Satan is Thrown out of Heaven (Rev. 12:7-9)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08/08/2005

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Satan kicked out of Heaven

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Revelations 12:7-9

 

            Message of the verse:  “7  And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. And the dragon and his angels waged war, 8  and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.  9  And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”

            These verses speak of a war in heaven between Michael and his angels waged war against Satan.  It may seem strange that Satan still has access in heaven, but he does as can be seen in the book of Job.  Satan is the accuser of the brethren and according to verse nine he also deceives the nations and the whole world.  One of the ways he deceives the nations is to making them think that believers are dangerous, deluded, and destructive, and the makings of this can surely be seen in this country even today.  At this point in the tribulation period Satan will be thrown out of heaven and not allowed to return there to accuse the brethren again.  Dr. Wiersbe states that the reason that Satan is kicked out of heaven at this time is because he becomes so angry after accusing the brethren at the judgment seat of Christ because the Church will be found not guilty to all of his accusations.  After this the war will begin and Satan will be kicked out.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Satan is a defeated foe who at this time has much power, and even though there are many battles yet to be fought the outcome has already been decided at the cross.  Ephesians 6:10-18 speaks of this ongoing battle, but I need not fear if I put my trust in the Lord to see me through.

 

The Word of God has been challenging to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord through all of the battles that I am going through at this time of my life, and make sure that I have given them over to the Lord and not taken them back again.

 

 

Israel Flees into the Wilderness (Rev. 12:5-6)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-07-2005

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus: Israel Flees to the Wilderness

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                 Reference:  Revelations 12:5-6

 

            Message of the verse:  “5  And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.

6  And the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she might be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.”

            Verse five is speaking of Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary, who was a descendant of David from the tribe of Judah and the Nation of Israel.  In Psalm 2 it is written of the Messiah that He would rule the nations with a rod of iron, and the last part of our verse in Revelation speaks of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and Him sitting on the right hand of God His Father.  Now verse six speaks of a future event when during the second half of the tribulation period God will prepare a place for His people, Israel to hide and it is there that He will take care of them for 1260 days, or the last half of the tribulation period.  This will all happen when Antichrist goes into the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem and commits the abomination of desolations, which was spoken of by the prophet Daniel and then spoken of again by Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is comforting to me to know that Jesus Christ is sitting on His Throne in Heaven and ruling the nations from there, and He will one day sit on His Throne in Jerusalem and rule the nations from there for 1000 years as is written about in the latter chapters of Revelations.  Satan may think he is the ruler of all that goes on here on earth but God’s Son is the ruler.

 

The Word of God was an encouragement to my heart as I read it this morning.

 

My Step of Faith Today:  In light of all that is going on in our lives it is comforting to know for sure that Jesus Christ sits on His Throne and is ruling in the affairs of man of which we are a part of.

Memory verses for the week:  1Thes. 4:3-8

 

For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor; not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God, and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.  For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.  So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

 

Satan: Next Sign in Heaven (Rev. 12:3-4)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08/06/2005

 

My Worship Time                                                        Focus:  Next sign in heaven:  Satan

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Revelations 12:3-4

 

            Message of the verse:  “3 And another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.

4 And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.”

These verses are surely speaking of Satan, and as far as the seven heads and the ten horns this will be brought up again and will be dealt with then.  It has always been the desire of Satan to destroy the way for the Messiah to come, but he failed at that and even though He may have though he succeeded  when he had Christ killed in reality that is what sealed his eventual fate of spending eternity in hell. Verse four seems to speaking about a time in the past when Satan rebelled against God and took a third of the angels with him, but it also speaks of when Satan tried to kill the Messiah when He was born, but of course never happened.  There are times when it is difficult to understand all of the symbolism that John wrote about in this book, however the best commentary for the book of Revelation is the rest of the Scriptures.

 

Spiritual meaning for my life today:   There are many times in my life when it seems like evil will win out over good, however the Scriptures say otherwise and even though times can get bad the end of the story has already been told and we win.  In these verses I am reminded of all of those little ones who were killed after Christ was born as Satan caused Herod to kill those little ones thinking that one of them was the Christ, but God saved His Son from death and caused good to triumph over evil.  This could be the same with the investment that we are involved in because there was much of the proceeds that came out of it that were going for the cause of Christ and yet in the end I do believe that God will work this all out for His glory.

