SOAP 09/02/2016; Ezekiel 18:23

Today's reading: Ezekiel 17, 18, 19; Revelation 7

S) "²³ 'Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,' declares the Lord God, 'rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?'"

Ezekiel 18:23 (NASB)

O) This chapter, up until this point, is God telling Ezekiel that He will not punish the sons for the sins of the fathers, and neither will He punish the fathers for the sins of the sons. That is, He clarifies that the guilt of each individual will be on the head of that individual. Then, He also shifts a little to clarify His desire for repentance from every guilty person. If a wicked man turns from all his wicked ways, practicing righteousness instead, then his transgressions will not be remembered against him (vv.21-22). Then, we see the verse above; the rhetorical question makes it clear that God would much rather a man repent and live, than for Him to put that wicked man to death. That does not please God, but it is the just thing to do if a man will not repent of his sins. This is proof positive that the will of God is not always done; God does not impose forced repentance, forced faithfulness. In His grace, He provides that all are able to repent, He has always been willing to receive the contrite and humble heart. His grace is evident in His patience and lovingkindness. God does not want us to bear the wages of our sins, but rather, He desires that we would take His free gift of life by repentance and turning from our ways to His. This was made ultimately and permanently possible through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and made sure through His resurrection.

A) The most important thing for me to remember, when I do sin, when I transgress the ways of my Lord, is that my God is my Father, and His love for me never changes. His heart is always for my repentance, for my restoration, for me to turn from my sin and live. My mistakes never please Him, but my repentance always does. Sometimes, the will of God can seem unknowable. Sometimes, it's easy to get distracted, almost, trying to figure out what God wants me to do. However, many times I think that is me over-thinking, over-complicating things. Starting simply, remembering that His will for me is for me to repent when I sin, that is where I should start. His will for me is to worship and praise Him, being thankful in every circumstance. Knowing the heart of my Father God will keep me in a state of repentance, so that a heart set on His ways will become the posture I keep, the lifestyle I maintain. When I do fail, when I sin, it will then be the natural, quick, and inviting thing to repent and come back to my Father, whose will is for me to live.

P) Father God, thank You for this great love for me. Thank You for the grace and mercy I have, because of Your great heart for me. Let me remember that Your will for me is to repent and live. That starting there, remembering Your great love for me, I will move to worship and praise, thanksgiving and submission to Your will. Let me walk in obedience, but when I stumble and sin, let me quickly remember Your will for me, Your love for me. Thank You for receiving me, for wanting me. Thank You for the patience You keep for me. Receive all glory and honor, Father God. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

SOAP 09/01/2016; Revelation 6:6

Today's reading: Ezekiel 15, 16; Psalm 70; Revelation 6

S) "⁶ And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, 'A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.'"

Revelation 6:6 (NASB)

O) This chapter shows us the first seals being broken (that is, opened) by the Lamb. The first significance there, is to remember that these judgments are brought about by the sovereignty of the Lord. But, as it goes through them, we see imagery common to judgments given in the Old Testament. In fact, having just recently read through Ezekiel 14, reading about the sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague being used as judgment is not at all unfamiliar. Because this is apocalyptic, prophetic writing, it is hard to know how literally to take some of the details. If the examples given in this verse are literal commodities and literal costs, then it seems strange a famine would touch only the most common crops, and not something so delicate as oil and wine, which grows on vines and aren't exactly known for being easy to grow and harvest; they aren't exactly hearty crops. However, the fact that they do grow on vines brings up an interesting thought. If these details are meant more symbolically, then the first thing that comes to mind about oil and wine, both olives and grapes growing on vines, is that Jesus told us He is the vine and we are the branches. If this is not so literal, but indeed a famine was to come, then it's possible the famine would not damage (i.e., harm) the Christian. The timing of when these opening chapters of Revelation will happen, is a bit controversial. Some consider that they are still to come, while some consider that they apply to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD (understanding, then, that the book was written around 66 AD, as opposed to around 85 or 90 AD). In either case, what becomes especially clear with this rider, and this judgment, is that God's control over such judgments is meticulous. He will judge exactly as He desires. If that means this famine only touches certain types of crops, that is within His power. If this famine only touches certain people, that is also within His power.

