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Matthew 5 The New Law vv. 17-20 (Part 1) Later in his writing about Jesus, Matthew (9:17) recalls Jesus saying, “Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, […]

History has shown us that short term crises eventually run up against long term habits and values. A case in point is the increasingly cavalier approach on the part of many to the ever surging Covid 19 pandemic. Social needs are trumping social distancing. People need each other.   Just a day or so ago […]

Key Verse: Revelation 16:5 “Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say; ‘You are just in these judgments, You who are and who were, the Holy One, because You have so judged…” In this chapter we see the anger of God at sin and the demands of His justice. Seven angels “pour […]

Key Verse: Revelation 15:4a “Who will not fear You, O Lord, and bring glory to Your name? For You alone are holy.” In chapters 15 and 16 we read about God’s wrath. This isn’t pleasant reading, and if we’ve thought of God only in terms of His love, these chapters can be disconcerting and even […]

Key Verse: Revelation 14:3a “And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders.” John now shifts from a description of the beast and his worshippers (ch.13) to a description of the Lamb and His followers. Consistent with Old Testament expectation, the venue is Mount Zion. Micah, […]

Key Verse: Revelation 13:8 “All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast — all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” Two “beasts” appear in this chapter. It is quite characteristic of apocalyptic visions for animals to […]

Key Verse: Revelation 12:11 “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…” In this chapter, we read of a “war in heaven” (vb.7) precipitated by an attempt by Satan to destroy the pre-existent Messiah — the “male cild, who will rule all the nations with an iron […]

Key Verse: Revelation 11:15b “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord an of His Christ, and He will reign for ever and ever.” As John’s vision continues, he is given a measuring device and is told to “measure the temple of God and the altar” and to “count the worshippers […]

Key Verse: Revelation 10:6b, 7 “‘There will be no more delay! But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as He announced to His servants the prophets.’” The key verse is a quote from a “mighty angel” who comes “down from […]

Key Verse: Revelation 9:20a “The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands…” By now you’ve seen how difficult it is to try to analyze and systematize the content of apocalyptic writing. John is describing a vision, and in so doing is attempting […]

Key Verse: Revelation 8:6 “Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.” The seventh seal is opened and a half-hours silence follows (v.1). As the silence ends, John sees “seven angels who stand before God” being given “seven trumpets” (v.2). These seven angels haven’t been mentioned as yet, but they […]