Monday, February 28, 2011

Daily Bible Study Links – Mon. 2-28-2011

Daily Bible Study Links – Mon. 2-28-2011
Today’s Daily Bible Study:  


Two Year Bible Reading Plan:  http://www.dailybiblestudy.org/biblestudy/two_year 
Original text, ad free, of each daily study is provided via e-mail with a paid subscription:


Monday – Daily Bible Study – Isaiah 1:3 –  What do some animals possess that people lack  

Prior studies of the past week:
Sunday – Daily Bible Study – Psalm 8:3 –  What effort went into the creation of the universe 
Friday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:8 –  Describe righteousness 
Thursday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:7 –  Describe the wedding process 
Wednesday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:6 –  What is all of the noise about 
Tuesday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:5 –  What is the source of the voice 

Important links:
Main Daily Bible Study web site:  http://www.DailyBibleStudy.Org  
Daily Bible Study News on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/jneelyranch 
How to prepare for your daily study:  http://www.dailybiblestudy.org/how-to-prepare.html
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Isaiah 1:3

Copyright Ó 2011 J. Neely
Isaiah 1:3

3 The ox [showr] knoweth [yada`] his owner, [qanah] and the ass [chamowr] his master's [ba`al] crib: ['ebuwc] but Israel [Yisra'el] doth not know, [yada`] my people [`am] doth not consider. [biyn] KJV-Interlinear

3 "An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master's manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand." NASB

People have souls.  People have brains with intellectual capabilities of logic and reason.  People have far better potential and abilities to differentiate the truth from the lies of the world.  People have far more perceptive abilities in life and can plan and prepare for the unseen, or for what they know or believe is coming.

Animals on the other hand, possess none of these advanced characteristics, possessing only the wits of natural instinct that God has given them.

And yet, the lowly animal knows from where it comes, and to whom it belongs, and how to get out of danger or even out of bad weather.  Animals can prepare out of instinct and not much more than that, yet they cope with life and survive throughout the ages, without intellect, without technology, without sophisticated plans and means.

The ox is a strong worker, yet dumb.  The donkey is dull and stupid. 

And even these two lowly animals show more loyalty and common sense toward their masters, than do people toward God, who created them.

Man is nothing more than an essence of life inserted into dust, yet man feels nearly invincible and total control over their own life and future.  Presuming that no one and nothing is needed to help them get along in life or in history.

Man believes that he is here by accident yet destined to rule the galaxies.  And man has not even yet learned to control his own planet.

With all of the proofs that exist right before our own eyes, with all of the repetitions of life and death in our history, very few of the trillions of people born into life, have figured out what life is all about.  And fewer still know that God is there carrying the weight of history lest humanity would have failed long ago.

The high and the mighty rule and walk through life in their arrogance, while the simplest of animals have in fact, more use of sense than God gave to man.

God has a plan for each persons life. That plan is a perfect plan and is designed to bring out the best possible destiny for each individual.

Man on the other hand tries to make events fit into self-prophecy, rather than discovering true prophecy as and after, its events unfold.

Animals know little if anything about the tomorrows that lie ahead, and yet they suffer no delusions about who and what they are.

Man has all sorts of advantages over animals, and yet man can’t seem to get even his own history sorted out.

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Sunday, February 27, 2011

Daily Bible Study Links – Sun. 2-27-2011

Daily Bible Study Links – Sun. 2-27-2011
Today’s Daily Bible Study:  


Two Year Bible Reading Plan:  http://www.dailybiblestudy.org/biblestudy/two_year 
Original text, ad free, of each daily study is provided via e-mail with a paid subscription:


Sunday – Daily Bible Study – Psalm 8:3 –  What effort went into the creation of the universe 

Prior studies of the past week:
Saturday – Daily Bible Study – Psalm 8:2 –  Who sees truth more clearly  
Friday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:8 –  Describe righteousness 
Thursday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:7 –  Describe the wedding process 
Wednesday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:6 –  What is all of the noise about 
Tuesday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:5 –  What is the source of the voice 
Monday – Daily Bible Study – Isaiah 1:2 –  Who is speaking and who does not listen  

Important links:
Main Daily Bible Study web site:  http://www.DailyBibleStudy.Org  
Daily Bible Study News on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/jneelyranch 
How to prepare for your daily study:  http://www.dailybiblestudy.org/how-to-prepare.html
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Psalm 8:3

Copyright Ó 2011 J. Neely
Psalm 8:3

3 When I consider [ra'ah] thy heavens, [shamayim] the work [ma`aseh] of thy fingers, ['etsba`] the moon [yareach] and the stars, [kowkab] which thou hast ordained; [kuwn] KJV-Interlinear

3 When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; NASB

In our current verse, the creation of the universe is said to be finger work.  In Psa. 98:1, the work of salvation is said to be arm work.

