Yeah! Completed this 3rd shortest Book of Philemon in June 2020!
The doodling summary says it all!
Masters & Slaves!
In today Modern's world Yr2020 - is there still such a thing about M&S?
"Amazing Grace" the song that is so well known in the world. Know of its origins?
The song was written by a former slave trader
John Newton, a former slave trader who wrote the beloved hymn "Amazing Grace." Newton was born in 1725 in London to a Puritan mother who died two weeks before his seventh birthday, and a stern sea-captain father who took him to sea at age 11.
Had to revisit Genesis genealogy again! Why was Edom mentioned by Obadiah in such a short book? How Edom came about through the descendants of Esau -the twin brother of Jacob? Why was the hate relationship between the twin brothers so intense from the start of the birthright and father's (Isaac) blessings over them?
Having completed Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus - I decided to take a read at the shorter books of the Bible before I jumped to Numbers!
Do u know the 5 shortest books in the Bible?
Well Jude is not the shortest! It ranked 5th. Lol
Jude was written way back around 68AD to 80AD. Some years after
Jesus was crucified. It was a chaotic time with the Jewish wars which started. The temple of Jerusalem was destroyed in 70AD.
So, Jude was an end time book.
CURRENT WORLD EVENTS
1. COVid19
2. USA riots. Racial tension
Reflections
Interestingly, about 3 years back during June, I was thinking of 1Thess 4;16-17 "What is meant by caught up in the air"? Back then , there was bombing in London and terrorism on the rise.
Each time the world went chaotically crazy, we think of END TIMES!
Getting older, hopefully wiser as the crown of white hair appears at the roots everyday now. As I completed Jude this time in 2020, strangely -
Rapture? Pre Tribulation, mid Trib or post Tribulation, somehow did not excite me as when I was younger.
There was no point asking pastors or learned teachers of the Word - simply because humans as we are, we just don't know. Only the Father knows.
Matt 24:36 " But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels nor the Son, but the Father alone"
And there is no need to probe into the 3 scenerios of the tribulation. (who knows we may be already 6 feet underground - so tribulations? what tribulations? Ha ha ha)
Justice - there will be a Judgement Day in the future date set aside. Take Heart.
What does Jude Tell us?
In the world of fears of chaos of lawlessness in the looting seen through our very eyes in USA now, the fears of an unseen enemy in the COVID19 virus, the increasing quaking of the earth and weird sounds and signs from the sky -
Jude reminds us 2 main things:-
Fight the Faith!
1. For ourselves first
Pray in the Holy Spirit
Stay right in the centre of God's love
Keep our arms open, ready for His mercy!
2. For Others
Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith (backsliden ones)
Go after those who take the wrong way
Be tender with sinners BUT not soft on SIN!
Enjoy this Casting Crown song "ONLY JESUS"
During this chaotic times, what is your are your thoughts about end times?
What kind of legacy do you want to live behind since we have only ONE life?
As I was reviewing the 5 offerings, I was in awe of the meticulous rites and instructions given by God to Moses and the priests. The different offerings - for God, what to be eaten and what not to be consumed. The different animals & its sex for sacrifice - depending on how wealthy one was, taken into account. The significance of the blood, the laying of the hands unto the head of the sacrifice. The different sins of different category of people required different atonement. And compensation of even more when one had a trespass. It was all fair and square.
The grain offering - I began to appreciate the yeast and no yeast concept . Unleavened significance (remember the passover night where there was no time to pack and run off) More so I started to learn to make bread during this covid lock down. Had to buy some yeast to try! It was quite fun to see the dough doubled its size in one hour!
The fire at the Brazen Altar was not to go out. Had to be kept burning and burning. Wow!
Being in Covid lockdown, the term "quarantine " caught my attention! Back in those days of old, this was already happening when there was a disease. Final thots So Leviticus, a book of laws and rites for the priests mainly. All written within the 30 days at base camp of Mt Sinai, 1405BC. Leviticus - All about Sacrifice & Sanctification
Am I not glad that we no longer need to do what the priests had to do as sacrifice for atonement of our sins? Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, already died on the cross for us all. That is atonement of the highest level! The sacrificed blood of Jesus!
How can we keep ourselves holy because He is Holy?
What does it mean to obey ?
Did God not say that obedience is better than sacrifice? 1 Sam 15:22
It used to be only priests are allowed into the Holy of Holies.
But when Jesus was crucified , that veil was torn.
For us who confessed our sins, repent of our old ways and had invited Jesus into our lives as Saviour King, we are now His royal priesthood.
We can enter into His presence without the need of another human priest or pastor.
And how glad I am for His grace and mercy daily.
We may want to be holy yes. But in our flesh, we still do commit sins- either knowingly or unknowingly.
Thank God He had provided us a way out through 1 John 1:8-10 (Msg)
"If we claim that we're free from sin, we are only fooling ourselves. A claim like this is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins - make a clean breast of them - he won't let us down, he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrong doings. "
