The Seven Streams Method

Download

Deuteronomy 33-34 Today is our final journey in the World Stream reading from the Tree of Life Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7streamsmethod | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord God, what a finish, what a life, what an inspiration we see in Moses.  We pray our lives are fruitful and dedicated to blessing and guiding so many while walking with You.  Amen. What of the blessings that Moses pronounced upon the tribes would you like Moses to pronounce upon you?  Moses talked with God. We have the exact same privilege to talk with God too so do this, and be blessed. [you do realize that "The Nation Stream" has an extra day and it needs to be fit in today because the year needs to end in Revelation] 33 - Moses paused and said a blessing for each of the Tribes of Israel.  His blessing for Reuben: May he live - (and it is glaringly lacking anything else being said).  For Judah: you will be gathered together and defended. For Levi: You will know and teach the Word and have blessed resources.  For Benjamin: You will have rest and shielding   For Ephraim & Manasseh: Since you are from Joseph, there will be blessing and bounty on every front plus wholesale victory.  For Zebulun & Issachar: you shall receive abundance from the sea and land [sand]  For Gad: Anyone who gives to Gad will be blessed.  For Dan: They shall be a lion cub from Bashan (this was not altogether complimentary as Dan led the way into idolatry and were overrun first by Assyria)  For Naphtali: there is favor and blessing from the Lord that grows and grows.  For Asher: he will have favored status, be endowed with plenty and luxury and have ironclad defenses surrounding you. Yes, God will provide grain and wine for Israel, the dew of heaven will fall on the land and God will protect you.  You shall not fear as you remain in my blessing. 34 - Then Moses was taken from there by God, east of Jericho, high in Moab, and shown the entire Promised Land. God kept His promise to Moses and assured him that what He pledged would be Abraham's land would certainly go to Abraham's descendants. [This would begin in a month plus four days!]  Moses life ended and the eulogy is reknown. Clear health and senses, sound, strong, saintly.   And no one walked with God and talked with God as Moses did.  The wonders that were performed by Moses are still amazing to study 33+ centuries later.

Download

John 20-21 Today we complete the Christ Stream reading from the Tree of Life Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7streamsmethod | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

And with this we triumph. As Christ has risen from the dead, so shall we as we embrace Him fully.  Hallelujah and Amen.   20 -  Mary (Miriam) goes to the tomb for ritualistic reasons - to tend to the body. She isn't prancing down there and thinking, "oh boy oh goodie, I wonder if He's up yet...!" No, she arrives and is surprised to find the stone rolled back, the tomb empty, Jesus not there - not anywhere.  And you do realize that the stone rolled away is for our purposes.  If it wasn't it would lead to eternal ghost stories that skeptics would embrace more than they would Jesus Himself. But back to the original point, we know Jesus doesn't need the stone rolled away to get out.  And He isn't Yosemite Sam in there, alive and trapped and screaming, "let me out! Let me out of here!" When Miriam goes and finds the Disciples, Peter and John bolt for the tomb. Again Peter is bold and stomps into the tomb - reckless as usual. Though John did get there first because he runs faster (and is determined that you know that!)  You gotta love that 'boys will be boys' factor.  When we read that the face cloth was rolled up and in place there's a Jewish culture issue here that westerners don't see right off.  When a Jewish man departs from a dining setting, if he is done and not returning, he throws his personal cloth (napkin) onto the table and you are free to clear his place setting.  However if he is returning, he rolls up his cloth neatly and lays it beside his setting. In the tomb, Jesus' face cloth is set by the stone where He was laid to rest because ... you guessed it, He Is Returning! John saw that and immediately knew Jesus was alive. But notice that the other disciples went home for they did not understand...  And Jesus told them ?how many times? about his death and resurrection in this last three years?! The disciples are like over-grown elementary kids in this regard; they can listen all day and, in certain ways, not hear a thing. It will hit them all eventually. It is rather touching that Jesus appears to Miriam first. She is going to be the most evangelistic about it so may as well tell her first. Does it strike you that she didn't know the angels were angels AND she didn't know Jesus was Jesus? Everyone was so resigned to his death being final. It was that gruesome a few days ago - we would have been the same way too.         Mary realizes that Jesus is Jesus when He calls her name.  btw, When did it hit you? When did you realize that Jesus is Jesus Christ the Savior? When did He call your name? Do you remember?       John records Jesus in two more appearances in this chapter. The Disciples are in a locked room still afraid because of the Judean leaders that would troll, find, and crucify (also!) the followers of the false Messiah that was just crucified the prior Friday. [This is one of the reasons Jesus had to appear to the women first - there was no death threat on them and they were far more free to spread the Resurrection news.   So Jesus appears to most of the Disciples -- they are in a locked room and He did not use a door!  And they are happy as kids at a candy store to see Him. They later found and told Thomas who was resolute in his need for proof. We know what happened and we know what Thomas' reaction was once he saw and touched Jesus' scars. Careful about accusing Thomas as "the doubter". His journey to faith came a little tougher than the others. But he never doubted again. And because he once doubted, and wanted confirmation, we never have to.  Thomas went as far as India in his journeys with the Holy Spirit; evangelizing for Jesus. His spirit and joy and soulish resolve to evangelize to the end had him raise up an army of feverish disciples that completed the task of taking the gospel all the way across Asia to where Shanghai is today! And Jesus did so many more miracles. None who met Him ever doubted anything again. Their faith was bolstered enough to invade and infiltrate and transform the Roman Empire - which they did in time. You can visit Thomas' tomb where he was martyred with spears in Chennai, on the east coast of India. 21 - Later Jesus is found in Galilee.  John mentions seven of the 11 Disciples are up in Galilee (not 12; Judas Iscariot is gone).  They are fishing through the night, catching nothing then get advised to throw nets on the "right side".  Have they heard this before? Have we? They pull in a record haul and this time the nets don't tear.  Three years ago, they tore.  They couldn't handle all the blessing - now they are ready for all the blessing the Lord is going to heap on them.  Keep that in mind: we need to be ready for more blessing before receiving more blessing. God doesn't pour out so that it is simply wasted because we don't know what to do with it.     Then Jesus has a necessary conversation that can be condensed to "Peter, you can't trust yourself - but you can trust me.  You've been committed - you need to be surrendered now."  Jesus tells him, 1] feed my lambs. 2] take care of my sheep. 3] feed my sheep.  Jesus is calling him to comprehensive care of the growing Church.  [1] When young lambs are fed they grow to sheep. [2] When they are full grown they still need to be sheered, taken to pasture/water and kept from wolves. [3] When they are secure in all this and full grown sheep -->they still need to be fed.  Peter is being called to life-long ministry ... which he fulfills wonderfully.  And as John finishes his gospel he tells that Jesus did so much more that would fill the whole world were it all to be told.  However, we now know enough to believe with all our hearts and lives.  We also have His Word, this Word to take to the whole world.  Let's do so.

