Study from God’s Word… Zechariah, Chapters 1 - 6 … Passage for Reflection: Zechariah 4: 6 … NIV So He said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might or power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”
My Journal for Today: Zechariah, the younger of the two post-exilic prophets (along with Haggai) must’ve had a challenging calling, … to give the truth about the rebuilding of the Temple to a very self-indulgent culture, … and to challenge them about a future which could not be seen in those times, … a message dealing with One, called “The Branch,” Who would come to redeem God’s peoples into a great and glorious kingdom on earth.
Are you the type, like yours truly, who will slam a door shut on a drawer where something cannot be found; or possibly you’d join me as one who’d kick a tire which has gone flat? Common! Surely I’m not the only fool who’s done foolish things like that when things seemed out of control or hapless – if not hopeless.
When there’s a task at hand which seems way beyond our reach, we tend to get frustrated, which can lead to anger, … which, in turn, can lead to striking out in some way. It’s like the very human response when one looks in a mirror and sees something we don’t want to see. Oh how frustrating it can be to see all those excess pounds, knowing that trying to do something about it seems almost impossible.
So, our hopeless frustration can lead to angry reactions which point us either inward to selfish action or outward to faith responses, … which, in the latter case, will prove much more productive if we can pin our hopes on the ONE, TRUE GOD, Who will always have THE answer and THE way, IF the task at hand is in HIS will.
As Dr. Smith so rightly points out in today’s devotional entry, involving today’s text reference, ”Whereas God might leave us to our OWN devices to accomplish goals of our own making, of one thing we can be sure: If the task ahead is God’s own plan, there is no way we can fail!” And this is something I should have remembered when I slammed a drawer shut a while ago, breaking the drawer, when what I was looking for and could not find had nothing to do with anything of Godly significance.
Oh, the working out and faith in the truth of a Romans 8: 28 can be so frustrating, especially when we place the emphasis on SELF rather than SAVIOR. But when we believe in such truths, from God Himself through His word, we can be certain, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that what is going on is for our good, no matter how bad it may seem. And that is as true today as it was in the times of Zechariah.
Do we truly believe that God (and His truth) is the same yesterday, TODAY, and tomorrow? Answer that one – in faith – and we’ll save ourselves much frustration, anger, and reaction to the challenges of this life.
My Prayer for Today: O Lord, help me in my unbelief! Amen
Showing posts with label prophesy fulfilled. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prophesy fulfilled. Show all posts
Monday, September 27, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
2010 – August 11 – Praying for Alien Nations Where There’s Alienation
Study from God’s Word… Jeremiah 24: 1 – 10; Jer. 29: 1-32; Jer. 27: 1-22; Jer. 28: 1-17 … Passage for Reflection: Jeremiah 29: 4 – 7 … NIV 4 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."
My Journal for Today: A lot was happening to and with God’s people, Judah, as they were taken into Babylonian captivity by Nebuchanezzar in Jeremiah’s day. There were false prophets, like Hananiah, who spoke out with lies that God would break the yoke of Nebuchanezzar within two years; and ultimately that lie was exposed by God through Jeremiah; and any false prophet who trumpeted falsehoods such as these were brought down by God. And though the people didn’t want to hear what God said through Jeremiah, he continued to speak the truth of God to His people.
Today we read of advice which had to have been a hard pill to take for the Judeans in captivity. God was telling them to fold into the Babylonian culture, to become productive, to multiply, and above all, to pray to God; and those who followed these commands, which were given to God’s people in Babylon by Jeremiah, would be brought back to their promised land. But they were, going to have to wait for 70 years to see these prophesies come to fruition; and there were those false prophets, like I cited above about Hananiah, who were spouting lies which the people would rather hear, saying that God was going to break the yoke of Babylon in two years. Two years verses seventy years; … and as you might imagine, many would rather go with the “two year” choice.
But those who listened and believed Jeremiah, especially his promises in a well-worn truthful prophesy of Jeremiah 29: 10-14, would be rewarded for their faith. You may know that passage well, especially verse 11 [underlined]: 10 This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill My gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.
