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| Facts, warnings, and prophecies from the world and from the Word of God- Galveston Island Nature Preserve - on vacation - The Gulf of Mexico |
My Meditations on Today’s Readings
(Ellipses are mine
and are used for contemplation.)
Key Words/Phrases: Woe to the shepherds; the two staffs, Beauty
and Bonds; My soul loathed them, and their soul abhorred me; in that day (x 5);
30 pieces of silver; the tents of Judah first, the glory of the house of David;
the house of David shall be like God; I will pour on the house of David and on
the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; Praise the
LORD; the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy; His name is called the
Word of God; KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS; the marriage and marriage supper of
the Lamb and His wife; the righteous acts of the saints; the supper of the
great God.
Woe to the Worthless
Shepherds – Zechariah 10, 11 and 12 – (Facts: What It Says – Summarized) Marks of the
Worthless Shepherds: 1) who slaughter
them…and feel no guilt; 2) who sell them and say, ‘Blessed be the LORD…for...I
am rich…and their shepherds do not pity them. 3) who will not care for…those
cut off; 4) nor seek…the young; 5) nor heal…those who are broken; 6) nor feed
those…that stand still. 6) but eat the
flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in pieces; 7) who leave…the flocks. God’s Punishment
of Them: Woe to the worthless
shepherds! A sword…shall be against his
right arm and against his right eye. His
arm shall completely wither, and his right eye shall be totally blinded. Thus says the LORD my God, ‘Feed the flock
for slaughter.’ So I fed the flock for slaughter…particularly the poor of the
flock. The
Staffs Beauty and Bonds: I took
for myself two staffs…one I called…Beauty…and the other I called…Bonds. I fed
the flock; I dismissed the 3 shepherds in 1 month. My
soul loathed them, and their soul abhorred me. Then I said, I will not feed you. Let what is dying die, and what is perishing
perish. Let those that are left eat each
other’s flesh. And I took my staff, Beauty, and cut it in two…that…I might
break…the covenant…which I had made with all the peoples. Thus…the
poor of the flock…who were watching me…knew…that it was…the word of the LORD.
Then I said to them, If it is agreeable to you, give me my wage; and if
not, refrain. So, they weighed out
for my wages…30 pieces of silver. And
the LORD said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter” – that princely price they set on
me. So I took the 30 pieces of silver
and threw them into the house of the LORD for the potter. Then I cut my other staff, Bonds,
that I might break…the brotherhood….between Judah and Israel. Judah First: The burden…of the
word of the LORD against Israel: Behold…I…will make…Jerusalem a cup of
drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples when they lay siege against Judah
and Jerusalem. And it shall happen…in
that day…that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who
would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces…though…all nations of the
earth are gathered against it. The LORD will save the tents of Judah
first…so that…the glory…of the house of David…and the glory…of the inhabitants
of Jerusalem shall not become greater than Judah. In that day…the one who is feeble among
them shall be like David…and the house of David…shall be like God…like the
Angel of the LORD before them. And I
will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit
of grace and supplication. Then…they
will look on Me…whom they pierced. Yes,
they will mourn for Him as one mourns for…his only son…and grieves for…his
firstborn. Principle: This is the scarlet thread, the Messianic
prophecy, God’s Plan of Salvation prophesied over and over in the OT: God
replacing the worthless shepherds with the Good Shepherd to save His redeemed
people for Himself. (Charles Stanley, Life
Principles Daily Bible, pg. 1577 on Zechariah 11:13 – in blue above – Judas
Iscariot fulfilled this prophecy when he betrayed the Lord Jesus for 30 pieces
of silver – Matt. 27:3-20. How many of
us have betrayed Him for less by choosing trinkets over Him?)
Praise the LORD –
Psalm 149: 1-4 (Facts: What It Says)
How to Praise Him:
1) Sing…to the LORD…with a new song; 2) And His praise…in the
assembly…of saints. 3) Let Israel…rejoice…in their Maker. 4) Let the children of Zion…be joyful…in
their King. 5) Let them…praise His
name…with the dance. 6) Let them sing...praises…to Him…with the timbrel and
harp. Why to
Praise Him: For…the LORD takes
pleasure in His people. He will…beautify…the humble…with salvation. Principle: We praise Him for who
He is, for what He has done, is doing, and will do. We praise Him because he takes pleasure in
us, because He inhabits the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3), because we are
commanded to do so, because it is the natural response of the saved soul.
Glory to The Good Shepherd
– Revelation 19 – (Facts: What It
Says – Summarized) The Conquering Shepherd: After
these things I heard a loud voice…of a great multitude in heaven…saying,
Alleluia! Salvation…and glory…and
honor…and power…belong to the Lord our God!
