Tag: Amos 3:6-7
No More Delay!
Scripture reading for December 12: Revelation 10
“Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by Him Who lives forever and ever, Who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as He announced to His servants the prophets.” Revelation 10:1-7
John saw another angel of majestic power with a little scroll open in his hand. This angel called out over the earth and sea, sounding like a lion roaring. Answering his call, seven thunders rumbled out and evidently John understood what message they were conveying. But God spoke from heaven telling him to seal up what he had heard. He was not to write it out. There are some mysteries that God has hidden until the proper time comes for their understanding. God’s infinite knowledge is shared with man as needed and sought out.
God never does anything in judgment except He warns His people through His prophets. (Amos 3:6-7) He always gives mankind time to repent and to make necessary changes. He is patient towards us, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) But John was told that the time for delay was past. What God had warned of through His prophets was now at hand. The mystery of God’s mercy and justice would soon be fully revealed and prophetic words fulfilled by God Who is true to His Word. The seventh trumpet would sound across earth and heaven.
Does the message of the seven thunders make you want to seek out God and His Word for answers? When there are delays that make it seem like God is distant or out of touch, how do you keep yourself and your own soul in the rest of faith?
Prayer: Father, watch over me and my family, and keep us in faith trusting Your amazing Word. Reveal to us daily truth and understanding of the signs and the times that we might be effective witnesses for Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Just and True Judge!
Scripture reading for December 27: Revelation 14-16
As this revelation of Jesus Christ continues, the theme of judgment flows through the vision. John sees the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion and 144,000 redeemed from the tribes of Israel. They were those who had kept themselves pure and followed the Lamb. (Revelation 14:1-4) This company was praising the Lamb with a new song that only they could learn.
As John continued to look, he saw another angel flying in mid-heaven proclaiming an eternal gospel to those on the earth. “He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him Who made the heavens, the earth the sea and the springs of water.”” (Revelation 14:7)
“A second angel followed and said in aloud voice: “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”” (Revelation 14:8-9) A third angel warned of the wrath of God against those who receive the mark of the beast. They will have no rest and the smoke of their torment will rise forever! This series of angelic messengers warned the people on earth of God’s coming judgments. God does nothing by judgment unless He warns His people by the prophets. (Amos 3:6-7) God would rather each person repent than that they experience His wrath!
“Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” Yes”, says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor and their deeds will follow them.” (Revelation 14:13)
“Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.” (Revelation 16:15)
These are two of the seven “blessed” statements found in Revelation. Death for the believer brings rest from the warfare and rewards for remaining true to the Lord, but He will come like a thief for those not ready! His people must stay awake, aware, and prepared by the blood of Jesus!
These chapters end with the bowls of wrath poured out on the earth in terrible judgments. Those on earth are terrified, but curse the God of heaven and refuse to repent and worship Him! (Revelation 16:9, 11, 21) Even though warned that these judgments were from God, they cursed Him! We would do well to pay heed! His judgments are just and true!
Set apart from before conception!
Scripture reading for August 3: Jeremiah 1-6
When does life really begin? This debate has been going on in our nation for a number of years. Some say life begins at conception while others say it begins when the fetus is able to maintain life on it’s own outside of the womb. Others say that life begins only after birth. But God’s Word states another truth!
“The Word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:4-5) This Scripture and others in the Bible indicate that God knows each person before they are formed in the womb! Ephesians 1:4 states that God chose us to be in Christ before the creation of the world! We are more significant than we might think to God and He has a plan for each of us before we are conceived!
Before he was born, Jeremiah was appointed by God to be a prophet. Prophets were to listen to God and then speak His thoughts and Word to people. As he spoke, God promised to be with him and deliver him. I don’t know about you, but if God told me that He would deliver me, I would be asking what I would be involved in that called for deliverance! But when any prophet spoke the Word, it always brought some kind of response. God uses His Word to uproot and tear down, or to build up and plant. (Jeremiah 1:7-9) Prophets often need deliverance from the response of those who hear them!
Next God gave Jeremiah a vision of an almond tree. The almond tree was the first tree to bloom in the spring in Israel and it was watched by all the people as a sign that spring was coming. God spoke to Jeremiah through that vision that God Himself would watch over His Word to bring it to pass. (Jeremiah 1:11-12)
I believe that as we read through Jeremiah God will speak to us about our time and day! Listen closely for God speaking to you and confirming His call. Let Him show you how He has watched over His Word and is still watching over it to bring it to pass. It will revolutionize your faith and daily walk.
Jesus’ prophetic warning!
Scripture reading for August 3rd: Amos 1-3, Matthew 13
Matthew 13: 47-50 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Gospel preaching is likened by Jesus to the casting of a fishing net into the sea of humanity. The Gospel is offered without charge to all people of every status and ethnic background. It draws people through God’s Truth bringing conviction on rebellious hearts. Some respond to the conviction and repent and are changed into “good fish” caught in the Gospel net. Others never repent, although they may hang out in the church and appear caught in the ‘net’ of God’s Truth. In the end, at the judgment, the net will be pulled in and angels will separate the ‘good’ fish from those who never received God’s Truth. Those cast away will be sent to the fiery lake and suffer eternal punishment away from God and His people.
Matthew 13:41-43 “The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”
Prayer: Father, thank You for the prophets and apostles You sent to bring prophetic warnings to me and all mankind. Thank You for Jesus, Your final Word from heaven. His message is a trumpet of “Good News” that all may repent and turn to Him for forgiveness of sins and salvation with eternal life. Use me today to share this message of hope delivering those headed for eternal punishment.
Amos 3:6-7 “Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it? For the Lord God does nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets.”