And God did take His people back to Jerusalem after 70 years, where we know, from history that God had the Temple rebuilt. We read about it in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. But how does that help us, via application, today? Well, it helps us extract hope from these stories from history, where God prophesied and those of faith were liberated and given the promises of God. And we, who are surrounded by lies and captive in a “Babylon” of sin today, should take heart that God has asked us to stick in there, have faith, live under the rigors of an evil world, and PRAY, PRAY, PRAY to God for His favor. That’s the ever prevalent promise of 2nd Chronicles 7: 14 - linked; isn’t it?
I’ll leave it to you as to what to believe and what to do as aliens, alienated in an evil world. But to paraphrase a famous Jewish leader, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!” [see Joshua 24: 14-15 – linked]
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I know that You will never leave those of us who believe in Your promises. Amen
My Journal for Today: A lot was happening to and with God’s people, Judah, as they were taken into Babylonian captivity by Nebuchanezzar in Jeremiah’s day. There were false prophets, like Hananiah, who spoke out with lies that God would break the yoke of Nebuchanezzar within two years; and ultimately that lie was exposed by God through Jeremiah; and any false prophet who trumpeted falsehoods such as these were brought down by God. And though the people didn’t want to hear what God said through Jeremiah, he continued to speak the truth of God to His people.
Today we read of advice which had to have been a hard pill to take for the Judeans in captivity. God was telling them to fold into the Babylonian culture, to become productive, to multiply, and above all, to pray to God; and those who followed these commands, which were given to God’s people in Babylon by Jeremiah, would be brought back to their promised land. But they were, going to have to wait for 70 years to see these prophesies come to fruition; and there were those false prophets, like I cited above about Hananiah, who were spouting lies which the people would rather hear, saying that God was going to break the yoke of Babylon in two years. Two years verses seventy years; … and as you might imagine, many would rather go with the “two year” choice.
But those who listened and believed Jeremiah, especially his promises in a well-worn truthful prophesy of Jeremiah 29: 10-14, would be rewarded for their faith. You may know that passage well, especially verse 11 [underlined]: 10 This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill My gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.
And God did take His people back to Jerusalem after 70 years, where we know, from history that God had the Temple rebuilt. We read about it in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. But how does that help us, via application, today? Well, it helps us extract hope from these stories from history, where God prophesied and those of faith were liberated and given the promises of God. And we, who are surrounded by lies and captive in a “Babylon” of sin today, should take heart that God has asked us to stick in there, have faith, live under the rigors of an evil world, and PRAY, PRAY, PRAY to God for His favor. That’s the ever prevalent promise of 2nd Chronicles 7: 14 - linked; isn’t it?
I’ll leave it to you as to what to believe and what to do as aliens, alienated in an evil world. But to paraphrase a famous Jewish leader, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!” [see Joshua 24: 14-15 – linked]
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I know that You will never leave those of us who believe in Your promises. Amen
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
2010 – July 20 – Beauty for Ashes
Blogger's Note: Today's journal item posted a bit late due to early morning Bible teaching @ Church followed by physical therapy for my hip.
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Study from God’s Word… Isaiah, Chapters 61 - 64 … Passage for Reflection: Isaiah 61: 1 – 3 … NIV He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted … to comfort all who mourn … to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes … and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
My Journal for Today: Do you recognize the passage from which several phrases were taken from Isaiah 61: 1 – 3? This was a prophesy spoken about the Messiah by Isaiah some 700 years before Christ was born in Bethlehem; and you Jesus scholars, reading here, may recognize that it also is found in that famous declaration Jesus made in the Temple right before His ministry on earth began [see Luke 4: 1 – 13]. Jesus was asked to read The Law in the Temple that day, and it was opened for Him to read from Isaiah’s prophesy, which Jesus did. Then as The Lord sat down that day, he spoke words of terror and hope to those there in the Temple, and to all of us forever, when He said (see Luke 4: 21), "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Those words must’ve exploded in the ears/minds of those in the Temple that day who knew what Isaiah was prophesying in that Scripture. The Word of God which Jesus read that day was declaring that the hope of mankind would be found in the Person and ministry of the Messiah; and here, some 700 years later was a Rabbi declaring that He was that Messiah. Wow! That must’ve been a bombshell.
