The Bible Channel - Discover the Bible. (By Christadelphianvideo.org)

We are approaching what some call ‘the silly season’!  This time next month the largely foolish frivolity of Christmas will be in full swing!   In contrast our readings today in Nehemiah describes an event of true joy.  All the efforts to make Jerusalem secure and safe to live in had been completed and Nehemiah and Ezra arrange a great celebration in which the Levites take the leading role because, as the priestly tribe, this is their responsibility. 

We read on in Nehemiah how he and Ezra “sought the Levites in all their places to bring them to Jerusalem to

celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgiving and with singing, with cymbals, harps and lyres.” [v.27] Nehemiah “appointed two great choirs to give thanks” [v.31] who went in different directions on the walls after which “both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house (Temple) of God” [v.40]  “And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced.  And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away,”[v.43]   

This was a time of re-establishing the practice of the past “for long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers and thanksgiving to God.” [v.46]  But as we look forward, we also look back to see how some events foreshadow the time to come, and how wonderful to contemplate the future remembering the words of Jesus in the Temple which he called “My Father’s house” [John 2 v.16] and says, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations” [Mark 11 v.17]

Our minds go forward to the visions of the coming kingdom recorded in the book of Revelation when the

redeemed “will be priests of God and of Christ and reign with him for a thousand years” [ch.20 v6] The singing

reflects the joys in the time of Moses. In Revelation we also read,  “And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of

God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true

are your ways, O King of the nations!  Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All

nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” [Rev. 15 v.3,4]

Do you recall yesterday’s closing thought?  Those who “are on the Lord’s side” now – will be there,  Make sure you are on his side.

keyword#Ruth #Faith #DivineProvidence

We are reading the prophecy of Amos at the moment.  We realize that the word ‘prophecy’ in many cases does not mean predicting the future, but rather messages from God about his observations and attitude toward the present state of things – with lessons taken from the past.  Amos lived in Israel’s northern kingdom and he brought the inhabitants warnings about their increasing ungodliness, Of course these warnings often included predictions as to how God will act “for the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets” [3 v.7] and the northern kingdom had more and more warnings from the prophets before it was destroyed.

Amos makes some blunt statements about his responsibility before God, “the lion has roared who will not fear?  The Lord GOD has spoken who can but prophesy?” [v.8]  He parallels God speaking with the fear humans felt when a lion roared nearby – for there were no zoos in those days!  But who took notice of messages from God?  Who takes notice today of His word?

Israel was falling into spiritual darkness like the world is today, “’They do not know how to do right’, declares the LORD” [v.10] – our world today is just as bad – and getting worse, especially its failure to do ‘right’ as God sees what is ‘right’!  

The most challenging question in today’s chapter is “Does disaster come to a city unless the LORD has done it? [v.6]  The disasters the Creator particularly brings are the things he controls and not humans – these are seen in earthquakes, plagues, tsunami’s, droughts, floods, fires and massive storms – today we see these things multiplying! 

    Of course the secrets God revealed “to his servants the prophets included specific prophecies such as we looked at in Joel’s prophecy yesterday. The most challenging to us are those about the scattering and regathering of God’s nation – Israel – and above all – the return of Jesus Christ at a time of the world’s greatest trouble (Matt, 24 v.21-30) with its epicentre in the Middle East, especially around Jerusalem.

That will be the time when Moses’ question to the people in the wilderness will be repeated, “”Who is on the LORD’s side? Come to me” [Exodus 32 v.26] And those who really know “The Lord God has spoken” will show that they are – will you? 

Paul’s letters to Timothy are very personal in parts and contain much sound advice, especially for those in a position of responsibility among believers.  True believers always need to look to the future: solving problems effectively is not achieved through emergency stop gap measures; the council in Jerusalem (Acts 15) is an example of how things should be done. 

God revealed to Paul that “the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods …” [1 Tim. Ch. 4 v.1-3]  Timothy had many things to try to correct at Ephesus and also needed to anticipate problems the spirit’s guidance foretold. 

Problems like these were evident among believers down through the centuries and some are evident today. The reference to some forbidding marriage brought to mind the unnatural and unscriptural practice of the Catholic Church in requiring its priests to be celibate. It is evident that their alleged first Pope, Peter, was married! (Matt. 8 v.14)   In today’s very ‘open’ world it is increasingly hard to keep anything hidden from public view, and it is now clear what celibacy has led to in some cases. Paul and Barnabas did not marry (1 Cor.9 v.5,6) but this was their personal decision in giving their all in the service of Christ. 

Timothy is advised to “train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” [v.7,8]  This implies that the degree of godliness we attain now will be reflected in responsibilities in the life to come as some of Jesus’ parables indicate (Luke 19 v.17-19). A psalmist wrote, “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God …” [84 v.10]

Timothy is to “set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity … devote yourself to the public reading of scripture …” [v.12,13] None would have had their own Bibles so public reading was very important.  Paul emphasizes; “Practice these things, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.  Keep a close watch on yourself and the teaching. Persist in this …” [v.15,16]

In the “race that is set before us” [Heb.12 v.1] let us “persist in this” – for the race is not over until the finishing line is reached – and how tragic it will be to “have run in vain” [Phil 2 v.16]

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