However in this psalm, the abilities of man are compared with the abilities of God.

And when you consider the universe, then, if you lived back in David’s day, all you could consider was the vastness of the night sky, the vastness of the oceans, the vastness of the deserts and so forth.

But today we know far more about the universe than David knew.  We know of the genetics of life, we know  of the real vastness of the universe, of galaxies, and such.  We know of the complicated spectrums of light and radio waves and of gravity and the basic elements (oxygen, nitrogen, helium, etc.) that surround us all.  We know the movement of the ocean currents by conveyors, we know of the weightlessness of outer space.  There are even credible theories of numerous dimensions that somehow trap or allow gravity to bleed off into other dimensions, rather than crushing us all.  And there is so, so, so much more to this universe that I could not even begin to list all of the attributes from microscopic life to the virtually infinite vastness of space.

And yet with all of its vastness and intricate detail, God was able to create the entire universe in all of its factors, out of nothing, and created it all in an instant.

The universe is estimated to be about 15 billion light-years to the outermost point that can be viewed.

By comparison our little planet is insignificant is such a vast expanse.

Man is but a pile of dust, into which God placed human life.  So if you take away the dust (our physical body), then we are nothing more than a floating human life entity of which there is no substance nor even something to measure.

So the question being asked will come in the next verse, but suffice to say, what is man, given the vast even infinite power and ability and omnipresence of God?

God ordained the entire universe.  Ordained means just that.  He authored the universe, designed the universe, invented the universe, and brought it into existence, even sustains the universe, keeping it in existence.  Without God, the universe would cease.  Without God, nothing would exist.

So that might be a good principle to learn in this study.  Without God, you and your life are nothing, which by the way is exactly what you and I and everyone are – nothing.  So, how can nothing presume to be better than something that is infinite?

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Saturday, February 26, 2011

Daily Bible Study Links – Sat. 2-26-2011

Daily Bible Study Links – Sat. 2-26-2011
Today’s Daily Bible Study:  


Two Year Bible Reading Plan:  http://www.dailybiblestudy.org/biblestudy/two_year 
Original text, ad free, of each daily study is provided via e-mail with a paid subscription:


Saturday – Daily Bible Study – Psalm 8:2 –  Who sees truth more clearly  

Prior studies of the past week:
Friday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:8 –  Describe righteousness 
Thursday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:7 –  Describe the wedding process 
Wednesday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:6 –  What is all of the noise about 
Tuesday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:5 –  What is the source of the voice 
Monday – Daily Bible Study – Isaiah 1:2 –  Who is speaking and who does not listen  
Sunday – Daily Bible Study – Psalm 8:1 –  Who is deserving of praise 

Important links:
Main Daily Bible Study web site:  http://www.DailyBibleStudy.Org  
Daily Bible Study News on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/jneelyranch 
How to prepare for your daily study:  http://www.dailybiblestudy.org/how-to-prepare.html
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Psalm 8:2

Copyright Ó 2011 J. Neely
Psalm 8:2

2 Out of the mouth [peh] of babes [`owlel] and sucklings [yanaq] hast thou ordained [yacad] strength [`oz] because of thine enemies, [tsarar] that thou mightest still [shabath] the enemy ['oyeb] and the avenger. [naqam] KJV-Interlinear

2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes Thou hast established strength, Because of Thine adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease. NASB

The typical behavior of the arrogant person is boasting and pride in themselves, or in the various attributes of the world.  That is to say, educated people tend to boast of their education.  Titled people tend to boast of their titles.  Accomplished people tend to boast of their accomplishments.  Opinionated people tend to boast of their opinions, and so forth.

These then are the high and the mighty (in their own eyes) and they place great value on their personal efforts or positions or place in society.

In the time of Jesus, the Pharisees, were such people.  They placed great pride in their positions as priests, and in their custody of the volumes of Levitical rules and regulations, that were in fact suffocating the general population.  So far had they departed for the basic truths of scripture, that their high educations had become blinders to their own errors.