A) Like a lot of the book of Revelation, this passage is, more than anything, encouraging me about God's sovereignty. There is nothing that escapes His attention and, even more importantly, there is so much that He is directly involved in doing. Some of it will simply be beyond my understanding, beyond my comprehension, beyond the scope of my ability to observe. Some of it, He may actually reveal to me, whether in advance or after the fact. God has graciously moved in my life, prevailed, sustained, preserved me in various ways. I look back on my life and I see the way He kept me in my childhood, the way He preserved me through my teenage years. Even as I neglected Him in the early years of my adulthood, He was faithful with the wife I have, He was faithful with our first child. In His powerful grace, He drew me back to Himself, and my wife to Him in the first. His hand over us in those early years of seeking Him, the evidence of His finger directing us when we first learned to trust Him, serve Him, walk in faith and obedience. The freedom He brought to dark places, the healing He brought to brokenness. Then, even His hand of discipline upon me throughout this history, makes it clear He has purposes in what He allows me to face, to go through, to test me. Even the way He prepared me to face difficult times ahead of myself, reveals His sovereignty to accomplish His purposes. When it all is put together, I trust that He is going to allow into my life, exactly what testing, discipline, and blessing circumstances will serve His purposes. I trust that what He has in place for my life will be for my good, so long as I am seeking Him first, humbling myself before His throne, asking for His direction, and committed to obedience. I have nothing to fear, when I know that I am in God's will.

P) Father, the mysteries of Your ways are deep. I will never know all that You know. It is not for me to have all the knowledge You have. Your grace is sufficient for me, Your servant. It is enough to know that You know. It is enough to know that You are sovereign over Your creation, and that what You allow to happen doesn't happen without Your knowledge and permission. I know that times of testing will come to me, but I trust that as I seek You first, I will pass the test. I trust that if You want me to face circumstances, to overcome trials, that it will be for Your glory and my good. I don't know if a great, worldwide famine is supposed to come in the future, only affecting certain crops - You know. I don't know if this passage describes the time when You preserved Your church out of great tribulation, persecution, and destruction - You know. However, I do know that nothing will come against me that will surprise You. I do know that nothing will happen to me beyond Your permitting it to happen. Because of that, I trust in Your will over my life, and Your plan for my obedience. Help me to respond in a way that honors Your name and glorifies Jesus Christ. Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/31/2016; Ezekiel 14:23

Today's reading: Ezekiel 12, 13, 14; Revelation 5

S) "²³ 'Then they will comfort you when you see their conduct and actions, for you will know that I have not done in vain whatever I did to it,' declares the Lord God."

Ezekiel 14:23 (NASB)

O) To make a very strong point, in the second half of this chapter, the LORD spoke to Ezekiel about some hypotheticals. He said that, when He stretches His hand out against a nation, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in that nation, He would not spare the nation but only those three men. He gives four examples of the same thing, whether using famine, wild beasts, the sword, or plague. Then, after giving the same example, that He will not spare a country once He has passed judgment, even if those three men were there, regardless of which of the four methods of judgment He might use, He turns this hypothetical against Jerusalem in reality, in v.21. However, God assures Ezekiel that there will be a remnant spared. He says there will be survivors who come to Ezekiel, after all four judgments come against the city Jerusalem. Consequently, their conduct and actions, righteous as they will be at that point, at least, will be a comfort to Ezekiel. Whether that is because they were already a faithful, righteous remnant, or because they were the only people willing to repent, we don't exactly know. In either case, they will apparently be found righteous before God (as Noah, Daniel, and Job), at least at that point they will be. So, Ezekiel will be able to see that God's righteous judgment was not to destroy every last person from Jerusalem, or to cut off the line of Israel. His purpose is to winnow, to purge, to purify for Himself a remnant who will be faithful to Himself.

A) When calamity strikes, I often hear people say trite things like, "everything happens for a reason." While that is true in the strictest sense, people usually mean it as a comfort, as if to say whatever has happened will turn out for the good. This is simply not true. At the very least, people die in the guilt of their sins, everyday, and that is most assuredly not for the best. Having said that, this verse is a very great comfort to me, because it does remind me that insofar as the will of God is being accomplished, His purposes are always righteous, good, and just. So, when God does purpose trials, tribulations, even judgments in my life, but those circumstances are the tools of His discipline, then when I see my conduct and actions, I will know that He has not done in vain whatever He has done to me. Similarly, when I am praying for my loved ones, whether or not they have yet committed their lives to Jesus, and I am asking for the will of God to prevail in their lives, to be done in their lives as it is done in heaven, and I see tragic, stressful, painful, or even terrifying things happening in their lives, I must hope, pray, and trust that it will bring them to repentance. If I can see their conduct and actions honor God after such circumstances, then I will be comforted with a great comfort, indeed.

