TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Zechariah 9:14-17
The Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. - Zechariah 9:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
This past summer, the nation was riveted by a drama near a small Pennsylvania town. After accidentally drilling into an abandoned shaft, nine coal miners were trapped 240 feet below ground in a nearly flooded tunnel. More than 100 workers drilled day and night in a race to save them. Would they be in time?

After about 80 hours of drilling, pumping air in and water out, and technical problem-solving, the rescuers finally reached the trapped men and pulled them up to safety through a special rescue tube. “I didn’t think I was going to see my wife and kids again,” said one rescued miner. “It was a miracle. Between God and my wife and the kids, that’s the only things that got me through.”

Rescue and life are what the Messiah’s Advent signify as well. Continuing from verse 13, we again see the Lord marching forth as a Divine Warrior to save His people (cf. Hab. 3:11–15). This metaphor is often accompanied in Scripture by thunderstorm imagery, showing the superior, supernatural, utterly different nature of His battles.

The bowl simile in verse 15 is particularly rich and complex. Since the bowl was full, it suggested the completeness or totality of the Lord’s victory. It also implied the joy of victory, since it’s linked to an immediately preceding statement about wine. Most importantly, since a sprinkling bowl would have been full of blood from the sacrifices, this figure of speech meant that God’s triumph would inspire worship.

Verse 16 also used figurative language to summarize God’s salvation and love for His people. In one picture, they were a flock, implying that He was their Shepherd, a familiar and comforting metaphor of care, guidance, and provision (cf. Ps. 100:3). In a second picture, they were sparkling jewels, that is, God’s special treasure, living trophies of His glory (cf. Isa. 62:3).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Our suggested extra reading today is Psalm 18:7–19. As in our main reading, the Lord is pictured as a mighty, supernatural warrior coming in power and glory to save His people. The difference is that in Zechariah, God comes to rescue a nation, while in Psalm 18, He comes to rescue an individual: “He drew me out of deep waters” (v. 16).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Zechariah 10:1-12
From Judah will come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler. - Zechariah 10:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Anyone who’s ever been on a family camping trip knows the importance of a single tent peg. If even one stake or length of rope is out of place or not set securely, the tent will sag lopsidedly, rip, or even collapse.

“Tent peg” is one of the less familiar metaphors for the Messiah mentioned in today’s reading, but it’s a good one. This chapter continues the themes of the past few days: Messiah’s coming, His mission of rescue and restoration, and the blessings resulting from His work.

First, we see images of spring showers, focusing on the fact that it’s the Lord who sends rain, not idols (vv. 1–2). God was angry with false prophets and deceiving leaders--the people needed to listen to their true Shepherd, not to be led astray by empty lies.

There are also many pictures of strength and victory here. God planned to make Judah “like a proud horse in battle” (v. 3). The nation will overthrow their enemies (v. 5). When the Lord brings His people home, they will “pass through the sea of trouble,” a clear allusion to the Red Sea Crossing and His miraculous rescue of them from bondage in Egypt (vv. 10–11).

This homecoming will bring back Jews to the Promised Land from every corner of the earth (vv. 8–12). When God says He will “signal” for them (v. , the Hebrew word literally means “whistle.” That is, the Lord is going to whistle for His sheep!

The most powerful images in this chapter refer to the Messiah, Jesus Christ (v. 4). He’s the cornerstone, the first and most important brick in God’s building (cf. Isa. 28:16; Eph. 2:19–21). As we’ve mentioned, He’s the tent peg. He’s also the battle bow, or the Divine Warrior we’ve already seen fight to save His people. And He’s the ruler, or King, whose righteous reign will bring peace to the nations.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Throughout Zechariah, we’ve encountered vivid figures of speech, including metaphors, symbols, and personifications. For example, in verse 3 of today’s reading God promises to make Judah “like a proud horse in battle”--a simile for strength and victory.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Zechariah 11:1-17
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. - Isaiah 53:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
In Companions for Your Spiritual Journey: Discovering the Disciplines of the Saints, Mark Harris wrote that our “most profound source of hope” is found in the suffering of Jesus:

“Christians who suffer are able to look into the eyes of the suffering Jesus of the Cross. This Jesus is a man touched with the feeling of our infirmities, a man who knows that we are made of dust, a man tested in all points as we are, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.”