Download

Download Malachi 2:17-4:6 We are in the Exile Stream reading from the Tree of Life Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7streamsmethod | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord, the passage today reminds us that your commands are not burdensome.  Trying to put life back together after straying from your commands is what is burdensome.  Keep us in Your care, Your Spirit, and your Will.  Amen.

This is the final word of the Old Testament and it delivers the heat.  God had just finished scathing them in the prior verses for dumping their wives, taking up with foreign women [since those ladies were more, uh, "IN-ter-essss-ting"] - having been raised in a sex-cult atmosphere.  THEN they would come in to the Temple [wacky-wife-n-tow], lay down their paltry offerings and then wonder why Malachi stuck it to them just as God would roll his eyes, so to speak.  And amid all the pathetics.  Malachi continues:

2:17  - "excuse me people?!  You come in to my Temple like this and expect what? a pat on the back? What do you think I am anyway?!" 3  -  The Lord is coming and He is bringing a Message  [btw, Adonai Tzva'ot means "Lord of Hosts"; the one who rules all the 100,000,000 angels of heaven!]  He wants all the sinful tendencies, the iniquity, the transgressions to stop and stop now.  And He also wants all of those living back in Israel again to stop blathering their dopey inquiries to God while steeped in their sinfulness, "huh? whaa- God? uh, are we offending you at all? Perhaps YOOOOU God are the one with the attitude problem?... It isn't us with the problem? ...Iszzz it?"    We all just heard the expansive list of sins that were being exercised in Israel/Judah/Jerusalem. And the people thought that they could plead ignorance.  Gimme-a-break.  Plus the people were not tithing, wondering why prosperity eluded them, wondering why pests were eating their crops, wondering why God was upset with them. Drake was visiting a church in the mountain states a few years back and was asked to help with the offering routine as they were helping build up a pastor's fund for struggling parishes in the area. The plate was passed and it went by a couple who was dressed to the nines. The man feigned to be jolted as the plate reached him.  Then he pompously scrolled through scores of "hundred$" in his wallet, and "alas!" here were two one dollar bills that he plucked out and rubbed together to prove that he was give TWO dollars, not one.  [What he was actually doing was making sure that a third ONE dollar bill didn't escape his grasp].  And he thought that no one present (including God) knew that that same month he dropped $9million on a chalet (a palace!) in an exclusive ski resort town. He also had just purchased new porsche [ca. $130K]  for his wife.  And just ask him - he did this because she de-ZERVES the best of everything! uh huh. It's theft in plain sight/broad daylight when people think they can steal from God. 4:1-6 - All this needed to stop for judgment was coming. The Day of the Lord, sometimes called "The Day" is mentioned five times in Malachi.  God was going to scorch all the disobedience from the land.  He was going to turn the fathers' hearts back to their deserted children. [Remember many had ditched their wives for foreign women - and where do y'think this left the children from their original Hebrew wives?]  Yes, the children were lost and going astray.  God was scolding their derelict fathers and they would receive it, and repent, or God was going to curse their land with utter destruction.  He was about out of patience. [Malachi 4:1-6 in most versions is Malachi 3:19-23 in the TLV version]

