Reading from Monday, December 13

Hey friends.

Thank you for your prayers - things are looking good in that area, so I really appreciate the thoughts and prayers from you guys.

Reading for December 13
Obadiah 1:1-21
New book. I wonder if there's a reason why all these short books appear at the end of the Old Testament.

There is some very specific things about specific nations during the time of the writing, but the end gets a little more general. Take a look at this little chunk of text:

¹⁵ “The day of the LORD is near
   for all nations.
As you have done, it will be done to you;
   your deeds will return upon your own head.
¹⁶ Just as you drank on my holy hill,
   so all the nations will drink continually;
they will drink and drink
   and be as if they had never been.

Now, in the New Testament, I would take "The day of the LORD" to mean Jesus' return to earth to judge the world. But in the Old Testament, would it be fair to think that the "day of the LORD" means Jesus' death? Allow me to rewrite this with that in mind...

The day of the LORD is near
for all nations.
As you have done, it will be done to him;
your deeds will return upon his head.
Just as you drank on my holy hill,
so my only son will drink continually;
He will drink and drink
and be as if no one had ever seen.

I don't think it's a coincidence that Jesus asked for "this cup" to be taken from him when he was praying in the garden the night before his crucifixion.

If anything, the original version of this text serves as a reminder that the punishment we deserved was piled upon Jesus on the day he died.

Revelation 4:1-11
OK. We see the same vision of God that crazy poo-eating Ezekiel saw back in the Old Testament. A four faced, winged hybrid beast with eyes all over its body. The description is nearly identical which means:

1) Holy crap, that's what God actually looks like. or
2) The author of Revelation knows his biblical history and knows that story of Ezekiel so well that he is seeing the vision of God that was living in his mind based on Zeke's story.

I think for non-believers, it has to be the second one, but for believers it could be either, no? I mean Ezekiel did eat poo poo.

The only thing here is that the crazy four faced God beast isn't actually God. It is something that praises God all day. I would assume that because it has four faces and four everything that it represents all the nations of the earth and they are all praising God after the second coming.

Now - more amateur analysis. This means that after the second coming, either everyone will believe in God - which the Bible leads me to think that's unlikely - or all the non believers will be killed or "removed" somehow. This is not an idea I like, in fact, I hate this idea. But based on all the text of the Bible, this exclusive, closed-door policy God is the God we serve. 

Psalm 132:1-18
Does this still apply?

 ¹³ For the LORD has chosen Zion,
   he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,
¹⁴ “This is my resting place for ever and ever;
   here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.
¹⁵ I will bless her with abundant provisions;
   her poor I will satisfy with food.
¹⁶ I will clothe her priests with salvation,
   and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.


There are people who go hungry every day - does God care for them, or only poor Jews?

Proverbs 29:24-25

 ²⁴ The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
   they are put under oath and dare not testify.
 ²⁵ Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
   but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.

Interesting how its divvy'd up here. FEAR of man is a snare but TRUST in the Lord will keep people safe.