Tag: Satan

Counting Strength & Finding Mercy

2 Samuel 23-24

Psalm 58

1 Corinthians 6

-Devotion by Melissa New (AR)

Here we are near the end of David’s life. He fought many battles, brought in a lot of wealth to Israel, united the nation and all twelve tribes, and made Jerusalem the capital city. We know David had troubling times, but he could also look back on his life and find many things to be proud of. In chapter 23, we are reminded of how much David had been given by God.

In the oracle of David, he calls himself a “man exalted by the Most High.” He says he was “anointed by the God of Jacob.” He recognizes that God made him “Israel’s singer of songs.” He says “The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me.” And he even asks, “Is not my house right with God? Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part? Will he not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire?” Of course, there is a lot of truth in David’s words. God has been very good to him.

Next, we see the great and awesome deeds of his mighty men. They really are something to be proud of and there is a list of his valiant men and some of their heroic exploits. But chapter 24 starts with the LORD’s anger. It says, “Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go, and take a census of Israel and Judah.’” The anger seems to come out of the blue, but Scripture is not always chronological and it doesn’t always explain everything for us. To make matters worse, the other account of David’s census words this differently. 1 Chronicles 21:1 says, “Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.”

What are we to make of this? First of all, I think two things can be true at the same time. The LORD was angry with the Israelites and it seems logical to think that Satan would tempt David’s weakness regarding his pride in his army. But who originated the census situation? Ultimately, God is always in control and He enacts judgment when He deems it appropriate and for the purpose of leading His people to repentance and mercy. So, it stands to reason that God allowed Satan to tempt David who was probably already leaning toward the desire to count his army.

David still had a choice. Remarkably, Joab advises David against the census. However, David’s checkered past with Joab may have made him the worst person to have tried to talk David out of it. If you are like me, you wonder why was God angry? Well, let’s think about the Israelites for a minute. Scripture shows us that the Israelites were constantly frustrating God and usually for the same reasons over and over again. It was invariably lack of trust and/or idolatry that was the issue.

Some suggest that God was angry because the Israelites showed a lack of trust in God’s appointment of David as king when so many of them followed Absalom. Right after Absalom’s rebellion is put down, many Israelites joined Sheba’s rebellion until it was put down as well.

Some point to Exodus 30:12 where the LORD says, “When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them.” They say the census wasn’t done properly. Those who were counted were supposed to give a half shekel for the Tent of Meeting.

Another theory is that David had become too proud of the strength of Israel and wanted to number the army to show how strong his kingdom was. But the kingdom belonged to the LORD. God never liked them counting on how many men they had to fight with. He wanted them to trust in Him to take care of them. He wanted to be their king. Again, I think more than one thing can be true at the same time. It’s likely that the LORD’s anger points to the Israelites’ sin, but David himself sins by ordering the census.

Psalm 58 ends by reminding us that “there is a God who judges the earth.” That is exactly what David and Israel had to face here. God judges nations. God judges kings. God judges His own people. But 2 Samuel 24 also shows us that the God who judges is the same God who shows mercy when His people humble themselves before Him.

This is important because we cannot view this as all David’s fault. He was so good about admitting when he did wrong and repenting when he messed up. But “the anger of the LORD burned against Israel,” not just David. Joab came back from counting with a massive number of 1.3 million soldiers. (I looked this up online and the United States military has about 1.3 million active-duty soldiers right now!) David doesn’t feel joy at hearing the number, though, because he immediately realized that he should not have counted the fighting men.

He confessed to the LORD and asked for forgiveness, but the consequences resulted in the LORD sending a plague in which seventy thousand men were killed. David said to the LORD, “I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall upon me and my family.” 2 Samuel 24:17 This is a beautiful thing. David wanted to intercede on behalf of the people.

The prophet Gad told David to build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. David went and Araunah offered to give David the land and oxen and everything needed for the sacrifice. David said, “I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” And the last verse of chapter 24 says, “Then the LORD answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.” God let David intercede for the nation of Israel.