For…true…and righteous…are His judgments…because…He has judged the great
harlot who…corrupted…the earth
with her fornication…and…He has…avenged on her…the blood of His servants shed
by her. Then the 24 elders and the 4 living creatures fell down and worshipped
God. The Command to Praise Him: Then a voice came from the throne, saying,
‘Praise our God…all you His
servants…and those who fear Him, both small and great!’ Alleluia! For…the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad…and rejoice…and give Him
glory…for…The Marriage and Marriage Supper of the
Lamb has come…and His wife…has made herself ready. To her…it was granted…to be arrayed in fine
linen…clean and bright…for…the fine
linen is…the righteous acts…of the…saints.
Then he said to me, ‘Write: Blessed…are
those who are…called…to the marriage supper of the Lamb. I fell
at the feet to worship him, but he said to me, ‘See that you do not do
that! I am…your fellow servant…and
of…your brethren…who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For...the testimony of Jesus…is…the spirit of
prophecy. The Good Shepherd as Warrior and Judge: Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white
horse. And He…who sat on him…was
called…Faithful and True…and…in righteousness…He judges…and makes war. His
eyes…were like a flame of fire…and on His head…were many crowns. He had a name written…that no one knew…except
Himself. He was clothed with a
robe…dipped in blood…and His name…is
called…The Word of God. And the
armies in heaven…clothed in fine linen…white and clean… followed Him…on white
horses. Now out of His mouth goes…a sharp sword…that…with it…He should
strike all nations. And He Himself…will rule them…with a rod of
iron. He Himself…treads the winepress of
the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
And He has on His robe and on His thigh…a name…written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. The Supper of the Great God: Then I saw an angel
standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice to all the birds that fly
in the midst…of heaven, ‘Come and gather together for the supper of the great
God…that…you may eat the flesh of kings, captains, mighty men, horses, and
those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small
and great.’ And I saw the beast…the
kings of the earth…and their armies, gathered together to make war
against…Him…who sat on the horse…and against…His army. Then…the beast was captured…and with him the
false prophet…by which he…deceived…those who received the mark of the beast…and
those who worshiped his image. These two
were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And
the rest were killed with…the sword…which proceeded from the mouth…of Him…who
sat one the horse. And all the
birds…were filled with their flesh. Principle: This is the Plan
of Salvation come full circle. God is
Faithful to bring His betrothed, Israel, to Him; Christ has ransomed His bride
the church; the corrupted world system is destroyed, and the Thousand Year
reign with Christ begins.
My Lessons and
Applications: 1) Those who are
given Biblical authority over others will give account to God for that
responsibility as under-shepherds. This
will include political leaders, church leaders and family leaders (husbands and
fathers.) Abuse or neglect of those
under their care will be dealt with severely and eternally. The world system may wink at corruption, but
God doesn’t. Judgment is coming. The world may wink at divorce. God doesn’t.
Judgment is coming. Marriage
is so sacred before God that it is patterned after His relationship with Israel
and Judah and Christ’s relationship with the church and the saints
And this is the second thing you do:
You
cover the altar of the Lord with tears,
with weeping and crying;
so He does not
regard the offering anymore, nor receive it
with goodwill from your hands. Yet you say, “For what reason?”
Because the Lord has been witness
between you
and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously;
yet she is
your companion
and your wife by covenant.
But did He not make them one,
having a remnant of the
Spirit?
And why one?
He seeks godly offspring.
Therefore take heed to your
spirit,
and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.
“For the Lord God of Israel says
that He
hates divorce,
for it covers
one’s garment with violence,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“Therefore take heed to
your spirit,
that you do not deal treacherously.” Malachi 2:13-17
2) The essence,
the power of the Word of God…this is the name He is called; this passes and
executes judgment during the Tribulation (the sword proceeding from His mouth);
this is the testimony of Jesus (as the spirit of prophecy.) Recall the 2 things that allow the saints to
overcome and persevere: the blood of the Lamb and the testimony of Jesus. This is why we must carefully study, meditate
upon, and apply His Word. This is our
power, our hope, our covenant with Him through His Spirit and by His
blood. It is our commission (Matt:
28:16-20), mandated by Jesus Christ and enabled by His Holy Spirit, to take and
teach His Word throughout the world for His glory until He returns.
Charles
Spurgeon, Morning and Evening
Be
ready, servant of Christ, for thy Master comes on a sudden, when an ungodly
world least expects Him. See to it that thou be faithful in His work, for the
grave shall soon be digged for thee. Be ready, parents, see that your children
are brought up in the fear of God, for they must soon be orphans; be ready, men
of business, take care that your affairs are correct, and that you serve God
with all your hearts, for the days of your terrestrial service will soon be
ended, and you will be called to give account for the deeds done in the body,
whether they be good or whether they be evil. May we all prepare for the
tribunal of the great King with a care which shall be rewarded with the
gracious commendation, "Well done,
good and faithful servant."
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