Balaam's Third Oracle (Num 24:3-9)

The second oracle of blessing spoken through Balaam revealed that Balak’s attempt to curse God’s people only resulted in God’s further blessing of His covenant nation. Balak recalculated. The Spirit of God moved upon Balaam, and he spoke the words of God.

Num 23:25
¶ And Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.”
Num 23:26
But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the LORD says, that I must do’?”

Num 23:27
And Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.”
Num 23:28
So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert.
Num 23:29
And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”
Num 23:30
And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

What does Balak command Balaam not to do?
“Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all” (Num 23:25).

What is Balaam’s answer?
“Did I not tell you, ‘All that the LORD says, that I must do?’” (Num 23:26)

What does Balaam say that he must do?
“All that the LORD says” (Num 23:26)

How does Balak respond to Balaam?
“Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there” (Num 23:27)

Why does Balak invite Balaam to come to another place?
“Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there” (Num 23:27)

What are the people of Israel doing?
Camping tribe by tribe (Num 24:2)

Why did God previously refuse to allow Balaam to go with Balak’s messengers?
“You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed” (Num 22:12)

Num 24:1
¶ When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness.
Num 24:2
And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him,
Num 24:3
and he took up his discourse and said,
“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
Num 24:4
the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
falling down with his eyes uncovered:
Num 24:5
How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
your encampments, O Israel!
Num 24:6
Like palm groves that stretch afar,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes that the LORD has planted,
like cedar trees beside the waters.
Num 24:7
Water shall flow from his buckets,
and his seed shall be in many waters;
his king shall be higher than Agag,
and his kingdom shall be exalted.
Num 24:8
God brings him out of Egypt
and is for him like the horns of the wild ox;
he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,
and shall break their bones in pieces
and pierce them through with his arrows.
Num 24:9
He crouched, he lay down like a lion
and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
Blessed are those who bless you,
and cursed are those who curse you.”

What did Balaam see that pleased the LORD?
To bless Israel (Num 24:1)

What did Balaam not look for? Omens (Num 24:1)

Towards what did Balaam set his face?
The wilderness (Num 24:1)

What did Balaam see when he lifted his eyes?
Israel camping tribe by tribe (Num 24:2)

What came upon Balaam?
The Spirit of God (Num 24:2)

What did Balaam do when the Spirit of God came upon him?
He took up his discourse (Num 24:3)

How is Balaam described?
“The son of Beor” (Num 24:3) “The man whose eye is opened” (Num 24:3)
“Him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered” (Num 24:4)

What does Balaam hear?
“The words of God” (Num 24:4)

What does Balaam see?
The vision of the Almighty (Num 24:4)

How does Balaam’s respond to what he hears and sees?
“falling down with his eyes uncovered” (Num 24:4)

Why does Jesus speak to the Jews in parables during his ministry on earth?
“This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘”You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”’ For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’” (Matt 13:13-15).

How does Jesus describe the people to whom he spoke in parables in Matt 13:13?
“Seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand “

What precedes Jesus’ healing?
“see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn” (Matt 13:15)

What verbs are used to describe the actions of those whom Jesus heals?
See, hear, understand and turn (Matt 13:15)

How did Saul respond to seeing and hearing Jesus on the road to Damascus?
“At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” (Acts 26:13-18).

Why did Jesus send Saul/Paul?
“To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place amongst those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:18).

How are those who receive forgiveness of sins sanctified?
By faith in Jesus (Acts 26:18)

What did Balaam describe as lovely?
“Your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel” (Num 24:5)

How does Balaam describe Jacob’s tents and Israel’s encampments?
“Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the Lord has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters” (Num 24:6)

What shall flow from his buckets?
Water (Num 24:7)

What did Jesus promise to those who drink of the water that He will give?
“But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

What will flow out of the heart of whoever believes in Jesus?
“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:38).

What shall be in many waters?
His seed (Num 24:7)

Who became flesh and dwelt in the world?
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14)

How does Peter describe those who have been born again?
“Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God” (1 Pet 1:23)

What does Jesus teach his disciples about abiding in John 15:3-5?
“Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

What abides in those who have been born of God?
“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9).

To what does Jesus compare the kingdom of heaven?
“He put another parable before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds if the air come and make nests in its branches.’ He told them another parable. ‘The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened” (Matt 13:31-33).

Who does Jesus say sows the good seed and who is the good seed?
“He answered, ‘The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age and the reapers are angels” (Matt 13:37-39).

What does Balaam say shall be higher than Agag?
His king (Num 24:7)

What is revealed about Jesus in Heb 1:1-4?
“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”

How is Jesus described in Col 1:15-20?
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

How is Jesus described in Rev 17:14?
“They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

What name is written on the robe and throne of Jesus in Rev 19:16?
“On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

What does Balaam say shall be exalted?
His kingdom (24:7)

Who will descend from heaven to exalt all who believe that Jesus died and rose again?
“For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thess 4:16-17).

Who does Balaam say that God brought out of Egypt?
Him (third person masculine singular pronoun) (Num 24:8)

From where did God call His Son?
“And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son” (Matt 2:14-15).

Who saved a people out of the land of Egypt?
“The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it” (Acts 13:17).
“Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe” (Jude 5).

When Jesus came into the world, who did not know him and who did not receive him?
“He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him” (John 1:10-11).