Can God receive one man’s intercession and sacrifice as the place where mercy is shown to many? We see something like that happen in 2 Samuel 24. The angel of the LORD was going around striking people down. God’s judgment was not random or unfair, but the Scripture also says that “the LORD was grieved because of the calamity.” Our God is holy and righteous and when He judges, He judges rightly. We don’t really want to stand before God on what we deserve, though. We want mercy. God gives mercy to those who turn to Him as David did.

Araunah’s threshing floor became a special place where all God’s people could find mercy when Solomon built the Temple on that spot several years later.

Reflection Questions

Is it possible for us to get prideful about the things God has done for us or given us?

Are we in rebellion against what God is doing as the Israelites seemed to be?

When we give to the LORD do we recognize that it should cost us something?

When we sin, do we confess and beg the LORD for forgiveness as David did? Or do we just expect it and make excuses for our failures?

Do we trust the LORD in all things even when it’s hard to understand?

Will we humble ourselves before the God who judges, and come to the place where mercy can be found?

Prayer

Dear Lord God, You are right and all your ways are right. Thank you for Your right judgments and Your mercy again and again. Thank you for David’s example: his praise of You, his confession, repentance, sacrifice, and interceding for his people. I want to always remember that my strength comes from You. And when Your anger burns, I want to respond correctly. Forgive me for the times my pride has caused me to do or say foolish things. Help me to praise You always.

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Standing or Falling

Genesis 13-14, Proverbs 8, Matthew 4

Devotion by Marcia Railton (IN)

Smooth, delicious chocolate, sometimes with crunchy nuts or gooey caramel (instead of the nutritious salad fixings abandoned in my fridge). Or really sugar in just about any form.

A “well-deserved” social media break, just for a few minutes, that turns into much longer.

On-line shopping to find just the right pair of shoes for a trip, or maybe I need pants, or what about that sweater, would that color look good on me?

Those were three temptations I caved in to just last night when I was supposed to be writing this devotion! Yikes! When my sleepy husband asked why I was so late in getting to bed, I said something like I had been busy falling into temptation. No, I hadn’t spent the late night hours murdering my neighbor, stealing from the bank on the corner, or bowing down to carved idols. But, I had said ‘Yes’ to my own selfish, meaningless, unhealthy pursuits instead of being and doing what God most desired for me – what was best for me.

Perhaps, I should not be the one writing the devotion today. I am obviously not a specialist in standing up to temptation. I need an example to follow, I need to learn from a master – Ah, yes, thank God, He DID indeed provide the perfect example who longs to be my master. He gave us His human Son Jesus. And right after the baptism of Jesus, and right before Jesus begins his years of ministry, God’s Holy Spirit led Jesus, God’s own beloved, pleasing Son, into the wilderness where he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights.

As we are looking for clues on how Jesus faced temptation so successfully, there’s a couple great ones right there. Jesus was already open to and actively being led by the Spirit. What did God’s spirit want for him? That’s what He wanted too, even when it meant willingly going into a difficult, sometimes even dangerous space.

Compare Jesus’ location and circumstance with Adam and Eve’s when they were also confronted with choices to make. The first son of God was surrounded with God’s bounty and beauty and provision in the spectacular garden. Good, healthy, God-honoring fruit literally surrounded them when they instead listened to the deception of the serpent and chose to eat of the tree that God had already clearly said “No” to. Jesus didn’t use his harsh surroundings or difficult circumstances as an excuse to be weak. Instead, he found strength in using that time to fast and pray and draw closer to God which indeed made him even stronger and better prepared to face his adversary. Don’t get so comfortable in your pleasant surroundings that you become weak and don’t recognize temptation for what it is. Don’t fear the time spent in the harsh wilderness, but use the opportunity to cling closer and closer to what really matters – the God who is always there.

After the 40 days of fasting Jesus gives us the next big answer of how he faced each one of Satan’s three temptations in the wilderness – with the very words of God His Father, each and every time. In fact, the first Scripture Jesus quotes to Satan are strong words about the sustaining power from the words of God, and our need for God’s word, from the book of Deuteronomy: “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4) If we try to face temptation without the power of God’s word we will be weak. Matthew 4:4 is a great verse for me to remember today when I sit down to work on tomorrow’s devotion! Here’s a few more:

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. – Ephesians 6:14-17

God’s word: read it, learn it, use it – and live (better and stronger today and also for eternity).