By the Spirit, Zechariah and other prophets foretold the rejection and suffering of the Messiah. This first of two oracles now concludes on a negative note: Messiah would come, but incredibly, He would be despised. Thankfully, we have the benefit of hindsight and the New Testament to help us make sense of why this happened and how this fits into God’s plan.

For most of the chapter, Zechariah lived out a two-part object lesson. In the first part (vv. 4–14), he acted as a good shepherd--in fact, as the Good Shepherd, a type of Christ. In the second part (vv. 15–17), he played as a warning the opposite role--a cruel, selfish shepherd whom we know as Antichrist.

The flock that Zechariah led was “marked for slaughter,” that is, for judgment. Why would Israel be punished so severely? Because the flock detested him--that is, the nation would fail to recognize and accept their rightful Shepherd. Symbolically, the two staffs of Favor and Union would be broken--God’s blessing and national unity would cease. The Good Shepherd’s “pay” would be thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave in ancient times and of Judas’ betrayal of Christ (cf. Matt. 26:14–16; 27:3–10).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If you have time, do some additional Bible study today. Read John 10, the passage about Jesus being the Good Shepherd, and make a list of connections and parallels between this chapter and Zecha-riah 11. Two main areas that should stand out are the shepherd imagery and the Jewish rejection of their Shepherd.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Zechariah 12:1-14
They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child. - Zechariah 12:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Have you ever had this feeling? You’re driving along the road, thinking of a thousand different things that need to be done, when you happen to glance into your rearview mirror. Back in the distance, you see a red traffic light. Between you and the traffic light is another red light, this one flashing on top of a police car headed your way.

That sinking feeling that you’ve blown it--we’ve all had it at one time or another. Magnify that feeling about a bazillion times, and you’ll know how Israel will feel when they look on the “one they have pierced,” and realize their colossal error in rejecting Him.

In today’s reading, we will study Zechariah’s second oracle, which continues to the end of the book. Through it all, we’ll see one basic scene: Messiah’s Second Advent, when He’ll return to complete His work of redemption and establish His rule on earth. No one can resist His sovereign power (v. 1).

The oracle first shows Messiah’s physical deliverance of Israel. The nation is pictured as the cup of God’s wrath, which will send the nations reeling (v. 2). Just as drunken men are overcome by alcohol, so the wicked will be overcome by divine judgment. Israel will also be an “immovable rock,” strong and secure (vv. 3–5). God’s people will be a fire in dry grass, defeating their enemies as quickly as such a fire spreads (v. 6).

In yesterday’s prophecy, Israel was condemned, but now the nation is redeemed when the Shepherd returns. “On that day” the Lord will save, shield, fight, win, and pour out His Spirit. “On that day,” God plus the weakest person will be a mighty warrior.

By God’s grace, Israel will receive spiritual deliverance as well. They’ll see the Crucified One and grieve. To “look on” Him carries the idea of responding in faith (v. 10). With their eyes opened to the truth, they will repent with sincere and godly sorrow.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Spend some time in prayer today rejoicing in your Savior. Through the lens of Scripture, behold Him, confess to Him, praise Him, and meditate on His greatness and love. He paid the ultimate price for your salvation--He gave His life that you might have eternal life!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Zechariah 13:1-9
A fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. - Zechariah 13:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Atacama Desert, on the Pacific coast of Chile, is considered to be the driest place on earth. Often the area, which includes many mountains, goes without rain for several years, and on average receives only .004 inches of rain per year. Rainstorms that hit the tropical forest on the other side of the Andes generally cannot rise high enough to do the same on the Atacama side. Some sections of this high, cold desert have not experienced rainfall for over 400 years!

The physical dryness of the Atacama Desert reflects the spiritual dryness of Israel in today’s reading. We’re still learning about the Messiah’s dealings with Israel, here for the most part at His Second Coming. After the Spirit has been poured out, and after the nation has recognized its sinful rejection of Christ and repented, then will come God’s forgiveness, pictured here as a cleansing fountain (v. 1).

The cleansing from sin will involve an end to worship of other gods, and an end to false prophecies (vv. 2–6). People who have done these things will hide and lie, as opposed to the open blasphemy practiced among the original audience of Zechariah’s message. Even family members of such sinners will have God as their first and all-consuming priority (cf. Deut. 13:6–9).