And the words of this prophesy by Isaiah, and the repeated declaration of truth by Jesus, are really quite hope-filled, yet exceedingly challenging. As it says in today’s abbreviated version of Isaiah 61: 1-3, we read of a Messiah speaking of “good news for the poor, … healing for the brokenhearted, … freedom for the captives, …light for those in the darkness of prison, … and sight for the blind.” And so, how cool is that? And Jesus was restating this [in Luke 4: 18-19] as His mission in life, which gives us direction to find our mission as well since it should be the goal of every Christian to live like Jesus, make choices like Jesus, and to become like Jesus.
As I told a group of men this morning, it ought to be very helpful for disciples of Christ to find their purpose in life in the purpose which was prophesied for Jesus and to which He declared as His mission for His earthly ministry. So, my dear one, if you cannot find what you do or how you live within the directions of Luke 4: 18-19, I seriously think you should rethink where you are and what you’re doing in this life. For all who desire to follow after Christ (as He ordered of His disciples in Luke 9:23), we can do so by fitting our life choices and worship into Christ’s Messianic mission statement (again, Luke 4: 18-19).
Check it out, my friend; and if you don’t find your self [and your life] in that passage, start afresh TODAY to find a place to work your life into the pattern Christ painted for Himself.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I want to walk where You walk, live as You do, and make choices which shine Your light. I want to be a Luke 4: 18-19 kingdom warrior. Amen
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Study from God’s Word… Isaiah, Chapters 61 - 64 … Passage for Reflection: Isaiah 61: 1 – 3 … NIV He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted … to comfort all who mourn … to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes … and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
My Journal for Today: Do you recognize the passage from which several phrases were taken from Isaiah 61: 1 – 3? This was a prophesy spoken about the Messiah by Isaiah some 700 years before Christ was born in Bethlehem; and you Jesus scholars, reading here, may recognize that it also is found in that famous declaration Jesus made in the Temple right before His ministry on earth began [see Luke 4: 1 – 13]. Jesus was asked to read The Law in the Temple that day, and it was opened for Him to read from Isaiah’s prophesy, which Jesus did. Then as The Lord sat down that day, he spoke words of terror and hope to those there in the Temple, and to all of us forever, when He said (see Luke 4: 21), "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Those words must’ve exploded in the ears/minds of those in the Temple that day who knew what Isaiah was prophesying in that Scripture. The Word of God which Jesus read that day was declaring that the hope of mankind would be found in the Person and ministry of the Messiah; and here, some 700 years later was a Rabbi declaring that He was that Messiah. Wow! That must’ve been a bombshell.
And the words of this prophesy by Isaiah, and the repeated declaration of truth by Jesus, are really quite hope-filled, yet exceedingly challenging. As it says in today’s abbreviated version of Isaiah 61: 1-3, we read of a Messiah speaking of “good news for the poor, … healing for the brokenhearted, … freedom for the captives, …light for those in the darkness of prison, … and sight for the blind.” And so, how cool is that? And Jesus was restating this [in Luke 4: 18-19] as His mission in life, which gives us direction to find our mission as well since it should be the goal of every Christian to live like Jesus, make choices like Jesus, and to become like Jesus.
As I told a group of men this morning, it ought to be very helpful for disciples of Christ to find their purpose in life in the purpose which was prophesied for Jesus and to which He declared as His mission for His earthly ministry. So, my dear one, if you cannot find what you do or how you live within the directions of Luke 4: 18-19, I seriously think you should rethink where you are and what you’re doing in this life. For all who desire to follow after Christ (as He ordered of His disciples in Luke 9:23), we can do so by fitting our life choices and worship into Christ’s Messianic mission statement (again, Luke 4: 18-19).
Check it out, my friend; and if you don’t find your self [and your life] in that passage, start afresh TODAY to find a place to work your life into the pattern Christ painted for Himself.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I want to walk where You walk, live as You do, and make choices which shine Your light. I want to be a Luke 4: 18-19 kingdom warrior. Amen
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
2010 – July 14 – The Present Presence of God
Study from God’s Word… Isaiah 43 – 45: 13 … Passage for Reflection: Isaiah 43: 18 – 19 … NIV 18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
My Journal for Today: At the leading of Dr. LaGard Smith, my devotional “shepherd” this year in The Daily Bible in Chronological Order and in his devotional book, The Daily Bible Devotional I was led today to read and study through one of the most remarkable historical prophesies in all of the Old Testament as God, through Isaiah, some seven centuries before Christ, prophesies, by name, that the Gentile king, “Cyrus,” would [as it turns out about 150 years later] facilitate the rebuilding of God’s Temple in Jerusalem [see Isaiah 44: 28 and 45: 1, 13].
