sets the blameless in His way.

      34“He makes my feet like hinds’ feet,
And sets me on my high places.

      35“He trains my hands for battle,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

      36“You have also given me the shield of Your salvation,
And Your help makes me great.

      37“You enlarge my steps under me,
And my feet have not slipped.

      38“I pursued my enemies and destroyed them,
And I did not turn back until they were consumed.

      39“And I have devoured them and shattered them, so that they did not rise;
And they fell under my feet.

      40“For You have girded me with strength for battle;
You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

      41“You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me,
And I destroyed those who hated me.

      42“They looked, but there was none to save;
Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.

      43“Then I pulverized them as the dust of the earth;
I crushed and stamped them as the mire of the streets.

      44“You have also delivered me from the contentions of my people;
You have kept me as head of the nations;
A people whom I have not known serve me.

      45“Foreigners pretend obedience to me;
As soon as they hear, they obey me.

      46“Foreigners lose heart,
And come trembling out of their fortresses.

      47“The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock;
And exalted be God, the rock of my salvation,

      48The God who executes vengeance for me,
And brings down peoples under me,

      49Who also brings me out from my enemies;
You even lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from the violent man.

      50“Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the nations,
And I will sing praises to Your name.

      51“He is a tower of deliverance to His king,
And shows lovingkindness to His anointed,
To David and his descendants forever.”

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Praise / Worship / Glorify God

Focus on YHWH’s Opinion of You Rather than the Opinion of Others

To be sure, there could be some challenges for Mical in accepting David with joy given he replaced her father who, along with her brother, were killed to make way. (We should note that David did not take part in killing Saul and Jonathan.) But in the case of 2 Samuel 6, it is not clear that was at issue. David was moved to dancing and leaping with joy as he celebrated bringing in the ark. Mical could not reconcile this behavior with the distinguished manner in which a king should behave before his people. Clearly with the comment that she never had a child recorded here, we are shown that she was in the wrong, else why mention that here. It is listed as if a punishment from the LORD for her attitude against Him.

David, on the other hand, had a rich relationship with YHWH despite several shortcomings and sin on his part. He found joy in the LORD and genuine repentance when he sinned. Mical seems bitter and joyless toward YHWH and more worried about what people may think than YHWH.

Let us focus more on how YHWH feels about how we live and the decisions we make than how others may feel about it. Praise and celebrate Him like noone is watching.

2 Samuel 6:12-23

The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem

      12Now it was told King David, saying, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. 13And so it was, that when the bearers of the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14And David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15So David and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.

      16Then it happened as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

      17So they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offering, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. 19Further, he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed each to his house.

      20But when David returned to bless his household, Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel distinguished himself today! He uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants’ maids as one of the foolish ones shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21So David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel; therefore I will celebrate before the LORD. 22“I will be more lightly esteemed than this and will be humble in my own eyes, but with the maids of whom you have spoken, with them I will be distinguished.” 23Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Blessed, Consequences of Sin, Heaven and Hell, Peace / Rest, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Traditions / Holidays

The New Heaven and Earth

After all the tribulation and trials, after the 1000 year reign of Yeshua, after the judgment and many are thrown into the lake of fire… the new heaven and earth. What a wonderful moment to look forward to. God will come down to dwell again with His people. This is the event that celebrating Feast of Tabernacles reminds us to look forward to each year. This is the restoration of all things, making all things new. No pain. No sorrow. The new Jerusalem is a magnificent place. Spoiler alert… you will want to choose and submit to Yeshua to experience this wonderful place. The alternative… the lake of fire.

Revelation 21

The New Heaven and Earth

      1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

      5And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” 6Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. 7“He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. 8“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

      9Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

The New Jerusalem

      10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. 12It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 13There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

      15The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. 16The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. 17And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements. 18The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; 20the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

      22I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; 26and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; 27and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Justice / Judgment, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Righteous, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Hallelujah! Praise YHWH at All Times

Praise the LORD at all times. His judgments are righteous, even if we don’t agree. Let us remember who He is! He is the master and creator of all things. Nothing escapes His notice.

Revelation 19

The Fourfold Hallelujah

      1After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,
“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; 2BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and HE HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS ON HER.” 3And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! HER SMOKE RISES UP FOREVER AND EVER.” 4And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5And a voice came from the throne, saying,
“Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.” 6Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,
“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Visions

Blessing, Glory, Wisdom, Thanksgiving, Honor, Power Be to our God Forever

There is a lot of meaning and information packed in Revelation, even on the surface, without diving into the full symbolic nature of the writing. The style of writing with fantastic imagery suggests perhaps this is not all to be taken literally, but whether literal or not, it contains powerful information from our Creator.

Revelation 7

An Interlude

      1After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. 2And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.”

The 144,000

      4And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

5from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 6from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, 7from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 8from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

A Multitude from the Tribulation

      9After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 11And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying,
“Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

      13Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” 14I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15“For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. 16“They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; 17for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

Just a few of the surface level key messages contained include:

  • YHWH is in full control of what will happen to the earth. He has not lost control to man or Satan. Everything will ultimately play out according to His plans and in His timing.
  • I believe the 144 thousand is symbolic in nature rather than literal. So too, it carries meaning that there will be people from every tribe. Notice how the end reflects the beginning. There is no discarding of the tribes or history of YHWH’s people as if something new has come. Without getting into the full depth here, I believe also that gentile believers are included in this representation.
  • The tribulation will bring a great multitude to YHWH through Yeshua. They are cleansed through His blood. They will come from every nation and tribe. So the tribulation will bring about some good in bringing many to salvation, though it will be very hard.
  • Glory and blessing and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power to YHWH forever and ever… Amen! Our God is worthy of every bit of praise we can ever give Him. The angels and all creation will worship Him.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Eternal, Grace / Forgiveness, Guide, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy, Infinite / Without Limit, Loving / Kind, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Strong in Our Weakness, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Blessings, Honor, Glory, and Dominion Forever – YHWH and Yeshua Rather than Man

I will honestly say I do not take time to just stop and praise YHWH and Yeshua often enough. I mean for who they are and what they have already done, not just when they give me a personal victory. Our God is amazing. He is creator of all. He rules over all. He became man and died for us. Who are we that He should be concerned with each of us!?

Blessings, honor, glory and dominion for YHWH and Yeshua indeed. Let us not seek the glorification of man or his creation in His place.

Revelation 5:11-14

Angels Exalt the Lamb

      11Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
13And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

14And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.