Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open its Seals

Tuesday 15Mar2022

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This afternoon as I read from Revelation chapters 6 to 11 the breaking of the Seven Seals by the Lamb of God, followed by the sounding of the Seven Trumpets, right until the moment when the Seven Bowls are about to be poured out, I am reminded of the vision that was revealed to the Apostle John in an earlier chapter:

In Revelation chapter 5, John saw a vision of God sitting on His throne surrounded by twenty-four elders. In the midst of the elders appeared four living creatures. On the right Hand of God on the Throne John saw a book sealed with seven seals.

When no one was found worthy to break the seals and to read the book, John began to weep.

After one of the twenty-four elders comforted John, telling him not to weep because the Lion of Judah has overcome to open the book and its seven seals (Rev5:5), John saw in his vision a Lamb standing in the midst of the elders and the living creatures, "a Lamb standing, as slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God [which are] sent into all the earth:" (Rev 5:6 JND).

When the Lamb took the book from the right hand of God on the Throne, a series of sinnging and praises rang out:

First, from the four living creatures and twenty-four elders:

Revelation 5:6 - 10  JND  J.N.Darby's Translation

6 And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God [which are] sent into all the earth:

7 and it came and took [it] out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

8 And when it took the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, having each a harp and golden bowls full of incenses, which are the prayers of the saints.

9 And they sing a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open its seals; because thou hast been slain, and hast redeemed to God, by thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,

10 and made them to our God kings and priests; and they shall reign over the earth.

Then, a host of angels, ten thousands of ten thousands and thousands of thousands, joined the four living creatures and twenty-four elders:

Revelation 5:11 - 12  JND

11 And I saw, and I heard [the] voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and their number was ten thousands of ten thousands and thousands of thousands;

12 saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that has been slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

Finally, every creature in the heaven, upon the earth and under the earth, upon the sea and all things in them, joined in to glorify God and the Lamb:

Revelation 5:13 - 14  JND

13 And every creature which is in the heaven and upon the earth and under the earth, and [those that are] upon the sea, and all things in them, heard I saying, To him that sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb, blessing, and honour, and glory, and might, to the ages of ages.

14 And the four living creatures said, Amen; and the elders fell down and did homage.

The breaking of the seven seals of the book from the right Hand of God sets in motion a long series of calamities and judgments that will sweep across the world.

Over the last two years, I have put together an outline of these calamities and judgments under the Seven Seals, Seven Trumpets and Seven Bowls, link below:

• Seven Seals, Seven Trumpets, Seven Bowls (18Dec20)

To him that overcometh

Monday 14Mar2022

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In my reading of the Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 today, I observed that our Lord promised a reward "to him who overcomes" after he has praised and reproved each assembly. I have listed these rewards briefly below:

(1) To the angel of the assembly of Ephesus ("thou hast left thy first love" Rev 2:4):

Revelation 2:7  NWB  Noah Webster Bible
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

(2) To the angel of the assembly in Smyrna ("I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)" Rev 2:9):

Revelation 2:11  NWB
He that overcometh, shall not be hurt by the second death.

(3) To the angel of the assembly in Pergamos (some hold the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans Rev 2:14, 15):

Revelation 2:17  NWB
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, he excepted, that receiveth it.

(4) To the angel of the assembly in Thyatira ("thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit lewdness, and to eat things sacrificed to idols." Rev 2:20):

Revelation 2:26 - 28  NWB
And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works to the end, to him will I give power over the nations: (And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers:) even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning-star.

(5) To the angel of the assembly in Sardis ("thou hast a name, that thou livest, and art dead." Rev 3:1):

Revelation 3:5  NWB
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

(6) To the angel of the assembly in Philadellphia ("thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." Rev 3:8):

Revelation 3:12  NWB
Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

(7) To the angel of the assembly of the Laodiceans ("thou art luke-warm, and neither cold nor hot" Rev 3:16):

Revelation 3:21  NWB
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on his throne.

Back in November 2020, I also wrote my observations on the titles given to our Lord in the letters to the Seven Churches, link below:

• The Amen, Faithful, True Witness, Head of God's Creation

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us strive to be among those who have overcome, that we may receive the rewards promised by our Lord in His Letters to the Seven Churches.

And this is His Commandment . . .

Sunday 13Mar2022

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Today I am reminded from First John chapter 3 in my New Testament reading that God has given us His commandment, "that we should believe" on the name of His Son Iesus the Anointed One, and that we should love one another

1 John 3:22 - 24  NWB  Noah Webster Bible

22 And whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

23 And this is his commandment; That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

24 And he that keepeth his commandments, dwelleth in him, and he in him. And by this we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us hold fast to our belief in the Name of Iesus, the Son of God, and let us never fail in our love for one another. This is His Commandment.

