Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth

Matthew 10:34
Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.

This is a direct statement that cuts to the real matter. It is not something many people expect Jesus to say. However, like His other teachings, Jesus speaks on the things that are helpful but not necessarily popular. The sword may be used to indicate a stern separation between His standard and those opposing to Him. There is a standard, moral or right and wrong according to God. One example of this is to abandon our sinful and lustful living, and instead sacrifice those desires. Whether it is unpopular by world standards or not, the Way of Yshua is the only right way and it involves deliberate action to follow it.

I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do

John 17:4
I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.

The last few words of our Lord Yshua on earth summarises His mission. From the beginning, He was destined for the Cross, because that is the only way that God could redeem sinful people. God's love itself does not redeem us, but is the motivation of what Yshua had to go through for us. When the work on the Cross was completed, mankind can now be redeemed back to God, as the sins have been forgiven for people, and had been transferred to our Holy Lord on the Cross.

All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth

Matthew 28:18-19
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore[c] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

To obey and go on the mission directed by God, requires us to have Him always in mind. Namely, we must remember that we will be going in His Authority and since He is Sovereign, this is very powerful indeed. To know His authority, we need to know Him more ourselves, we need to be close to our Lord Yshua. One way of doing this is to abide in Him, that is to live according to His words and become a living witness to others.

Because you have kept My command to persevere

Revelation 3:10
Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 

In following the Lord, the believers are faced with various kinds of persecution and are taught to persevere. There is none other persecution that will be more severe than those at the Last Days. So the Lord encourages even those during the Last Days to persevere, and that He will protect us. Until that time, His command to persevere should also be applied.

Be still, and know that I am God

Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!

God is the magnificent, indescribable Creator and Father of all. This verse simply calls us to be quiet and meditate. SELAH

Look to Me, and be saved

Isaiah 45:22
“Look to Me, and be saved,
All you ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.

God desires very simple from us - our attention, devotion, loyalty and so on. All these will be there if we simply love God with all our hearts, mind, soul and body.

We only need to look to God and be save. How consistent is this requirement from God throughout both Old and New Testaments. There is no difference in doctrine, no complexity. There is nothing we can do to achieve salvation, neither in the pre and post first Coming our Yshua Ha Masiach.

As the rest of this verse reminds us, He is the Creator and He chooses how we can be together with Him. All His Righteous requirements are satisfied in His perfect and only plan for salvation through Yshua our Lord. There can be no other for us to look upon that will be able to save us.

The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it,[j] for the glory of God illuminated it

Revelations 21:22-27

In the new earth, there would be no need for temple to go to worship and no Sun to produce light. The reason is because God will be there, hence no need for a place to worship and no need for other light than God. There will still be nations and kings and they will bring Glory to God. The inhabitants are those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts

Revelation 21:1-8

This chapter is revealed after the Enemy has been defeated. Not only will there be a new earth, there will also be a new heaven. Note that God is even beyond heaven in that He can destroy and create is again. The new city of Jerusalem is revealed as the bride for God. And even with the new Jerusalem, we are reminded that God will live inside His people through the Holy Spirit. The promises of God that will be fulfilled in that time is that there will be no more tears, death, pain and crying.


Then Jesus spoke, introducing Himself as the Alpha and the Omega. Those who thirst will be given the water of life freely. This is in fact the Holy Spirit who will be given freely, only to those who ask from the right source - Y'shua Ha Masiach. We are also supposed to overcome before we can inherit the Kingdom. As a reminder those who live in ways which oppose to Jesus will be send to the lake of fire, in their second death.





Revelation 21
All Things Made New

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John,[a] saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me,[b] “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

6 And He said to me, “It is done![c] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things,[d] and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving,[e] abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

The New Jerusalem

9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me[f] and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”[g] 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy[h] Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.

14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names[i] of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

The Glory of the New Jerusalem

22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it,[j] for the glory[k] of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved[l] shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.[m] 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.[n] 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes[o] an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells

Peter warns of the Last Days when there will be more scoffers. These are people who would cast doubt on the prophecies of the End Times. They would say that the prophecies are untrue, since the earth is still continuing its path. They forget that the same happened in Noah's day, then the rain came. Then Peter declares that the next and final judgment would not be by water but by fire, consistent with other prophecies. The Lord is patient to wait a long time, but judgment will come.

When the Day of the Lord comes, the present heaven and earth will be destroyed by fire and replaced with a new heaven and earth. It will come as a surprise to some, like a thief in the night, and it will also come very quickly.