P) Father, You have allowed me to experience some difficult times. I can look around me, and see that there are others who have faced much more difficult times, more difficult struggles, more pain, more loss, more tragedy. So, I am thankful that You have spared me from more difficult things, so far. Having said that, I would be glad to face anything You have in mind for my life, if it means being a better, stronger, more devout disciple for Jesus Christ. I trust Your discipline, Father God. I trust that whatever judgments You put forth, while I am still on earth, are only the methods to keep me as Yours so that in my final day, I am found to be faithfully with You. Lord, there are a lot of people in my life who are estranged from You. Like the elders mentioned earlier in this chapter, they have idols before their faces, and erected in their hearts, that are keeping them from a right relationship with You, Lord. Father God, I ask for You to judge them on earth, using whatever means You determine are right, that they would come to repentance and right conduct and actions. Soften their hearts, or else break their hearts, that they would see the truth of who You are, who they are, and what it means to be in relationship with You, Lord. I look forward to the day, that I see their conduct and actions, and it comforts me to know that what You have done in their lives was not done in vain, but that it accomplished the purposes You designed. Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven . In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/30/2016; Revelation 4:8

Today's reading: Ezekiel 8, 9, 10, 11; Revelation 4

S) "⁸ And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say,

'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.'"

Revelation 4:8 (NASB)

O) There are a few things I notice with this passage. First of all, the four creatures (described in v.7) are all different forms, but share in notable traits. Only one of them should have wings (the one like a flying eagle), and yet all of them have six wings. I suppose also that only one of them should be able to talk (the one with the face like a man), but all four of them speak. Also, in two different ways, John describes that they are full of eyes, in front and behind (v.7) and around and within (v.8). Very different in their carnal or natural representations (lion, calf, man, eagle), but very much the same in their supernatural traits (wings, eyes, speech). Second, the existence of these four creatures seems to serve no other purpose, than the continual worship of God. They are not said to have any other purpose, and they are described as worshiping this way ceaselessly, day and night. Lastly, the actual words they speak of significant. They don't tell of His wisdom. They don't tell of His judgment or righteousness, mercy or love. They tell of His holiness, and of that holiness they describe two character traits that we, as His creations, can never actually share with Him. First, they tell of His power, which is unmatched and cannot be rivaled. He is the Almighty. His power is so complete, so utterly beyond us, so holy is He in His power, that no one even has power that was not given by Him. Second, they tell of His eternal, uncreated, and independently existent being.

A) My initial response to this, and the thing that should be the most constant, is my humility. I must recognize that the holiness of God, and His eternal, independent, and uncreated existence is a part of His being that I cannot really comprehend, I can only apprehend it. I must understand that He is holy in His power beyond anything I can fully grasp. There are many things about His holiness, that I am also commanded to be holy like Him. He is full of grace for His enemies, showing love to traitorous mankind, by sending His Son to die for them while they were still sinners. He is compassionate, taking up the cause of the widow, orphan, and alien, when they have no one else. He judges with righteousness. He is full of lovingkindness. In all of these kinds of traits, He is completely holy and different from humans, and yet we are called to be this way with Him when we are in Christ. However, in the holiness of His very existence, I cannot really share, as I am a created being. In the holiness of His power, I cannot really share, as any power I would ever wield, would only ever come from Him. This kind of holiness, in His power, and in His very existence, this holiness humbles me. That humility is my first application. The second thing is, and this is something a worship leader once pointed out to me years ago, is that I can share in a very special thing. These creatures, even now, must be saying this phrase in the heavenly place. While I am here, it can be a very special, very powerful act of worship, to share in their words for my God. To declare with them, that He is holy, holy, holy. That He is the Almighty, who was and is and who is to come.

