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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Friday, 22 December 2023:
Zechariah 9:9-12 — Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey [see John 12:14]. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth [see Matthew 28:18-20]. As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you [see Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; and 1 Corinthians 11:25], I will set your prisoners free [see Galatians 5:1] from the waterless pit [see John 7:38; and Revelation 7:17]. Return to your stronghold [see Psalm 27:1], O prisoners of hope [see Ephesians 3:1 and 4:1].
Zechariah 9:16, 17 — On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty!
- Revelation 20:11-15 — Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it…. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Christmas is a day to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of so many prophecies of the Old Testament such as Zechariah’s prophecy referenced above and written around 520 B.C. It is also a day to proclaim our hope (complete confidence), as “prisoners of hope” in our salvation and in Christ’s eventual return when He will make all things new and reign over a new heaven and earth.
Today and every day, rejoice in the salvation you have in Christ alone, and give thanks that on Judgment Day, there is another book, the book of life, which trumps the book of rights and wrongs (upon which no one can stand).
- Romans 6:23 — For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
- Romans 3:21 — But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it….
- Romans 3:28 — For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
- Romans 1:16-17 — For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
- Romans 8:1-4 — There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
- Romans 5:1 — Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 17:1, 2 — Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.
God will judge all infidelity.
Revelation 17:1-14 – Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.
The world’s powers offer enjoyment and success, but they are evil, opposed to God, and will not win in the end.
Revelation 17:6 — And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
The wicked take pleasure in persecuting Christians, and God allows His people to be persecuted for His purposes, but the faithful are honored by God in the end.
World powers are tied to Satan who was defeated at the cross, but still exercises power until end time.
Revelation 17:9 — This calls for a mind with wisdom.
Understanding God’s word requires more than just intellect, it requires wisdom. Many have a mind (intellect) without wisdom. Wisdom comes only from God — it is not something we can achieve without the revelation of the Holy Spirit. Only God can show us what we cannot possibly understand from our own knowledge. You must have Holy Spirit given wisdom to study and understand this book.
Revelation 17:14 — They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.
True followers of Jesus are both chosen and faithful to Him.
Revelation 17:17 — For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
God’s people seek with great daily diligence to have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16; Phil 4:7), while the wicked have the mind of Satan. Both groups have unity, the Christians unified in Christ and everyone else unified in Satan. Today, there are many calls for unity, but unity apart from Jesus results in collective destruction.
God will use evil earthly powers in His plan to defeat evil. He remains in control, allowing the evil to believe that they have succeeded in their plans.
Revelation 17:18 — And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.
The woman appears to be a world system (government, economic, values, etc.) that controls seven major nations (v9), five nations fall to one major power who reigns under the one-world system for a while and is replaced by another nation who reign under the one-world system for a while. (vs 9, 10) An eighth power will rise with ten kings. (vs 11, 12)
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 22 December 2023: Today and every day, as you rejoice in the Lord, proclaim the Gospel to as many as you can.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 