The things to do for believers, is to stand firm in the faith in Jesus and His promises which include the new heaven and earth among other things. We are to be diligent and live a blameless life as much as possible, and remember that the patience of God means salvation for many. We are also reminded to be careful of falling away, especially being led away by the wicked. Instead we are supposed to grow in our Lord Jesus.




2 Peter 3
God’s Promise Is Not Slack

1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us,[a] the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us,[b] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

The Day of the Lord

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.[c] 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Be Steadfast

14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble

In Paul's time and society, as it still is now, there are various idols or spirits being worshipped as gods. The practice of worship to these idols may have involved food being offered or presented to idols, and later for human consumption. Paul points out that the Lord God who created the heavens and earth is the one true God. The other false gods do not matter at all and hence it does not matter if a believer eats the food that has been offered to idols.

Since this topic has been a great debate, Paul understands that there are believers who are unwilling to eat such food. The approach would be one of love, such that believers should not use this as a contentious issue of faith. It should be left to the individual believer to eat or not eat in peace. He urges those who feel it is free to eat, not to cause other believers to stumble by eating those food.





1 Corinthians 8
Be Sensitive to Conscience

1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

7 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

I see a flying scroll

The vision of the flying scroll that Zechariah saw represents a curse and judgment on thieves and perjurers. The perjurer is one who swears at the name of the Lord. The next vision is that of a basket with a woman sitting inside. It is not clear whether the reference to wickedness refers to the woman or the situation of the woman being inside the basket. Then there were two other women with wings who came and carried the basket away. And the angel said that they will keep the basket until the house is build in Shinar.


Zechariah 5
Vision of the Flying Scroll

1 Then I turned and raised my eyes, and saw there a flying scroll.

2 And he said to me, “What do you see?”

So I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.”

3 Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole earth: ‘Every thief shall be expelled,’ according to this side of the scroll; and, ‘Every perjurer shall be expelled,’ according to that side of it.”

4 “I will send out the curse,” says the Lord of hosts;
“It shall enter the house of the thief
And the house of the one who swears falsely by My name.
It shall remain in the midst of his house
And consume it, with its timber and stones.”


Vision of the Woman in a Basket

5 Then the angel who talked with me came out and said to me, “Lift your eyes now, and see what this is that goes forth.”

6 So I asked, “What is it?” And he said, “It is a basket[a] that is going forth.”

He also said, “This is their resemblance throughout the earth: 7 Here is a lead disc lifted up, and this is a woman sitting inside the basket”; 8 then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover[b] over its mouth. 9 Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven.

10 So I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they carrying the basket?”

11 And he said to me, “To build a house for it in the land of Shinar;[c] when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base.”

Because, When I Called, No One Answered

God identifies Himself as King of Heaven and earth as His footstool. He describes the people who pleases Him as those who are poor and a contrite heart. Then it mentions various aspects of childbirth and labour in relation to Zion and Jerusalem. The imagery may seem abstract but perhaps it is referring to the fruits of Zion and the struggle she went through. However, the Lord will comfort her as she goes through the birth.

Then God reminds that when these things happen, His judgment will come. The Lord will come with chariot and flames of fire. After this judgment will be the establishment of a new heaven and new earth. All people will see the Glory of the Lord and come to worship. There is also mention of those being punish will still live but in fire and abhorrence to all flesh.



Isaiah 66
True Worship and False

1 Thus says the Lord:
“Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
2 For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,”
Says the Lord.
“But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word.
3 “He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man;
He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog’s neck;
He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood;
He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol.
Just as they have chosen their own ways,
And their soul delights in their abominations,
4 So will I choose their delusions,
And bring their fears on them;
Because, when I called, no one answered,
When I spoke they did not hear;
But they did evil before My eyes,
And chose that in which I do not delight.”


The Lord Vindicates Zion

5 Hear the word of the Lord,
You who tremble at His word:
“Your brethren who hated you,
Who cast you out for My name’s sake, said,
‘Let the Lord be glorified,
That we may see your joy.’
But they shall be ashamed.”
6 The sound of noise from the city!
A voice from the temple!
The voice of the Lord,
Who fully repays His enemies!
7 “Before she was in labor, she gave birth;
Before her pain came,
She delivered a male child.
8 Who has heard such a thing?
Who has seen such things?
Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day?
Or shall a nation be born at once?
For as soon as Zion was in labor,
She gave birth to her children.
9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the Lord.
“Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God.
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem,
And be glad with her, all you who love her;
Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;
11 That you may feed and be satisfied
With the consolation of her bosom,
That you may drink deeply and be delighted
With the abundance of her glory.”
12 For thus says the Lord:

“Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream.
Then you shall feed;
On her sides shall you be carried,
And be dandled on her knees.
13 As one whom his mother comforts,
So I will comfort you;
And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”


The Reign and Indignation of God

14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice,
And your bones shall flourish like grass;
The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants,
And His indignation to His enemies.
15 For behold, the Lord will come with fire
And with His chariots, like a whirlwind,
To render His anger with fury,
And His rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by His sword
The Lord will judge all flesh;
And the slain of the Lord shall be many.
17 “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves,
To go to the gardens
After an idol in the midst,
Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse,
Shall be consumed together,” says the Lord.
18 “For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory. 19 I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul[a] and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. 20 Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. 21 And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,” says the Lord.

22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass
That from one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another,
All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.
24 “And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

So are My Ways Higher than Your Ways

God continues to teach them about the truth in Him. To trust anything else besides God is a waste. Verse 2 shows clearly: "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy?" When the wicked and unrighteous turn toward God, God will have mercy and pardon them. As if anticipating the cry of unfairness in pardoning sinners, the next verse says God's ways are higher than our ways.

The extended answer is that God's grace is spread to all for them to receive and it will not come back empty. This has always been God's will. So God's plan will yield much fruit.



Isaiah 55
An Invitation to Abundant Life

1 “Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
3 Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The sure mercies of David.
4 Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people,
A leader and commander for the people.
5 Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,
And nations who do not know you shall run to you,
Because of the Lord your God,
And the Holy One of Israel;
For He has glorified you.”

6 Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

12 “For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the Lord for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

There is a Generation that is Pure in its Own Eyes

Most of the proverbs were written by Solomon, but the one in this chapter is stated to be written by Agur. Although the style is different to that of Solomon, the underlying objective is the encouragement of wisdom. Two verses which are prophetic are verses 4 and 6. In verse 4, although the main topic is God the Almighty, there is a reference to His Son - which makes it prophetic if it is written before Christ was born. Verse 6 is almost the same warning as in the last chapter of Revelation.

The proverb describes the sins of the generation as having increased from before. It then describes the characteristic of the generation as follows:
- there are things that are never satisfied
- things that are too wonderful,
- things that causes a disturbance or imbalance to the normal way,
- things which are little yet have a large impact.
- things which are majestic.




Proverbs 30
The Wisdom of Agur

1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:

2 Surely I am more stupid than any man,
And do not have the understanding of a man.

3 I neither learned wisdom
Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.

4 Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?
Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,
If you know?

5 Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.

6 Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

7 Two things I request of You
(Deprive me not before I die):

8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches—
Feed me with the food allotted to me;

9 Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God.

10 Do not malign a servant to his master,
Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.

11 There is a generation that curses its father,
And does not bless its mother.

12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.

13 There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are lifted up.

14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,
And whose fangs are like knives,
To devour the poor from off the earth,
And the needy from among men.

15 The leech has two daughters—
Give and Give!
There are three things that are never satisfied,
Four never say, “Enough!”:

16 The grave,[a]
The barren womb,
The earth that is not satisfied with water—
And the fire never says, “Enough!”

17 The eye that mocks his father,
And scorns obedience to his mother,
The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young eagles will eat it.

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Yes, four which I do not understand:

19 The way of an eagle in the air,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the midst of the sea,
And the way of a man with a virgin.

20 This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
And says, “I have done no wickedness.”

21 For three things the earth is perturbed,
Yes, for four it cannot bear up:

22 For a servant when he reigns,
A fool when he is filled with food,

23 A hateful woman when she is married,
And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.

24 There are four things which are little on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:

25 The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;

26 The rock badgers[b] are a feeble folk,
Yet they make their homes in the crags;

27 The locusts have no king,
Yet they all advance in ranks;

28 The spider[c] skillfully grasps with its hands,
And it is in kings’ palaces.

29 There are three things which are majestic in pace,
Yes, four which are stately in walk:

30 A lion, which is mighty among beasts
And does not turn away from any;

31 A greyhound,[d]
A male goat also,
And a king whose troops are with him.[e]

32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,
Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth.

33 For as the churning of milk produces butter,
And wringing the nose produces blood,
So the forcing of wrath produces strife.

Praise the Lord from the Heavens

Praise the LORD who is deserving of all praises from all things of His creation. The psalmist writes that the sun and moon, and all the angels praise Him. All peoples on the Earth from kings to servants should praise the Lord. This final one may be fulfilled when the Lord returns to reign over us.



Psalm 148
Praise to the Lord from Creation

1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!

2 Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!

3 Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all you stars of light!