To all who did receive Jesus, who believed in his name, what right did Jesus give?
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13)

What is God for him?
Like the horns of the wild ox (Num 24:8)

What shall he eat up?
The nations, his adversaries (Num 24:8)

What shall he break?
Their bones in pieces (Num 24:8)

With what shall he pierce them through?
His arrows (Num 24:8)

How is he described in Num 24:9?
“He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness” (Num 24:9)

What question is asked in Num 24:9?
“Who will rouse him up?”

Who is blessed?
"Those who bless you (Num 24:9)

Who are cursed?
"Those who curse you” (Num 24:9)

Which promise in the Abrahamic Covenant is reiterated in Num 24:9?
“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse” (Gen 12:3)

What blessing does the tribe of Judah receive in Gen 49:9-12?
“Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.”

Balaam's Second Oracle (Num 23:18-24)

In 1446 BC, God delivered Israel from bondage to Egypt. During their subsequent 40 years in the wilderness, God taught the nation of Israel to trust Him and to follow without wavering. She lacked nothing. God began preparing His covenant nation to take possession of the land that He promised to give as an everlasting inheritance to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their offspring. As Israel approached her inheritance, God overcame and dispossessed the foreign nations, driving them out before her.

As the nation of Israel camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho, Balak, the king of Moab, and his people were filled with fear. Balak sent Balaam to curse Israel, but the LORD intervened and gave to Balaam an oracle of blessing to speak over the camp of Israel.

“Balak said to Balaam, ‘What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.’ And he answered and said, ‘Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?’” (Num 23:11-12).

Balak then took Balaam to the top of Pisgah where he would not see all of Israel, but only a fraction of them that he might curse them. “And the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, ‘Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.’ And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, ‘What has the LORD spoken?’” (23:16-17).

Num 23:18
And he took up his discourse and said,
“Rise, Balak, and hear;
give ear to me, O son of Zippor:
Num 23:19
God is not man, that he should lie,
or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
Num 23:20
Behold, I received a command to bless:
he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.
Num 23:21
He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob,
nor has he seen trouble in Israel.
The LORD their God is with them,
and the shout of a king is among them.
Num 23:22
God brings them out of Egypt
and is for them like the horns of the wild ox.
Num 23:23
For there is no enchantment against Jacob,
no divination against Israel;
now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,
‘What has God wrought!’
Num 23:24
Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up
and as a lion it lifts itself;
it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey
and drunk the blood of the slain.”

What two questions are asked in 23:19?
“Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”

What command had he received?
“To bless” (23:20)

What could not be revoked?
“He has blessed” (23:20).

Who is with them?
“The LORD their God” (23:21)

What is among them?
“The shout of a king” (23:21)

Who brought them out of Egypt?
“God” (23:22)

What is God like for them?
The horns of the wild ox (23:22)

What can there not be against Jacob and Israel?
“For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel” (23:23).

What shall be said of Jacob and Israel?
“What has God wrought!” (23:23)

What was beheld?
“Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up and as a lion it lifts itself; it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain” (23:24).

How does it rise up and lift itself?
As a lioness rises up and as a lion it lifts itself (23:24)

When will it lie down?
Not until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain (23:24)

What blessing did the tribe of Judah inherit?
“Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until שִׁילֹה (shiloh) comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes” (Gen 49:9-11).

Which tribe is listed in the genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3:33?
Judah

In the book of Revelation, what did one of the elders say to John when he began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it?
“Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals” (Rev 5:4).

Who is described in Rev 19:11-16?
Rev 19:11
¶ Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
Rev 19:12
His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
Rev 19:13
He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
Rev 19:14
And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.
Rev 19:15
From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
Rev 19:16
On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

What does Jesus say in Rev 22:16?
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Principle: God and His Anointed conquer God’s enemies and restore God’s people.

Balaam's First Oracle (Num 23:7-10)

After God gave Moses and the people of Israel victory over the king of Bashan and all his people, the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. Moab was overcome with fear because of the greatness of Israel.

“And Balak the son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Mo

ab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel” (Num 22:2-3).

“And Moab said to the elders of Midian, ‘This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.’ So Balak the son of Zippor, who was the king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, ‘Behold, the people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me” (22:4-5).

“Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed” (22:6).

What was God’s response to Balaam after he shared Balaak’s request to curse Israel?
“You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed” (22:12).

What was God’s response after Balaam went with the princes of Moab?
“But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him” (22:22).

Who took his stand in the way as Balaam’s adversary?
The angel of the Lord (22:22)

What did Balaam see after the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam?
“Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face” (22:31).

What did Balaam say to the angel of the Lord?
“I have sinned for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back” (22:34).

What did the angel of the Lord say to Balaam?
“And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, ‘Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.’ So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak” (22:35).

Num 23:4
and God met Balaam. And Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”
Num 23:5
And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”
Num 23:6
And he returned to him, and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering.
Num 23:7
And he took up his discourse and said,
“From Aram Balak king of Moab brought me from the mountains of the east, 'Go curse Jacob for me,
And go, denounce Israel!’
Num 23:8
How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?
Num 23:9
For from the top of the rocks I will see him,
from the hills I will behold him;
behold, a people will dwell alone,
and will not count itself among the nations!
Num 23:10
Who has counted the dust of Jacob
or who has recorded the dust of Israel?
Let my soul die the death of the upright,
and let my end be like his!

