Revelation 18
Angel with great power announces fall of Babylonverses 1-3
And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven
having great power and the earth was lightened with his glory
And he cried mightily with a strong voice
saying
Babylon the great is fallen – is fallen
and is become the habitation of devils
and the hold of every foul spirit
and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird
FOR all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication
and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her
and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich
through the abundance of her delicacies
Voice from heaven warns move away from cityverses 4-8
And I heard another voice from heaven
saying
Come out of her – MY people
that you be not partakers of her sins
and that you receive not of her plagues
FOR her sins have reached to heaven
and God has remembered her iniquities
Reward her even as she rewarded you
and double to her double according to her works
in the cup which she has filled fill to her double
How much she has glorified herself – and lived deliciously
so much torment and sorrow give her
for she says in her heart
I sit a queen – and am no widow
and shall see no sorrow
Therefore shall her plagues come in one day
death – mourning – famine
and she shall be utterly burned with fire
for strong is the Lord God
WHO judges her
Kings of the world mourn over cityverses 9-10
And the kings of the earth who have committed fornication
and lived deliciously with her
shall bewail her – and lament for her
when they shall see the smoke of her burning
standing afar off for the fear of her torment
saying
Alas – alas – that great city Babylon
that mighty city
FOR in one hour is your judgment come
Merchants mourn over cityverses 11-17a
And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her
for no man buys their merchandise any more
the merchandise of gold – silver – precious stones – pearls
fine linen – purple – silk – scarlet – all thyine wood
all manner of vessels of ivory
all manner vessels of most precious
wood – brass – iron – marble
and cinnamon – odors – ointments – frankincense – wine
oil – fine flour – wheat – beasts – sheep – horses
chariots – slaves – souls of men
And the fruits that your soul lusted after are departed from you
and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed
from you – and you shall find them no more at all
The merchants of these things – which were made rich by her
shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment
weeping and wailing
and say
Alas – alas – the great city
that clothed in fine linen – purple – scarlet
and decked with gold
precious stones – pearls
FOR in one hour so great riches is come to nought
Shipmasters mourn over the cityverses 17b-19
And every shipmaster – and all the company of ships – and sailors
and as many as trade by sea – stood afar off
and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning
saying
What city is like unto this great city!
and they cast dust on their heads – and cried
weeping and wailing sayings – Alas – alas – that great city
wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea
by reason of her costliness!
for in one hour is she made desolate
People of God rejoice over fall of the cityverse 20
REJOICE over her – you heaven
and you holy apostles and prophets
for God has avenged you on her
Mighty angel shoutsverses 21-24
And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone
and cast it into the sea – saying
Thus with violence shall that great city
Babylon be thrown down
and shall be found no more at all
And the voice of harpers – musicians – pipers – trumpeters
shall be heard no more at all in you
and no craftsman – of whatsoever craft he be
shall be found any more in you
and the sound of a millstone shall be heard
no more at all in you
and the light of a candle shall shine
no more at all in you
and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride
shall no more at all in you
For your merchants were the
great men of the earth
FOR by your sorceries were all nations deceived
and in her was found the blood of prophets
and saints – and of all that were slain on the earth
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. (3421 “remembered” [mnemoneuo] means to recall, keep thinking about, keep in mind, to think of and feel for a person or thing, call to mind, or to remember someone or something and respond accordingly)
DEVOTION: I used to have a pretty good memory but since I started taking chemo, it seems that I have a lot of senior moments. Most of the time I blame the chemo pill rather than my age but it might be a combination. God doesn’t have that problem. HE is no to medication for cancer and HE never ages because HE is ageless.
Sometimes we think that those who don’t love the LORD are getting away with murder and/or everything else while they are living on this earth. Sometimes it seems they face no consequences for saying bad things about us. Sometimes it seems that they get to be popular while we just want to be popular at work or as school. Life just doesn’t seem to be fair.
These statements are true. Life is not fair. Life under the rule of God is always just. There are consequences to all actions in this world and in the next for those who live outside of Christ. If they seem to be getting away with their sin this verse informs us different. God remembers all the evil deeds and sins of those who reject Jesus Christ. They are going to face HIS judgment one day.
