Friday, July 21, 2006

Good Morning 

 

Hope everyone has had a good week.  See everyone on Sunday.

 

We are on track to finish by next Friday. I was wondering -- what would be an appropriate memento for completing a seven month daily study of the book of Revelation?  If the kids at VBS get a certificate for just one week, seems like we should get something as well.

 

Today's Reading:    Revelation 21:9-27    Barclay 232-239

 

-- John's vision of the new Jersusalem begins here.

 

-- Barclay goes into some depth here about the various symbolic meanings woven into John's description. As with much of what we have read in Revelation, we have the choice of two paths in terms of understanding this:

 

-- the first is the path that this is a vision of something that John saw -- that is how it is written -- John is "taken up in the Spirit" to another place and time and observes this city with his own eyes, and records it.

 

-- the second is that John is speaking entirely symbolically -- that he didn't actually see anything, but that he is inspired by the Spirit to create in words this imaginary vision of this new city, and he crafts a description that touches on language used throughout the Old and New Testaments to give these descriptions continuity with what had been written in the past.

 

-- I think that this is one of the fundamental things that we have learned about Revelation during this study, and one of the key things that we need to take away from the study -- what was John's source material for the book?  Was he writing down a series of visions given to him by God, things that he "saw" with his own eyes?  Or was John writing - inspired by God -- a deliberately symbolic and fanciful story that drew on all of John's understanding of previous scripture and his own interpretation of the events of his day?  And depending on what you believe about that, then you have another challenge -- is Revelation a roadmap of what is to happen in the future, or is Revelation a warning about how to live in a world full of seductions and distractions from a life of faith; and a tale of the rewards of faithfulness and the punishments for losing one's way.

 

-- as for the specific section that we are reading today, amidst all of the descriptions of the holy city, is this idea that it is open to everyone, that there is room for everyone, and that the gates of the God's city are open in every direction.  There is the matter of belief and faithfulness that entitles you to residence in this new city, but God makes that opportunity available to anyone.  (I should say,up to a point -- at this point in the story though -- the time for repentance has passed.)

 

Today's Scripture 

 

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things.

 

Philippians 4:8

Today's prayer requests:    Saundra Aaron

 

Valerie's brother's mother-in-law continues to go through treatment for cancer. Need to remember her and the her entire family.  

Today's class member prayer:   

 

 Jerri Wesson 

  

Jay 

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Good Morning 

 

Well, as I had hoped, the opportunity to do the fabrics and cloths of the Bible really excited some people, and I've gotten some feedback, oddly enough  with other ideas.  So we can discuss them on Sunday. 

 

Today's Reading:    Revelation 21:5-8  Barclay 229-232

 

-- quick read today.

 

-- today's section has one of the most well-known passages in the Bible -- "I am the Alpha and the Omega" verse is another one that is very well known, but not necessarily associated with Revelation.

 

-- While Barclay doesn't specifically note this in his commentary, this another of the passages that do make Revelation a book of hope -- from the promise of God to make all things new, the reassurance from God that he is the author of all things, and that he has a promise for those who believe (and a promise for those who do not).

 

-- It is a stark choice -- probably the starkest in all of the Bible -- the choice between being a child of God, under his protection and receiving all his blessings, or the lake of fire.

 

-- Barclay doesn't point this out, but God says "It is done" at the first part of the scripture -- which echos to me one of Christ's last statements on the cross.  It also notes, to me, the ending of time -- when God says that "It is done" -- then that's it -- time itself comes to an end.

 

Today's Scripture 

For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

1 Thessalonians 4:7a

Today's prayer requests:   Don Thaxton

Need to continue to remember Kelley's husband Don, who is recovering his auto accident and the resulting surgery. epidural to "take" so she can have the surgery.  We need to pray for her strength -physically, emotionally, and spiritually both for her and her family.    

Today's class member prayer:   

 

Valerie Waters 

  

Jay 

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Good Morning 

 

Need your ideas about where to go next with our class study -- even if you don't have a specific study in mind, you may have an idea about the type of study, the length of the study, etc.

 

So far, the only request I have gotten is to do this three month study of fabrics and cloths of the Bible, so if you have some other ideas, let me know. 

 

Today's Reading:    Revelation 21:1-4 Barclay 222-229

 

-- readings today from Chapter 21.

 

-- as Barclay notes, we turn now from the worst of things -- the final judgment, the lake of fire, the second death, plagues and war -- to the new earth that God is to create.  To me, it is interesting how light these verses and words are -- something I can't quite describe, but to me there is a real difference in even the feel of these words in this chapter from what has gone before.

 

-- It is interesting that God creates a new heaven and a new earth.  We realize the need and desire for a new earth, but a new heaven?  But if you think about it, John gave some insight into the old heaven, and remember it was a place of war, of betrayal, due to Satan and his followers.  A new heaven is entirely in order.

 

-- Barclay speaks at length about how the idea of a new Jersusalem spans both Testaments, and is major part of Jewish thoughts and beliefs.

 

-- Barclay also mentions a verse as being one of the most famous in Revelation, but I hadn't really heard it before.  But it is interesting -- the idea that in the new earth to be created, that there would be no sea.  As Barclay mentions in his notes, the people of John's time hated the sea - it was dangerous, and it was a barrier to travel.  We have come to overcome that fear or hatred of the sea for the most part, but it is interesting that God ditches the sea when creating the new earth.

Today's Scripture 

Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid"

Mark 6:50b

Today's prayer requests:   Melanie Tubbs, friend of Michelle Ray

Melanie is a friend of Michelle's who has a serious problem with her foot, and needs to have it amputated, but they are having a terrible time getting her epidural to "take" so she can have the surgery.  We need to pray for her strength -physically, emotionally, and spiritually both for her and her family.    

Today's class member prayer:   

 

Andrew Peebles 

  

Jay 

Monday, July 17, 2006

Good Morning 

 

Good to see everyone on Sunday.

 

Remember that we need to think about our next book/study.  We'll be through with this one in two weeks/10 days.  Need some suggestions/recommendations. 

 

Today's Reading:    Revelation 20:1-15, Barclay 215-220

 

-- some detailed commentary on Chapter 20.

 

-- couple of quick observations/impressions - Barclay notes in his commentary, that based on other uses of the word 1,000 in the Bible, is that it is not meant as a literal number, but as a phrase that means a long time.   I don't really think that this use of 1,000 is the same as the other uses which he quotes in his commentary, and I don't see the point of where Christ would come back and reign 926 years or 1,117 years or some such.

 

-- the second point to make today is the discussion about who will reign with Christ during this time -- those who were martyred and persecuted for Christ -- they are the first resurrection.  The question that I have is who will they reign over?  Not much is said about this 1,000 reign of Christ -- it is mentioned and covered in a just a few verses, then it is over.  I don't think that these will be the only people on earth, since at the end of his reign, the devil/Satan comes back to rally his armies to surround Jersusalem to do battle with the people of God -- so logicially, the people in this army must have been living on earth, under the reign of Christ and his followers.  At first blush, you would think that there wouldn't be any rebellion against Christ's rule, but we need to remember that Satan was an angel tossed out of heaven, and you wouldn't think that their would have been rebellion in heaven.

 

Today's Scripture 

 

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.

1 Corinthians 10:21 

Today's prayer requests:     Melanie Tubbs, friend of Michelle Ray

Melanie is a friend of Michelle's who has a serious problem with her foot, and needs to have it amputated, but they are having a terrible time getting her epidural to "take" so she can have the surgery.  We need to pray for her strength -physically, emotionally, and spiritually both for her and her family.

Today's class member prayer:   

 

Jake Barrett

  

Jay