In our present day, we still have the high and the mighty.  Often times called the ‘man’ or the ‘elite’ of society, using general terms, they too are in positions of power or influence or celebrityship, and just as the Pharisees were blind in their own arrogance, so too these folks are blinded by their own delusions of power, position, and grandeur of themselves.

They all, from every generation, have been the deceivers with lies, and have led the deceived public in their schemes, which are destined to doom for everyone.  This destiny of doom will of course not reach its fullness until the Tribulation.

On the other side of the coin, as it were, are the humble, or those who do not presume to be the elite or desired of the world.  They see things for their common sense, even though they lack the education, or intellect, or public presentation and notoriety of society.

Here is a verse that Jesus quoted, Matt. 21:16, when the Pharisees were condemning the ‘common’ folks for their praise of Jesus.  Common folks lack the sophistication of the elite.  But then the elite think very highly of themselves, looking down their noses at those who do not possess the same social status that they occupy.

And here David describes the huge difference between the arrogant elite and the naïve masses, in terms of little children and infants.

Little children and infants possess little if any knowledge, little if any understanding, little if any wisdom.  Not too many infants of mothers milk nursing age, know very much more than hunger and sleep.

That is a far cry from one who possesses numerous post graduate degrees, and maintains advanced intellectual skills.

So, the contrast is between the infant and the genius, so to speak.  Which is the smarter of the two?

The intellectual think that they can run the world, and with all of their intellect and power and knowledge and human ability, they screw things up miserably.  Their ultimate objective is of course, their maintaining of their own positions and the increase of power and prestige versus getting anything done for the common person.

God on the other hand, can use the humble and the ignorant and the helpless, to accomplish His objective of defeating sin and evil and sustaining history and bringing it all together to the ultimate end of human history with victory for the humble and defeat of the proud.

The proud actually defeat themselves.

Strength, truth, comes from the most innocent sources, while evil has to be manufactured, modified, and sculpted into a variety of deceptions.

Truth comes naturally, while evil requires great effort.

And because of the enemies of God, who promote arrogance as the foundation of their policies, then God utilizes the simply things in life to defeat those who would be great in their own eyes.

And ultimately, the enemies of God, will be stilled, quieted, silenced permanently and forever, by means of the most fundamental and simple of sources.

The enemies of God and of truth rely on human ingenuity with great effort to accomplish their ends.  God uses faith to accomplish His purpose.

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Friday, February 25, 2011

Daily Bible Study Links – Fri. 2-25-2011

Daily Bible Study Links – Fri. 2-25-2011
Today’s Daily Bible Study:  


Two Year Bible Reading Plan:  http://www.dailybiblestudy.org/biblestudy/two_year 
Original text, ad free, of each daily study is provided via e-mail with a paid subscription:


Friday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:8 –  Describe righteousness 

Prior studies of the past week:
Thursday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:7 –  Describe the wedding process 
Wednesday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:6 –  What is all of the noise about 
Tuesday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:5 –  What is the source of the voice 
Monday – Daily Bible Study – Isaiah 1:2 –  Who is speaking and who does not listen  
Sunday – Daily Bible Study – Psalm 8:1 –  Who is deserving of praise 
Saturday – Daily Bible Study – Psalm 7:17 –  Who best deserves the position of judge  

Important links:
Main Daily Bible Study web site:  http://www.DailyBibleStudy.Org  
Daily Bible Study News on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/jneelyranch 
How to prepare for your daily study:  http://www.dailybiblestudy.org/how-to-prepare.html
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Revelation 19:8

Copyright Ó 2011 J. Neely
Revelation 19:8

8 And [kai] to her [autos] was granted [didomi] that [hina] she should be arrayed [periballo] in fine linen, [bussinos] clean [katharos] and [kai] white: [lampros] for [gar] the fine linen [bussinos] is [esti] the righteousness [dikaioma] of saints. [hagios]KJV-Interlinear

8 And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. NASB

Before the wedding ceremony, the bride must be cleansed of all contaminations and filth (washed), and then dressed in the perfection of white and thus presented the groom, as a virgin (pure through and through).

That is the imagery and concept of the wedding.  Two parties, both perfect, being brought together into a union that is both permanent and eternal.

When we as believers, first believed in Christ, Gods righteousness was imputed into us.  We all came to salvation as lost and filthy sheep, as it were.  But Gods righteousness cleansed us from all sin from the date of our birth up to the point of our initial faith in Christ, Rom 3:21-24; 4:5; 5:19; 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:8-9.

