365 Reflections

2 Samuel 6 contains a challenging passage for the casual Bible observer. 2 Samuel 6:2–3 (ESV) And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, What looks to be the most honorable gesture in David's early reign - to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel - turns out to be deadly and confusing. Moments into the transport of this holy vessel this happens: 2 Samuel 6:5–7 (ESV) And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, fo...

Numbers 16:43–47 (ESV) And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces. 46 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun.” 47 So Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the midst of the assembly. And behold, the plague had already begun among the people. And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. In this strange moment we see something revealed through Moses to teach us about Jesus. Incredibly, after the Earth opens and swallows the rebels from the beginning of this chapter, the people of Israel have the audacity to complain against Moses for "killing" the Lord's people. How unreal.  The Lord ...

The reality of our sin is that it offends a holy and righteous God who would be totally just to wipe us off the face of the Earth.  Modern Christianity is losing it's understanding of the cost of our sin. When we do so, we lose sight of the cost of our salvation as well. The reason most Christians have no joy is because they do not realize what they have going for them in Christ.  The golden calf moment of Exodus 32 goes from terrible to peaceful because of the actions of one man. God tells Moses He's had it with Israel, they have sinned quickly and decisively - turning completely away from the God who saved them. He announces His just judgment in verses 7-10: Exodus 32:7 (ESV) And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.  8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ...

Listen to this verse and see if it doesn't make you think for a few moments about the Sovereignty of God in a fresh way: Revelation 9:15 (ESV) So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. God releases four angels who then issue 200,000,000 troops to destroy 1/3 of mankind. In the exact HOUR, day and month for which they had been prepared. A terrible force that would level humanity is serious business to God. So serious, in fact, He prepared and planned the exact moment for which it was to happen. So God's sovereign control the history of the world comes to new life. Whatever it is, no matter how bad it may seem, how horrible it may feel, how devastating it leaves you, it is not outside of the purposes of God. I'm not saying God plans evil for you. Revelation 9:15 is judgment upon a people who will refuse to listen to Him and worship the created things, the beast and false pr...

We talk about His love, compassion and mercy. But Revation is clear that His wrath is immense and intimidating beyond compare. No matter what your view of Revelation, the wrath of Jesus is one of the major components of this incredible book. Revelation 6:14-17 (ESV)  The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” Dis you see the list of people in this crowd? The a-listers and he powerful, the great ones and kings saw the wrath of Jesus (the Lamb) and could not stand. Jesus is awesome and holy. He is completely perfect and total...