What had Balak requested of Balaam?
“Go, curse Jacob for me, and go, denounce Israel!” (23:7)

What two questions were asked in 23:8?
“How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?” (23:8)

Who will he see from the top of the crags and who will he behold from the hills?
Him (23:9)

How are the people beheld?
“A people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations!” (23:9)

What question did he ask in 23:10?
“Who has counted the dust of Jacob or who has numbered the fourth part of Israel?”

What type of death did Balaam request?
“Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!” (23:10).

What had the Lord sworn by Himself to Abraham concerning his offspring?
“And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice” (Gen 22:15-18).

Principle: God never forgets His promises or His people.

Heb 11:1
¶ Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Heb 11:2
For by it the people of old received their commendation.
Heb 11:3
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
Heb 11:4
¶ By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
Heb 11:5
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.
Heb 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Heb 11:7
By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Heb 11:8
¶ By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
Heb 11:9
By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.
Heb 11:10
For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
Heb 11:11
By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.
Heb 11:12
Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
Heb 11:13
¶ These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
Heb 11:14
For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.
Heb 11:15
If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.
Heb 11:16
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
Heb 11:17
¶ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,
Heb 11:18
of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
Heb 11:19
He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
Heb 11:20
By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.
Heb 11:21
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
Heb 11:22
By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
Heb 11:23
¶ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
Heb 11:24
By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
Heb 11:25
choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
Heb 11:26
He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.
Heb 11:27
By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.
Heb 11:28
By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
Heb 11:29
¶ By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.
Heb 11:30
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
Heb 11:31
By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
Heb 11:32
¶ And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—
Heb 11:33
who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Heb 11:34
quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
Heb 11:35
Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
Heb 11:36
Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
Heb 11:37
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—
Heb 11:38
of whom the world was not worthy— wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Heb 11:39
¶ And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
Heb 11:40
since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Blessing of Judah (Gen 49:8-12)

Gen 49:8
¶ “Judah, your brothers shall praise you;
your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
your father’s sons shall bow down before you.
Gen 49:9
Judah is a lion’s cub;
from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He stooped down; he crouched as a lion
and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?
Gen 49:10

The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him;
and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
Gen 49:11
Binding his foal to the vine
and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
he has washed his garments in wine
and his vesture in the blood of grapes.
Gen 49:12
His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth whiter than milk.

Who is speaking? Jacob (49:1)

To whom is Jacob speaking in Gen 49:1-27? His sons (49:1)

Who is Jacob blessing in Gen 49:1-27? Israel's tribes (49:28)

How many tribes received blessing? 12

Why was Reuben’s birthright given to Joseph's sons? (49:4)
“The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, so that he could not be enrolled as the oldest son” (1 Chr 5:1).

Who was Judah? (Gen 49:8-10) Jacob’s son

Who would praise Judah? His brothers (49:8)

Whose hand would be on the neck of his enemies? Judah (49:8)

Who would bow down before Judah? His father’s sons (49:8)

Who is a lion’s cub? Judah (49:9)

From what had Judah gone up? The prey (49:9)

What did Judah do? He stooped; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness (49:9)

What was asked about Judah? “who dares rouse him up?” (49:9)

What would not depart from Judah until שִׁילֹה (shilo) comes to him?
The scepter nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet (49:10)

What is between his feet? The ruler’s staff (49:10)

To whom shall be the obedience of the peoples? Him (49:10)

What did he bind to the vine? His foal (49:11)

To what did he bind his donkey’s colt? The choice vine (49:11)

In what does he wash his garments? Wine (49:11)

In what does he wash his robes? The blood of grapes (49:11)

What are his eyes darker than? Wine (49:12)

What are his teeth whiter than? Milk (49:12)

Which one of Jacob’s sons is recorded in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Luke 3:33?
Judah

When Jesus drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, what did Jesus say to two disciples as he sent them into the village in front of them?
“Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once (Matt 21:2-3).

What did Zechariah prophesy concerning the coming king?
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zech 9:9).

What did the large crowd do when Jesus came to Jerusalem?
“So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:13)

On what did Jesus sit?
“And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written” (John 12:14).

Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 12:1-3)

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’” (Gen 12:1-3).

Who is sp

eaking? Yahweh (12:1)

To whom is Yahweh speaking? Abram (12:1)

From where does Yahweh command Abram to go? “From your country and your kindred and your father’s house” (12:1)

From what country did Abram depart? “Ur of the Chaldeans” (11:31)

Where does Yahweh tell Abram to go? “To the land that I will show you” (12:1)

What land did Yahweh show Abram? “the land of Canaan” (11:31; 12:5)

What promises are included in Yahweh’s covenant with Abram?
-“And I will make of you a great nation” (12:2)
-“And I will bless you” (12:2)
-“And make your name great,” (12:2)
-“so that you will be a blessing” (12:2)
-“I will bless those who bless you” (12:3)
-“And him who dishonors you I will curse” (12:3)
-“And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (12:3)

Who says “I will”? Yahweh (יְהוָה֙)
Who appeared to Abram in the land of Canaan? Yahweh

What promise does Yahweh give to Abram concerning the land of Canaan?
“To your offspring I will give this land” (12:7).
“The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, ‘Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” (13:14-17).