And looking back in awe at this historical truth, and many other historical facts from Scripture, it would be easy to focus on the history alone and ignore the message of God’s word in our lives today. Yes, it’s important to interpret Scripture in the context of history. In fact one should never draw a personal application from God’s word that is out of line with God’s historical context. However, God always wants us to remember and apply the truth that God is the same yesterday, TODAY, and you know it – tomorrow as well. And you probably remember that that’s a New Testament promise about Jesus from Hebrews 13: 8.
It’s fine to draw inference from God’s historical context; and it’s even right – as with the passage I mentioned today (e.g., Isaiah 45: 13) – to be in awe of God’s promises and prophesies from what He has said or done in the past; but God wants us to glean, from our past, what we can to allow Him to be our God in the present … and into the future. We always need to be guided by the past to interpret what is going on in the present or to plan for the future. However, as today’s passage indicates we should not “dwell in the past” to the point that we become paralyzed by the present or blinded to the future.
Looking at what is going on right now – in our present day – it would be easy to get very down-and-out by the rampant sin that see in our world. But knowing God’s word and seeing the patience God had for Israel and Judah in the past, we certainly can have hope that God will protect the remnant of believers who may be swept up as our world is turned over to Satan for a season [which I believe we may be seeing right now]. For example, knowing how God gently gave Habakkuk a lesson in faith when this Prophet saw all the degradation of his day, lifts me up and helps me to see – from the truth of Hab. 3: 17-18 [linked] - that I can choose to hold onto my joy no matter what the circumstances are in my present. And knowing that God has already sent His Redeemer to save me gives me the same strength that Isaiah felt when God declared through this man (in Is. 41: 10), ”So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
So, my friend, as you look around you, seeing many things that could cause us to despair, remember these words I have just quoted from THE BOOK OF TRUTH, … from the God Who spoke through Isaiah to His people, … and the God Who speaks through His word to me and you today.
My Prayer for Today: Yahweh, my LORD, You never change and You are always there for me! Amen
My Journal for Today: At the leading of Dr. LaGard Smith, my devotional “shepherd” this year in The Daily Bible in Chronological Order and in his devotional book, The Daily Bible Devotional I was led today to read and study through one of the most remarkable historical prophesies in all of the Old Testament as God, through Isaiah, some seven centuries before Christ, prophesies, by name, that the Gentile king, “Cyrus,” would [as it turns out about 150 years later] facilitate the rebuilding of God’s Temple in Jerusalem [see Isaiah 44: 28 and 45: 1, 13].
And looking back in awe at this historical truth, and many other historical facts from Scripture, it would be easy to focus on the history alone and ignore the message of God’s word in our lives today. Yes, it’s important to interpret Scripture in the context of history. In fact one should never draw a personal application from God’s word that is out of line with God’s historical context. However, God always wants us to remember and apply the truth that God is the same yesterday, TODAY, and you know it – tomorrow as well. And you probably remember that that’s a New Testament promise about Jesus from Hebrews 13: 8.
It’s fine to draw inference from God’s historical context; and it’s even right – as with the passage I mentioned today (e.g., Isaiah 45: 13) – to be in awe of God’s promises and prophesies from what He has said or done in the past; but God wants us to glean, from our past, what we can to allow Him to be our God in the present … and into the future. We always need to be guided by the past to interpret what is going on in the present or to plan for the future. However, as today’s passage indicates we should not “dwell in the past” to the point that we become paralyzed by the present or blinded to the future.
Looking at what is going on right now – in our present day – it would be easy to get very down-and-out by the rampant sin that see in our world. But knowing God’s word and seeing the patience God had for Israel and Judah in the past, we certainly can have hope that God will protect the remnant of believers who may be swept up as our world is turned over to Satan for a season [which I believe we may be seeing right now]. For example, knowing how God gently gave Habakkuk a lesson in faith when this Prophet saw all the degradation of his day, lifts me up and helps me to see – from the truth of Hab. 3: 17-18 [linked] - that I can choose to hold onto my joy no matter what the circumstances are in my present. And knowing that God has already sent His Redeemer to save me gives me the same strength that Isaiah felt when God declared through this man (in Is. 41: 10), ”So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
So, my friend, as you look around you, seeing many things that could cause us to despair, remember these words I have just quoted from THE BOOK OF TRUTH, … from the God Who spoke through Isaiah to His people, … and the God Who speaks through His word to me and you today.