 

Download

Ezekiel 47-48 Today we complete our journey in the Prophetic Stream as we read from the Tree of Life Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7streamsmethod | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis Today we finish the Prophetic Stream. Ezekiel has been describing the rebuilt Temple since chapter 40.  This occupies the remainder of his book that we finish today.  It is probably overdue to mention that some view this Temple as what will be during the Millennium; the 12 tribes occupying Israel again, and animal sacrifices have resumed as in Solomon's day.  Others view Ezekiel's Temple as figurative of the whole Christian Era wherein the glory of God is ever expanding, sprreading, flowing outward to cover the earth. Again, this Temple does follow Solomon's pattern in some ways.  As we end this portion of scripture today, the city of Jerusalem is 7.5 miles square. The pattern is a model of sorts to the one described in Rev. 21 that we will read in a couple days.  What does this all mean? When and where is this? Just know that it's Good News of good things God is doing. It cannot be stated for certain what exactly God is going to do. Let's enjoy and worship our God more and not demand that all analyses be final before we can enjoy Him. Jesus said we would see the Kingdom if we become as little children - it doesn't say we need to become as engineers in order to see Him. And be certain of this: our perspectives will never alter what He has had planned since the foundation of the world.

47 - Nothing enhances a property like a water feature! and here water flows more and farther and deeper the more it flows. Note that it is flowing east from the Temple's threshold.  The movement of God was always to go west in Genesis, so this tends to mean that the cycle of God is coming to completion.  And notice that this water purifies and brings life even to the Dead Sea once it reaches it.  This is marvelous. God operates this way and will continue to do so as news of Him spreads over the earth like water. In Joel 3 and Zechariah 14 and Revelation 22 we hear of God doing great things with water in the end of days. Best thing to do is prepare for the wonders ahead by anticipating them and preparing for them.  The remainder of the chapter (and the book) is how the land of Israel shall be outlined and apportioned among the tribes. Keep in mind, this is being written in 570 B.C. and the 12 tribes is the entire reference point for the Hebrew mind.  It hearkens back to Jacob's 12 sons. So to describe the coming events in any different way would be sheer puzzlement.  All this factors in to what God is going to do because we know that it has not happened in full as of yet. 48 - The measuring and apportioning continues as each of the tribes is listed and the lot of land is measured off. The mindset they are speaking to is intended to have us feeling provided for with space enough and food enough. The nightmare of displaced peoples is that they have no place to go and nothing to eat.  The totaly opposite of that is true here in Ezekiel's description; the do have a place and they have plenty. And the city, a total of 7+1/2 square miles, is the home of God now.  It is even named "God lives Here."  God says this to end the Major Prophets so that when we read this we feel relieved, "oh good. God is here!"

Song of Solomon 5-8 Today we complete our journey in the Wisdom Stream reading from the Tree of Life Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7streamsmethod | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis The breathless love story continues. These two will never know happiness outside of each other. They are living inside of a dream that God had created in the Garden of Eden.  It is a romantic love that completes one another.  It requires a sealed commitment inside of a monogamous relationship. And like in Eden, there must be no barriers between or distractions from this commitment. The relationship needs to be "sold out", all in, and no plan "B". This love, as in all married relationships, is something to be celebrated.  It is set up by God to provide us with strength each step, elation to be alive, wistful about the past, hopeful for the future, and understanding God yet better. 5 - Most of this chapter is her raving about him.  His stately nature and build. His looks, his skin, his hair - What's the phrase? is it, "she finds him super delicious"? ha! oh dear.  She goes on and on describing him. And she is telling this to her lady friends in the city.  One commentator calls them the Palace Women. They were at times a choir.  Some may think this strange.  But think this through, what do ladies who are of age and looking for love talk about when they get together? BOYS!  I heard of a Bible Study of young married women in the midwest called, "Who's Next?"  The question they are asking is, who is going to announce that they are pregnant ... next?  By the way when the Pastor of the church shared about this Bible Study with my husband it was the 1980's. The Bible Study had commenced early in The Great Depression. It was still going about 55 years later!. The average age of the ladies was now 77. Talking about God and their love lives started it all.  How's that for wonderful ? 6 - Much of the romance and passion of love is the managing of departures and arrivals.  That is the beginning of ch. 6.  Then The Song of Solomon goes on extensively - this time it is him monologuing about her.  He is basically noting that her beauty is the talk of the land. And then he goes on to describe her in salacious ways that need no further description. The old English poet Robert Blake once said that the woman's body is too much to bear.  And it's true. Men who marry and commit for life, and then experience their wife, are changed for life.  Men aren't shallow for being this way.  They are lustrous and rich and lively and loving.  This factor of the wife spurs them at heart to march onward through life and accomplish great things that are good and right.  Married men simply do better, are healthier, happier, more productive, more charitable, more wealthy, they live longer, and are more kind.  And, might as well get real about this, it's what Solomon describes in S/Sol. 6:4 -thru- 7:9 -- 7 - --this is what sparks men to commit for life.  One Spanish proverb says, "he who loves one woman, loves the whole world." He needs nothing more or different. And you gotta love that sign that hangs over the country estate explaining where this whole fascinating plantation gets its inspiration: "All Because Two People Fell in Love".  We get this, don't we?   Then the final four verses and going into the next chapter - - 8 - - - we hear her simply longing to be with him. In her mind, the whole countryside is her bridal chamber.  She wants him all the time and everywhere and thinks of him all the time and everywhere.  Remember, he is the King of the land.  He isn't a 21 year old who doesn't yet have his own plot of land to manage and has all kinds of free time. There aren't 4-5 day weekends all over the calendar to prance through gardens wearing just a kilt - though he'd probably prefer that.  The insinuation is that they would love to be enraptured with each other all the time, but there is a whole life to manage along with sundry duties and responsibilities that are to be tended to along with his love life.  Her point is valid...there are regular times that they will need to get away and he needs to forget that he is the king of a country. We see that these two value their love as something to be protected; fiercely protected. We see the interweaving of business dealings in their relationship as the vineyard is referenced.   And it is well noted that she brings peace into Solomon's world.  Ahhhh love