Who said “I will give to you and to your offspring forever”? Yahweh (יְהוָה֙)

Who did Yahweh give the land? Abram and his offspring

How long? “Forever” (13:15)

What did Abram hear when the word of the Lord came to him in a vision?
“Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.“ (15:1)

What happened after Abraham inquired what the Lord would give him since he was childless, and the heir of his house was Eliezer of Damascus?
“And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: ‘This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.’ And he brought him outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be” (15:4-5).

What was Abram’s response to the Lord’s promise to give him a son to be his heir? “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (15:6).

What was counted to Abraham as righteousness? “He believed the Lord.” (15:6)

How did God give the inheritance to Abraham?
“For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:2).
“For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise” (Galatians 3:18).

How is faith reckoned as righteousness to man?
“Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account” (Romans 4:4-8).

Why was Abraham’s faith credited to him as righteousness?
“In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore also it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:19-22).

Why was it written, that it was reckoned to him?
“Now not for his sake only was it written, that it was reckoned to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be reckoned, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification” (Romans 4:23-25).

How did Yahweh ratify the everlasting covenant that he made with Abraham?
“And he said to him, ‘I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.’ But he said, ‘O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’ He said to him, ‘Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.’ And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. Then the Lord said to Abram, ‘Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.’ And when the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram saying, ‘To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.’” (15:7-21).

What was Abraham doing while God ratified the covenant? Sleeping (15:12)

What did Yahweh establish as the sign of the Abrahamic covenant? Circumcision
“And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.’ And God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant” (17:7-14)

With which one of Abraham’s sons did Yahweh establish the covenant? Isaac
“But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year” (17:21).
“And the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws” (26:2-5).

With which one of Isaac’s sons did Yahweh establish the covenant? Jacob
“And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, ‘I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” (28:12-15).

What new name did the Lord give to Jacob? Israel (32:28)

How many sons did Jacob have? Twelve (35:22)

How many tribes of Israel were blessed? Twelve
“All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him” (49:28).

Which of Jacob’s sons received the promise of kingship and foresaw the Messiah?
Judah (49:10)

Who is listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Matt 1:2? “To Abraham was born Isaac; and to Isaac, Jacob; and to Jacob, Judah and his brothers”

To whom were the promises made?
“Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ” (Galatians 3:16).

Which one of the promises made to Abraham foresaw the justification of Gentiles?
“In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 12:3)
“And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘In you shall all the nations be blessed” (Galatians 3:8).

In which one of Abraham’s offspring have all families of the earth been blessed?
Jesus Christ

Noahic Prediction (Gen 9:25-27)

Whereas Genesis 3:15 establishes the humanity of the Messiah, the Noahic prediction in Genesis 9:25-27 is a revelation of the divinity of the Messiah. Noah speaks of the Lord, the God of Shem, dwelling in the tents of Shem.

“He said, ‘Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.’ He also said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant. May God en

large Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant” (Gen 9:27).

Who is speaking? Noah

What is Noah speaking about? Noah’s predictions in Genesis 9:25-27 reveal God’s plans for the future of the descendants of his three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Who is cursed? Canaan, the son of Ham (9:25)

What would Canaan become? A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers (9:25)

Who is blessed? “The Lord, the God of Shem” (9:26)

Who would be his servant? Canaan (9:26)

Who is the subject of “May God enlarge Japheth”? “God” (9:27)

Who would God enlarge? Japheth (9:27)

What is the subject of “let him dwell in the tents of Shem”? “him” (9:27)

Where would “him” dwell? In the tents of Shem (9:27)

Who would be his servant? Canaan (9:27)

From which of Noah’s sons did Abraham descend? Shem (Gen 11:10-27)

How is Jesus Christ described in Matt 1:1? The son of David, the son of Abraham

Which of Noah’s sons is listed in the genealogy of Jesus? Shem (Luke 3:36)

Who is the Lord, the God of Shem, who became flesh and dwelt in the tents of Shem?

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. (John 1:1-16).

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Eph 1:3-14).

“May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Col 1:11-20).

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs” (Heb 1:1-4).

Promised Messiah (Gen 3:15)

“And the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life’” (Gen 3:14).

Who is speaking? The Lord God

To what is the Lord God speaking? The serpent

Why did the Lord God say to the serpent: “Cursed are you more than all cattle, and mo

re than every beast of the field; on your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life”? “Because you have done this” (Gen 3:14)

What had the serpent done? Deceived the woman (Gen 3:13)

What was cursed more than all cattle and more than every beast of the field? The serpent

On what would the serpent go? On its belly

What would the serpent eat? Dust

How long? All the days of its life

=====================================

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel” (Gen 3:15).

Who is speaking? The Lord God

To what is the Lord God speaking? The serpent

What would God put between the serpent and the woman? Enmity

What would God put between the serpent’s seed and the woman’s seed? Enmity

What word follows the words “her seed”? “He” (הוּא) [Masculine, singular pronoun)

To whom does “He” (הוּא) refer? The seed of the woman

Who is the seed of the woman? “He” (הוּא) (Gen 3:15)

What would “He” do to the serpent? Bruise it on the head

What would the serpent do? Bruise him on the heel

"A voice says, 'Cry!' And I said, 'What shall I cry?' All flesh is grass, and all its beauty (חֶסֶד) is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever" (Isa 40:6-8).

