365 Reflections

Daniel 12 moves the reader from the darkest time in history —the Great Tribulation —to the ultimate hope of the Christian: the resurrection. But when does this all happen? Daniel 12:1 (ESV) “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. One more verse in chapter 12 continues the description of what the tribulation will be. It will be an unparalleled time of trouble. Yet amid the trouble, Daniel's people (the Jews) shall be delivered. Yet not all, for Daniel is told that it is those whose names are found in the Book of Life. These are Messianic Jews who come to Christ during the trouble that God allows to come upon the Earth.  Revelation states: Revelation 7:13–14 (ESV) Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in wh...

Isaiah 26:1 (ESV) In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. There are some who suggest the phrase "in that day" refers to the millennial reign of Christ on this Earth. They may be right but I disagree. And Christians can disagree on such matters. Isaiah 24 described global devastation. Isaiah 25 described God's protection over His people through global judgment. Isaiah 26 now turns to the protective place called the Lord's Church that will exist most clearly in the last days. The reason I believe this chapter refers to that time is that people will still be coming into the city.  Isaiah 26:2 (ESV) Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. Yes, people could still be coming to Christ in the Millenium, but would it be faith to believe in a Christ who is visibly present? I don't quite know. But lets move on.  We see that God will protect with strong wall...

The Apostle Paul famously wrote to the Corinthians about the necessity of the resurrection.  1 Corinthians 15:19 (ESV) If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. He's right. If we only have this life, we are sad people. Religious practice is a lame hobby if we are only gathered in our own midst and singing to a God we will never meet.  Here we are just after the annual celebration of Christ's resurrection and we come to the end of Job's journey. He's been God's instrument to bring peace to his friends by offering sacrifices. Now, as a type of Christ, he experiences a sort of resurrection. First the restoration process of God: Job 42:10–11 (ESV) And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11 Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy an...

2 Kings 13:20–21 (ESV) So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. 21 And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet. For 50 years, Elisha had been Israel's lifeline. Now, as the nation continues its descent into immorality and pagan heathenism, he dies. Imagine this moment if you will. Your nation seems to be on an irreversible course toward exile. God had already promised such in 1 Kings 14: 1 Kings 14:15–16 (ESV) the LORD will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water, and root up Israel out of this good land that he gave to their fathers and scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their Asherim, provoking the LORD to anger. 16 And he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he sinned and made Israel to sin.” You have to th...

The third and seventh days have great significance in Scripture. Life comes out of the ground on the third day of creation. Jesus rises on the third day. The third day is mentioned far more than the second, fourth, fifth or any other day in all of the Bible. We are the people of the third day. But the seventh day is another important concept in the Bible. Creation is finished and God rests with man on the seventh day in the beauty of the work He has accomplished. The seventh day runs throughout the Bible as almost equally significant as the third day. In Numbers 19, while talking about a very long and hard to understand passage about water for purification, the third and seventh days come together to bring Israel an understanding of their need for cleansing from the defilement of death. Numbers 19:11–13 (ESV) “Whoever touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days. 12 He shall cleanse himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so be cle...

Numbers 17:1–5 (ESV)   The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, and get from them staffs, one for each fathers’ house, from all their chiefs according to their fathers’ houses, twelve staffs. Write each man’s name on his staff, 3 and write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi. For there shall be one staff for the head of each fathers’ house. 4 Then you shall deposit them in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. 5 And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout. Thus I will make to cease from me the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against you.” The way God chooses to silence the grumbling of the people is quite interesting. Instead of more plagues and judgment, there is a simple event whereby a miraculous resurrection of a formerly dead piece of wood sprouts and bears almonds. It's about as clear a foreshadowing of Christ as you can get. But there's lots more to see in this picture.  First...

There is a funny little story in Acts 20. A young man is sitting by a window on the third floor while Paul preaches into the night. He is overcome by sleep and falls dead. His name is Eutychus. Paul will revive him back to life and restore him to his parents. What's interesting is when this all happened. Acts 20:7 (ESV) On the first day of the week... Second, it was a fall from the third story. Third, they had just broken bread to celebrate the Lord's Supper. In this little story we have a reminder of what Christians are called to gather around. We gather around resurrected life. Our's is a faith that anyone can be raised to life from the dead no matter what. Death will not have the last word. The Early Church did not solemnly gather in mournful rows trying to stay awake during a boring presentation of religious jargon.  They did not do their "Christian duty" by showing up once a week. No!  They gathered together and enjoyed the Word preached until midnig...

The Resurrection changes everything. Especially our work ethic. Paul concludes the best exposition of the truth of the Resurrection with this verse: 1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)  Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. There comes a time in life when we have to let it all go. How are you going to handle that? If you believe on Christ for your redemption and future resurrection, then you know what you have done with your life matters for eternity. There is a reward and a purpose behind everything you do for Him. If on the other hand you live as though this life is the end, what difference does it all make? You could live like Solomon with all his wisdom, wealth and fame who looked back on life and called it vanity. A big waste of time. Everything gets old after a while. Even what you think you desperately need to be happy will eventually let you down. Only the work of th...

Do you ever try to fathom the reality of the resurrection? Seriously, it's pretty amazing. Christ has risen and so will we. Keep that on the front burner of your faith. The Corinthians lost that and so fell into discord, sin and abusive practices among themselves. Paul brings up the resurrection without request. They didn't bring up in their letter to him. After dealing with the many problems of this charismatic yet deeply flawed body of believers, he focuses their minds to the message that started it all for them. 1 Corinthians 15:1–4 (ESV)  Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the ...

Peter had a testimony. Of course you only get a testimony when God has delivered youfrom the things that could have or would have otherwise overwhelmed you. Look at how he opens his letter: 1 Peter 1:3–5 (ESV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. "We are born again" - sounds like a second chance.  And this from the man who knew a lot about second chances. "To a living hope." - Hope not settled in us or on paper, but a living hope.  A hope that has wings and substance to it.  Not wishful thinking.  It's hope inside you.  Hope that affects you and carries you and produces in you the ability to withstand ob...

I've never noticed before how much shorter Matthew 28 is compared to all the other chapters in the Bible.  Of course I'm aware there were original chapter divisions in the text.  But it still amazes me that the central element of our faith - the Resurrection of our Lord - is given only 23 verses total if you take out the conspiracy of the guards and the elders that the disciples stole his body away. 23 verses.  And the book is finished. Why? I think its because the power of that reality changes everything you do.  It turns bystanders into active participants of the greatest truth ever told.  It's a whole new way of life... so why keep reading and talking about it when we have to get busy spreading it. Even when Matthew records the disciples first meeting with the Lord - and there were many others beside this one - it is a meeting with an agenda.  "I'm alive, I have the authority of heaven and earth, go tell everyone about Me." Matthew was there.....