Jesus Speaks on Present Conduct and Future Prophecy - Day 72 Through the Bible

A view of the Christmas tree farm at our Sunday School teacher's home near Mt. Celo Church.  The land has been in their family for 7 generations and is now bequeathed to their 5 children - the 8th generation.

God Speaks to Us Through Prayer and His Word of Present Conduct and Future Prophecy- (Numbers 23 and 24 and Mark 13) Balaam, the diviner, has been greatly chastised by the Angel of the LORD (most NT scholars believe this to be the pre-incarnate Christ) for not obeying the command given to him in prayer (Num. 22:20). Balaam was told to wait...until the men came to call him..., but Balaam forged ahead alone, rousing God's anger.  Now God puts His Word in Balaam's mouth (23:3, 16) and the Spirit of God comes upon him (24:2) to speak through an oracle..."the utterance of a man whose eyes are opened...who hears the words of God...who sees the vision of the Almighty (24:3,4)...who has the knowledge of the Most High" (v.16).  Blessings are given by the King upon Israel rather than the curses requested by a jealous king...and the prophecy of the promised Messiah coming out of this very people will destroy this enemy (24:17-24): "I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and batter the brow of Moab, and destroy all the sons of tumult."

Hundreds of years later this promised Messiah has come.  He delivers His longest teaching - the Olivet Discourse - continuing in Chapter 13 of Mark.  He warns the people that the temple will be destroyed - a prophecy that is fulfilled in A.D. 70 by the Romans.  And...He gives the prophecy about the future Tribulation and answers Peter's questions about the signs of those times and how we should live in light of them....watch out for ourselves...we will be delivered up...beaten...brought before rulers for His sake...for a testimony to them...the gospel must first be preached to all nations...we are not to worry about what to say when we are arrested and delivered up...for it will not be us who speak...but the Holy Spirit.   (This hearkens back to Balaam.  God spoke through Him, put His Word in him.).  Then Jesus speaks of...family members rising up against each other causing them to be put to death...hated by all for His name's sake...but...he who endures to the end shall be saved.  He gives the further horrors, desolation and tribulation of these times and adds that no one would be saved except for the elect's sake - whom He chose - He shortened the days.  Again, as with the account in Numbers 23 and 24 of his elect - Judah - the elect, the chosen - those who believe and trust in Him - only are saved.

My Lessons/Applications - Keeping the proper perspective is of essence, the eternal perspective taught in God's Word.  Maintaining a close relationship with Christ is paramount to any other relationship - to have my eyes opened to His truth, my hearing attuned only to His voice, my life in obedience to Him, not to the world's dictates.  Knowing, studying, meditating upon, praying over, living out His Word...remembering His past faithfulness, walking in His present guidance, watching for His future return...Maranatha...Even so, come, Lord Jesus (Rev. 22:20)

Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield, for our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.  Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, just as we hope in You.

Psalm 33:20-22