My name is Philemon and this is my story. It's been described as the application of the highest principles to the most common affairs, but at the time it happened it was just two people at odds with each other being reconciled by a common love for the Lord.
As John might have told it today.
If you've had trouble understanding the Book of Revelation, this summary and paraphrase is sure to help. Written as John might have told it today, the Revelation Story makes one of the most complex and controversial books of prophecy in the Bible so much easier to comprehend. Faithful to the literal interpretation with just enough background to make it a truly informative, even enjoyable, read.
-Revelation 1:19
"I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham." -Genesis 26:24
"I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham." -Genesis 26:24
"I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham." -Genesis 26:24
"I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham." -Genesis 26:24
"When men began to increase in numbers on the Earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and they married any of them they chose" -Gen 6:1
"When men began to increase in numbers on the Earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and they married any of them they chose" -Gen 6:1.
"When men began to increase in numbers on the Earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and they married any of them they chose" -Gen 6:1.
The first book of the Bible is actually a compilation of the stories of 10 men and their Creator. It is my firm conviction, from archaeological discoveries and other extra-biblical sources, that Moses had the written accounts of these men in his possession when he compiled them into the book of Genesis. Next week we'll begin telling the stories of these 10 men as if from their own lips. But first ... The Creator's Story.
The angel said to me, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Luke 1:30-33
The angel said to me, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Luke 1:30-33
Although my Hebrew name is Hadassah, which comes from our name for the myrtle tree, most people know me by my Persian name, Esther. This is the story of how I rose from an orphaned captive Jewish girl to become Queen of Persia, the most powerful nation of my day...
"The sin nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sin nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." (Gal. 5:17)
The foiled assassination plot against the King can be likened to your salvation experience. Remember, due to Mordecai's timely warning the two officers who plotted the King's death were discovered and sentenced to die. Most translations of my story say they were hanged, but in those days hanging meant something different than it does today...
With the death of Haman and the elevation of Mordecai to Chief Counselor, you'd think my problems would be over, but we still had the extermination order against all my people in Persia to deal with. I fell on my knees and begged the King to rescind Haman's order...
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."(Matt. 1:20-21)
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."(Matt. 1:20-21)
Obed was the father of my father Jesse, so Boaz and Ruth were my great-grandparents. My name is David, a former shepherd boy from Bethlehem who became Israel's greatest King.
I hope you're beginning to see the clear parallels between my life and yours. Like it was for me, a throne is God's purpose for you (1 Peter 2:9-12), a cross is his path for you (Matt. 10:37-39), and faith is his plan for you (2 Cor. 5:7).
That day the Lord showed me that opportunity does not equal mandate. Just because you can do something doesn't mean it's the Lord's will that you should.
Even in the vacuum of leadership created by Saul's death, I thought it best to wait for the Lord's timing, and it turned out to be a good thing I did. I was going to need all the help I could get.
I couldn't believe it! I had asked to build Him a house and instead He had promised to build up my house. From this time forth every King of Israel would be descended from me.
It didn't take long for Nathan's prophecy about my family to start coming true. Remember, the Lord had Nathan tell me that as a consequence of my sin with Bathsheba calamity would come out of my own household. (Warning: Content may not be appropriate for all ages!)
The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: "When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth."
In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
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