Be not entangled and overcome by the pollutions of the world

Saturday 12Mar2022

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In chapter two of the Second Epistle of Peter, we read detailed descriptions of false prophets and teachers of falsehoods among the assembly of believers. People like these false teachers are said to be full of "pollution of the world", a term used in verse 20. The following is a list of some descriptions of people full of worldly pollutions mentioned in this chapter:

2 Peter 2  WNT  Weymouth New Testament

verse 10

sensuality--craving

scorning control

fool-hardy and self-willed

verse 12

abusive in matters of which they are ignorant,

verse 13

feeding luxuriously at their love-feasts

verse 14

eyes full of adultery

verse 18

frivolous and arrogant talk,

use earthly cravings--every kind of immorality to entrap others

Towards the end of the chapter, the apostle Peter warns the brethren in the assembly that if they are ever to be entangled again with such pollutions, and are "overcome" by them, they are akin to a dog returning to its vomit, and a sow rolling in its filth after washing itself. (See Proverbs 26:11)

2 Peter 2:20 - 22  WNT  Weymouth New Testament

20 For if, after escaping from the pollutions of the world through a full knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, people are once more entangled in these pollutions and are overcome, their last state has become worse than their first.

21 For it would have been better for them not to have fully known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandments in which they were instructed.

22 Their case is that described in the true proverb, 'A dog returns to what he has vomited,' and also in the other proverb, 'The sow has washed itself and now goes back to roll in its filth.'

Proverbs 26:11  WEB  World English Bible

As a dog that returns to his vomit, So is a fool who repeats his folly.

Faith without works is dead

Thursday 10Mar2022

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Today in my New Testament reading, I am confronted with an assertion in James chapter 2 about a believer's faith and works. It is a teaching, an undeniable truth, that is seldom taught in the Church.

In this chapter, the Apostle James asks in verse 14, "

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?"

He goes on to point out that if any of us sees a brother or a sister without clothes or without food, and if we only say,

"Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled . . ."

without doing anything for that brother or sister, then our faith is dead.

In verses 17 to 24, the apostle has this to say:

James 2:17, 18, 24  KJV  King James Version

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

This passage in James chapter 2 reminds us of the teaching of our Lord Iesus in Matthew chapter 5:

Matthew 5:16  KJV  King James Version

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anonted One, today we see that our faith must be proven by our works. Faith without works is dead. Let us live our lives before all men in this world such that they can see our good works and so glorify God our Father in Heaven.

If My people who are called by My Name . . .

Tuesday 08Mar2022

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Today I read in chapter seven of 2nd Chronicles the words of YHWH to King Solomon at the consecration of the First Temple, promising the children of Israel that He will hear them when they humble themselves and seek Him:

2 Chronicles 7:14  RSV  Revised Standard Version

if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us turn from our wicked ways. Let us pray to God our Father in Heaven and seek His face. Let us humble ourselves, that He may hear from heaven and forgive us of our sins and heal us.

God's Son, God's Rest, God's Priest

Tues 08Mar2022 10:30 hrs GMT+8

Lecture slides presented to a Methodist Youth Fellowship meeting back in May 2002: An overview of Hebrews chapters 1 to 10.

View link below:

• God's Son Rest Priest

The Priestly Order of Melchizedek

Monday 07Mar2022

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From my reading of Hebrews chapter 6 today, I came across a verse mentioning the priestly Order of Melchizedek, below:

Hebrews 6:19 - 20  KJV  King James Version

19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

The mention of Melchizedek in verse 20 above is a reference to the promise in Psalm 110:4, made with an oath by the LORD, that the Anointed One will be a priest forever after the Order of Melchizedek

Psalm 110:4  KJV

The LORD hath sworn,
and will not repent,
Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Between the years 2020 to 2014, I wrote seven blogposts about my observations on what the Bible says concerning this everlasting Priest. A list of links to these seven posts can be found via the link below:

• A Priest Forever after the Order of Melchizedek (Oct2021)

Calling on the Name of the Lord Iesus the Anointed One

Sun 06Mar2022 20:45 hrs GMT+8

These notes were originally written in my note book on 23Dec2014 and has been left there for about eight years. Tonight, I came across the note and decided that I must post it here in this devotional blog.

Acts 19:13 records explicit evidence of how people called on the Name of the Lord Iesus the Anointed One in New Testament times.

Acts 19:13  NKJV  New King James Version

Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”

From verse 13 above, we can say that one calls upon the Name of the Lord with words such as,

• "by the Name of Iesus" or
• "in the Name of Iesus".