Esther 5-10 We are in the Nation Stream reading from the Tree of Life Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7streamsmethod | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis Lord Jesus, you are our Savior. And it is inspiring to see people step up and do the work God has called them to do to save the innocent; others who have been sentenced to die.  We pray that Esther inspires us to be better missionaries.  Amen. 5 - Queen Esther went to work planning how she was going to rescue her family and her people.  Her plan was not to go brash here but to go stealth.  Remember the man who hatched the plan to kill the Jews was Haman in Persia. He is the one who had to be stopped.  The King; Esther's husband had the power to do that. So she had to get to the King even though he had not summoned her.  But to go to him unsummoned left one'self open to the gallows.  She walked the gauntlet, was invited in, and had her conference with the king.  Notice that her beauty was what gave her leverage. Her gracious heart came through and that showed all over her face. She and the king had affection for eachother and that steered the heart of the most powerful man on earth. Ladies today can learn here. The culture has trained modern women to stomp their feet, roar like a lion, demand this and that, demand equality (which never will exist), and get ugly about feminine rights. All this does is paralyze the culture and eventually eradicates faith from a people.  Learn from Esther here. Take note of her first tactic and therein is the doorway to the results she needs.        She gets the kings ear and the king is willing to give her anything - up to half of all he owns! Would you like the richest man on earth to make you an offer like that?  See how her gracious nature and faith come in to play? The pathway to the outcome she needs is well established by her wisdom and grace - not ugly assertions. So Esther requests a banquet for the King and Haman and her [only to build Haman's confidence]. Haman at the same time is getting more and more angry at Esther's uncle Mordecai - not knowing the two are related! Mordecai will not bow to Haman when he walks by and it's making Haman mad with rage.  So Haman works a plan that his wife schemed out and a gallows is built to execute Mordecai on as soon it can be arranged.   Keep note of where that woman's plans led her existence... 6 - About that time the King is reminded by his chroniclers that it was Mordecai that saved his life; foiling an assassination attempt some time ago. So the king honors him parading him through the streets for saving the king's life and Haman gets the job of guiding the horse!  Ha! Haman wazzzz enroute to the palace to convince King Ahasuerus to hang Mordecai. And Haman ends up leading Mordecai on horseback in a regal parade.  Haman is so bothered by this he is ready to eat a boot.  Speak of sticking his foot in his mouth! it is mere moments later that the king's servants arrive to escort Haman to the banquet for him, Esther, and the King. ... oh boy.  What's up next? 7 - So here is Esther, her husband the King, and Haman enjoying the finest food and wine on earth, when Esther has a request of King Ahasuerus.  This is 'day two' of a banquet so everyone is well fed and satisfied. Perhaps Haman was still bothered since he was just walking the king's horse in a regal parade with Mordecai atop the horse. But nonetheless, he is dining with the king and queen. [Remember that Haman is totally unaware that Esther and Mordecai are blood relatives!]  Esther has a request and the King is altogether willing to give her anything.   Another tip for ladies here to not follow the current culture but to follow biblical culture. Our men want to see us happy and content and satisfied. And being gracious opens doors. Being impetuous stresses out our men who then have trouble operating productively ... and where then does that leave all of us?  OK. Point made. Esther then asks that she and her people be spared from the annihilation plot.  King Ahaseurus demands, "who plans to kill you all?"  Esther then points to Haman and announces, "HIM!" The king is beyond rage. This is at least the second death plot that has been undertaken in his kingdom that he was not privy to.  The first is against him, remember? The king orders Haman to be hanged and can you imagine being there trying to contain the glee while telling the king, "oh, uh, King Ahaseurus, there is a 75' tall gallows by Haman's house..."  Reminds us of Proverbs 28:10, "he who leads the upright along an evil path will fall into their own trap." 8 - Haman was gone now but his order was already dispatched and circulating. It needed to be countered, caught up with, and headed off before people started on a spree of killing Jewish people in their territory.  King Ahasuerus ordained this be done to preserve the Jews. And notice what happens to Mordecai who opted back at the start to not bow to a pagan wretch, but to live by principle.  Mordecai is honored with wealth and treasures and he is granted Haman's estate!  Then he is made #2 man in all of Persia.  Do not the Psalms and Proverbs and Jesus tell us over and over that this type of thing happens for God's people?! 9 - Haman's antiSemitic orders going out before the King sent intercepting dispatches merely revealed the Jewish resentment across the 127 Provinces that King Ahasuerus ruled over.   This sentiment would prove to be fatal had action not been taken.  It also revealed that there were hundreds of hearts bent on killing Jewish people right there in the Citadel of Shushan.  So the King allowed those who hated Mordecai's Jews to be stopped. They were killed in a counter strike.  800 Jew-haters in and around Shushan were killed, all 10 of Haman's sons, and 75,000 more across the Empire were also disposed of.  The great change in the atmosphere toward Jews in the Persian Empire and the miraculous turn of events led to the Feast of Purim. It is a feast the Jewish people still celebrate today. 10 - And that is the wonderful story of how things turned aright for the Jewish people in Persia, how Mordecai was exalted and honored, and how Esther's heart for God and God's people made for a great rescue. It's one of the greatest rescues of a people the world has ever seen.