 

The Word of God was both challenging to my heart and it was also refreshing at the same time.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord as we go through these unsure times concerning our investments that God will work it out for our good and for His glory.

Memory verse for the week:  1Thes. 4:3-6

 

For this is the will of God, your sanctification;, that is, that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor; not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.

  

 

Israel is the Woman (Rev. 12:1-2)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08/05/2005

 

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  Israel the Women

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Revelations 12:1-2

 

            Message of the verse:  “1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; 2 and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.”

            There have been different interpretations of this verse throughout history, but most of them are wrong because the person was trying to make his own point and was not looking at other Scriptures to make the correct interpretation.  There are many cross-references in the rest of the Bible that will help one understand what this verse is talking about.  If you go back to Genesis 37:9-10 to read about the dream that Joseph had it can be seen that this verse in Revelations is speaking of the nation of Israel.  Isaiah 54:5 speak of the nation of Israel as a woman, along with Isaiah 66:7-9, and also Jeremiah 3:6-10 and Micah 4:10 and 5:2-3. In verse 2 it can be seen that this woman is with child and she is in great pain.  For sure it was very painful for the nation of Israel, (in the person of Mary), to give birth to the Messiah, Satan, who will be introduced in the following verses, has been her enemy ever since Israel had begun as a nation for anti-Semitism began with Satan and he uses it to try and destroy the nation of Israel, but he never will for God is in control and He has a plan for the nation of Israel.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  In Genesis 12:1-3 God is speaking to Abram and he tells him something that applies to the nation of Israel which began with Abraham and his wife Sarah, God tells him that I will bless those who bless you and those who curse you I will curse.  From this verse God has given me a love for the people of Israel and I have also learned that anyone who hates a Jew just because he is a Jew will be cursed of God because that is what He said.  Perhaps some day God will give me the privilege to visit the land of Israel and also lead one of His chosen people to their Messiah. 

 

The Word of God was refreshing to me as I thought about it this morning for one day “all Israel will be saved.”

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Trust the Lord with all of my heart and not lean on my own understanding, but in all of my ways acknowledge the Lord and He has promised to direct the way that I go each day.

 

Memory verse for the week:  1Thes. 4:3-6

 

For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor; not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you and solemnly warned you.

 

Christ the Ark (Rev. 11:19)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-04-2005

 

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  Christ the Ark

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Revelations 11:19

 

             Message of the verse:  “19 And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.”

            I am not at all sure as to what this verse means because as I looked at all of the commentaries that I have on this verse it is evident that not everyone knows either for all of them have a different thing to say about it.  I would like to say that I do not believe that there is a temple in heaven like the one that was built here on earth in Israel and that may seem to go against Scripture, but I am not the only one who believes this. (Well I have changed my mind about this and now believe that there is a temple in heaven as described in Rev. 4, 5).  The other thing I would like to say is that it would not be to far fetched to say that Jesus Christ is likened unto the ark of His covenant, because when you look at Jesus Christ you see many of the same attributes in Him that are represented by the Ark of the Covenant.  The Gold surely represents His Deity, and the wood represents His humanity and even the fact that He was a carpenter growing up, and He certainly had the Law inside Him, and how could one not see the mercy seat as something that represents Christ.  The two angels represent God’s mercy and God’s judgment and God judgment is satisfied by seeing the blood on the mercy seat as the word for mercy seat in the New Testament is propitiation, God being satisfied with the finished work of Christ’s sacrifice.  Inside the Ark was Manna, and Christ is the bread of life.  Inside was the tablets of stone with the Ten Commandments on them and Christ keep the Law of God perfectly.  Also in the Ark was the Aaron’s rod that budded, and that could surely represent the believer because just as the rod was dead and then came to life through a miracle of God so it is with a believer who was surely dead and through a miracle from God comes to life in a new and wonderful way.  In conclusion there was no need for an Ark in heaven like the one on earth because there was no sin in heaven like that on earth. 

            As far as the earthquake and the thunder and lighting and the great hail storm, this may just be a preview of the coming attractions that will take place on earth to complete the wrath of God and usher in the second coming of Jesus Christ to earth.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I love the symbolism that God has included in His Word, as at times it seems to my like hidden pieces of fine gold that when a non believer looks at would never be able to find, but because I am a new creation in Christ who has His Spirit in me I will be shown these pieces of gold if I look for them through studying His Word.   

 

The Word of God was indeed a challenge to my heart as I read it and studied it this morning. 