It is said that there are degrees of rewards in heaven and there are degrees of punishment in hell. God rewards those who are followers of Jesus Christ will rewards and crowns.
The Pharisees were told by Jesus that they make their converts twofold more the children of hell because of them leading them astray. Punishment is real after death for those who have rejected Jesus Christ. There is no second chance after death. Once someone dies without Christ they will spend eternity in the lake of fire. There is no end to their punishment because they made a willful choice to reject Jesus Christ.
Our suffering at present seems to be long and hard but it will only last for no more than one hundred and twenty years. Their punishment lasts for eternity with no end in sight.
We need to keep short accounts with God not for our salvation but for our fellowship with HIM while we are here on this earth. Our sins are as far as the east is from the west. They are buried in the deepest sea once we become a follower of Jesus Christ. All of our sins past, present and future are covered by the blood of Christ on the cross. HE was our substitute.
Remember to never think that you can just live as you please after you become a believer because there are immediate consequences for believers: weakness, sickness and premature death. If we think we can just sin as much as we want once we have said a prayer in church or someplace else we are deceiving ourselves.
CHALLENGE: If there are no consequences then it shows that we never made a genuine commitment to Jesus Christ.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 7 How much she has glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she says in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. (4763 “lived deliciously” [streniao] means to be wanton, to live luxuriously, live sensually which implies gratifying the senses, or to run riot)
DEVOTION: Babylon was a city that encouraged everyone to party. She thought highly of herself. Her citizens made the world rich with their trading. Everyone wanted to come to Babylon to see its glory. She was a beautiful city that thought nothing would ever happen to it.
She invited people to live life to the fullest. She provided luxury beyond compare. She was the vacation spot of the world. Everyone who came gratified their senses. Whatever they wanted it was there.
We have cities today that advertise the same things. They invite people to come and do things that they wouldn’t do at home. They even make the comment “What happens in ____, stays in ____!”
However the LORD sent an earthquake and the city was destroyed. The LORD allowed this city to exist until it was time for judgment. When that time came God destroyed the city.
The “eat, drink and be happy crowd” was no longer going to be satisfied there. This is going to happen in places around the world that turn their backs on God.
It is my prayer that no one receiving the devotionals has this attitude toward the world. God wants us to bring glory to HIM alone. We are here to serve HIM not ourselves.
Sorrow and torment are going to happen to places that think that God doesn’t care what they are doing or they don’t think that God even exists. HE will prove HIS point in the future. The Bible states it to be so. The Bible is true.
CHALLENGE: Anyone or thing that thinks they are above God has a rude awaking coming. Remember to not be part of this rude awaking. Follow the LORD!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 20 Rejoice over her, you heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets; for God has avenged you on her. (2917 “avenged” [krima] means a decision, condemned, damnation, authority to judge or judgment)
DEVOTION: The original language states “because judged the God the judgment of you from her.” God is the one who is the Judge. We need to leave all judgment of individuals who have hurt us with HIM. There are times when we need to look closely at people but never with a vengeful feeling. Our looks should always be to get people closer to the LORD. God has the final say regarding those who mistreat us. Leave it to HIM.
This chapter emphasizes the fact that those who are mistreating God’s people will only be around for “one hour.” Their time is short. It seems like they are getting away with their mistreatment of God’s people but they are not. When God judges them they are not found in the earth any more. Their reign of terror is over. They have eternity to think about what they have done to HIS people.
Let God be the one who judges those who wrong us. We don’t need to be a group of bitter people waiting for the LORD to judge our enemies. We need to be a group of people who move on and serve the LORD until we go to be with HIM or HE comes for us. Our responsibility is to prayer for those who use us. Our responsibility is to prayer for the salvation and work on reaching these individuals with the Good News of the Gospel.
One day we will be rejoicing that God is going to judge those who have said no to HIM and made war against HIM. Where are we going to be when HE does this judgment? HEAVEN!! What a promise. What a blessing! Are we looking forward to being with HIM?
CHALLENGE: Patience is what the LORD requires of those who follow HIM. Bitterness needs to be kept out of our lives. Let us rejoice in the fact that our names are written in the Book of Life!!