Similarly, in Acts 16:18 and in Acts 22:16. And compare with Acts 4:30 also:

Acts 16:18  NKJV  New King James Version

And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.

Acts 22:16  NKJV

And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

Acts 4:30  NKJV

by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

From the above verses, we can see that calling on the Name of the Lord is done by uttering, "in the Name of Iesus the Anointed". As such, whenever we come across the expression, "call on the Name of Iesus", as shown in Acts 9:14 and 1 Corinthians 1:2 below, we shall understand it to mean the utterance of "in the Name of Iesus".

Acts 9:14  NKJV  New King James Version

And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

1 Corinthians 1:2  NKJV

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One. Let us call on the Name of Iesus the Anointed One. Let us call on the Name of our Lord.

In the Name of our Lord Iesus Anointed, Amen.

Things to flee from, Things to follow after

Saturday 05Mar2022

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Today, in my New Testament readings, I finished reading the last three chapters of the First Timothy and went on to read all four chapters of Second Timothy. Tomorrow I will proceed with the next pastoral Epistle to Titus.

1 Timothy 6:3 - 5  ASV  American Standard Version

3 If any man teacheth a different doctrine, and consenteth not to sound words, [even] the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

4 he is puffed up, knowing nothing, but doting about questionings and disputes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

5 wranglings of men corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, supposing that godliness is a way of gain.

In the short passage from 1 Timothy chapter 6 above, the Apostle describes the behaviour of some people who, thinking that "godliness" is a way of making gains, have become puffed up with questions and disputes, bringing about envy, strife, railings and "evil surmisings" in the assembly.

A little further in verses 9 and 10, the Apostle points out that such profit-minded people, who are "minded to be rich", fall into temptation which leads to their destruction because the love of money in the root of all evil.

1 Timothy 6:9 - 10  ASV  American Standard Version

9 But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

In verse 11, the Apostle calls Timothy a man of God and tells him to flee "these" things, things such as temptations and snares, and foolish and hurtful lusts, things that drown men in destruction perdition, all arising from the love of money.

He tells Timothy to follow after a list of six other things instead:

1 Timothy 6:11  ASV  American Standard Version

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Iesus the Anointed One, let us flee from the love of money. Let us instead follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness in our lives.

The Three Famous soldiers of King David

In my Old Testament reading today, a passage in First Chronicles chapter 11 tells us that King David had Three Famous Soldiers (or Three Mighty Warriors, in some translations).

1 Chronicles 11:10 - 14  GNB  Good News Bible

10 This is the list of David's famous soldiers. Together with the rest of the people of Israel, they helped him to become king, as the LORD had promised, and they kept his kingdom strong.

11 First was Jashobeam of the clan of Hachmon, the leader of “The Three”. He fought with his spear against 300 men and killed them all in one battle. 12 Next among the famous “Three” was Eleazar son of Dodo, of the clan of Ahoh. 13 He fought on David's side against the Philistines at the battle of Pas Dammim. He was in a barley field when the Israelites started to run away, 14 so he and his men made a stand in the middle of the field and fought the Philistines. The LORD gave him a great victory.

The above passage, however, mentions the names of only two famous soldiers, "Jashobeam, clan of Hachmon" and "Eleazar son of Dodo". It appears that a third name has been left out.

A cross reference of this passage can be found in 2 Samuel chapter 23 where the names of all three famous soldiers are mentioned in verses 8 to 11, with the leader's name rendered as "Josheb Basshebeth from Tachemon" (a variation of "Jashobeam from Hachmon"):

2 Samuel 23:8 - 11  GNB  Good News Bible

8 These are the names of David's famous soldiers: the first was Josheb Basshebeth from Tachemon, who was the leader of “The Three”; he fought with his spear against 800 men and killed them all in one battle.

9 The second of the famous three was Eleazar son of Dodo, of the clan of Ahoh. One day he and David challenged the Philistines who had gathered for battle. The Israelites fell back, 10 but he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand was so stiff that he could not let go of his sword. The LORD won a great victory that day. After it was over, the Israelites returned to where Eleazar was and stripped the armour from the dead.

11 The third of the famous three was Shammah son of Agee, from Harar. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a field of peas. The Israelites fled from the Philistines, 12but Shammah stood his ground in the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. The LORD won a great victory that day.

From both the accounts in 2 Samuel 23 and 1 Chronicles 11, we learn that King David's Famous Three are as follows:

1. Josheb Basshebeth from Tachemon ("thou will make me wise"),
2. Eleazar ("God has helped") son of Dodo ("his beloved") clan of Ahoh ("brother of rest"), and
3. Shammah son of Agee from Harar.