Verse 7 returns briefly to Christ’s First Coming. Jesus quoted the lines about the Shepherd being struck and the sheep scattered as fulfilled in His arrest (Matt. 26:31). A severe refining process will precede a remnant’s return and restoration (vv. 8–9).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The long-awaited One has come! The Living Water is available today! Are you excited about this message? Have you shared this good news recently?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Zechariah 14:1-11
The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. - Zechariah 14:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
At the 1999 U.S. Open, Andre Agassi won one of the hardest-fought, come-from-behind victories in recent tennis history.

After winning the first set against Todd Martin, he dropped the next two sets on tiebreakers. He didn’t give up though, and fought back tenaciously with tough serves, pinpoint returns, and relentless volleying to counter Martin’s 23 aces. After three hours and 23 minutes, he finally won the fifth set 6-2 to clinch his fifth career Grand Slam championship.

While we can’t really say that Christ’s victory will be “come-from-behind,” it certainly appears that way at the beginning of today’s reading. During the battle of Armageddon, the nations will fight against Jerusalem, and at first will be winning. But then the Lord will arrive, fight, conquer, and make the city safe forever (vv. 2–5, 10–11). He’ll stand on the Mount of Olives, which is one reason why some scholars think Christ will return to this specific place. In the passage, though, the focus is on the fact that He’ll powerfully make a way of escape for His people. “On that day,” nature itself will obey God’s sovereignty, reminiscent of the day the sun stopped in the sky for Joshua (vv. 6–7; Josh. 10:12–14).

When Christ returns to do battle--this is the same battle as pictured in Zechariah 12 (see January 28)--He’ll be accompanied by “all the holy ones” (v. 5). These might be angels, but are more likely believers. Before the Tribulation period preceding the Second Coming, believers will have been “raptured” to be with Jesus, and at this point they’ll return to fight with and for the Lamb (Rev. 17:14).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As we see in both the Old and New Testaments, Jesus is coming again! At His Second Advent, He’ll judge the nations, establish His kingdom, and dwell with us.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Zechariah 14:12-21
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever. - Revelation 11:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
One classic hymn proclaims: “O worship the King, all glorious above, / And gratefully sing His wonderful love; / Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days, / Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise. / O tell of His might, and sing of His grace, / Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space. / His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, / And dark is His path on the wings of the storm / All hail to the King! in splendor enthroned; / Glad praises we bring, Thy wonders make known. / Returning victorious, great conqueror of sin, / King Jesus, all glorious, our vict’ry will win.”

The book of Zechariah closes on this same note of triumph and glory. The nations who attacked Israel will be struck with a plague, and will give up their wealth. Best of all, the entire world will come to worship the one true God at the Feast of Tabernacles (vv. 16–19).

Why the Feast of Tabernacles? This feast celebrated the harvest, suggesting the completion of God’s plan for history and the gathering of all believers. It also commemorated the journey of the Exodus, reminding us of God’s special dealings with Israel. It was the last and greatest festival on the Jewish calendar, a time of joy and thankfulness. In all these ways, the Feast of Tabernacles is a fitting symbol for history’s climax.

Why do the book and this second oracle end with pots and pans (vv. 20–21)? The significance is that “on that day” everything will be dedicated to the Lord. In the past, only a gold plate on the high priest’s turban had “Holy to the Lord” engraved on it; but now, figuratively, even the horse’s bells will have God’s name on them, meaning they’ll be consecrated or holy. No evil will be allowed in God’s house (cf. Rev. 21:27).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
About any subject, but especially in regard to the Messiah and the end times, what new things did you learn this month? What spiritual truth or principle have you come to understand for the first time? What part of God’s character do you grasp more clearly than ever before?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Judges 14:1-20
Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power. - Judges 14:19
TODAY IN THE WORD
Olympic boxing has four rounds of two minutes each. Unless there's a knockout, the boxers keep fighting through each round, hoping to win a victory by decision. It's awarded when the ringside judges determine that one boxer has landed more punches than the other. Samson's battles with the Philistines resemble a boxing match, and today's chapter is round one. Most important, note that the the Lord is directing the punches.

Samson's parents sat at ringside, if you will, and many can identify with Manoah and his wife: “This is not what we signed up for! How could our child be doing this?” The pain in their voices comes through the text, alerting us that all is not well with this “deliverer.” Indeed, this so-called savior of the Israelites was far more interested in flirting with Philistines than fighting them.

Then a most puzzling explanation occurs—this was from the Lord (v. 4)! Samson may be about to go into round one with the Philistines, but God has set up the fight to begin the process of freeing His people. He is using flawed, lustful Samson to provoke the enemy.