Deuteronomy 31:30-32 We are in the World Stream reading from the Tree of Life Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7streamsmethod | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis Lord, we have come to a great part in the Bible when the Law is complete and the now world has a guide for right living, economics, law, behavior, military, justice, agriculture, family, worship, scheduling, holidays and more. May we be grateful that you have come to guide, to restore and to save us.  In Jesus, we give thanks,  Amen.

Moses had just finished writing the Law in the Book they are to embrace, study, and live by. This was the centerpiece of their culture.  To this day, the True Jewish Nation is called, "The People of the Book."  Moses completing this book was an occasion to be celebrated. And to memoralize this event through singing a song became the perfect benediction. It's like singing a song at the end of a worship service.  The nation sang a song of deliverance in Exodus 15 right after crossing the Red Sea.  We see Moses sharing his eloquence in Psalm 90, Deborah singing to celebrate the defeat of a scoundrel in Judges 5, and David breaking out in song numerous times.  This was a great way to instill this moment and the import of it all in the minds of the nation and its people of all ages.  Everyone knows that the lyrics of a song will go in to young mind perhaps decades before the words can be deciphered for what is being truly said.  So Moses has this song for the nation of Israel.  They are to sing it together and keep their mind on God's Word.

31:30 - the occasion is introduced 32  -  and the song commences.  The highlighted points are as such.  ~The Worship of God is to be heard throughout the earth.  ~He is true and right. The problems of earth is our flaw, not Him.  ~We, as a people, must remember our heritage.  ~God has been good to us from the start, calling us to Himself.  ~God is our guide and Provider, showering us with bounty.  ~Yet in their satisfaction, they became complacent with God.  ~and worse, they began sacrificing to idols and serving demons. ~So God turned His face away and left them to themselves, to suffer puzzlement and worse.  ~For their sins, God will heap calamity upon them.  ~He would have wiped them out, except they are supposed to stand for God - and what would the enemies of Israel say? [God was trying to reach them too eventually]  ~Realize, forever, that God is God.  ~He rides upon Heaven in all power and will avenge those who are against Him.  ~God will also avenge those who pester His Chosen Ones.         [end of song] Moses then presented this song to the people of Israel reminding them to sing it and use it to remember to "do the Law of God", for this Law is your life!   Yes, following this Law will have you living long in the land with the Lord. Moses is then told to go climb to the top of Mt. Nebo and view the land that he brought the people to - but would not enter himself. The one misdeed of Moses from Numbers 20:10-12 is what bars him from entering Canaan. In a larger sense, however, Moses had done his job.  He was to take them out of Egypt and to the Promised Land. Joshua was to take them in. Samson/Deborah/Barak was to help them through the "Centuries of the Judges", David was to expand the borders and the worship, Solomon is to build the glorious Temple, Elijah is to be a blazen torch amid the darkness, Josiah is to bring great reform, Nehemiah is to rebuild the Wall of Jerusalem ... each has their part. If Moses were to also take them in the land, conquer all the Canaanites, build the Temple, assume all territory between the Nile and the Euphrates - Moses would be a charactre that would loom so large that the matter risks eclipsing Jesus and the need for a permanent Savior.  So yes, it is sad to see him come to the edge of destiny, only to be blocked from crossing the Jordan and entering.  But in God's Providence, it is the way it had to happen.