But of course as you know, with very little time, we all commit our first sin after being saved, and we continue to commit sins throughout our life.  No one is perfect.  Thus the reason for confession, which is our acknowledgement of our sin, and permits God to bring us back into fellowship for a short time, until we commit our next sin and so forth.

When we arrive in heaven we will be souls filled with various quantities of wood, hay, and stubble, and at the Judgment Seat of Christ, we will be cleaned with a purifying fire, washing away all of the human good, and remaining sin that happens to be clinging to us at that point.

Then comes the evaluation, and rewards and decorations that Christ will bestow on each believer, and then we will be fully qualified to attend and participate in the Marriage ceremony, having been cleansed of all filth and dressed in pure white linen as described in this verse.

These things are granted to us, by God.  Granted means just that,  It is not by our effort that we earn or deserve this position, but by Gods grace and His work, which we receive this gift of perfection.  Mans righteousness, as Isaiah stated, are as filthy rags (menstrual rags), and are by no means anything to boast about, for obvious reasons.

Gods righteousness comes from God, and from no other source, 1 Jn. 3:2, and as so then, we will be just like Him (in perfection), Rom. 8:19-21.  This will be the fulfillment of Rom. 8:19-21.

Fine linen is the most expensive cloth available, and from heaven there will be none finer.

The fine clothing describes and attests to our possession of Gods righteousness which is inside of us, together with the blessings and rewards which garnish our outward appearance, thus making us complete through and through, in perfection, by Gods standards, not ours.  And thus legitimately ready for the permanent union with God.

God does all of the work.  We are the beneficiaries of His work.

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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Daily Bible Study Links – Thurs. 2-24-2011

Daily Bible Study Links – Thurs. 2-24-2011
Today’s Daily Bible Study:  


Two Year Bible Reading Plan:  http://www.dailybiblestudy.org/biblestudy/two_year 
Original text, ad free, of each daily study is provided via e-mail with a paid subscription:


Thursday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:7 –  Describe the wedding process 

Prior studies of the past week:
Wednesday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:6 –  What is all of the noise about 
Tuesday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:5 –  What is the source of the voice 
Monday – Daily Bible Study – Isaiah 1:2 –  Who is speaking and who does not listen  
Sunday – Daily Bible Study – Psalm 8:1 –  Who is deserving of praise 
Saturday – Daily Bible Study – Psalm 7:17 –  Who best deserves the position of judge  
Friday – Daily Bible Study – Revelation 19:4 –  Who now joins in the celebration 

Important links:
Main Daily Bible Study web site:  http://www.DailyBibleStudy.Org  
Daily Bible Study News on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/jneelyranch 
How to prepare for your daily study:  http://www.dailybiblestudy.org/how-to-prepare.html
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Revelation 19:7

Copyright Ó 2011 J. Neely
Revelation 19:7

7 Let us be glad [chairo] and [kai] rejoice, [agalliao] and [kai] give [didomi] honour [doxa] to him: [autos] for [hoti] the marriage [gamos] of the Lamb [arnion] is come, [erchomai] and [kai] his [autos] wife [gune] hath made [hetoimazo] herself [heautou] ready. [hetoimazo] KJV-Interlinear

7 "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." NASB

The marriage ceremony has been around since Eve was given to Adam and throughout history.  Generally in Old Testament times, and even in our current age, the wedding ceremony has been an elaborate celebration of joy and happiness bringing two people together into a relationship that is supposed to last forever.

In our temporal realm, we know that this concept though celebrated, often times, does not last very long.

But in the spiritual realm, it has been passed down through the ages as a principle of Gods promise to have His people with Him, forever.

The wedding ceremony not only teaches the honor and integrity of a marriage relationship, but also teaches the principles of dispensations, and the fulfillment of Gods promises to those who believe in Him.  This is also, a major component in understanding Gods overall plan for history, as taught through the imagery and parables of the marriage process.

But you need to understand the basics of the marriage process before you can understand the spiritual principles taught.

There are three distinct elements in the wedding process. 

First, there is the betrothal.  This is the engagement, wherein the parents enter into an arrangement, contracting the marriage of their children.  It was a legally binding contract, and could only be dissolved by a divorce, Matt. 1:18-19.  Note, that although the two parties were engaged, they were not married, nor had they consummated the marriage.

The betrothal was arranged by the parents long before the children were of marrying age and often times took lots of planning and preparation before the children were grown up.  The boy had to be prepared for his bride and the girl had to go through a preparation period for her groom.