Twice we read that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, enabling him with supernatural strength (vv. 6, 19). The first time he killed a lion with his bare hands; the second time he single-handedly dispatched thirty Philistines. In the scheme of Israel's need for deliverance, neither of these episodes seems that significant. So what if a lion and thirty men are dead? Nobody's being delivered at that pace! But what appears as minor details foreshadow the mighty potential of Samson's strength and the power of the Lord to save.

This passage has a refrain of secrets. It's a theme of Samson's life; he rarely knew when or when not to keep a secret. We are also introduced to one of Samson's great weaknesses: a cajoling woman. The pleading of his Philistine wife cost him the effort of finding thirty garments. The pleading of his Philistine lover will later cost him much more.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The fact that the Lord used Samson to provoke the Philistines does not excuse Samson's own willful, lustful, sinful ways. It does mean that God was moving behind the scenes in a way that even Manoah and his wife could not see. If you are struggling with a loved one or a situation that has caused you to agonize, trust that our gracious God still moves behind the scenes. He doesn't promise always to tell us what He's doing, but he does promise always to work for good (Rom. 8:28).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Judges 15:1-20
Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst? - Exodus 17:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
After the disastrous wedding, Samson had stormed back home to his parents. His father-in-law, believing and no doubt hoping that Samson would not return, marries off Samson's wife to the best man. But Samson does return some time later, and he's in the mood for love. The father-in-law attempts a compromise, offering another daughter to Samson—who's not interested.

At this point we see a trend. The Philistines think they solve a problem, and then Samson wrecks their tidy solution. Each time, the Philistines end up in a worse position than before—they lose crops, people, and reputation.

In addition to the exciting story in this chapter, we have four elements connected with our broader themes in Judges: Judah's attitude, God's work, Samson's call, and Samson's leadership. First, when faced with the prospect of God's mighty deliverance through the hand of Samson, the men from Judah responded with an attitude of complacency toward their bondage. They were even willing to cooperate with the Philistines as long as it would keep the status quo (v. 13). Second, the Spirit of the Lord wasn't constrained by a weak-spined tribe. He empowered Samson to do a work of judgment on the Philistines that could only be attributed to God.

Third, after his improvised one-man campaign, Samson—for the first time in the text—called out to the Lord. Publicly he boasted of getting his own revenge; it is only in private that he acknowledged God as the source of his victory. He also melodramatically announced he might die of thirst. His complaint echoed the people of Israel bemoaning their sure demise in the desert after their escape from Egypt (see Ex. 17). God provided water from the rock, signaling that He is the same God who has been delivering His people from bondage since the Exodus. Finally, we note that Samson led Israel for twenty years (v. 20). We are not told that the land had peace or even that Samson broke the yoke of the Philistines.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The men of Judah is a sobering reminder for us today. How terrible to be so comfortably enslaved to evil that we resist any effort to be free. How foolish to think we can outnumber the Spirit of God (v. 11). Is there a sin in your life that you've given up battling? Does it seem easier to think “everyone does it” rather than trust the Spirit's power? If you identify with Judah, confess your sin to God today and accept the gracious work of the Spirit to defeat any stronghold of the enemy.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 1:1-8
To him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. - Revelation 1:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the story The Prince and the Pauper, a young prince and a young peasant boy secretly trade places. This classic story holds our attention in part because we want to see how people will treat the prince when they are unaware of his true identity. If we imagine the New Testament presenting Jesus’ life along a similar dramatic plot line, the book of Revelation would be that climactic chapter that discloses Jesus’ true identity. To everyone’s surprise, the carpenter’s son is shown for who He really is, the Lord of all.

This month we will be reading through Revelation and meditating on the exalted majesty of the risen Jesus. We will fix our eyes and attune our ears to the glorious titles and images of Jesus that form the warp and woof of the apostle John’s vision. As we read, our guiding question will be, “What does this passage teach us about our Lord Jesus?”

John addresses his letter to the seven churches in Asia (the area that is western Turkey today), and from the very beginning he attributes all he is going to write to a revelation from Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:1). But why is this significant? Why should we pay attention to what Jesus has to say? Quite simply, because Jesus’ words come directly from God Himself and Jesus is a faithful witness of His Father (Rev. 1:5).