What is all flesh? Grass (40:6)
What is all its חֶסֶד like? The flower of the field (40:6)

[What is חֶסֶד (ches-ed)? Lasting loyalty, faithfulness, goodness, graciousness (HALOT, 337)]

What withers? Grass (40:7)
What fades? The flower (40:7)
When? When the breath of the Lord blows on it (40:7).
What blows on it? The breath of the Lord (40:7)
What are the people? Surely the people are grass (40:7).

What withers? Grass (40:8)
What fades? The flower (40:8)

But…

How long will the word of our God stand? Forever (40:8)

Who is Worthy?

Not only does the Bible record literal historical events, the Bible also records prophecy of literal future events. Prophecies that have already been fulfilled in precise, literal detail indicate that God intends for prophecy to be understood and interpreted in its most literal sense.

Prophetic language will often employ visionary language to convey literal truth. Symbolic imagery must be interpreted within the context of the prophet's writings, and within the grammatical/historical/chronological/canonical context of the passage in accordance the whole counsel of Scripture.

An example of obvious symbolic biblical imagery is the identification of Jesus as the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah. Jesus is not a literal lamb or lion, but the names reveal more about Jesus than literal language could convey.

Jesus offered his life as a sacrificial lamb on the altar of God on behalf of sinners. Jesus was born of the tribe of Judah in the flesh. Jesus will return in power and glory like a lion to execute God’s judgment on earth. Prophetic language will often employ visionary language to convey literal truth.

The book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ. The prophetic book contains some expressed symbolic imagery within a larger prophetic, chronological account of literal events that will take place at the end of this present age and introduce the age to come. God gave the revelation to Jesus to show his servants things that must soon take place.

The revelation was made known to the apostle John who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ. John received the revelation while he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day during his exile on the island called Patmos. In a time of great persecution of Christ's followers, John had been sent into exile on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus (Rev 1:9-10).

After Jesus’ direct message to the seven churches in Asia Minor (Revelation 2-3) and prior to the commencement in Revelation 6 of the progressive judgments that will shortly fall upon the earth during the final period (70th week) of Israel’s history, John records what Jesus revealed to him of events taking place in heaven (Revelation 4-5).

Read the following two chapters in Revelation that record what Jesus showed John in a vision of heaven. In the vision, make note: How many were worthy to take the scroll that was in the right hand of God who is seated on the throne?

Rev 4:1
¶ After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
Rev 4:2
At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.
Rev 4:3
And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.
Rev 4:4
Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.
Rev 4:5
From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God,
Rev 4:6
and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. ¶ And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:
Rev 4:7
the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.
Rev 4:8
And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!”
Rev 4:9
¶ And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
Rev 4:10
the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
Rev 4:11
¶ “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”
Rev 5:1
¶ Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals.
Rev 5:2
And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”
Rev 5:3
And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it,
Rev 5:4
and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.
Rev 5:5
And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Rev 5:6
¶ And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
Rev 5:7
And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.
Rev 5:8
And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Rev 5:9
And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
Rev 5:10
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”
Rev 5:11
¶ Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,
Rev 5:12
saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
Rev 5:13
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Rev 5:14
And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

How many were found worthy to take the scroll from God’s right hand?

One: Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, Lion of the tribe of Judah, Root of David.

God's Word = God's Masterpiece

Does God answer to you, or do you answer to God? Does God answer to man's truth, or must man's truth answer to God? God’s Word does not rest on the testimony of man. The testimony of man must rest on the truth of God’s Word.

All discoveries and interpretations of truth must conform to the Bible. Truth cannot be added to or taken away from the sixty-six books of inspired Scripture without distorting the truth of God. The canon of Scripture has been closed since the apostle John wrote the final book of Revelation. The Bible is unique in its authority and power to reveal truth.

Each believer will be held accountable for his/her stewardship of God’s Word. By the Holy Spirit’s power, we are to “test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thess 5:21). The Holy Spirit teaches us how to test everything according to Scripture, then to hold on to what is good.

If you do not know God’s Word, you are easy prey for deception. “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). Guess who he targets?

My dad was a corporate pilot for Tenneco Oil Company in the 60’s to the 80’s. He flew to many different countries and often brought home exotic gifts and artifacts. One treasure that he was especially proud of was an artifact from Lima, Peru. I don’t know what it was, but it looked like a small, petrified piece of something important. My dad stored the artifact in a drawstring pouch in a safe place.

One day, when it was still cool to play outdoors, I decided to make an artifact. I found a small stone of East Texas clay, perfect for making a carving. In an attempt to give the artifact some artistic value, I carved a face, without much success. Oh well, good enough. It looked like an artifact.

Now, where should a person store an artifact? In a small, drawstring pouch, of course. Where could I find a drawstring pouch? Ummm… But what about the artifact that was already in the pouch? Hmmm… Oh well, why would my dad want to keep an ancient artifact from Lima, Peru when he could have an original "JKK" artifact from East Texas?

Many years passed and the substitution went undetected. Then one day, my dad began to reminisce with friends over dinner about his travels to Peru. In fact, he wanted to show them his ancient Peruvian artifact that was now even more ancient and valuable. Even I had forgotten my day as an artifact maker. We all sat admiring this small piece of red clay, as if it held some connection to the ancient past. Then I thought, “That looks strangely familiar.” And with growing unease of impending doom, I said, “Dad, turn it over.”

