Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Good Morning

Today's Reading: Revelation 11:1-2 -- Barclay 75-77

-- a couple of things I don't get about today's passage. I don't understand the idea about measuring advanced by Barclay -- I don't see how measuring is like the idea of sealing the faithful that is put forward earlier. First, there is the idea of trying to see how those actions are similar, and then secondly, it is John, not an angel, that is doing the measuring, and I don't see how John can confere that protection by him measuring it. Also, I don't see where John reports what he measured, or who he counted.

-- Maybe this is an idea that is just lost in translation -- I can understand the idea of sealing or being marked by God for protection, but I don't get how the idea of measuring a building communicates protection.

-- The other thing that Barclay doesn't even mention or discuss is the idea that John was also told to count the worshippers within the walls of the temple.

-- So, I'm lost with this passage, and how it fits with everything else. Note that we return to the idea of the measuring rod towards the end of Revelation, when an angel uses a rod of gold to measure the new Jersusalem. Maybe we will revist this at that time, and see what we have learned.

Today's Scripture

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

Ephesians 2:8

Today's prayer requests: Corey. Megan's student

Corey has been on the prayer list for a while, and we need to continue to remember him and his family as they deal with his spells/seizures .

Today's class member prayer:

April Walker

Jay