If you don't
have a One Year Bible or prefer something online, this link will take you to
the day's reading, http://oneyearbibleonline.com/daily-oyb/. This
site allows you to select from several languages and several English
translations.
DECEMBER 29
This is exciting. If you have
been keeping up, you are on the verge of a major accomplishment. The struggle
is worth it, and trust me - next year will be easier. I can also tell you, you
will get more out of reading the Bible next year. Not only will you become more
familiar with what God is saying, but you will understand His heart more and
more each year. When you are filled with His Word, it becomes easier to trust
Him. Also, your life changes and as it does, the Holy Spirit highlights things
in different ways to teach, comfort and correct. More and more you will find
that something you have read that day will be used to warn you from doing
something, or it will be the truth you needed that day to keep you following
Christ in the harvest.
Just a couple more days to go.
In our reading today we are not at the end of history, but you can see it from
here.
Zechariah 14
Vs.
1-3 We are at the very end of the Tribulation. As this army attacks Jerusalem,
Zechariah recounts the gruesome scene. Apparently this will last a couple of
days since there are people taken alive out of the city. At first, the
attacking army will be victorious. This will be the reason the people will be
crying out for the Messiah. It is in this devastation as Jesus returns and they
visually see Him returning, that the tables are turned. Since Jesus said there
would be an awesome sign in the sky, visible like lightning, that would herald
His coming, it could be that the sign in the heavens is what terrifies this
army. At the same time, the Jews in Jerusalem are given a supernatural courage
and strength, and they turn the tide. As seen yesterday, apparently the people
in the surrounding area see the change in the fighting in Jerusalem and join in
to help. Then it looks like Jesus comes visibly and helps out.
Vs.
4-5 Notice the mentions of on that day.
Apparently Jesus appears first and then everyone sees the army of holy ones we saw yesterday in
Revelation.
Vs.
6-7 This will be different from the day of battle where Joshua asked for the
sun to stand still.
V.
8 We have read about this river that will flow out from under the temple.
Ezekiel only told us of the part that flows eastward to the Dead Sea. In
Revelation 22:2 we will see that this river with its trees is for the nations
to come and be healed during the Millennium.
V.
9 This is the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom and Jesus' eternal reign.
Vs.
10-11 We saw in Revelation 16:20 how at the seventh bowl there was a worldwide
earthquake that leveled the mountains.
Vs.
12-15 It looks like amid the terror and confusion of the return of the Lord,
the opposing armies are also hit with a plague. Apparently they will rot
standing. According to Revelation 19, the birds are called in for clean-up.
Although this is a plague, you have to think of what would happen to any of us
if God took away His sustaining power from us for 10 seconds. All men are frail
and live only by His power. God revoked His image, and Nebuchadnezzar, the
great king, became an animal and lost everything. If God revoked His thought
from us, we'd fall apart. When He revokes His breath, we die.
Vs.
16-19 This description is only with regard to the people of the nations that
are allowed to go into the Millennial Kingdom and describes their submission to
Jesus and their requirement to come to Jerusalem yearly. Although we don't have
a lot of information about life in the Millennium, we know that there will be
an initial judgment within days or weeks of Jesus' arrival separating the
wicked from the righteous (weeds and wheat [Mat. 13:24-43], good fish-bad fish
[Mat. 13:47-50], sheep and goats [Mat. 25:31-46]) so that these thousand years
begin only with people who are believing and in submission to Christ. We know
that there will be a need for healing and rebuilding in the world. We know that
certain resurrected people will act as leaders, governors, mayors, guiding the
people and nations of the world. People will come to Jerusalem for the healing
trees. We also know from Ezekiel that there will be memorial sacrifices, remembering
the sacrifice of Christ; but these will be celebratory in their focus, not
saving or substituting. As we saw in Ezekiel the Feast of Booths will be held, but not the Day of Atonement that
accompanied it. Atonement has already been made.
As
we are about to read in Revelation, even in a perfect world without Satan to
deceive mankind, the sin of man will still grow and rebel against God. When
Satan is released after 1000 years, he will find people all over the world who
are willing to follow him and come against Israel and God.
Vs.
20-21 The house of the Lord will be a
busy, festive place – a sign that all is well on the earth.
Revelation 20
And
now for the rest of the story.
Vs.
1-3 Notice that Satan is thrown into a pit, not into hell. His angels are with
him. I'll bet that'll be no party. Notice in v. 3 that he "must" be
released. There is a plan and a purpose ordained in what God is doing.
Vs.
4-6 The Millennial Kingdom hasn't yet begun, but it is close. First, there is
judgment.
V.
