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And They Sang a New Song…Revelation 5:9
In the Book of Revelation,
Jesus is symbolically described wielding a double-edged sword that proceeds out
from his mouth, in reference to the "sword of the spirit" which is
the "word of truth". Excalibur
was originally derived from the Latin phrase Ex calce liberatus, "liberated from the stone"
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My Meditations on Today’s Readings
(Ellipses are mine
and are used for contemplation.)
Key Words/Phrases:
Amos interceded in prayer, so
the LORD relented; Bring my soul out of prison; that I may praise Your name; an
unjust man is an abomination to a righteous man, and a righteous man is an
abomination to a wicked man; Behold, the Lion of Judah and the Root of David
has prevailed; the prayers of the saints, a new song; He is worthy
Both the Impact and
Impotence of Intercessory Prayer – Amos 6 and 7 – (Facts: What It Says – Summarized)
God’s Pronouncement of Doom Against Israel: Woe to you…who are…at ease…in Zion and…trust in…Mount Samaria. Woe to you…who put far off the day of
doom…who cause…the seat of violence to come near, who lie on beds of ivory,
stretch out on your couches, sing idly, anoint yourselves with the best
ointments…but are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. THEREFORE…they shall go captive, be removed,
be delivered up…FOR…I abhor…the pride of Jacob and…hate…his palaces. The Availing Intercessory Prayers of Amos – When God
Relents: ‘O Lord GOD…forgive…I pray!
Oh, that Jacob…may stand, for he is small!’ So…the LORD…relented…concerning this. ‘It shall not be,’ said the LORD. And later Amos interceded a second time
for Israel. ‘O Lord God, cease, I pray! Oh,
that Jacob…may stand, for…he is small!’ So the LORD relented concerning
this. ‘This…also…shall not be,’ said the
Lord GOD. Amos
Accused by Israel’s Priest: Rather
than being praised for interceding for Israel, the “kill the messenger” mindset
took over with the priest of Israel, Amaziah, who set the king of Israel,
Jeroboam, against Amos. The priests
tells the prophet, ‘ Go, you seer…flee to
Judah and there prophesy…but never again in Bethel…for…it is the king’s
sanctuary…and it is the royal residence.’
Amos’ Response to the Demand to Not
Prophesy – When God Does Not Relent: ‘I was no prophet but a sheepbreeder.
Then the LORD took me and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people
Israel.’ Now hear the word of the LORD.
When the Intercessor
Changes: Because you said to me to not prophesy….your wife
shall be a harlot in the city, your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword,
your land shall be divided by survey line, you shall die in a defiled land, and
Israel shall surely be led away captive from his own land. Principle: God will honor the intercessory prayers of
His people, but there will come a time when even
those prayers will not cause Him to relent from His severe judgment. The godly intercessor will often have then
been changed by the Holy Spirit to pray with God’s perspective coming from a
much deeper understanding. As we have seen through our OT readings, there were times when God told his prophets to NOT pray for even His Chosen People after prolonged periods of unrepentant sin. The NT teaches us to pray about all things…according to His Will.
The Power of
Personal Prayer – Psalm 142:1-7 – (Facts:
What It Says – Summarized) David Under
Great Duress: 1) They have secretly laid a snare for me. 2) Look on my
right hand and see…for…there is no one who acknowledges me. 3) Refuge fails
me. 4) No one cares for my soul. 5) I am brought very low. What David Does
for Relief and Release: 1) I cry out to the LORD with my voice. 2) With
my voice to the LORD I make my supplication. 3) I pour out my
complaint before Him. 4) I declare before Him my trouble. David’s
Confidence Based on His Knowledge of and Relationship with God : 1) When
my spirit was overwhelmed with me…then…YOU…knew my path. 2) You are my
refuge…my portion in the land of the living. 3) The righteous shall surround
me…for…YOU…shall bountifully with me. David’s
Supplications: 1) Deliver me…from my persecutors…for…they are stronger
than I. 2) Bring my soul out of
prison…THAT…I may praise Your name. Principle: Both as a shepherd boy and a king, David
exemplified the promise, “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man
avails much” James 5:16. Note the steps
in David’s prayer: 1) Laying his exact problem before the Lord; 2) crying out
to, declaring, making specific supplications to God; 3) reminding himself of and
praising God for His past and present faithfulness; 4) confidence that God
would rescue him in this situation as well.
This humble, submissive spirit was from Israel’s greatest king and from
“the man after God’s own heart.”
“Under the Sun”
Proverbs – Proverbs 29:27 – (Facts:
What It Says) The state of the relationship
between the righteous and the unrighteous according to Solomon: An unjust man…is an abomination…to the
righteous. And he who is upright in the
way…is an abomination to the wicked. Principle: While Solomon likely
wrote most of the proverbs during the dissolute part of his life, many are
predicated on Biblical precepts based on God’s understanding of the human
heart. As with this particular proverb, Jesus
warned of this hatred toward believers (Matthew 10, John 15, Mark 13) and that
light and darkness could have nothing to do with each other (John 3).