My Prayer for Today: Yahweh, my LORD, You never change and You are always there for me! Amen
Saturday, June 26, 2010
2010 – June 26 – Hope You Can Count On
Study from God’s Word… Micah, Chapters 3 – 5 … Passage for Reflection: Micah 5: 2 … NIV "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me One who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. "
Micah 5: 2 … NLT But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, One whose origins are from the distant past.
My Journal for Today: As Dr. Smith begins his devotional today by quoting the old Christmas carol, “O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie.” And here was Micah, some seven centuries before the event, prophesying that the birth of a “great One,” a Messiah, would be born into this world in that sleepy little hillside shepherd town, which God named through Micah as Bethlehem. And as we, who do believe that Yeshua, Ha-Mashiach [Hebrew for “Jesus, the Messiah”], know, that’s exactly what happened … again … some seven centuries later.
So, what’s up with this prediction; and why centuries before the coming of the One Who would fulfill it? And I believe LaGard Smith has the reason nailed. It is God’s way, though His prophet and His word to have one of those glorious “I told you so” predictions so right and so, so true in Scripture that it can not – or at least SHOULD NOT - be ignored as part of God’s plan and His design for mankind.
And if God could – and did – predict that Jesus, the Messiah, would come into that little sleepy suburb of Jerusalem over 7 centuries before it happened, how would we – or could we - deny that there will be another coming of Christ which will herald the advent of the celestial new Jerusalem, a literal heaven on earth, where mankind will live with the Savior forever.
What a hope and what a promise; and heaven is a hope you (and I) can count on because we’ve read about and seen the predictive power of God in action through prophets like Micah; and the prophesies which have come since Micah are even more powerful and wonderful than those to which Micah addressed himself centuries before the coming of the Christ child in Bethlehem.
Take heed, my dear ones. Christ is coming again; and He will usher in your heavenly home; and it will be so much more glorious than that little sleepy event heralded by Micah centuries before the shepherds gathered on the hillside to witness what Phillips Brooks wrote about in 1903 in his carol …
O holy Child of Bethlehem! … Descend to us, we pray!
Cast out our sin and enter in; … Be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels; …The great glad tidings tell;
O, come to us, abide with us, … Our Lord, Emmanuel!
My Prayer for Today: O, Lord, what a prayer this is from the old Christmas song; and may we rest in its promise. Amen
Micah 5: 2 … NLT But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, One whose origins are from the distant past.
My Journal for Today: As Dr. Smith begins his devotional today by quoting the old Christmas carol, “O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie.” And here was Micah, some seven centuries before the event, prophesying that the birth of a “great One,” a Messiah, would be born into this world in that sleepy little hillside shepherd town, which God named through Micah as Bethlehem. And as we, who do believe that Yeshua, Ha-Mashiach [Hebrew for “Jesus, the Messiah”], know, that’s exactly what happened … again … some seven centuries later.
So, what’s up with this prediction; and why centuries before the coming of the One Who would fulfill it? And I believe LaGard Smith has the reason nailed. It is God’s way, though His prophet and His word to have one of those glorious “I told you so” predictions so right and so, so true in Scripture that it can not – or at least SHOULD NOT - be ignored as part of God’s plan and His design for mankind.
And if God could – and did – predict that Jesus, the Messiah, would come into that little sleepy suburb of Jerusalem over 7 centuries before it happened, how would we – or could we - deny that there will be another coming of Christ which will herald the advent of the celestial new Jerusalem, a literal heaven on earth, where mankind will live with the Savior forever.
What a hope and what a promise; and heaven is a hope you (and I) can count on because we’ve read about and seen the predictive power of God in action through prophets like Micah; and the prophesies which have come since Micah are even more powerful and wonderful than those to which Micah addressed himself centuries before the coming of the Christ child in Bethlehem.
Take heed, my dear ones. Christ is coming again; and He will usher in your heavenly home; and it will be so much more glorious than that little sleepy event heralded by Micah centuries before the shepherds gathered on the hillside to witness what Phillips Brooks wrote about in 1903 in his carol …
O holy Child of Bethlehem! … Descend to us, we pray!