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord as we go through these trials that he has seen to send us through so that we might become like gold as Job spoke about: Job 23:10 But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

 

Memory verses for the week:  1Thes. 4:3-6

 

For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to posses his own vessel in sanctification and honor; not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you and before and solemnly warned you.

Outline For Things to Come (Rev. 11:16-18)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 08-03-2005

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  Outline for things to come

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Revelations 11:16-18

 

            Message of the verse:  “16  And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17  saying, ‘We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast, because Thou hast taken Thy great power and hast begun to reign.  18  ‘And the nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to Thy bond-servants the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Thy name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.’”

            In verse 16 it can be seen that the 24 elders get off of their thrones and worship God, who is upon His throne and this is the third time this has been written about in this book.  This time they worship God for His soon judgment upon the earth, something that is hard for Christians today to understand fully.  God hates sin and has provided forgiveness for all who sin, which is everyone, and so those who reject this forgiveness will be judged, and those who have accepted this judgment will be judged for their works at the “Judgment Seat of Christ.”  At the end of verse 18 the elders speak of God beginning to reign and there are times, as written about in yesterdays SD, that it seems like God is not on His throne reigning, but this is not so. 

            Verse 18 speaks of the nations being enraged, and one wonders why they are enraged. And the answer is that they want their own way and because God is on the throne and because He hates and judges sin they cannot get their own way. The last portion of verse 18 speaks of God judging lost sinners and also speaks of those who are saved being judged as written about above. 

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As I think about the judgment seat of Christ, and it will be going on in heaven soon after the rapture of the Church, I think of all the ways that I have been challenged to do the things God has prepared for me to do because of the world, the flesh, and the Devil.  Yes sin is ever tempting and if I am not wholly committed to do the things of the Lord and rely wholly upon His Spirit and His Word then I will fail, however after the judgment seat of Christ and then after all of the Church comes back with Christ to rule with Him upon this earth for 1000 years all these things will be just a faded memory if that, for then I will be perfect and sin will be no more for me.

 

The Word of God was refreshing to me as I read and studied this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to read and study God’s Word in order to see God and to learn things that He would have me to learn so that I can trust Him more and more, for He indeed is ruling and reigning from His throne.

 

Memory verses for the week:  1Thes 4:3-6

 

For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel with sanctification and honor; not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.

 

 

The Lord Jesus Christ Reigning (Rev. 11:15)

SPIRITUAL DIARY for 08-02-2005

 

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  The Lord Jesus Christ Reigning

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  Revelations 11:15

 

            Message of the verse:  “15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.’” 

First is seen in this verse is that the seventh angel sounds his trumpet and then there is heard voices from heaven talking about the Lord Jesus Christ reigning forever and ever.  At first this may seem like a strange place in this book for this to be heard, after all the battle for the earth has not yet been fought and Christ is still in heaven seated at the right hand of the Father.  However when this seventh angel sounded then it will signal the start of the last set of judgments, the vial or bowl judgments and at the end of these judgments the wrath of God will be finished and the Lord Jesus Christ will return to earth and set up His Kingdom on earth that will last for 1000 years. 

Another thing to think about is that Jesus Christ has always ruled this earth and when He returned to Heaven after being resurrected from the dead after His death on the cross to pay for the sins of the world His Father gave Him His inheritance as spoken of in Psalm 2:4-9:  “4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.  5 Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury:  6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain."  7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee.  8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Thine inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Thy possession.  9 ‘Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, Thou shalt shatter them like earthenware.’"

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is a great comfort for me to KNOW that the Lord Jesus Christ is in control of all the things that are going on hear on planet earth, and that some day soon He will return to the clouds of the air to receive His Church and take us all to heaven where we will live with Him forever and ever.  There are many things going on hear on earth that make some think that God is not in control of the things that are going on here on planet earth, but there is the issue of sin and how it has taken its toll on how the things on earth are happening, however it makes me have more confidence that Jesus Christ is ruling for only He can take these seemingly bad things and make them work out for God’s glory and my good.

 

The Word of God was a comfort to my heart as I read it this afternoon.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to live my life in the power of the Holy Spirit knowing that God is the One who is in control of all the seemingly bad things that are happening to my wife and me at this time due to our financial problems.

 

 

Memory verses for the week:  1Thes. 4:3-6

 

For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possesses his own vessel in sanctification and honor; not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.