6 It is generally understood that everyone who is believing, not just the
Tribulation saints, but all the OT believers, are resurrected here. (Those who
believe in the pre-tribulation rapture of the church understand that the church
on earth was transformed and that the "dead in Christ" were raised
before the beginning of the Tribulation (1 Cor. 15:51-52)). This "first
resurrection" mentioned here is only "first" in reference to the
next resurrection at the end of the Millennial Kingdom. Note that only those
who are resurrected now are not affected by the second death. This means that
all those who are resurrected in the second resurrection experience the second
death. This means that all the saved of all generations will be resurrected at
the first resurrection and will enjoy the Millennial Kingdom. In fact, some of
those who are raised will reign with Jesus as leaders in the world, directing
countries, cities and many offices in governments. One of these will be King
David (Ezek. 37:25). Again as I understand it, the church had already been
resurrected at the rapture before the Tribulation began.
Vs.
7-10 The army that Satan is able to amass at the end of the Millennium is huge,
like the sand of the sea. This means that even though people will see Jesus and
speak with Him, they will still choose to hate Him. Sin trumps rationality. How
do you hate the person who gives you life, who is the Creator of the very
reality you choose to rebel against? This rebellion by mankind is the last
piece of the puzzle that gives Jesus His right to cast rebellious mankind into
hell. It is what sets up the final judgment before the white throne. We, not
Satan, are responsible for our own sin. Sin is and always has been our problem.
Faith in God and His Word has always been the solution. People born during the
Millennium have now seen and not believed for a thousand years. Having rejected
God's offer of help and salvation, they deserve to be cast from His presence
into the lake of fire. This will lay
to rest the saying, "The devil made me do it." It will also lay to
rest every other argument. There will be a perfect world, and mankind will see
God and they still won't like Him. God's judgment is absolutely righteous.
V.
10 Notice that there is torment in hell. There is no semblance of activity or
life, or government or parties. It is only punishment. All those stories about
the parties in hell and hell being where all the cool people are is utter
baloney. Also, Satan will not be "ruling." He will also be in
torment, humbled to the level of those he worked to corrupt.
Vs.
11-15 This is the resurrection to judgment. No believer will appear before the white throne. In Jesus' descriptions of
judgment in John 5:28-29 and in the parable of the sheep and goats in Matthew
25:31-46, the righteous were resurrected first and the unrighteous were then
judged and sentenced. He just didn't say the different resurrections would be
separated by a thousand years. Jesus will prove the righteousness of judgment
by what is written in the books. The dead who are raised will be given an
eternal body, but their spirit was never reborn, recreated in Christ. Their
sinful nature, at death, was judged and became a permanent fixture of their
being. Now, even in their new body, they are rebellious of heart. There is no
second chance. They had their second, third, fourth….chances during their life
on earth. What is interesting to me is that this judgment isn't given any
drama. Earth's history has been tragic. The judgment is concluded. The end of
that sad history deserves only a brief description.
V.
14 Notice that both Death and Hades,
that place of waiting, are gone forever.
Praise
God! We are here now to work in His harvest, knowing that we, and all those who
believe, will be blessed forever in Christ.
Psalm 148
What
better way to conclude the sad tragedy of fallen earthly history than with
praise to God. This is one of those songs of worship that included the plan of
redemption. Notice that in v. 11 all kings and nations are called upon to
praise the Lord.
Vs.
1-2 As we've read, someday this will be totally true, and we'll be there to see
it.
Vs.
3-10 Romans 8:19-22 says that the creation waits for our redemption.
Vs.
11-12 And there will come a time when all who are on the earth will praise the
Lord.
Vs. 13-14 This is why
they were to praise God. He raised up a
horn, or as Zechariah, the father of
John the Baptist, prophesied in Luke 1:69, "and has raised up a horn
of salvation for us in the house of his servant David."
Jesus was that King, the King who has saved us and who will
return and reign forever.
Proverbs 31:8-9
King
Lemuel's mother also told him this, and God thought it was worth passing on. It
is interesting when you read about what Jesus was sent to do, that one of those
things was to preach good news to the poor and to bring justice to victory (Matt.
12:20). Our Lord wants us to have a heart for the poor and those who need
justice, but the most important thing we have to offer is the good news.
Luke 4:18-21 (Jesus reading Isaiah in the synagogue in
Nazareth) "The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has
sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the
blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable
year of the Lord." And he closed the book, and gave it back to the
attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on
him. And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled
in your hearing."
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are interested in growing
deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the
growth of a discipleship culture in the church, that is, groups of 3-4
disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to
reach out and make disciples, who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most
universal and important discipleship manual we have and it is the key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here,
or what we are to be doing, or whom we are to be following. My comments are
only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of
God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are
designed to keep us, as disciples, focused on Christ and our role in His
harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be
willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their
growth as disciples, making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive
commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
Anyone reading along with us is
welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own
observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition
or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any
point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as
I understand it. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a
supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we
will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples. Being in
the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the
essential essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full
presentation of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
No comments:
Post a Comment