Await His return

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post in the archives, dated November 12, 2008, where I introduce myself and the blog.

Monday, December 14, 2009
Devotions: Ps 41, 44, 52; Zech 1:7-17; Rev 3:7-13; Mt. 24:15-31

God delivers those who help the poor; He protects them, saves them, sustains and heals them. Lord, heal me, a sinner. I know God favors me because I’m still standing, and my enemies have not destroyed me. Lord, set me in Your presence for ever. God has set apart and protected His own people. He puts our enemies to confusion and to rout. I will boast continually in my great God. Let God arise and scatter all enemies! I abide, like a green olive tree bearing fruit in God’s arbor; I will trust in YHWH’s steadfast love forever and proclaim His goodness before the godly.

Zechariah prophesied during three years early in the reign of king Darius. His first vision: In the night, I saw a man on a red horse, standing among myrtle trees in a glen; behind him were riders on a red, a sorrel and a white horse. I asked, ‘What are these, my lord?’ And an angel answered, ‘The Lord has sent these to patrol the earth.’ The riders reported to the angel, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and it is all at rest.’ The angel of the Lord said, ‘O YHWH Sabaoth, how long will Your indignation continue against Jerusalem and Judah? It’s been seventy years so far.’ The Lord responded with comforting and gracious words. So the angel said to me, ‘Cry out these words of the Lord of hosts: I Am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. I Am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for a while, they enforced My brief anger—but they went beyond and extended disaster. Therefore, I have returned with compassion to Jerusalem; I will have My house rebuilt there, and My measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem. My cities again will overflow with prosperity; YHWH again will comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’

Jesus’ words to the Asian churches continue: ‘To the angel of the Philadelphia assembly, write: the words of the Holy One, the True One, Who has the key of David, Who opens and none can shut, Who shuts and none can open: I know your works. Look: I have set before you an open door which no one has power to shut; I know you have little power, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name. Pay attention: I will make the members of Satan’s synagogue, who say they are Jews and are not and lie—see, I will compel them to come before you, bow before you, and acknowledge that I have loved you. Because you have kept My word with patient endurance, I will keep you from the coming worldwide hour of trial, when all earth’s inhabitants will be judged. I Am coming soon; hold fast what you have, so no one can seize your crown. He who conquers, I will make a pillar in the temple of My God. He will never depart from it; and I will write on him the Name of My God, and the name of My God’s city, the new Jerusalem which comes down from My God out of heaven, and My own new Name. Whoever can hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Jesus continues answering His disciples’ questions about the details of the times of trial He has predicted: ‘When you see the desolating sacrilege which Daniel prophesied, standing in the Holy Place, then let those in Judea flee to the mountains; if one is on a housetop, he should run, not even go back to take his prized possessions; if one is in a field, he should flee from there, not go back for his coat. Pity on those who are pregnant or in labor or nursing in those days! Pray your flight won’t be in winter or on a Sabbath. There will be tribulation greater than any the world has seen so far—and greater suffering will never come after. If those days were not shortened by God in mercy, no human could survive them; but for the sake of God’s elect, those days will be limited. At that time, don’t pay attention to anyone who claims, “Here’s the Messiah” or “There He is!” Don’t believe it. False Messiahs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders—impressive enough to mislead even the elect, if that were possible. That’s why I have told you beforehand. Don’t respond to their lies. The true coming of the Son of man will be like lightning, shining from east to west. Wherever the body is, there the vultures will be gathered! The heavenly bodies, the very cosmos, will reflect the power of that period—the very powers of the heavens will be shaken. The sign of the Son of man in heaven will appear; all earth’s tribes will mourn; and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven, with great power and glory; and He will deploy His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from every quarter of earth and heaven.’