Finely engraved on the back of the red piece of clay were the initials: JKK. Jessica Kay Knoff, guilty of substituting the real thing for a piece of red dirt. Thankfully, my dad appreciated the humor more than his ancient relic.

Principle: God's Word is God's masterpiece. Study God's Word until you are able to easily identify worthless forgeries.

Let’s consider what happened next? Did my dad say, “You mean this is not the authentic, ancient artifact from Lima, Peru? Wow, I guess I did not actually go to Lima, Peru, after all.” No, the absence of the original artifact did not change the fact that my dad had traveled to Lima, Peru. And anyone who knew anything about ancient Peruvian artifacts would have immediately detected the forgery. My East Texas clay contraption did not even resemble a Peruvian artifact.

Principle: Distortion of original truth does not nullify truth.

Another quick illustration that is a bit more subtle…

On my first trip to Israel, I visited a place called the Garden Tomb. The site has been developed as a possible location of the crucifixion of Christ and the tomb where Jesus was buried. A tomb that dates to the Old Testament period is located at the site, and there is a cliff nearby that overlooks a modern crossroad, a logically conceivable location for a public crucifixion. The curators planted a lovely garden around the tomb for visitors to come, partake of the Lord's Supper, and meditate on the Person and work of Christ.

On a subsequent academic study tour of Israel, I learned that while the Garden Tomb site does contain an authentic Old Testament tomb, resembling the tomb in which Jesus was buried, the majority of biblical scholars and biblical archaeologists have dismissed the Garden Tomb as a possibility of the original tomb of Jesus because of its location in relationship to the ancient walls of Jerusalem.

Did I walk away from the Garden Tomb in disappointment and conclude, “Well, I guess that Jesus was not really buried in a tomb after all if this is not His tomb”? No, faith does not depend on ancient archaeological evidence, although the Lord is graciously uncovering much of biblical history in Israel, which testifies to the truth of Scripture and its inspired, inerrant record of the history of Israel and the revelation of Christ. Go to Israel to study God's Word!

Principle: Go to Israel to study God's Word, not to prove it.

The Bible records literal history of literal events in the lives of literal people that occurred in literal Israel and surrounding nations. Only through faith in Jesus Christ is the veil of unbelief taken away. "Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed" (2 Cor 3:15-16).

Presently, the ministry of the Holy Spirit testifies to the truth of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible. Only those who turn to the Lord will believe. The veil of unbelief is removed only through Jesus Christ.

Principle: Only through Jesus can one see God's masterpiece.

How do we know that the Bible is not the work of creative imaginations? To the glory of God’s sovereign grace and eternal power, God revealed His Word, God fulfills His Word, God preserves His Word, and God testifies to the truth of His Word by the Holy Spirit to those who abide in Jesus.

Conclusion: Turn to Jesus in order to see and believe.

All God's Promises Find Their 'Yes' in Jesus Christ

All God’s Promises Find Their ‘Yes’ in Jesus Christ:

“For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” (2 Corinthians 1:19-22).

Prophesies of Isaiah concerning Jesus, the Messiah, the Sword of God, through whom Israel will be restored and salvation revealed to the end of the earth:

Isaiah 49:1-26

“Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’ But I said, ‘I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God.’

And now the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him— for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength— he says:

‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’

Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and His Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers:

‘Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.’

Thus says the Lord:

‘In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages, saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’ They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture; they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them. And I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be raised up. Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Syene.’

Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.

But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.’

‘Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. Your builders make haste; your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you. Lift up your eyes around and see; they all gather, they come to you. As I live, declares the Lord, you shall put them all on as an ornament; you shall bind them on as a bride does.

Surely your waste and your desolate places and your devastated land— surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up will be far away. The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears: ‘The place is too narrow for me; make room for me to dwell in.’

Then you will say in your heart: ‘Who has borne me these? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away, but who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; from where have these come?’

Thus says the Lord God:

‘Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.’

Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be rescued?

For thus says the Lord:

‘Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children. I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine. Then all flesh shall know that I am the Lord your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.’”

Jesus, the Messiah, Revealed:

John 1:1-18

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.”’)

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”

Jesus, the Messiah, Promises:

John 14:1-31

“’Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.’

Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’

Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’

Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.’

Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.’

Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?’

Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.”

God’s Provision of Salvation:

Genesis 3:15

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Romans 6:23

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”

Hebrews 2:14

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

The Gospel:

Rom 1:16

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

1 Cor 15:1-9

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”

John 5:24

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

God’s Enduring Love and Sovereign Grace:

Eph 1:1-23:

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

‘Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”

Ephesians 2:1-22

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience– among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called ‘the uncircumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants or promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

All God’s Promises Find Their ‘Yes’ in Jesus Christ:

2 Corinthians 1:19-22

“For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

2 Peter 1:2

“May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”

2 Corinthians 13:14

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

Glorify

Father God,

God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ. God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the One True God who breathed Your Word into existence through Your servants the prophets, and who watches over Your Word to fulfill it. Your glory is revealed through Your power to speak prophecy into existence, and to accomplish it in Your perfect power, in Your perfect time, and according to Your sovereign purposes. Not one of Your promises has failed or will fail, for Your eternal Word endures forever.