God’s word: neglect it, forget it, try to do life your own way – and die (but first, you will likely waste a lot of time, have a lot of self-made sorrow, and miss out on doing God’s will).

His Words are not just for gaining knowledge, they are for fighting temptation, finding truth, for making strong and giving life. Don’t miss out!

Let’s review what we have seen from Jesus about successfully facing temptation: Jesus was willing to be led by the Spirit. He used his time in the wilderness well. He fasted and drew closer to God. He recognized Satan for who he was. He discerned the lies and empty promises of the deceiver and actively chose what God said and promised instead. He wanted God’s will, not his own. He knew God’s Word. He used God’s Word as a sword to do battle against untruth, temptations and the tempter. He said, “Away with you Satan!” And he was victorious!

What about you? Do you know what temptations you face regularly? What do you crave? What do you covet? What are you jealous of? What leads you astray? What do you feel guilty about? Where do you lose self-control? What good do you neglect and why? How do you waste time? What do you say ‘Yes’ to that God wanted you to say ‘No” to? And, what do you say ‘No’ to that God wanted you to say ‘Yes’ to? What is Satan whispering in your ear or in your heart? What do you worship (with your time, money, devotion, or decisions)?

Realize you have choices, decisions to make. Big ones and little ones. It’s not just about not murdering your neighbor and not bowing down to carved idols. It’s also about how you treat the gift of the miraculous body God gave you. It’s about how you choose to spend the gift of the time God gives you. It’s about how you treat the people God surrounds you with. It’s about if you choose what you want, or what God wants.

And Satan (as well as the world and marketers today) can make the bad choice, or the selfish one, or the unhealthy one, look pretty good, that’s what makes it tempting. If it looked like the garbage it is, we would gladly turn from it. Don’t be fooled by the stone that looks like bread, the impressive view, and Satan’s promises.

God gives the perfect example of His Son. Follow that example – not mine.

God gives His Word, the Scriptures – the sword to do battle with the tempter. It worked for Jesus. I need to use it better!

God gives knowledge, wisdom and discernment – ask for it and use it.

God gives the spirit of self-control – that’s the one I want.

God gives forgiveness and new beginnings.

Prayer

Dear God – I am sorry. Please forgive me of the many times I fall to temptation. Help me do better, Lord God. Help me follow the example of your Son when I am in the wilderness and also when I am in the garden. Help me go where Your Spirit is leading. Help me forsake what I want and choose instead what You want, which is indeed the best for me. Help me see garbage for what it is, and turn from it to you and your gifts, again and again. I ask for wisdom and discernment to see what is from You and what are deceptions from the deceiver. Help me use your Word well to be strong against temptation. Thank you for your Word, your forgiveness, love and mercy and a new day to work at doing Your will better. Help me use all that you give me to stand strong against temptation. Thank you for the example and sacrifice of your Son Jesus. In his name we pray to You the Almighty. Amen.

Reflection Questions

  1. Compare and contrast when Satan came to the garden and when he came to the wilderness? What similarities do you see? What differences? Is Satan still making visits? What does it look like?
  2. Consider the paragraph of questions regarding what are temptations for you. What do you see about your own temptations? What temptations do you sometimes fall to?
  3. Eating chocolate isn’t always a sin or temptation is it? But is it sometimes? When? Why? What makes the difference?
  4. What scriptures can you find (and put in your home and in your heart) to help you face your temptations better armed with the Sword of the Spirit?
  5. Have you ever tried fasting when facing a particularly difficult time of temptation?
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God’s Blessing Found in Satan’s Fire

Revelation 11-13

Devotion by Isaac Cain (NE)

I have always wanted to witness the majesty of the Redwood and Sequoia trees in California. They have always captured my imagination and even their pictures blow me away. It’s amazing to do research on how they utilize the same good and life-giving sunlight, water, and soil that every plant needs. Yet, one thing that distinguishes them from almost any other plant life is how both trees have thick bark, high water content, and the ability to resprout from dormant buds. In other words, they are highly resistant to fire. When there’s a fire, it burns away a lot of other growth but not them, and the fire helps make the soil nutrient rich and ready for these giants to begin their long life. 

