Under His Wings

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.

December 11, 2009
Devotions: Ps 31, 35; Haggai 1:1-15; Rev 2:18-29; Mt 23:27-39

YHWH, my Rock and Refuge—secure me from shame; into Your hand I commit myself, faithful and blessed God, my Redeemer. I will rejoice in Your steadfast love, and ignore the scorn of those around me who don’t know or care about us. You protect Your own from the malice of wicked people and evil spirits. God has heard and answered my supplications. I will be strong and take courage, and wait upon the Lord. Dear Father, will You contend with those who seek contention with me; let them be put to shame and dishonor, confounded and dispersed like chaff in a gale. All my being exults in Your deliverance. Let me succeed so I can thank you among believers and unbelievers alike. Vindicate me, Lord, in accord with the righteousness of Jesus my Lord. Great is YHWH, Who delights in the welfare of His servant. I’ll tell this to anyone who will listen.

Haggai prophesied during the reign of Darius, king of the Persian empire; the prophet’s name means ‘festal’, and this is what God gave him to say: ‘So says YHWH Sabaoth: This people declare it is too early to undertake reconstruction of God’s temple—but is it right for you to live in paneled houses while God’s house lies in ruins? Consider how you have fared. You have sown much, but harvested little; you eat, but are never satisfied; you have clothing, but no one is warm enough; and the money you earn never stretches far enough—it’s as if your moneybags have holes in them. In light of this, go up to the hills and cut timber; build My house; this will please Me and I will again appear in My glory. You have sought riches, but found poverty, and the little you scavenged, I have blown away. Why? Because My house lies in ruins, while you busy yourselves providing homes for yourselves. Consequently, I have withheld moisture, and your crops have failed; My drought has struck the land, the hills, the grain, the vineyards, the oil, on all crops, all people, and all domestic animals, and has affected all their labors.’ In response, Zerubbabel, Joshua and the Jerusalem remnant obeyed the voice of their God YHWH, and the words of His prophet Haggai. Haggai addressed them: ‘I AM with you, says YHWH.’ God stirred the spirits of Zerubbabel and Joshua and the remnant, and they turned their hands to work on God’s house.

John continues to report Jesus’ words to the churches in Asia--here, to the angel of the church in Thyatira, the words of the Son of God, Who has eyes like flames of fire and feet like burnished bronze: ‘I know your works—your love and faith and service and patient endurance; I know that your later works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and beguiling My servants to practice immorality and to eat food that has been sacrificed to idols. Watch: I will throw her on a sickbed; those who commit adultery with her I will cast into great tribulation, unless they repent of her immorality; and I will strike her children dead! All churches shall know that I Am He Who searches mind and heart. I will reward each of you as your works deserve. To the rest in Thyatira, who don’t hold this teaching and have shunned the so-called deep things of Satan, I lay no other burden on you. Just hold fast to what you have, until I come. Those who conquer and keep my works until the end, I will give power over the nations. And I will give them power over the nations and they will rule with a rod of iron, even as I Myself have received power from My Father; and I will give them the morning star. Whoever can hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Jesus’ confrontation of His Jewish opponents continues: ‘Woe, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build tombs for God’s prophets and adorn monuments to the righteous; you claim, “If we had lived in our fathers’ days, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.” But you witness against yourselves—that you are the sons of those who killed God’s prophets. Go on, fill up the measure of your ancestors. You serpents, brood of vipers, how will you escape being sentenced to hell? I send you prophets, wise men and scribes; some you kill and crucify, others you scourge in your synagogues and persecute from town to town: so upon you will fall the blood-guilt for all the righteous blood shed on earth, from that of Abel to Zechariah, Barachiah’s son, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Mark My words: all this will come upon this generation! O Jerusalem! Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those whom God sends to you: how often I would have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood to protect them under her wings—but you would not! Now look: your house is forsaken and desolate. I tell you this: you will not see Me again until you say, “Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.”’