You are the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Your eternal power and divine nature are revealed in all that Your hands have made. How vast and beyond measure is the sum of Your creation. Yet You can hold the oceans in the palms of Your hands. The mountains are like a single speck of dust beneath Your feet. People are like grasshoppers and are utterly dependent on Your grace for life and breath. Fear of You is the beginning of wisdom, for You are God Almighty, the King of glory.

While man struggles to measure the absolute within the finite boundaries that You have wisely and firmly established, You see all of creation at once, in perfect precision and infinite wisdom. You are a mighty, holy King. Your majestic throne is in the heavens in Your holy temple. You reign from on high, and the earth is Your footstool. The Lord Jesus, whom You love, whom You exalted, and whom You sent to redeem and sanctify Your people, is seated at Your right hand, enthroned in glory.

Father, You have not redeemed Your people based on their own strength, wisdom, or righteousness, but based on Your grace, glory, and great faithfulness, and the perfect worthiness, power, and righteousness of Your Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. For You appointed Him as the Heir of creation through whom, for whom, and to whom all things have been made, that He might have preeminence over all the works of Your hands. There is no other name by which man can be saved, and when Jesus returns in glory, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord.

By Your immeasurable grace and foreknowledge, You sent Jesus into the world in the flesh to seek and to save sinners. A holy hush must have resounded in the heavens the day You appointed Jesus to bear the sin of the world. For our sake, Your eternal, glorious, sinless Son became the curse of sin on the cross, dying in the place of sinners, in order that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God. What grief You must have borne to witness the suffering of Christ as He willingly bore the full weight of Your wrath on behalf of depraved and guilty sinners, such as I was.

You revealed Yourself as the Just and the Justifier of man when You raised Jesus on the third day from the grave, just as You promised, and just as Jesus had foretold to His disciples prior to His crucifixion. Jesus appeared to His disciples and to over 500 witnesses in His resurrected body, and eyewitnesses testified that Jesus lives. You are mighty to save, and to all who receive Jesus by faith, You freely give Your grace.

To all who are baptized into Christ’s death, You raise up and give new birth by the Holy Spirit. Borne of the Spirit, we are a new creation in Christ, forgiven and sanctified by His blood. Redeemed by the precious blood of Christ and imputed with His perfect righteousness, You justify us by Your grace through faith alone in Christ. And You send the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and to sanctify us by His power. By the Holy Spirit’s power, we are being conformed to the likeness of Your beloved Son.

The blood of Jesus Christ inaugurated the New Covenant, which You revealed through Your prophet Jeremiah. Just as You covenanted with the house of Israel, You place Your law within Your people who abide in Christ and are baptized with the Holy Spirit. You have written Your law upon our hearts. You are our God, and we are Your people. You have forgiven our iniquity, and remember our sin no more.

To all who receive Jesus, who believe in His name, You give the right to become children of God, who are born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. From the fullness of Christ, we have received grace upon grace. Through the grace and truth that came through Jesus, we receive knowledge of You. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, we cry to You, “Abba, Father.” And You hear us.

Father, we cannot save one another. Salvation comes from You through Jesus Christ, according to Your sovereign grace and power. Yet You have entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to Your people through the preaching of the Gospel. I pray that You will send many workers into the harvest and give them power and authority to preach the Gospel. And I pray that the eyes of many will be opened, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to You, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus.

May You glorify Yourself in Your Son through Your servants who abide in Him, and may Your people respond with praise and worship, in Spirit and in truth, that bring You honor, glory and delight. May we exalt the Name of Your glorious Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit, who ministers powerfully in us and through us. And I lift this prayer to Your throne of glory and grace in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Who Can Bring a Charge Against Yahweh?

Yahweh, Father God, Lord Almighty, King of Glory,

You are a Mighty King, the Lord of hosts, and the Hope of all nations. You reign from Your majestic throne in Your holy temple, exalted high above the heavens and the earth. Your divine nature and eternal power are clearly seen in Your creation, leaving men who deny, distort and suppress Your truth without excuse.

Who can bring a charge against You? You are holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. The whole earth is filled with Your glory. You are just and righteous. In You, no darkness dwells. When You act, no one can withstand Your power. Your purposes cannot be thwarted. Your promises never fail. Your unfailing Word endures forever. You are glorious, immutable, incorruptible invincible, God only wise. You are Yahweh.

What is man that You are mindful of him? We are sinful creatures from birth, dead in our transgressions and blind to the light of Your glory and truth. One condemned corpse measures his decay by the rotting corpse next to him. Dead in sin, both lie in the grave, eternally condemned. One man whimpers, “I am innocent.” He knows otherwise.

The rich man and poor man hunger alike, but neither can satisfy the cravings of his darkened soul. One feeds the carnal cries of his flesh, growing ever more desperate as his appetite never stops howling for more. Who can silence the soul of sinful man?

The politician boasts, “I can save us!” The religious man shrugs, “I am good and my works prove it.” The mother clasps her baby to her breast, “I will save you!” The businessman reports, “My accounts are in order. I am safe.” The harlot coos to her lover, “Will you save me?” The proud man brags, “I can save myself.”

Father God, apart from Your divine intervention, all perish in their sin. Who can save the sinner from Your just wrath? Who can justify himself? How can the sinner feign innocence in the light of Your glory and holiness? How can one sinner redeem the life of another?