Revelation 12-17 We are in the Church Stream reading from the New Century Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7streamsmethod | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis The five verses prior to our reading today [Rev. 11:15-19] took us beyond the Final Judgment Day; the glorious consummation of history.  Then here we are with so much sounding catastrophically similar to last week. That is because chapters 12-19 is a mirroring repeat of Rev. 6-11.  Today's reading in Rev. 12-17 took us back to the start of the Tribulation and goes through it again.  This time the visions illustrate for readers a series of scenes that were not included in 6-11.  All of this relates mostly to the situation befalling the souls on earth who flat out will not repent and come to God even amid their misery.  Like the Bible has been telling us since Adam/Eve, there is something wrong with man - and he needs a Savior.  This is going on still in Rev. 12ff.  Only this time, amid the hailstorm of trouble, man obviously needs a Savior and his behavior across the globe screams, "no way!" at God.

12 - The woman (Israel) is about to give birth to a child (Jesus) and a dragon (Satan) is crouched. waiting to devour the child.  We've heard of this before? --> Christ the Lord came to earth and Herod immediately went on a hunt to kill Him. 1400 years prior, Moses; "Savior" of the Old Testament era is born and Pharaoh is ready with an edict to kill him. Here, Christ is ready to return to earth and set up His rule and as the preparation and the time is drawing near -  what do you know, the Devil Himself is waiting to do violence and block the arrival.  He always hates a Savior arriving!  The reference of 1,260 days is equivalent to 3+1/2 years; 42 months, This is half the Tribulation Period. The war in heaven when the Dragon is flung to earth and sweeps 1/3 of the stars from the sky, is reminiscent of Ezekiel 28:12ff and Isaiah 14:12ff.; other fascinating comparisons about the Devil's/Lucifer's rebellion. This is all trauma in a big way, but the faithful triumph regardless. The dragon on earth soon hunts for the woman who hides in the desert. The dragon wants Israel obliterated, for Israel will deliver the Savior. 'Sounds like Mary and Joseph fleeing Herod, going through the desert and hiding in Egypt. But the dragon cannot find her so he embarks on killing all her children (those who follow God).