Prayer and Praise as
a New Song Before the Heavenly Throne – Revelation 5 – (Facts: What It Says – Summarized)
No One in Heaven, On Earth, Or Under Earth Able to
Open the Scroll: And I saw in the hand of Him who sat on the
throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with 7 seals. And a strong angel proclaiming, ‘Who is
worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on the earth are
under the earth was able to open it…or to look at it. And I wept. The
Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the Root of David: But one of the elders said, ‘Do not weep. Behold,
the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has prevailed to open
the scroll and loose its seven seals. And I looked, and behold…in the midst of
the throne…and of the four creatures…and of the 24 elders…stood…a Lamb…as
though it had been slain, having 7 horns and 7 eyes which are the 7 Spirits of
God sent out into all the earth. The He
came…and took…the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. A New Song:
Then the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders…fell down…before the Lamb...each
having…a harp…and golden bowls full of incense…which are the prayers…of the
saints. And they sang a new song
saying, ‘You… are worthy…to take the
scroll…and to open its seals. For…You…were slain…and redeemed
us to God…by Your blood. Out
of…every…tribe…and tongue…and people…and nation…and have made us…kings and
priests…to our God; and we shall
reign on the earth.’ Then 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 10,000 times 10,000
and 1,000’s of 1,000’s saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive…power…and riches…and
wisdom…and strength…and honor…and glory…and blessing.’ And…every…creature…which is in heaven…and on
the earth…and under the earth…and such as are in the sea…and all that are in
them, I heard saying, ‘Blessing…and…honor…and…glory…and
power…to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!’ Principle: We have come full
circle in the Plan of God during our readings today. The remnant saved out of Judah in the Amos
reading is the genesis, the progenitors of the Lion of that Chosen Tribe. And…He is the Root of David – the same David
who was “the shepherd who was a “man after God’s own heart,” the sweet psalmist
of Israel, the great king and author of today’s psalm - the same David who was
the father of Solomon, the author of today’s proverb, who was promised this
Root to sit on his throne forever (the Root that came before and after David). This
is the promised Messiah, the slain Lamb worthy to open the scroll, our
Redeemer, Lord, Savior, Master, Friend, Counselor, “the One Who was, Who is, and Who is still to
come,” present at the Creation of the World, a theophany to many OT saints, the
revealed Son of God of the NT and in this Revelation
seen as enthroned in the praises of all creation in Heaven. This is the Jesus, the Christ.
My Lessons and
Applications: Do I try to get
the mind of God about a thing before pleading my case before Him? As I persevere in seemingly unanswered
prayer, am I listening to God, asking for His will and truth in every
situation? God relented after Amos’
intercessory prayer but only for a time.
Amos no longer asked for God to withhold judgment after the people’s
rejection of God’s Word, but Amos willingly delivered the pronounced
judgment. Am I so attuned to the Holy
Spirit’s leading in my life that I will let go and let God – quit trying to be
a "miniature Providence" in someone else’s life?
In my personal prayers, am I being transparent before God in my
thoughts, my confessions, remembering that nothing is hidden from Him? Am I trusting in Him or in earthly
resources? Am I learning to turn more
and more of my prayers into songs of praise of Him, for His glory?
From Charles Stanley, Life Principles Daily Bible, pg.
1516 Life Principle # 19: Anything you
hold too tightly, you will lose.
Encouragement from Fénelon, a humble 17th Century church
leader in France: 1) Do not worry about
the future. It makes no sense to worry
if God loves you and has taken care of you. 2) However, when God blesses
you, remember to keep your eyes on Him and not the blessing. 3) Sometimes
in this life of faith, God will remove His blessings from you But remember that He knows how and when to
replace them, either through the ministry of others or by Himself. He can raise up children from the very
stones. 4) Eat your daily bread without worrying about tomorrow. From Dr. Stanley: 1) Humbly depend on God to
provide. 2) Avoid the reflex to take control.
Recognize that He is in control.
Willingly let go and receive a blessing for it. 3) A humorous bumper sticker reads, ‘If God
is your Co-Pilot, switch seats.’ The
Lord does not merely want to be the resource you call on when you’re in
trouble. God wants to be your
all-sufficient Lord and Master, Savior and Friend. 4) Are you hanging on to
another support system besides the Lord?
He longs for you to release yourself into His control and eternal
support. 5) You do not have to worry
about the consequences; He takes care of those too, the way that He knows is
best, and sustains our spirit in the process. (Phil 4:6-7)
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