Friday, May 15, 2020

THE SEVENTH SEAL

Today’s Reading: Revelation 8 

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

This is the original artwork for the musical “The Scroll” by Bruce Stacey, which Crossroads featured in the Pavilions of Promise at three World Expos in Vancouver, Brisbane, and Seville. Notice the seven seals! (Revelation, chapters 5-8).

 

Key Verse: Revelation 8:6

So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

 

Jim and Kathy Cantelon write today’s 100 Words segment (originally published in Crossroads’ “Day Unto Day” devotional series)…

The seventh seal is opened and a half-hour silence follows (verse 1). As the silence ends, John sees “seven angels who stand before God” being given “seven trumpets” (verse 2). These seven angels haven’t been mentioned as yet, but they are probably some kind of personification of the “seven spirits” before the throne in 1:4. They are given seven trumpets and each angel in turn blows his trumpet.

But before they blow their trumpets another angel appears. One author calls him “the angel of worship”. He offers incense at the altar, and it ascends “with the prayers of the saints…before God” (verse 4).

Here is what Lynn Harold Hough says about these events:

“It is remarkable that in the midst of all the rushing movement of the book of Revelation there is always time to set each particular experience in rich and noble perspective. The hour of worship has its own rights amid all the heavenly events. Even God’s judgments are not apart from the saints. They include the prayers of the saints.” (Interpreter’s Bible Vol. 12 p. 426).

Then the trumpet disasters begin. First come hail and fire (verse 7). Then a burning mountain falls into the sea (verse 8 ) followed by a blazing star falling on the fresh waters (verse 10). The result is a badly scorched earth and polluted sea and land waters. Then a fourth trumpet reduces all day and night light in the heavens by a third (verse 12).

The chapter ends with an eagle warning about the disasters yet to follow (verse 13). There are still three trumpets to be blown.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I pray for the wisdom and strength I need in order to respond well to these warnings of coming judgment. In the light of these future events, may I serve You more fervently with my whole heart and mind. I ask for this working of Your Holy Spirit in me in the Name of the Person who lived life at 100% of His potential, Jesus Christ. Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Jim and Kathy Cantelon spent seven years in Jerusalem planting a great congregation of Christians, and encouraging other such congregations throughout Israel. Some will be surprised to discover that there are several thousand Jewish Christians there. In some respects it is like the first century when all the early Christians were Jewish, and, of course, that included Jesus Himself (click here for the exciting ministry of Jerusalem’s King of Kings congregation). When the Cantelons returned to Canada in 1988, I immediately contacted Jim and invited him to join me as a host on the 100 Huntley Street telecast.

Revelation 7 makes interesting reading to a member of those who call themselves “Jehovah’s Witnesses.” They originally claimed that they were the 144,000. I would ask them at the door, “Of which tribe are you?” When they got to be more than 144,000 in number, they had a problem. They had experience manipulating their teachings before. They provide an example of the dangers that can arise when attempting to interpret the Bible in general, and Revelation in particular, without reference to the historical understanding of the early church leaders, as well as those who are in the mainstream of prophetic understanding today. In his excellent book, Blood Moons Rising, Dr. Mark Hitchcock (in his chapter called “The Dating Game”) writes, “Jehovah’s Witnesses founder Charles Taze Russell set 1874 as the date of Christ’s return. After that, their leaders continually earmarked various years: 1878, 1881, 1910, 1914, 1918, 1925,1975, and 1984. After nine wrong dates, they claim to have given up on predicting the time of Christ’s coming.”

Yours for remembering the Apostle Peter’s words, “No Scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Peter 1:20),

David

P.S. A lot of trumpets are blown in today’s chapter. Below is a photo of when a shofar was blown at the beginning of “Heaven’s Rehearsal” 2008 in Toronto (click here for info on Heaven’s Rehearsal). A shofar is a musical instrument of ancient origin, made of a horn, traditionally that of a ram, used for Jewish religious purposes. Like the modern bugle, the shofar lacks pitch-altering devices. All pitch control is done by varying the player’s embouchure.

The Bible in Christ Church Jerusalem is written in Hebrew. In the background you can see the menorah, a seven-branched lamp stand used in the ancient Tabernacle in the desert and Temple in Jerusalem, a symbol of Judaism since ancient times and the emblem of the modern state of Israel.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

15 thoughts on “Friday, May 15, 2020

  1. Amen to today’s scripture, photos and teaching. The first scroll photo is amazing!! No one knows Jesus’ return except for our Heavenly Father. It bothers me when certain mega preachers in the States claim they know Christ’s return or write book after book saying it is coming because of the changes taking place on earth that correlate with scripture when they know full well it cannot be predicted. They do it when their image gets too big, to purposefully gain a bigger following and multitude in book sales. Praying all saints have a blessed day. We are still and know that You are God. Amen.

    “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Matthew 24:36 NIV

    Peaceful Moments of Worship
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWZBTBeOpFs

    • we need to prayer for all people, I pray those mega Preachers repent of their sins and serve the Lord through others; they are human beings, they have feelings;they know about love,kindness;care,honestly; I am always in awe that God knows each one of us also, He knows our hearts and yet, He forgives me all my sins and I forgive others……AMAZING GRACE

      Precious people please pray for me; I am praying for a financial windfall to clear my debts; help my family;others;to invest for a better income, at the end of the day I am so thankful to the Lord for all His blessings of this day;

      Blessings to all, may God grant you good health; great wealth;happiness;a good celebration of your life; in Jesus Name we Pray amen amen amen

  2. Dear Lord God, thank You for caring for us. You know everything about every person in all the world. You are merciful, Lord, and are not willing that any should perish, so please give all Your children courage, wisdom, compassion, and boldness to share Your life-giving Word with others. Bless all Your servants, Lord, great and small, with the opportunities and desire to be soul-winners for You, in Jesus’s great name, amen

  3. Looking forward to that wonderful day when Jesus comes back. Come quickly Lord Jesus. Thank You for the promises You have given. Great to see the church & worship in today’s posting. Please pray for Leah (taken by Boko Haram 2 years ago. I believe she is 17 and became she won’t deny Christ, they won’t release her. There was an online prayer vigil yesterday for her & her baby.

    • Amen,Doreen.
      Oh,King Of Kings

      Oh,King of kings make haste I pray,
      That your return will set us free,
      Then take us Home with You to stay
      In love’s vast ocean of eternity.

      You have been the truest of friends,
      A mentor to my searching soul,
      Now is the time that Heaven lends,
      To reap the garden Satan stole.

      With open arms Your bride awaits,
      To be no more of sin’s dark lie,
      As the demon burns with his mates,
      We’re safely Home above the sky.
      G W (Bill) Marshall / Sept 06, 2013

  4. In the 80’s I worked with 2 Jehoviah’s Witnesses and a few times we had short debates.They were surprised at my biblical knowledge.I felt sure in my response to them.One told me privately that ‘they’ had one elderly lady who was “one of the 144,000” in their membership.I didn’t believe him/them but did not have the knowledge to refute that claim.Blood transfusions as opposed to consuming blood was another subject.
    This beautiful song has very touching visual accompanyment,aptly named ‘Keep Me True’.I think we owe thanks to Beverlee Kay for this one.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nobTRUxxiXk

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