13 - The two beasts of this chapter are prompted by the Devil to overtake the earth. They comprise a diabolical Trinity of deception that is truly powerful and evil. The first beast symbolizes speed, strength and authority on earth in its three animal characteristics equating political power.  The heads, crown, thorns are loaded with blasphemy. Some surmise a link when cross-referencing this beast with Daniel 2:33, and 40-43 plus Dan. 7:7, and 7:24.  The head wound/healed is intimated in Gen. 3:15. This is his duping of the wounded, dead and risen Christ. And the beast gets the whole world to believe and follow him.  He's a demon-possessed politician; the antichrist.  The second beast lives to further get the decieved to follow the first beast.  It poses as  a lamb yet is a false prophet. Notice the desperate attempt to imitate Christ while fighting Him and scheming to kill the people of earth?! This second beast forces all to register and receive a 666 mark. It is a trinitarian number ... but one shy of 777. That is the Devil: faking it, close in resemblance to the work of God, similar enough to deceive, yet way offthe truth. Think of it, God told us this liar is coming. He told us near two millennia ago, so that no one is deceived. People getting deceived by this beast is going to be no fault of God. It's strange and sad how people enjoy being lied to, isn't it? 14 - This chapter gives us the big picture through the end of the book. Then ch. 15ff fills in the rest of the details to the end of history as we know it. Just keep in mind that the chronology of the visions given in ch. 14 and the matching visions given in greater detail from 15 onward are not presented in the same order.  We are told of the 144,000 faithful who have not succumbed to worldliness, the evangelizing/preaching to the whole world, the doom of those who are committed to Babylon and will fall with it. There are the doomed who worship the Beast.  Those who died in the Lord in this difficult era are blessed; assured of Eternal Life ['remember Rev. 6:9-11?].  There's the gospel Harvest, and by contrast there's the bitter harvest; the grapes of God's wrath. The blood is going to flow deep and far ... on a biblical scale.  Again, 14 is the overview, 15-19 is the fill-in of the chaos 15 - The seven angels and the last seven disasters are announced. However there is a stirring worship announcement and interlude before the flood of the final seven disasters pour down. It is a victorious song that assured the saints that the coming terrible plagues were not for them.  God was NOT angry at His own.  The fact that no one can enter His Temple during this time is most likely the assertion that none should even try to avert these coming judgments.  Humanity has been so evil for so many millennia, that nothing but judgment is going to work on these marauders. Time to let the punishment fall!  No one shall be pitied. 16 - The seven judgments roll out as such: 1] boils/sores on all who have 666  2] death reigns over the water as the sea turns to blood  3] all fresh water turns to blood  4] the sun/solar flares create great heat on earth to scorch.  5] there is great darkness and pain on humanity  6] matches the other sixth trumpet where the 200Million man army crossed the Euphrates River and marches on the land of God.  In this one, the Euphrates going dry makes the sixth trumpet able to happen. This army is gathered by false prophets that emerged like frogs and, well, we just read it.  Crazy stuff!  7] The grand finale~ is natural disasters of earthquakes, signs in the sky, and 100 lb. hailstones doing colossal damage, destruction and killing. The earthquakes level every building, every mountain, every island on earth. Imagine what they did to this army of 200Million. Thus all the blood.  And here as through all the other calamities, the people are cursing God. 17 - Next we are shown [in long form] what is going to happen to Babylon, The Great; The Prostitute that leads the whole world astray; that delights in perverting people and deceiving plus killing God's faithful who profess Jesus.. This is symbolized by a woman riding a red beast. Keep a distinction in your thinking, the two beasts introduced in ch. 13 are: -Babylon The Great & -Mystery Babylon.  B/G is the political system. M/B is the false religious system. Satan loves manipulating people through corrupt politics and liars operating within a religious system. [And did you know that people argue about politics and religion?] The red beast this woman rides has seven heads and ten horns. These heads and horns correlate to things on earth; Mountains which are kings and kingdoms. Oddly, the beast is not here, then here, then dies, then rises again - notice the imposter is still mocking Christ through trying to duplicate. The seven mountains are kings that actually become eight kings. Their timing, operations, and interrelationship is as tangled as an angry octopus. The ten horns are kings that will come and cooperate with the beast for a short time to war against the Lamb of God and His Jesus-followers.  The ten horns will be defeated.  Btw, the prostitute has sway over all people, tribes and languages but then is going to be devoured and incinerated by these 10 horns/kings who actually hate her.  Yes the timing of ch's 17&18 is very tangled. And take note that the entities under the Devil's domain devour eachother, as is typical. We will finish this section on "Babylon", then the Final Judgment, and Heaven upon completing the Bible next week.       And we are all encouraged to shout "halelujah". The changes, the trauma, the wild things coming that we read about each day are going to be huge beyond what you have ever known. So you better hang on to God.  Hear this! - - You BETTER hang on to God. -Deuteronomy 29:1 - 31:29   - The time in the desert is drawing to a close. Moses leadership will soon be gone. All you have ever known since Egypt is Moses. And he's departing! Dilemma's approach.  Life and Death are offered to you (both of them want you!).  Battles are coming on the horizon for you. Things are going to get "hairy"!  So you better hang on to God. -Nehemiah 13 - Esther 4   - What was facing the Jewish people in Europe in the 1930s and 40s was looming for them in Esther's day yet more bold and imminent. Haman wanted them all dead, now.  And Haman had the king's ear. Death was approaching fast and it would come at the hands of the world's toughest empire who had all the Jews as captives. There was no one 'else' to call for help.  It was time to hang on to God. -Song of Solomon 1-4   - this may seem peculiar to assert that these two must hang on to God. Yet it is imperative. Millions of people on earth are murderously angry at those they have shared erotic experiences with. We either invite God into our love lives, and follow His directive and invitation or we keep Him away at these junctures.  Then what was supposed to make us so happy creates a trap of misery.  So hang on to God and feel the love. -Ezekiel 44-46  - The Rebuilt Temple is a reality that is true yet ethereal in its timing. Students of Scripture are not sure when exactly this Temple is to take place. Yet it is apocalyptic; to be revealed later. Whenever it is, we want to be in and about God's business when He is doing this, not preoccupied with lesser things.  Best way to be involved with Him is to be with Him; hanging on to Him so to take part in the things of God. -Malachi 1,2  - The Hebrews are back in Israel, following the Exile. The Babylonian seige was 140 years ago. But all is not well. They are not honoring God, His rules, the Temple, the sacrifices, the offerings, nor eachother. And they are acting weird toward God when He confronts them. God is warning them that they better hang on to Him; don't break trust with Him like they were doing. Remember, God knows how to send enemies on the disobedient. -John 19  - Ad Jesus is crucified, the 12 were being walked through their toughest assignment ever.  They would lose their leader, their God, teacher, healer, mentor/coach, dearest of friends.  Now what? They had planned to go on with Him and build a whole new world. But He's dead. And things were not going to make sense for a bit. Now what do they do but hang on to God? -Revelation 12-17  -  As the world is taken in to its most cataclysmic era since Noah's flood, the worst of events are stacked and ready to happen. This is Tribulation Part II and it is simultaneous with the first phase explained in Rev. 6-11.  It's beyond horrible. The world is becoming a virtually uninhabitable place, and yet people still live here.  'You noticed the subtle verses between all the mayhem where the people who follow Jesus are protected? What are they hanging onto?