4 Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!

5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For He commanded and they were created.

6 He also established them forever and ever;
He made a decree which shall not pass away.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all the depths;

8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;

9 Mountains and all hills;
Fruitful trees and all cedars;

10 Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and flying fowl;

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all judges of the earth;

12 Both young men and maidens;
Old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above the earth and heaven.

14 And He has exalted the horn of His people,
The praise of all His saints—
Of the children of Israel,
A people near to Him.
Praise the Lord!

Behold, Bless the Lord

A simple psalm to remind us to praise and bless the Lord at night. Blessings and praises come from both our mouths as well as with lifted hands. Also a reminder that the Lord is God who made the heaven and earth. It must be a wonderful end to a day to look up into the night sky and praise the Lord with lifted hands.


Psalm 134
Praising the Lord in His House at Night
A Song of Ascents.

1 Behold, bless the Lord,
All you servants of the Lord,
Who by night stand in the house of the Lord!

2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,
And bless the Lord.

3 The Lord who made heaven and earth
Bless you from Zion!

They Have Mouths, But They Do Not Speak

A great praise to God that the LORD is the only true living God. Compared to the other gods who are just idols:

"They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;"

The God of Israel is the one true God. So this psalm encourages people to put their trust in their LORD and they will be blessed in many ways. Everything belongs to God, including the heavens and Earth; but God has given men the Earth. This is a picture of the Almighty God who is living and has relationship with His people.



Psalm 115  
The Futility of Idols and the Trustworthiness of God

1 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.

2 Why should the Gentiles say,
“So where is their God?”

3 But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.

4 Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.

5 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;

6 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;

7 They have hands, but they do not handle;
Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat.

8 Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.

9 O Israel, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.

10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.

12 The Lord has been mindful of us;
He will bless us;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.

13 He will bless those who fear the Lord,
Both small and great.

14 May the Lord give you increase more and more,
You and your children.

15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s;
But the earth He has given to the children of men.

17 The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor any who go down into silence.

18 But we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!

God Be Merciful To Us and Bless Us

God is indeed merciful. Today let the angels sings because one of God's child is saved. As the proverb goes, a man plans his ways but it is God who directs His path. The means may not be as planned but it will work out according to God's will.
The result of God's mercy is His Salvation plan. The people should praise him no less. What is lacking now and what is written is that when all the people praise God, as a nation and as a world, the whole earth would be fruitful and all will be blessed.

Psalm 67
To the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments.[a] A Psalm. A Song.

 1 God be merciful to us and bless us,
         And cause His face to shine upon us,  Selah 
 2 That Your way may be known on earth,
         Your salvation among all nations.
        
 3 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
         Let all the peoples praise You.
 4 Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!
         For You shall judge the people righteously,
         And govern the nations on earth.  Selah 
        
 5 Let the peoples praise You, O God;
         Let all the peoples praise You.
 6 Then the earth shall yield her increase;
         God, our own God, shall bless us.
 7 God shall bless us,
         And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

Trusting God for Deliverance; God Entrusting Creation to Man

This is an example of David praying to God for deliverance against a fierce enemy. David starts by asking God to deal with him first, if there was any evil or wickedness in him - just as we should ask God to help us examine ourselves first. Then David expresses his confidence in a just God who will punish the wicked. This is trusting that justice is not for us but for God to decide and execute. The prayer-song is finished off by praising God.

The next Psalm praises the Majesty and Almightiness of God - the creator of the Heavens and the moon and the stars. Then the well known rhetorical question:

"What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?"

Then a revelation of man in relation to other of God's creation. In terms of intelligent beings, man is created a little lower than the angels but yet God has crowned man, perhaps not angels, with glory and honour. In terms of God's physical creation, man is given dominion over it. In other words, God has entrusted the physical world totally to man to look after it, which includes the Earth and all the animals. This is also mentioned in Genesis. Note that dominion was not given for man to rule over another man.

Psalm 8

To the Chief Musician. On the instrument of Gath.^[c] A Psalm of David.

 ¹ O LORD, our Lord,
         How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
         Who have set Your glory above the heavens!
        
 ² Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
         You have ordained strength,
         Because of Your enemies,
         That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
        
 ³ When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
         The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
 ⁴ What is man that You are mindful of him,
         And the son of man that You visit him?
 ⁵ For You have made him a little lower than the angels,^[d]
         And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
        
 ⁶ You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
         You have put all things under his feet,
 ⁷ All sheep and oxen—
         Even the beasts of the field,
 ⁸ The birds of the air,
         And the fish of the sea
         That pass through the paths of the seas.
        