: 23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in you: and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in you: for your merchants were the great men of the earth; for by your sorceries were all nations deceived. (4105 “deceived” [planao] means lead astray, to mislead, deception, to cause to be mistaken, to make to wander, to err, or to lead away from the truth)
DEVOTION: Deception is the key for everything our enemy does in our world. The world thinks that they are getting something good for nothing when in reality they are not getting anything good but only witchcraft or poison.
The devil deals with poison through this city that had the whole world deceived. They thought they were getting rich from the trade that was going on in this city. They thought that this city entertained them to the wild life they wanted to live. They thought that there was no tomorrow where there would be consequences to their actions.
Now judgment has come. The city is destroyed by the ruler of the universe. The ONE who created this world is canceling its party. There will be no more bright lights in the city. There will be no more wedding celebrations. There will be no more trading with her worldly good.
People of the world will be disappointed with the destruction of the city but they are not aware that this destruction is going to happen to them as well. They are going to face the judgment of God for their dealings with this city of deception.
The word used for “sorceries” can also be translated pharmaceuticals. This city could have provided even a good portion of the drugs in this future world. Drugs are a problem today. We have states that are legalizing some drugs, they say for medical reasons but we know that that is just an excuse.
Our world seems to be addicted to drugs on a large scale. Many people are not thinking straight because of all the drugs in their bodies. Some of the drugs are legal but still have the effect that clouds the thinking of many people.
We have to be straight thinkers if we want to follow the LORD. We need all of our facilities to help people understand who Jesus is and how important HE is in our life.
Money, position and status can be a powerful drug in our culture as well. Focus on the LORD and the blessings HE can provide now and throughout eternity.
CHALLENGE: Don’t settle for your short life here and now and forget about eternity!!!
: 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. (40 “saints” [hagios] means most holy thing, a saint. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])
DEVOTION: What comes to your mind when you think of the saints? Most of us think of these very spiritual and holy people who lived sometime in the past, and were incapable of facing the kinds of struggles and temptations that we face today. In fact, some religions teach that we should pray to the saints in order to get them to help us. Certainly, we think saints could not be anyone around us that we know!
However, we find out something very different in the Bible. The idea of a “saint” is someone who has been or is being sanctified. The root word is the same word as that for an animal in the Old Testament being set aside for a sacrifice. Thus, a saint is someone who has been set apart by God for something. In fact, each of those who are followers of Jesus Christ are also sanctified when we put our faith and trust in Him and His death for us.
That is why the epistles so often start off with the salutation to the saints who are in the city or area when the letter was addressed to. These letters were not written to people unlike ourselves, but simply collections of believers who had trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ. And because of this they were “saints.” In the same way, we who are followers of Jesus are called to be today’s saints.
What that means is that we need to put our relationship with the LORD ahead of everything else in our lives. Nothing in this world should be as important to us as our walk with God. When we remember this, we will make the choices that we need to in order to avoid sin and to come closer to Him.
CHALLENGE: Remember that you are a saint of Jesus Christ. How would God have you grow in sanctification today? (MW)
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Voice (Ezek. 43: 2)verse 1
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Godverses 5, 8, 20
God remembers iniquitiesverses 5, 6
Strongverse 8
Lordverse 8
Lord God verse 8
Judgeverse 8
Avengedverse 20
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Angel down from heavenverses 1, 21
Angel with great powerverse 1
Angel lightened the earth with his gloryverse 1
Habitation of devils (demons)verse 2
Foul spirit (demons or evil angels)verse 2
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Babylonverse 2