Cast out our sin and enter in; … Be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels; …The great glad tidings tell;
O, come to us, abide with us, … Our Lord, Emmanuel!
My Prayer for Today: O, Lord, what a prayer this is from the old Christmas song; and may we rest in its promise. Amen
Sunday, May 09, 2010
2010 – May 9 – Hope in the Midst of Despair
Study from God’s Word… Psalms 2, 22, and 27 … Passage for Reflection: Psalm 22: 1 … NIV 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
My Journal for Today: Today F. LaGard Smith has me and his readers using his devotional book and reading the Messianic Psalms; and the most famous of these would likely be Psalm 22 and verse 1, the line which Jesus quoted from the cross as He was dying. “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” was his suffering cry; and we now know that our Lord hung on that tree to fulfill these words from David’s song, which allowed Jesus to become the lamb of God being sacrificed, as King David foretold, for the sins of mankind. Oh, it is not likely, when David wrote these words, that he fully appreciated the role that Messiah would play in the affairs of God’s people. He probably saw The Messiah as a Savior Who would conquer the oppressors of the Jewish people and become an anointed earthly king. However, David’s words are fully and completely prophetic about such details as Jesus’ death fulfilled, words like those found in verses 16 and 18 (read them again) – those very descriptive words which unfolded as David had written them centuries before Jesus, The Christ, died to save mankind.
David, though only partially insightful as to the coming Messiah, was worshipping his coming Lord and Savior in faith; and he obviously received great comfort and hope by singing these words, believing and being justified by his faith unto salvation. It is only hoped that we can read and meditate on these same words centuries later, having the advantage of our New Testament and historical revelations – in Christ – and reading David’s prophetic song, we can be lifted up with hope in the knowledge that Jesus completely fulfilled the prophesies of these ancient Messianic psalms, especially those word in Psalm 22.
Be comforted in your salvation all of you who have believed on the Name and life of Jesus, Who died on that cross, as prophesied by David, to have your sins forgiven and set aside by God, the Father, in Heaven. May God be glorified though David’s song and our faith in its fulfillment.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I believe that You are the One Whom David wrote about in this song of deliverance; and You came to die on that tree for me, and many who read here, to declare our belief in Your saving grace, giving us the justification we need and desire, found only in Your being the suffering servant and the Lamb of God. Our eternal hope is You … and only You!!! Hallelujah!!! Amen
My Journal for Today: Today F. LaGard Smith has me and his readers using his devotional book and reading the Messianic Psalms; and the most famous of these would likely be Psalm 22 and verse 1, the line which Jesus quoted from the cross as He was dying. “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” was his suffering cry; and we now know that our Lord hung on that tree to fulfill these words from David’s song, which allowed Jesus to become the lamb of God being sacrificed, as King David foretold, for the sins of mankind. Oh, it is not likely, when David wrote these words, that he fully appreciated the role that Messiah would play in the affairs of God’s people. He probably saw The Messiah as a Savior Who would conquer the oppressors of the Jewish people and become an anointed earthly king. However, David’s words are fully and completely prophetic about such details as Jesus’ death fulfilled, words like those found in verses 16 and 18 (read them again) – those very descriptive words which unfolded as David had written them centuries before Jesus, The Christ, died to save mankind.
David, though only partially insightful as to the coming Messiah, was worshipping his coming Lord and Savior in faith; and he obviously received great comfort and hope by singing these words, believing and being justified by his faith unto salvation. It is only hoped that we can read and meditate on these same words centuries later, having the advantage of our New Testament and historical revelations – in Christ – and reading David’s prophetic song, we can be lifted up with hope in the knowledge that Jesus completely fulfilled the prophesies of these ancient Messianic psalms, especially those word in Psalm 22.
Be comforted in your salvation all of you who have believed on the Name and life of Jesus, Who died on that cross, as prophesied by David, to have your sins forgiven and set aside by God, the Father, in Heaven. May God be glorified though David’s song and our faith in its fulfillment.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I believe that You are the One Whom David wrote about in this song of deliverance; and You came to die on that tree for me, and many who read here, to declare our belief in Your saving grace, giving us the justification we need and desire, found only in Your being the suffering servant and the Lamb of God. Our eternal hope is You … and only You!!! Hallelujah!!! Amen
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