BEHOLD

Today’s Reading: Malachi 3-4

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

Just east of Jericho, beside the Jordan River, is a church that commemorates the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. The first verse of today’s reading was fulfilled by John 400 years after it was written. This is also the area where the Children of Israel crossed into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua following 40 years of wilderness wanderings.

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

Key Verses: Malachi 3:8, 16

Will a man rob God?

Yet you have robbed Me!

But you say,

“In what way have we robbed You?”

In tithes and offerings.

…Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,

And the Lord listened and heard them;

So a book of remembrance was written before Him

For those who fear the Lord

And who meditate on His name.

In yesterday’s blog we considered Malachi 3:8 concerning tithes and offerings. The paragraph (3:6-12) begins with God saying through the prophet, “I am the Lord, I do not change.” We can, therefore, assume that God has not changed His laws on financial matters with the establishment of the New Covenant, nor had He changed in His challenge, “‘Prove Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of Heaven and pour you out such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.'” (3:10).

Malachi 4, the final Words of the Old Testament, refer to the coming of one who, in God’s eyes, is a prophet like Elijah. That prophet is John the Baptist. Matthew 17:10-13 states this fact. John the Baptist, as the one who prepares the way for the coming of Jesus Christ, God with us, prophesies of a new relationship between parents and children, and most importantly, between the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and us, His children. Today’s reading begins with the word, “BEHOLD.” It’s obvious that God wants us to pay close attention to what He has to say to us here!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, change me, I pray. According to 2 Corinthians, I am being “transformed.” I am being changed “by the Spirit of the Lord.” I ask that, as I continue faithfully reading Your Word and praying each day, I will become more like You. In Your Name, Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I’m excited to know that in this blog exercise I am being recorded in a special book of remembrance being written as I type these words. I’ve just read again Malachi 3:16-18. You and I who are reading this qualify to have the Lord listen to us. According to Malachi’s words, we are the Lord’s jewels. I find myself singing a song from my childhood, “When He cometh, When He cometh, to make up His jewels, all His jewels, precious jewels, His loved and His own. Like the stars of the morning, His brightness adorning. They shall shine in their beauty, bright gems for His crown.”  Perhaps I can find this on Google… Here it is with the Gaithers and group singing (click here).

Tomorrow, God willing, we will move into the final book in our two-year journey, Revelation! I plan to do the first three chapters with a one-day stop at each one of seven the churches. Then I want to invite some special friends to help me. Back in the mid-1990’s, Crossroads published a series of eight books called, Day Unto Day. Jim and Kathy Cantelon wrote the New Testament commentaries in that two-year journey through the Bible. Recently I read through their words on the last 19 chapters of Revelation. They have done well! I’ve asked their permission to place their teachings here. They said “Yes!”

Revelation is a very challenging book! I remember my Doctor of Theology father telling me that he visited a library in London, England, which had over 1,000 different books which commented on the book of Revelation. He was told by the librarian that none of these books agreed on every point of interpretation. I don’t suppose the keeper of the books had read every one. Nevertheless, the statement may be true. However, God, through the Apostle John, promises a special blessing on all who take the time to read it (Revelation 1:3). Let’s be blessed!

Yours for the actual completion of the reading of every Word in the Bible. God willing, we’ll start all over again with refreshed readings in Matthew and Genesis in June,

David

A father and son work in a wood-shop in Nazareth Village…a first century re-enactment attraction for tourists. Today’s reading speaks to us of a special relationship between fathers and children.