Habitation of devils
Every foul spirit
Cage of every unclean and hateful bird
Babylon (Is. 21: 9; Rev. 14: 8; 11: 8)verses 2, 10, 16, 18, 19, 21
Every unclean and hateful bird
(Is. 13: 21; 34: 11, 14)verse 2
Nationsverse 3
Kings of the earthverses 3, 9
Merchants (Ezek. 26-28)verses 3, 11, 15, 21
Queenverse 7
Souls of menverse 13
Shipmasterverse 17
Sailorsverse 17
Harpersverse 22
Musiciansverse 22
Craftsmanverse 22
Bridegroomverse 23
Brideverse 23
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Fornicationverses 3, 9
Waxed rich verses 3, 15, 19
Sinsverses 4, 5
Iniquitiesverse 5
Glorified herselfverse 7
Lived deliciouslyverses 7, 9
No sorrowverse 7
Lustverse 14
Sorceriesverse 23
Deceptionverse 23
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Be not partakers (Is. 52: 11)verse 4
Rejoiceverse 20
Saintsverse 24
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
MY peopleverse 4
Blood of the prophetsverse 24
Church (New Testament people of God)
Holy apostles and prophetsverse 20
Saintsverse 24
Last Things (Future Events)
Another angelverses 1-3
Down from heaven
Great power
Earth lightened with his glory
Cried: Babylon is fallen
Another voice from heavenverse 4
Give so much torment and sorrow
Come out (Jer. 51: 45)verse 4
Reward (Jer. 28: 24)verse 6
Queen (Isa. 47)verse 7
Plaguesverse 8
Fear of her tormentverses 10, 15
List of items (Ezek 27: 7- 25)verses 12, 13
One hourverses 17, 19
Mighty angelverse 21
Stone (Jer. 51: 63)
Cast it into sea
No more singing in Babylon
No craftsman
No millstone
No candle
No more marriage in Babylon
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QUOTES regarding passage
Come forth, my people, out of her (ἐξελθατε, ὁ λαος μου, ἐξ αὐτης [exelthate, ho laos mou, ex autēs]). Second aorist (urgency) active imperative (-α [-a] form) of ἐξερχομαι [exerchomai]. Like Is. 48:20; 52:11; Jer. 50:8; 51:6, (about Babylon). See also the call of Abram (Gen. 12:1). the rescue of Lot (Gen. 19:12ff.). In the N. T. see Mark 13:4; 2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 5:11; 1 Tim. 5:11. ὁ λαος [Ho laos] is vocative with the form of the nominative. That ye have no fellowship with her sins (ἱνα μη συνκοινωνησητε ταις ἁμαρταις αὐτης [hina mē sunkoinōnēsēte tais hamartais autēs]). Purpose clause with ἱνα μη [hina mē] and the first aorist active subjunctive of συνκοινωνεω [sunkoinōneō], old compound (συν [sun], together, κοινωνος [koinōnos], partner), in N. T. only here, Phil. 4:14; Eph. 5:11. With associative instrumental case ἁμαρτιαις [hamartiais]. And that ye receive not of her plagues (και ἐκ των πληγων αὐτης ἱνα μη λαβητε [kai ek tōn plēgōn autēs hina mē labēte]). Another purpose clause dependent on the preceding, with ἱνα μη [hina mē] and the second aorist active subjunctive of λαμβανω [lambanō], and with proleptic emphatic position of ἐκ των πληγων αὐτης [ek tōn plēgōn autēs] before ἱνα μη [hina mē]. (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Re 18:4). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)
18:4–8. Following the pronouncement of the angel, another voice from heaven instructed the people of God to leave the city so that they would escape the judgment to come on it (vv. 4–5). Babylon will receive torture and grief commensurate with her glory and luxury, in which she boasted that she was a queen (v. 7). Death, mourning, and famine, also fire, will come on the city in one day (v. 8). (Walvoord, J. F. (1985). Revelation. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 973). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
The voice of separation (vv. 4–8). This admonition parallels Jeremiah 50:8 and 51:6, 45. In all ages, God’s true people have had to separate themselves from that which is worldly and anti-God. When God called Abraham, He ordered him to get out of his country (Gen. 12:1). God separated the Jewish nation from Egypt and warned the Israelites not to go back. The church today is commanded to separate itself from that which is ungodly (Rom. 16:17–18; 2 Cor. 6:14–7:1).
John offered two reasons for God’s people separating themselves from the diabolical system. The first is that they might avoid pollution, becoming “partakers of her sins” (Rev. 18:4). “Neither be partaker of other men’s sins” (1 Tim. 5:22). The word means “joint fellowship or partnership.” There is a good partnership in the Lord (Phil. 4:14), but there is also an evil partnership that we must avoid (Eph. 5:11). True unity of the Spirit exists among believers, but we must not compromise by joining forces with that which is opposed to Christ.
The second reason is that God’s people might be spared the terrible plagues He will send on Babylon. God had patiently endured the growing sins of the evil system, but now the time had come for His wrath to be poured out. He would treat Babylon just as she treated His people.