These trees can relish in the peaceful times of God’s gifts of sunlight, water, and nutrients in the soil, and they can even thrive when the chaos of fire runs rampant in the forest. In a way these trees and their interaction with the environment are a perfect symbol for how you and I can imagine ourselves and our interaction with God and our world. We are like the trees, our current time is like the peaceful time with all of its normal troubles, and the forest fire is like the events we read here in Revelation eleven through thirteen. 

God in His brilliant goodness and wisdom can use all things in a way that fulfills His good and perfect will. Even if Satan, the enemy of both man and God, is running rampant, God can play him like a master chess player who not only wins using His own chess moves, but even using his opponent’s plays. The consuming fire that Satan starts to eliminate his opponents ends God uses to consume him and bring about a rich new start for his children.

This truth should be clear to us as we read Revelation and particularly these chapters as well. The two witnesses, the pregnant woman, the messianic child, Michael and his angels, and believers who are marked by God rather than the beast are all like the Redwoods who grow taller and stronger than everything else under God’s loving and wise provision. Even though the fire is chaotic, hot, and effective at consuming everything else in the forest, the trees remain. Even though we read of the horrifying workings of the dragon and his beasts, every being under God’s care is rescued.

It is easy to read through Revelation and its “forest fires” and assume this is a book meant to warn us of an impending doom that we wish not to see. However, John wrote this book, under the instruction of God and Jesus, to give encouragement and hope. The dragon is fierce, but God is even more so, and we will bask in God’s victory one day. So prepare to endure the fire to come, because it will produce a rich soil for the sprouting of a new and perfect kingdom where we can grow taller than ever before.

Reflection Questions

How can these future revelations provide wisdom for the fires in our own lives today?
How should our prayer lives be impacted by seeing how God uses even the fires to produce goodness?

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A Good Day

1 Samuel 28-31

Psalm 18

Do you have good days?  Days when you feel God’s hand moving in your life.  Days when you feel protected.  Days when you feel good about doing what is right.

David wrote this Psalm on a good day.  On a day that God delivered him from his enemies.  Here is a small sample of what David faced:

Vs 4 – the cords of death encompassed me

Vs 16 – he drew me out of many waters

Vs 17 – rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me

Vs 18 – they confronted me in the day of my calamity

Vs 48 – my enemies, the man of violence

I’m guessing most of us don’t face literal enemies who are trying to kill us.  However, we do face the enemy every day.  Does that sound crazy to you?  Do you consider that Satan is attacking you on every front every day? 

Here are some ways Satan attacks each one of us:  temptations, deception & lies, discouragement, fear, doubt, and the list goes on.  But, as I often ask, what does that look/sound like?   I believe it’s different, specifically, for each of us.  What tempts me might not tempt you at all.   Here are some examples:    

  • A group of friends or co-workers are talking about someone you know.  They are suggesting this person is doing some really bad things.  You feel included when you are part of the conversation and you like that feeling.  You feel important being “in the know” when you see others later and share the details discussed.  Information is power and you like holding that power. 
  • Things haven’t been going well for you.  Maybe it’s being overlooked for a job promotion.  Maybe it’s relationships falling apart.  Maybe it’s an illness.  You begin to be discouraged.  You start to doubt God’s goodness and love for you.  You listen to the voice telling you that you will always be a failure, you won’t ever get well, God doesn’t care, nobody cares….

So what did David do when he faced all of these enemies?  He called out to God (vs 6 “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help”).  That should be our first response to any attack by the enemy. 

In verses 20-24 David tells us how he made the right choices, followed God’s rules, and was blameless before him.  I know I can’t say that about myself.  But, looking at what we know of all people, and what we know about David later in his life, we know no one always does what is right (except Jesus, but this was long before his time…).  David wanted to do what was right.  I want to do what is right.  David expresses in this Psalm that his strength to be blameless (forgiven?) comes from God; that his support comes from God; that God rescues him from his enemies.  We, having the same God as David, can trust in God’s strength, in His support and in His deliverance. 