Second, is the presentation stage of the wedding ceremony.  It was a time of time of festivities just before the actual wedding.  This party or celebration could last for several days or weeks depending on what the parents could afford.

Third, was the actual ceremony in which the vows were exchanged.  At the end of the presentation celebration, the groom would go to the Brides home, and take her and her brides maids to the actual ceremony.  After the vows were exchanged, then the final meal would be eaten, followed by the consummation of the marriage

This is the typical marriage arrangement sequence from the Jewish times in the Old Testament:

The father of the groom chose the bride, for his son, Gen 38:6 .
Wedding "vows" are made (terms of the marriage), an "agreement" was drawn up.
A wedding "dowry" is established, which is a gift from the father of the groom to the bride, to complete the agreement.
A "betrothal" period begins. During this betrothal period, the groom prepares a home for the bride, and they do not see each other until the day of the wedding.
The actual presentation "ceremony" is when the groom goes to the house of the bride and takes her from her home to his home.
The presentation ceremony lasts for several days.
Friends of the bride gather outside the wedding chamber.
Friends of the groom gather outside as well.
The complete wedding party waits outside the wedding chamber, waiting for the bride and groom to come out, and the celebration, or wedding supper, begins.
The bride and groom consummate the marriage.

This is how the wedding process fits our dispensation:

Election.  God the Father chose us to be the bride of Christ, Eph 1:4.
Terms, salvation.  Believe in Christ, Rom 10:9.

Dowry.  The Holy Spirit is our "down payment" on our relationship to Christ, 2 Cor 1:22,.
Betrothal.  We are the betrothed, or espoused to Christ, and He has gone to prepare a place for us, John 14:2-3. The Church Age is the betrothal period , 2 Cor 11:2.

Presentation of the Bride.  The Raptured Church, is not raptured until it is complete. The bride does not go to the marriage ceremony until she is fully dressed and ready, Eph. 5:25-27.
Bride Retrieved.  The Rapture of the Church. We are removed from our "brides home" (earth) and taken to His "grooms home" (heaven), 1 Thess 4:16-17, Rev 4:1, Isa 26:19-21, Mark 2:19-20; Matt 9:15; Luke 5:34-35; John 3:28-29.

The presentation celebration will last for seven years, the duration of the Tribulation.
At the end of the presentation period, the seven years of the Tribulation, then the time for the final union will have arrived and the time for the great supper celebration, which will last for 1000 years.  God is rich and can afford a party that will last that long.

Friends of the Bride.  The Tribulation martyrs and those who physically live through the Tribulation are the friends of the bride. They knew Church Age saints in person prior to the Rapture.
Friends of the Groom.  The Old Testament saints are the friends of the groom. Many of them knew Jesus in His earthly ministry.

So, having been betrothed in eternity past, and presented in heaven following the Rapture, the Church is ready for the actual wedding ceremony.  That coincides with the Millennial reign of Christ.

This leaves the consummation of the marriage, and that will occur at the end of the Millennium, when the current universe will be destroyed and the new universe is created, and then not only the Church, but all of redeemed believers (Old Testament) will be restored to their rightful place as a wife, and thus the marriage will be complete and will last forever, never to be ended.

The parables of the marriage feast, Matt. 22:1-14, and of the ten virgins, Matt. 8:11-12, teach the principles of Israel's apostasy and her rejection of God (which rejection will be removed at the end of the Millennium), and of spiritual preparation or lack of it with regard to the five foolish and five wise virgins.  These do not portray the wedding process as described above.

Throughout the Old Testament, the scriptures describe Israel as the faithless wife, who falls from grace and then is restored at the end of the ages.  This is a separate principle describing the grace of God and the results of repentance to ones full and complete position in God.

Back to our verse then. 

The wife has made herself ready.  Then having been completed on earth (all of the believers who will be included in our current dispensation), then raptured to Gods home, then we will face the Judgment Seat of Christ, be cleansed, evaluated, rewarded and then completed with decorations as are fitting of a bride.

All of history paints a picture of our relationship with Christ.  Those who abide with the terms of the betrothal (faith in Christ) will be included in the marriage.  Those who reject the terms of the betrothal (rejection of Christ), will be divorced (unbelievers to the Lake of Fire).

Only the wife (believers) will enjoy the inheritance of eternity.  Non-family members (unbelievers) will not.

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