What specific sins would God judge? We have already noted Babylon’s evil influence on the nations of the world, seducing them with idolatry. Another sin that will be judged is pride: “She hath glorified herself!” (Rev. 18:7) She saw herself as a queen who could never be dethroned, and this false confidence and pride could never be accepted by the Lord (see Isa. 47 for the parallel, especially vv. 7–9).
A third sin is Babylon’s worship of pleasures and luxury. To “live deliciously” (Rev. 18:7) is to live proudly in luxury while others go without. It means to make possessions and pleasures the most important things in life, and to ignore the needs of others. John summarized this attitude as “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16).
God’s people must not delay in separating themselves from this evil system, because God’s judgment will come suddenly and Babylon will be destroyed in a single day. Sometimes God’s judgments work silently “as a moth” (Hosea 5:12), but at other times they are “as a lion” (Hosea 5:14) and spring suddenly, and there is no escape. In one day, the entire economic empire will collapse! But those who have their citizenship in heaven will rejoice at the judgment of God. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 614–615). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
18:4 Come out of her, my people. God will call His own to disentangle themselves from this evil system. This may also be God’s calling the elect to abandon the world system and come to faith in the Savior. In either case, the message is to abandon the system before it is destroyed (cf. 2Co 6:17; 1Jn 2:15). The judgment of God on that society living in sinful, arrogant self-indulgence can be avoided. Cf. Isaiah’s and Jeremiah’s message to their people to leave Babylon (Is 48:20; Jer 50:8; 51:6–9, 45). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Re 18:4). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 4. And I heard another voice from heaven, &c.] Either of another, or of the same angel, or rather of God, or Christ himself, since the persons addressed are called his people: saying, come out of her, my people; meaning either his elect ones, till now uncalled, being such whom God had chosen for his people, and were so by virtue of the covenant of grace, were given to Christ as his people, and were redeemed by him, though, till this call, in an unconverted state; or else such who had been secretly called by the grace of God, but had not made a public profession of the Gospel, nor bore an open testimony against the Romish idolatry; for as the Lord had a righteous Lot in Sodom, and saints where Satan’s seat was, Rome Pagan, so he will have a people in Rome Papal, at the time when its destruction draws near; and these will be called out, not only in a spiritual sense, to quit the communion of the church, to forsake its idolatries, and not touch the unclean thing, separate themselves from her, and bear a testimony against her doctrines and worship, but in a literal sense, locally; they shall be bid to come out of her, as Lot was ordered to go out of Sodom before its burning, and the people of the Jews out of Babylon before the taking of it, Jer. 50:8 and 51:45 to which reference is here had: and as the Christians were called out of Jerusalem before the destruction of it: this shews the particular knowledge the Lord has of his people, be they where they will, and the gracious care he takes of them, that they perish not with others; and that it is his will they should be a separate people from the rest of the world; and this call of his sufficiently justifies the Protestants in their separation from the church of Rome, and every separation from any apostate church; that ye be not partakers of her sins; by conniving at them, or committing the same; and all such are partakers of them, and have fellowship with these unfruitful works of darkness, that are in the communion of that church; and those that dwell at Rome are in great danger of being so, and cannot well avoid it: yea, even those that only go to see it, and stay but for a time in it, and that not only through the strength and influence of example, but through the force of power and authority: and that ye receive not of her plagues; or punishments; the seven last plagues, which belong to her, the vials of which will be poured out upon one or other of the antichristian states, and the fifth particularly will fall upon Rome, the seat of the beast, and is what is here referred to. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 3, p. 830). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
Compromise with worldliness is fatal. God’s people must, while playing their full role in the community, hold themselves aloof from what is involved in being worldly minded. (Morris, L. (1987). Vol. 20: Revelation: An introduction and commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (206). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
Too often we assign responsibilities to people but provide them little or no training and resources. When this happens, people become discouraged because they feel ill equipped for the work of ministry. One of the fears people have is the fear of failure. They feel inadequate, especially for leadership, because they have never received any training. People also become discouraged when they are given a responsibility but lack the resources to carry out that responsibility. It is our duty to avoid these frustrations by making sure that training is available and that people have adequate resources for their task. (p. 145, Developing Leaders for the Small Church by Glenn C. Daman)
THE URGENT NEED FOR REVIVAL TODAY
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could not we cast him out?” And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. Mark 9:28-29
The church is so constituted that every member matters, and matters in a very vital sense. So I call attention to this whole subject [of revival] partly because I sense there is a curious tendency today for members of the Christian Church to feel and to think that they themselves can do very little, and so they tend to look to others to do all that is needed for them. This, of course, is something that is characteristic of the whole of life today. For instance, men and women no longer take exercise in sport as they used to. Instead, people tend to sit in crowds and just watch other people play. There was a time when people provided their own pleasure, but now the radio and television provide their entertainment and pleasure for them. And I fear that the tendency is even manifesting itself in the Christian church. More and more we see evidence that people are just sitting back in crowds while one or two people are expected to do everything.