 ⁹ O LORD, our Lord,
         How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

Psalm 7

A Meditation^[a] of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite.

 ¹ O LORD my God, in You I put my trust;
         Save me from all those who persecute me;
         And deliver me,
 ² Lest they tear me like a lion,
         Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
        
 ³ O LORD my God, if I have done this:
         If there is iniquity in my hands,
 ⁴ If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me,
         Or have plundered my enemy without cause,
 ⁵ Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me;
         Yes, let him trample my life to the earth,
         And lay my honor in the dust.  Selah 
        
 ⁶ Arise, O LORD, in Your anger;
         Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies;
         Rise up for me^[b]to the judgment You have commanded!
 ⁷ So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You;
         For their sakes, therefore, return on high.
 ⁸ The LORD shall judge the peoples;
         Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness,
         And according to my integrity within me.
        
 ⁹ Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,
         But establish the just;
         For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.
 ¹⁰ My defense is of God,
         Who saves the upright in heart.
        
 ¹¹ God is a just judge,
         And God is angry with the wicked every day.
 ¹² If he does not turn back,
         He will sharpen His sword;
         He bends His bow and makes it ready.
 ¹³ He also prepares for Himself instruments of death;
         He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.
        
 ¹⁴ Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity;
         Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.
 ¹⁵ He made a pit and dug it out,
         And has fallen into the ditch which he made.
 ¹⁶ His trouble shall return upon his own head,
         And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.
        
 ¹⁷ I will praise the LORD according to His righteousness,
         And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Job shows injustice on Earth

Job talks about the injustice on Earth in this pasaage. From verse 2-12 Job describes how the oppresor violently treat the feeble. He describes how the they take food from the hungry, and clothing from the poor. Finally in verse 12, Job mentions how it appears that God does not execute justice on them just yet. Job goes on to describe the murderer, thief, adulterer and how they think they get away with it. Interestingly Job describes such people as "those who rebel against the light;  They do not know its ways Nor abide in its paths". Clearly, we who live in the post Christ era, know that this is a clear reference to Jesus - being the light. In other words, those wicked people are those that either do not know the way of Christ or obey Christ.

So what is Job doing? Simply pointing out that there are wicked people and deeds on Earth that are blatantly against God's principle - yet no all of them are punished in this lifetime. Sounds unfair - but also shows how realistically Scripture describes the real world.


1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Job 24

Job Complains of Violence on the Earth

 1 “Since times are not hidden from the Almighty, Why do those who know Him see not His days?
 2 “Some remove landmarks; They seize flocks violently and feed on them;
 3 They drive away the donkey of the fatherless; They take the widow’s ox as a pledge.
 4 They push the needy off the road; All the poor of the land are forced to hide.
 5 Indeed, like wild donkeys in the desert, They go out to their work, searching for food. The wilderness yields food for them and for their children.

 6 They gather their fodder in the field And glean in the vineyard of the wicked.
 7 They spend the night naked, without clothing, And have no covering in the cold.
 8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, And huddle around the rock for want of shelter.
 9 “Some snatch the fatherless from the breast, And take a pledge from the poor.
 10 They cause the poor to go naked, without clothing; And they take away the sheaves from the hungry.

 11 They press out oil within their walls, And tread winepresses, yet suffer thirst.
 12 The dying groan in the city, And the souls of the wounded cry out; Yet God does not charge them with wrong.
 13 “There are those who rebel against the light; They do not know its ways Nor abide in its paths.
 14 The murderer rises with the light;  He kills the poor and needy; And in the night he is like a thief.
 15 The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, Saying, ‘No eye will see me’;  And he disguises his face.

 16 In the dark they break into houses Which they marked for themselves in the daytime; They do not know the light.
 17 For the morning is the same to them as the shadow of death; If someone recognizes them, They are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
 18 “They should be swift on the face of the waters,  Their portion should be cursed in the earth, So that no one would turn into the way of their vineyards.
 19 As drought and heat consume the snow waters, So the grave[a]consumes those who have sinned.
 20 The womb should forget him, The worm should feed sweetly on him; He should be remembered no more, And wickedness should be broken like a tree.

 21 For he preys on the barren who do not bear, And does no good for the widow.
 22 “But God draws the mighty away with His power; He rises up, but no man is sure of life.
 23 He gives them security, and they rely on it; Yet His eyes are on their ways.
 24 They are exalted for a little while, Then they are gone. They are brought low; They are taken out of the way like all others; They dry out like the heads of grain.
 25 “Now if it is not so, who will prove me a liar, And make my speech worth nothing?”