P) Father, You are holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty. You are, and were, and are to come. Your holiness is even beyond what I can know. You are deserving of unceasing worship, and I desire to worship You more. Open my eyes and ears, Lord. Help me to be more aware of You, more aware of Your presence and power. Help me to be more mindful of You, to be more sensitive to Your Spirit. Just have Your way with me, God. That's my prayer today. I want to be holy as You are holy, to be set apart for Your purposes. Let Your will be done in my life, and on earth as it is in heaven. Be glorified in every way, by every tongue. You are holy, holy, holy, Lord God, Almighty. You are, and were, and are to come. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/29/2016; Revelation 3:19

Today's reading: Ezekiel 4, 5, 6, 7; Revelation 3

S) "¹⁹ Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent."

Revelation 3:19 (NASB)

O) Jesus had just rebuked the church of Laodicea pretty strongly. Verse 16 is pretty famous, about how the church had become lukewarm. Verse 17 actually speaks to me a lot, given my history (I wrote an entry about it back on 12/27/2011). So, in light of the admonishment, the above words from Jesus hold particular value; this reminder of His love and discipline, this command to be zealous and repent, could not have been given in a better context. God wants us in a right relationship with Him, because that is the place where we will have life. He wants this because of His love for us. This is the reason we must repent when we are apathetic about our faith. This is the reason they were told to be zealous, because they had become indifferent about serving the Lord. This is why they needed to repent, to turn back to Him. Over and over, through the Old Testament, God disciplined His people in the hopes that they would repent. He would reprove their infidelity in order that they might become a people zealous for His name again. This didn't happen very often, and only a remnant would repent and remain faithful. We don't know the historic result of the church of Laodicea.

A) Given the way I feel connected to v.17, I also feel a strong connection to v.19, here. I love the Lord, and as His servant I must invite the discipline and reproof of Jesus. This is the only reliable way to be sure that I am walking according to His ways. Certainly, I should seek to be accountable with other Christians; mutual ministry and godly relationships are a wonderful gift for me to be able to recognize where sin has blinded me and a log may be in my eye. Still, even more than trusting godly relationships to help me see straight, I really need God to heal and open my eyes when I need correction (see v.18). The key to this is humility and a willingness to ask God to do whatever it takes to help me be fully obedient and submitted to His lordship over me.

P) Father, You are worthy of my allegiance. Not only did You create me in the first place, but You also redeemed my life when it was lost. You paid a precious price to bring my spirit to life with Christ. Because of that, I submit myself to Your authority, fully. I invite Your discipline, Father God. I trust that Your reproof and discipline are borne from Your love for me. Kindle the fire within me, Lord. Let a zeal come forth in me, that I would repent of my laziness, selfishness, apathy, and indifference. I know that I am easily fooled into thinking I am secure in this world, or even in Your kingdom, to the point that I am lackadaisical. This is an attitude not worthy of Your name. This is not who I want to become ever again. I don't want to slip into a lukewarm faith. So Father God, I ask for this discipline and reproof, and I pray that it brings about zeal and repentance in my life. All of this to Your glory, Lord. Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/28/2016; Revelation 2:10-11

Today's reading: Ezekiel 1, 2, 3; Revelation 2

S) "¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. ¹¹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death."

Revelation 2:10-11 (NASB)

O) This chapter has the first four of the seven letters that John was to send to churches in Asia. Mostly, each of these letters has some kind of rebuke, except the letter to Smyrna (which is where this passage comes) and Philadelphia (in chapter 4). This is a much shorter letter, with only a short introduction naming the church, a title introduction of the Lord, a commendation about their wealth despite poverty (which is likely a contrast of spiritual wealth and worldly poverty), and an encouragement that God sees their tribulation. Then, the two verses above come, to warn and encourage the church. They will indeed see more tribulation, and they are told specifically that it will involve imprisonment for their faith. However, it is a great encouragement that the affliction has an end, and even a short one. It is noteworthy, though, that they are immediately told to be faithful until death, though. It almost sounds as if their ten day imprisonment may actually end with death, as if they will be on death-row, as it were, but only for ten days. What else may happen to them in that ten days is left unwritten, but they are encouraged that whatever they suffer in that, it will be short, and they are reminded to be faithful until death. It's noteworthy here, the title used in this letter to describe our Lord, Jesus Christ. He is called in v.8, "The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life," Which is a pointed reminder of the resurrection we have in Christ, when He comes on the last day. God then promises a reward of the crown of life, but then the last verse also has a curiosity. Jesus promises that he who overcomes (that is, remains faithful until death) will not be hurt by the second death. That phrase, "second death" seems to be a reference, then, to a death that happens after earthly death. There is some amount of mystery, there, but there are also only a few possibilities that I can imagine. As Christians, we understand that we have a physical birth, but that we are also born again in the Spirit. A second death could refer to our first being physical, but then if we fall away from our faithfulness in Christ, then we will suffer a second, spiritual death. Alternatively, this could be a reference to when Jesus said we should, "fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28). Whatever the case, the point of the letter is certainly to warn of tribulation, to comfort the church that their plight is seen and God is with them, and to encourage and motivate them to remain faithful even unto death.

