The following is adapted from the book Apocalypse: Lectures on the book of Revelation by J.A Seiss.
That shining is not from any material combustion, - not from any consumption of fuel that needs to be replaced as one supply burns out; for it is the uncreated light of Him who is light, dispensed by and through the Lamb as the everlasting lamp, to the home, and hearts, and understandings, of His glorified saints. When Paul and Silas lay wounded and bound in the inner dungeon of the prison of Philippi, they still had the sacred light which...
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
The LORD is in His Holy Temple (Psalm 11)
Today, we are going to consider another psalm written by David. This short psalm of seven verses, is David's reply to a confused saint of his day who doubted the survival of the righteous. Then, as it is today many had reasoned that since most of society was going astray from God and true religion, the righteous would soon have to follow suit to avoid becoming completely irrelevant in society. David confronts this argument with a succinct reminder of who God is and the extent of his power and influence.
Verses 1-3
In the LORD I take refuge, how...
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Why Do You Hide Yourself? (Psalm 10)
As one can see from the title of this Psalm, it is written out of a great desire to see God act swiftly in the Psalmist's life. At the time of writing, the Psalmist feels like God has intentionally hidden Himself, and the only question that pops up in the mind of the psalmist is "Why"? This is a familiar feeling for most Christians if not all, we all go through periods of dryness where we cannot experience God, or we feel like God has abandoned us. Some have called this experience, the dark night of the soul. This period, however is used by God...
Friday, June 14, 2013
I Will Recount Your Wonderful Deeds (Psalm 9)
This Psalm is another of David's many Praise psalms where he is either himself praising God or calling out the people to give praise to God. This particular psalm launches with four "I will" statements showing David's conscious decision to give praise to God for two reasons. Firstly, David expresses gratitude to God for the things God has done in his life. Secondly, David praises God and worships Him for who God is. What God is, and what God does for His people are closely related. The Psalm reveals God as a righteous judge and a savior of the...
Thursday, June 13, 2013
How Majestic Is Your Name (Psalm 8)
This Psalm is a Praise psalm and is unlike some of the Psalms we have considered before. Evidently, David is writing this during a good season in his life because he doesn't make any mention of his troubles. The Psalm can be divided into two parts. In the first part, David attempts to glorify the name of God by describing Him and his works. In the second part, David ponders on the position of mankind in God's created universe.
1. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
David uses...
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
In You Do I Take Refuge (Psalm 7)
The seventh Psalm in the book of psalms, is termed as a Shiggaion. A Shiggaion is defined as an "erratic melody betokening excitement and agitation." So we see that Psalm is again straight from David's heart and he is not concerned about the melody and the aesthetics of the psalm. He simply wants to pour out his heart through this song to God and his hearers.
As one proceeds through this psalm, it is easy to see that David progresses through many stages. In the first stage, David is pleading for divine intervention to deliver him from his enemies....
Monday, June 10, 2013
O Lord, Deliver My Life (Psalm 6)
This Psalm paints a picture out of David's personal struggles and desperation. It is a very intense psalm written from the heart of a man who seems to be crushed from all sides. However, as we have seen time and time again hope springs eternal in David' heart and by the end of the Psalm he is once again in a defiant mood.
1. O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath.
David seems to have made a habit out of starting most of his Psalms with a direct plea to God. This time his plea is for mercy from God. He fears God's...
Friday, June 7, 2013
You are Not Your Body
I just wanted to quickly share this anecdote I read just now. The time is now 11:13 pm and it is time for me to sleep, but I felt like I have to type this up before I sleep so here it goes.
One day in his 80th year... John Quincy Adams was approached by a friend who said, "And how is John Quincy Adams today?"
The former President of the United States replied graciously, "Thank You, John Quincy Adams is well, sir quite well, I thank you. But the house in which he lives at present is becoming dilapidated. It is tottering upon its foundations....
Lead Me in Your Righteousness (Psalm 5)
1. Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.
Like in the earlier psalms we have considered, David is again crying out to his God for help. His heart is groaning which signifies extreme distress. We all have times like this, it is an inevitable part of human life, but what we do during those times of suffering is what counts.
2. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God for to you do I pray.
David's plea continues here in verse 2. From a human standpoint we have a tendency to doubt whether God really hears our prayers...
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Answer Me When I Call (Psalm 4)
Today we are going to look at another psalm of David. Like Psalm 3 this one is also written by David in the midst of trying circumstances and again we see that David trusts and hopes in His God.
1. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
A plea of David for God to respond like he did in the past and give him relief in the midst of distress.
2. O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after...
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Save Me, O My God (Psalm 3)
This is the first of 73 psalms that are attributed to David in the Bible. The superscription tells us that this psalm was penned by David when he fled from Absalom, his son. The words of the psalm are indicative of the struggles that David had to face at the time of its writing. However, it also shows the great hope and peace that David had because he put his complete trust in His God.
1. O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;
David was in the peculiar position of having his son as his enemy. Under these circumstances, defeating...
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
The Reign of the LORD'S anointed (Psalm 2)
Psalm 2 is a Messianic psalm and in a way expands on the idea of the previous psalm. The author of the psalm is not mentioned in the text, however scholars feel that the style of the psalm shows that it was written by David. Where Psalm 1 talked about being blessed in an individual sense, psalm 2 takes the same idea to a broader scale talking about nations and not individuals.
1. Why do the nations rage and the people plot in vain?
This is a rhetorical question meaning that people plotting against God is useless as it will ultimately end only...
Monday, June 3, 2013
The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked (Psalm 1)
We are about to begin an exciting journey into the world of Psalms. As I type this, I am excited as well as anxious. I am excited because I am sure that studying these Psalms like never before will have a great effect on my spiritual life. At the same time, I am anxious because this is a very long book and going through it and internalizing it will be very challenging and will require a lot of dedication and discipline from my part. But as our Lord said, each day has its own worry. So, I am not going to look forward too much. I am going to relax,...
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Study of Psalms Coming up
Let me cut right to the chase. I will be beginning a new series on the Psalms tomorrow. The vacation in the north east is done and I am back in Texas again. I had a wonderful two weeks with my cousins and their family during which I was recharged and redirected regarding my future. but now that I am back and the lawn is mowed, I am looking forward to beginning the study on the longest book in scripture. Its going to be a wonderful experience and I welcome you to join me in the journe...
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