Now that, of course, is a complete denial of the New Testament doctrine of the Church as the Body of Christ, where every single member has responsibility and has a function and matters, and matters in a most vital sense. You can read the apostle’s great expositions of that doctrine, for example in 1 Corinthians 12, where you find that he says that our less comely parts are as important as the more comely parts, that every part of the body is to function and is to be ready for the Master’s use, and always to be usable.
Unless we as individual Christians are feeling a grave concern about the state of the church and the world today, we are very poor Christians indeed.
A Thought to Ponder: The church is so constituted that every member matters, and matters in a very vital sense. (From Revival, p. 8, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
1 Kings 1
The prophet Nathan and Bathsheba join forces to ensure that Solomon replaces David as king.
INSIGHT
As Adonijah, David’s oldest living son, takes steps to become king, only Bathsheba and Nathan know of David’s desire that Solomon succeed him.
Circumstances seem grim to Bathsheba. Should Adonijah become king, she and Solomon most probably would lose their lives, being seen as threats to the throne. Yet it is God who establishes kings, and His will is that Solomon reign. Again God demonstrates that He is in control-in spite of the foreboding circumstances.
As we consider the perplexing nature of circumstances in the world, we are tempted to lose heart, perhaps to question whether God is really in control. We should be reminded from this passage that He is. Whatever comes our way, the hand of God is there to see us through. It is something we must believe. (Quiet Walk)
Uncle Zaki was more than a friend to scholar Kenneth Bailey; he was his trusted guide on challenging excursions into the vast Sahara. By following Uncle Zaki, Bailey says that he and his team were demonstrating their complete trust in him. In essence, they were affirming, “We don’t know the way to where we are going, and if you get us lost we will all die. We have placed our total trust in your leadership.”
In a time of great weariness and heartache, David looked beyond any human guide, seeking direction from the God he served. In Psalm 61:2 we read, “From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” He longed for the safety and relief of being ushered afresh into God’s presence (vv. 3-4).
God’s guidance in life is desperately needed for people the Scriptures describe as sheep that have “gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6). Left to ourselves, we would be hopelessly lost in the desert of a broken world.
But we are not left to ourselves! We have a Shepherd who leads us “beside quiet waters,” refreshes our souls, and guides us (Psalm 23:2-3).
Where do you need His leading today? Call on Him. He will never leave you.
By Bill Crowder, Our Daily Bread
The Finished Works of Creation
“For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” (Hebrews 4:3)
Here is a strong New Testament confirmation of the Genesis record of a creation completed in the past—thus not continuing in the present as theistic evolutionists have to assume. Whatever processes God may have used during the six days of creation, they are no longer in operation, for “the heavens and the earth were finished,…on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made.…And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made” (Genesis 2:1-3).
The record in Genesis could not be more clear and specific, but the fact that it is in Genesis tends to demean it in the minds of many scientists and theologians. So, they prefer to believe in a continuing evolution and long ages in the past. But the writer of Hebrews once again confirms the fact of a completed creation: “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:10).
The writer is not trying to defend the completed creation as such but merely assuming it as a commonly acknowledged truth. In fact, God’s “rest” from His works of creation is taken as a prophetic type of the spiritual rest of a Christian believer when he ceases trusting his own works of legalism and relies fully on the finished work of Christ for his eternal salvation. On the cross, before the Lord had died for our sins, He had cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30), and our debt for sin was fully paid. God’s great work of redemption was completed, just as was His work of creation, and now we also can rest from our “dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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