A) Many people see these letters as symbolically being for modern-day churches. While I'm not sure there is a modern, or future, "counterpart" to this church, it is obviously a great example (as all seven letters are) of how I am still to live as a believer. Whether or not I am ever imprisoned for my faith, and whether or not I am ever martyred, eventually I will die and I must remain faithful until that end. I will face persecution for my faith in some ways, to some degrees, and I must remember that God sees me and I am not alone. He knows the struggles I'll face for His sake, and remembering that those struggles won't be forever (even if they do last my lifetime), is an encouragement. My life on earth is just a vapor, in the vastness of eternity. My life on earth, in its entirety, might as well be ten days in view of eternity with the One who has already faced and conquered death.

P) Father, thank You for seeing me. Your grace in the way You care for me is so humbling. Who am I, that You would call me to Yourself? Who am I, that You would want relationship with me so much, that You would do so much, that grace would be so profound and so complete, that I would come to You when You called me? And yet, that is the power and scope of Your lovingkindness and compassion for me. Your grace was upon me before I knew You. And now, as Your servant, I want to live according to Your will completely, Lord. I am Yours to death. I don't know the details of the trials or tribulations I may face, but I am confident You know them. You knew them when You called me; they have never been a mystery to You. I trust that You have called me into Your service, into Your kingdom, knowing what I'd face. I am committed to remain faithful to You, until death, whether that is only through ten days of imprisonment or fifty more years of persecution. I know who has gone before me, that Jesus went first and conquered the death I will face. I have no fear left for anything or anyone, but You alone God. So, let Your will be done with Your servant, whatever You wish and for however long. Let it all be done to Your glory, Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

SOAP 08/27/2016; Revelation 1:13-16

Today's reading: Jeremiah 52; Psalm 143, 144; Revelation 1

S) "¹³ and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. ¹⁴ His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. ¹⁵ His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. ¹⁶ In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength."

Revelation 1:13-16 (NASB)

O) What astounding glory this is! Even with the descriptors that John gives, it is still very difficult for me to visualize how Jesus looked in His appearing. There is some hope to recapture the image in everything up until the very last verse, though. For example, I can imagine a man with white hair, and a golden sash, etc. I can even, with some effort, imagine how His face must've shone. After all, I know the brightness of the sun, and so I can imagine the brightness of the Son. But, the description of the stars in His hand, and the sword in His mouth, while obviously symbolic, would still have been amazing to see directly. As much as I may want to try and imagine a reproduction of this scene, though, I think to some degree it should be left a mystery. That is, the less detail I know, the more I must simply submit to the fact that the glory of Jesus is actually beyond comprehension, and I must simply look forward to the day when I see Him as He is.

A) I never knew the image of Jesus at all, obviously. As He actually described, I am one who believed without having seen Him (John 20:29), so when I finally see Jesus in His glory, it will be the only time I have ever seen Him. There is a sense in which I am actually very thankful for that. John knew the image of Jesus, having spent more than three years with Him. When He saw Jesus in this revelation, it might actually have been difficult for him to reconcile the two images. For me, though, I am able to come to His glory, never having known the veiled image of God as He was on earth. I will only experience His full, unfiltered glory. There will be no adjustment needed, I will simply be able to behold my Savior, the one whom I have sought all the rest of my days, to finally see the mystery of His image as it is plainly.

P) Father, this mystery is too wonderful for me to comprehend. My imagination fails me, when I try to visualize all of John's descriptions at once, so I give up. Instead, I simply and thankfully look forward to the day, that I am able to behold the glory of Jesus as He is. Thank You for this promise, Lord God. Thank You for giving me eternal life, that I will be able to spend eternity in the presence of my Savior, to know Him fully, with the mystery being solved for all time. Let me ever look forward to that glorious day. Let me seek You continually, daily, to know You more and more here on earth, until I know You in heaven. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.