In fact, the titles used in Revelation 1:5 highlight the life, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus. In His life and death on earth He was a faithful witness for God. By raising Jesus as the first to be resurrected from the dead, God showed the world that Jesus was His faithful witness. One day God’s exaltation of Jesus will be complete when He reigns not only over the kings of the earth, but also over the enemy--death itself (1 Cor. 15:25–26).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We will spend this month learning about our Lord Jesus Christ as He is revealed to us in the book of Revelation.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 1:9-20
I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! - Revelation 1:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
If you ever had an art class in elementary school, you probably made a collage. Your teacher would tell you to clip various pictures from magazines or newspapers and glue them together in a way that represented something significant to you. When the risen Jesus appeared to John in a vision on the island of Patmos, John uses a collage of images drawn from the Old Testament to describe Him.

Biblical scholars point out that the image of Christ dressed in a robe and wearing a sash is reminiscent of the vestments worn by the priests (cf. Ex. 28:4). In addition, the Temple contained multiple golden lampstands (2 Chron. 4:7). Like the priests in the Temple, Jesus appears as one walking among seven golden lampstands (Rev. 1:12–13).

Jesus’ hair, as white as wool, recalls the same terms used to describe God, the Ancient of Days, in Daniel 7:9. The title “Son of Man” also derives from Daniel (Dan. 7:13–14). Surprisingly, though, while the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man in Daniel seem to be two different individuals, the description of Jesus in Revelation combines them. Jesus is both the Son of Man and the Ancient of Days. He possesses the full attributes of deity, though His personhood is distinct from God the Father.

Jesus has eyes like flames of fire, feet like burnished bronze, and his face shines like the sun. All these descriptions align with the divine Warrior that Daniel saw in one of his visions (Dan. 10:5–6). These images have further significance. His eyes like fire indicate that He has the role of a judge, that He sees all and nothing is hidden. Jesus’ feet like bronze are an image of His purity, reminding John--and us--that He stands without blemish. The sharp sword in Jesus’ mouth also recalls the biblical symbol of judgment (see Isa. 11:4; 49:2).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As we read these images of Jesus in Revelation 1, we can understand John’s reaction--“I fell at his feet as though dead” (v. 17). Jesus is fully God, appearing as a Warrior prepared to judge. But Jesus is also full of compassion; He tells John, “Do not be afraid.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 2:1-7
I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. - Revelation 2:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Tom and Margo are a fairly typical American couple. They raised two children in their suburban home as Tom steadily moved up in his company. They attended church and were good neighbors. And after 32 years of marriage, they filed for divorce. As Margo said, “We managed to avoid affairs and debt and all the problems that lead to divorce. But somewhere along the way we just grew apart and we don’t love each other anymore. So we’re going our separate ways.”

Yesterday we examined the image of Christ presented in Revelation 1. For the next week we’ll see how each aspect of that image has significance for His message to the seven churches addressed in Revelation 2–3.

We begin with the church at Ephesus, a church directly established by the apostle Paul (cf. Acts 19–20). This long-standing and prominent church had likely been responsible for numerous other church plants throughout Asia Minor, and they had resisted false teaching and had endured persecution from hostile city leaders.

Christ knew the heart of this church, however, and He addresses them as “[He] who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands” (Rev. 2:1), elements of John’s earlier description (1:13, 16). Jesus chooses these features to address the particular problems in the church at Ephesus.

First, in spite of their perseverance, they lost their first love. Christ was no longer their focus, their priority, which manifested itself in a lack of witness. We know that the lampstands represent the churches (1:20), specifically their light-bearing nature. The lampstands here in the exhortation to the Ephesians indicated a lack of witness.

Second, Christ reminds them that He is sovereign over the churches. He holds them in His hand and knows them intimately. And He will remove their church rather than permit them to continue sliding away from their calling (v. 5).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
These messages from Christ were given to seven specific churches. But they were recorded in Scripture to challenge and encourage each of us.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 2:8-11
Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith? - James 2:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
The martyrdom of Polycarp early in the second century has become a well-known encouragement to believers around the world to maintain their faith. When forced to acknowledge Caesar as Lord or face death, Polycarp replied, “These 80 years He has been faithful to me. How can I deny Him now?” He was burned alive for his faithfulness. Polycarp had become the bishop of the church in Smyrna in a.d. 115, just 20 years or so after Revelation was written. From letters we have from that time period, it seems clear that he took great encouragement from this message of Christ to the church in Smyrna.