Download

John 19 We are in the Christ Stream reading from the New Century Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7streamsmethod | Donate Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Jesus, you paid it all this day.  All to you we owe.  Our sins have left a crimson stain.  You washed us white as snow.  We are forever grateful.  Amen. 19 - Pilate is perplexed. He wants to let Jesus go free.  Pilate perceives correctly in announcing that he sees no fault in Jesus.  By then Annas and Caiphas had pumped up the crowd with the fake news that Jesus was the one who's going to cause the country to be overrun by Romans if they don't kill Him immediately.  Pilate surmises that a whipping will satisfy the crowd; the mob that has been manipulated and is manic by now. Their demanding the death of Jesus is a tidal wave of emotion that had inundated the city.  Jesus returned from being punched by the bone crushing fists of crazed mercenary torture specialists. He has been beaten with lead studded whips and is bruised and bleeding to the point that killed many men by now.  His face is so swollen it was grotesque to see Him [Isaiah 52:14 prophesied this]. Some thought, "Jesus? is that still you?"  Pilate's hopes are deterred as the crowd is still demanding Him to be crucified. Can you believe the comments that Jesus has for Pilate even during his 'walk' through such a cauldron of betrayal and pain?!  It had to have made Pilate's blood run cold. And still ... Pilate tries to release Him. He truly wants Jesus to go free.  And this isn't because Pilate is a docile man.  He was given this assignment by Rome to 'play Senator of sorts' over Judea because he was quite comfortable with violence. But Jesus' condemnation unto death grated against whatever sense of justice Pilate possessed. The people still are screaming for Jesus to be crucified. They threaten Pilate to be seen as an enemy of Rome if he frees Jesus.  Pilate was already in a jeopardized position because Rome had read him the riot act if any more rebellions broke out.  So this possible threat stung him at the heart level.  The Jewish crowd is in such hysteria that they declare Caesar is their only king. <-- can you believe they were so crazed as to make this statement?  Pilate's resolve was gone by then.  Annas and Caiphas manipulation of the crowd had worked.  The "courts" had been pushed to the brink and Jesus is handed over to be crucified by Roman soldiers.  It was illegal to have any other entity mete out death on a criminal.                We have taken the painful walk through Jesus' death for the fourth time this year.  It was in Matthew 27 on April 07, Mark 15 on June 09, and in Luke 23 on September 22. The most pivotal event in history takes place as we read it again today.  Remember as He suffers crucifixion, He is dying so that those of us who follow Him don't have to die. "The King of The Jews" sign is put over his head in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Jesus knew all these languages as well as Aramaic.  A criminal is also crucified on either side of Him to further illustrate the insult.  His clothing is dealt with as prophesied in Psalm 22 1,000 years ago.  He shares a heart-breaking word to His mother and to John.  It's a touching reminder.  It's also unreal that Jesus has the wherewithall to remind others to take good care of eachother in the days ahead!  Jesus is offered a drink from a sponge right before He dies. When He says, "it is finished" it was and he breathed his last.   He seemed to die in an unnoticed manner because the soldiers make the rounds to break legs so that the condemned hurry up and die and can be taken down before the sabbath begins that evening.  I say "unnoticed" because when they reach Jesus after breaking the criminals' legs, "they saw that Jesus was dead..."  The spear in his side confirmed what medics will say even today.  Jesus was suffocating on the Cross - up to the point of death.  His burial is lead by Joseph of Arimathea.  Some research indicates that this may well have been Mary's brother; Jesus' uncle. Nicodemus also joined the process.  Can you somehow imagine the agony, the passion, the puzzlement and the grief of carrying Jesus from Golgotha to the Garden Tomb?!  Jesus the Messiah, the Healer, the Savior, the marvelous, the Rabbi, the King, ... Jesus .... is now dead.  Covering Him with spices and wrapping Him in grave clothes had to be something that left Joseph and Nicodemus empassioned and breathless and weeping to exhaustion. The job was soon done. The stone was rolled over the opening. And the world went silent.    Legend says the angels bowed their heads.  Legend says hell gasped, as they knew the guilt of man's sin would then fall upon them. They had been killing guilty men all through history. This time an innocent man died, so guilt now is transferred to them and is irreversible.  Legend says that the dogwood trees were white the world over until Jesus died. Upon His resurrection they took on a range of hues between white and pink and red.     The discussions about Christ's death will never be complete. The compulsion for artists, no matter their beliefs, is that they all want to do a crucifixion scene at least once in their career. This draw to the Cross - what is it? No event has put more musicians to flight than Jesus' death. It's the most popular scene ever gazed upon. The place of Golgotha/Calvary and the tomb can be visited today and you are encouraged to do so.   Embrace His death.  This must happen for us to rise again with Him.