July 11, 2020, Psalms 121, Revelation 19
Psalms 121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip-
he who watches over you will
not slumber;
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you--
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you be by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm-
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming
and going. Both now and forever more.
The writer is established and stable. His declarations are firm.
He writes with confidence. He proclaims with ease, "The Lord is the shade at your right hand."
I will look to the mountains;
Oh mountains,
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord!
It makes me think of a person climbing a mountain. It is just an image but the mountain represents an obstacle. You do not have to literally climb a mountain but problems and situations seem like mountains. Jesus also said, if you say to this mountain be thou removed, and believe in your heart and not doubt it shall move.
In the previous chapter he says Lord deliver me from lying lips, and the deceitful tongue that comes against me. No matter the problem he says I will look at the mountain and let him know my help comes from the Lord.
I will look to hills!
Where does my help come from hills?
It comes from the Lord.
God is bigger than the mountain, hills, and valleys.
It is has been a unique journey.
I want to say that revelation is something that people see differently. Some people see it as already taken place, some see it as happening now, and others see it as the future. I see it as all three. I love the images but I try to stay grounded. The images help with understanding. We know the nature of a beast and can picture it even though it may seem so out of place.
Revelation is filled with so much information, images, and sayings.
Most people know these things but the commentary list them so I will list them.
NIV Study Bible
Hallelujah-- 'Praise the Lord'
Hallelujah--appears four times--Is being muttered by the great multitude.
Blessed--referenced with the B-attitudes
White Horse--in Chapter one the first white horse and its rider is false religion. Towards the end of revelation this white horse is the real thing.
Robe dipped in blood--could reference the blood of the lamb, the blood of war.
Revelation 19
Threefold Hallelujah Over Babylon's Fall
After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting!
"Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to
our God,
for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great
prostitute
who corrupted the earth
by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of
his servants.
And again they shouted:
Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up
for ever and ever.
The twenty four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:
Amen, Hallelujah!
Then a voice from the throne,
saying:
Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
both great and small!
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
Hallelujah!
For our God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God's holy people.)
Then the angel said to me, Write this:
Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!And he added, "These are the true words of God."
At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Don't do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.
The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called faithful and true. With Justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.
He is dressed in a robed dipped in blood, and his name is the word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud vice to all the birds flying in midair, come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small. Then I saw the beast and the Kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
The rider on the first white horse who conquered and went on conquering represents false religion. The rider on this horse is the true and faithful one.
- He has a robe with blood on it
- His name is visible
- He has the word of God
- He speaks the word of God
- He rules with an iron scepter
- He judges with Justice
- His name is on his thigh and robe
- He does not conquer us but he calls us and invites us and we get to accept or decline.
False Religion is about conquering (it is extreme; it is violent) It will force you or kill you unless you submit to it.
To Conquer is to acquire it by force of arms; win in war:
to conquer a foreign land.
to overcome by force; subdue:
to conquer an enemy.
to gain, win, or obtain by effort, personal appeal, etc.:
False Religion lacks Jesus Christ......
- it lacks the blood (Jesus has a robe dipped in blood)
- If it does not believe in the resurrection.
- Having the right character as the religion you call yourself
- If the religion lacks justice and integrity it is a false religion.
Have a great Day!
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