Praise be to Your glorious grace that You did not abandon those whom You created for Your glory to bear Your Holy Name! You are mighty to save! You promised redemption and restoration for Your people. Who could have ever imagined that You would send Your own eternal Son into the world in the form of sinful man to die in the place of sinners? How can selfish, sinful creatures comprehend such grace?

Jesus, the Messiah, prophesied of old, King of kings and Lord of lords, came in the flesh to seek and save sinners, such as I. Even before I fully comprehended the depths of my own depravity, He sought and saved me. How faithful You are to have awakened my soul to respond in faith to the Gospel of Your Beloved Son! What extravagant grace You freely give to all who hear and believe in Jesus, Your Son, our Savior and Lord.

Father, You are the Giver of every good and perfect gift. You have clothed me in Christ. Jesus has imputed to me His own perfect righteousness. You have justified me by Your grace through faith alone in Jesus. You have delivered me from judgment and spared me from Your wrath that is being poured upon the world. By the Spirit's power, You have raised me up in Christ.

Who am I to be clothed in the majestic robe of Your Son’s perfect righteousness? Who am I that Your Spirit dwells within me, guaranteeing an eternal inheritance that I do not deserve? Who am I to know the love that You have poured into my heart through the Holy Spirit? Who am I to know the blissful peace and joy of communion with You? Who am I that You hear my cries and comfort me with such tender love and compassion, assuring me of Your eternal grace and promise of glory.

Father, everything I have is only what I have received by Your glorious grace and the grace of Christ. Through Jesus, I simply give you thanks, Father. May You find delight in my heart’s wonder at the treasure of knowing You as I abide in Jesus and He in me. And may my delight in You lead to greater glimpses of Your glory by the Spirit's power. I love You. And I rejoice in the promise of Your eternal love and eternal life in Christ. And it is in the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

What Happens Next?

Over 700 years before the birth of Jesus, God revealed through the prophet Isaiah many details concerning the Person and work of the Messiah. Jesus is the Sharp Sword in Isaiah 49 and the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53. Both of these chapters reveal God's future plan to send the Messiah to redeem and restore Israel, and that He  would also be a light for the nations so that God's salvation would reach to the end of the earth. When Jesus came the first time, He came to complete the work of salvation for sinners and establish the kingdom of God. On the cross, Jesus bore the sin of many. God crushed His own Son in the place of sinners. His soul was poured out to death and He was numbered with the transgressors. On the third day, Jesus was raised from the dead. Jesus appeared alive to his apostles and to over 500 witnesses in His resurrected body before ascending to the right hand of God.

Ten days after Jesus' ascension, the Holy Spirit was poured into Christ's disciples, empowering them to testify of the mighty works of God and of the testimony of Christ on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Peter explained that the coming of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy of Joel (Joel 2:28-32). Peter preached the first sermon on the day of Pentecost, and he called sinners to repentance, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself" (Acts 2:37-41). About 3000 souls were baptized and added to the Church on the day of Pentecost.

During this present age of the Church, the Jews and Gentiles who receive Jesus are justified by God's grace through faith as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Rom 3:21-26).

All who receive Christ are born again by the Holy Spirit, who sets God's seal upon the believer. The Holy Spirit indwells and sanctifies Christians, conforming us to Christ. The Holy Spirit gifts and empowers us to serve, and He is the heavenly gift and good deposit entrusted to us. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and judgment, and He is the believer's guarantee of eternal salvation. At the end of this age, Jesus will appear in the air to gather all glorified believers to Himself (1 Thess 4:17).

Jewish and Gentile unbelievers, who rejected Christ and are alive at that time, will have to endure the judgments of the Great Tribulation, which is the final seven year period of horrific judgment outlined in Revelation 4-18. Many will be deceived by the miracles performed by the False Prophet, from whom demonic spirits will go abroad to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle of Armageddon (Rev 16:13-14). The Antichrist will be incarnated by Satan, then he will exalt himself as God in the new Jerusalem temple. At the end of the Tribulation, foreign nations will gather against Israel to destroy her. At that time, Jesus will return to earth as the Conquering King to destroy God's enemies and deliver the preserved of Israel. This is the battle of Armageddon (Rev 16:16).

(Photo by BiblePlaces.com)

 (Photo by BiblePlaces.com)

 Photos of Megiddo, also known as Armageddon


All who have believed in Jesus and hold fast to His testimony to the end will be saved. After Jesus conquers and destroys God's enemies at the battle of Armageddon, Satan will be bound for a thousand years. During the millennium, Jesus will gather and restore Israel in her land, and Jesus will reign on earth over all nations in perfect wisdom, peace and righteousness as King of kings and Lord of lords. At the end of the millennium, Satan is released for a short time (Rev 20:1), then thrown into the lake of fire with the beast and false prophet to be eternally tormented (Rev 20:10). Unbelievers from every age will be resurrected, judged and condemned at the Great White Throne judgment.

Finally, God will create a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth will have passed away. God will dwell with His people, and He will be with them as their God. "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" (Rev 21:4).

What are we waiting for in this present age? What major eschatological event happens next?

The appearing of Jesus in the air when, in the twinkling of an eye, the dead believers in Christ will be resurrected from the grave, glorified, and gathered to Christ. Then all those who are alive will also be gathered with them in the clouds. And then we will always be with Jesus. (1 Thess 4:13-17)

When will Jesus come?

"But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" Matt 24:36-44).