In this message Jesus echoes His description from Rev. 1:17–18 as “the First and Last, who died and came to life again” (2:. The city of Smyrna itself was said to have resurrected from a virtually abandoned wasteland to a vibrant city known for its loyalty to the Roman Empire. Even more significant, though, is that this image of Christ points to the source of the persecution of Christians in Smyrna--oppression from a hostile Jewish community who denied the resurrection of Jesus and enacted severe economic reprisals against the Christians.

This church, already suffering economically, would face even greater physical persecution and even death. The Jews in Smyrna, eager to disassociate themselves completely from the Christians, conspired with the city leaders to force believers to worship Caesar. The account of Polycarp gives us a first-hand description of such persecution.

Yet Christ brings great encouragement and tenderness to this struggling group of Christians. Because He had died and been resurrected, they could face death knowing that they would receive a crown of life (v. 10). Jesus reminds them that they could remain faithful because of His person (“First and Last”) and His work (“died and came to life again”). They did not have to be strong in their own power--they knew that He knows what they are facing.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Most of us in the United States don’t face severe economic and physical danger because of our testimony for Christ. But many of our fellow Christians around the world in places like Sudan, China, Saudi Arabia, and Libya face job loss, imprisonment, slavery, and even death for daring to claim the name of Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 2:12-17
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. - Revelation 2:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
The star of the story of Balaam in the Old Testament is surely the talking donkey. If you recall, God had instructed Balaam not to aid King Balak in his quest to afflict the Israelites. Balaam, apparently eager for the reward he would receive, decided to help out anyway. Unseen by Balaam, three times an angel of the Lord appears with a drawn sword and the donkey goes off the path or lies down. Infuriated, Balaam beats the donkey until God opens her mouth in protest. Then Balaam’s eyes are opened to see the angel, and God tells him that the donkey has saved his life these three times (see Num. 22).

The donkey doesn’t make a repeat appearance, but Balaam and the sword are critical elements in the message from Christ to the church in Perga-mum. Jesus identifies Himself as He “who has the sharp, double-edged sword,” an element drawn from John’s vision in Revelation 1:16. The sword at this time was a symbol of Rome’s imperial power. Here, Jesus reminds His church that He is the one with the power to judge and destroy.

The church at Pergamum had many things going for it: they were remaining faithful in the face of cultural pressure and even persecution (2:13). But the greatest challenge facing this church wasn’t external--it came from within the church itself.

Balaam had instructed King Balak that the way to defeat the Israelites was not through overt war, but through compromise. In the same way, compromise and false teaching pervaded the church at Perga-mum. Christ has no tolerance for this; if they do not clean up the church, He will come against the guilty with the sword of judgment (v. 16). The goal of this judgment is the purification and preservation of His people. As we will see repeatedly throughout Revelation, Jesus wants His people to be without spot or blemish.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Our culture values tolerance--any belief or practice is fine, no matter how contrary to God’s way. This kind of tolerance in the church, however, is compromise and may even lead to heresy.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 2:18-29
You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery. - Psalm 2:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
When you look out at the night sky on a clear evening, away from the lights and glare of the city, you see the vast display of God’s creation in the heavens. Myriads of stars shine down, twinkling like an array of diamonds on black velvet. But if you look at the sky in the early morning hours, you may see only one star. This star, which really isn’t a star at all--it’s the planet Venus--is bright enough to appear even through the spreading rays of the sun. We often call it the Morning Star.

The morning star also appears in the message from Christ to the church in Thyatira. But first, Jesus has some commendation, exhortation, and encouragement for His church.

Christ identifies Himself in verse 18 as “the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze,” features that should remind us of His description in Revelation 1:14–15. As we saw on February 2, Christ stands in omniscient purity to exercise judgment. He is God who searches minds and hearts (2: 23; cf. Jer. 17:10).

The situation in the Thyatira church is similar to that in Pergamum. They have grown in love, faith, service, and perseverance. Yet the threat to this church is also a permissive attitude toward false teaching. According to Bible scholars, it’s unclear if the immorality is sexual sin or spiritual unfaithfulness through bringing false worship of other gods into the church (v. 21). It could have been both; either way, this was despicable to Jesus--and the church was tolerating it.

Because there was more compromise in Thyatira, the judgment seems more severe. Christ will bring suffering and even death to those who do not repent (v. 22). This sounds harsh until we see what’s at stake; it’s a choice between following Christ or following Satan.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Like the Romans, sometimes we too are tempted to worship the gift instead of the Giver, the created thing instead of the Creator.