Amy Blanchard

Reflection Questions

  1. Do you call out to God FIRST when your enemies attack?   Think of a time you called out to God for his help (even if it was as a last resort) and you saw His deliverance.  Share that with someone who is struggling (maybe that’s you). 
  2. Cross check your thoughts against God’s Word.  We often “hear” what we want to hear when it is really the enemy speaking, not God.  God will never tell you something or lead you somewhere that contradicts Scripture.
  3. On your good days, don’t forget to thank God.  Did you call out to God for help, clarity, protection, strength, etc. today?  What can you thank Him for, even while you wait for other answers?
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Judgment: The Positive and The Negative

Old Testament: Ezekiel 33 & 34

Poetry: Psalm 105

New Testament: Revelation 20

     Revelation 20 involves God’s judgment, and it may make sense to put 19:20-21 in your mental image of the passage so the beast, the false prophet and their armies are in there. Verse ten reiterates the judgment of the beast and the false prophet, pairing them with the devil they had served. I see the passage with alternating sections of negative and positive references to judgment (19:20–20:3, 7-10, 15) and (20:4-6; 11-14). Grouped this way the text has every use of “lake of fire” (a different phrase appears in 21:8).

     After 19:20-21 establishes the punishment of those who served the dragon, chapter 20 opens with very satisfying language about the serpent not being able to deceive the nations. He is chained and sealed away for a thousand years.

     The description of the saints’ resurrection which follows in verses four to six may seem notably out of sequence. The first resurrection takes place at the last trumpet, in the twinkling of an eye (meaning in the time it takes to blink; 1 Corinthians 15:52). At Christ’s return the dead in Christ rise first, at the sound of the trumpet, and his servants who remain alive rise to meet him just afterward (1 Thessalonians 4:14‑17). That happens before Jesus fights the armies of the antichrist. It seems that the first resurrection was skipped over in Revelation 19. It also seems questionable for there to be an evaluation of the martyrs like is described in the vision. God knows all about them – they are raised because of who they are. It seems that the evaluation was described just for the sake of the vision, and what this passage presents as “judgment” clearly would need to be a fully positive judgment.

     Recognizing all of that, I think God wanted this text here, after a description of what happened to the devil. It contrasts what happened with those who accepted the mark of the beast (dead) and the leaders of the conspiracy (burning) and the one who inspired that conspiracy (imprisoned for a thousand years) to those who stood firm against it (they come to life and reign with Christ for a thousand years). Considering what these martyrs suffered, God wants to emphasize their acceptance and glorification, although that called for it being addressed out of sequence.

     In verses seven to nine Satan is again free, for a short time. Perhaps this represents a winnowing of the nations before God makes the next big change in the status of earth. Satan again deceives the nations who are willing to be deceived and assembles them for judgment (even if he doesn’t understand that is what he is doing). And this time judgment comes on him as well. God is closing out the books, after this there won’t be anyone else around able to be tempted. God could have left this entire story unmentioned, but He wanted us to know this part of the future, to be aware that our enemy will be permanently dealt with. (Not that Genesis 3:15 didn’t already indicate it.)

     I like the imagery in verse 11, as though perhaps God’s majesty surges up, and all that is nearby is not holy enough to remain. “Earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them” (v. 11). We continue to be reminded that this is a vision, as the lake of fire is still present for the later part of the vision and did not flee away. Maybe this is looking toward the next part of the story, that God is in the process of replacing heaven and earth (2 Peter 3:12). The description of death and Hades being thrown into the lake of fire is very positive (v. 14), but also serves as another reminder that we are reading about a vision (as it is hard to figure how John knew this happened except by being made aware of it).

     Elements of both the positive judgment scenes (v. 4-6, 11-14) can be found in Daniel 7:9ff, with the thrones, the books, and the fire, but they are mixed. It is a common statement that prophets of the Old Testament saw future events like we might see a distant mountain range, unable to tell very well how large a valley was between the peaks. Events from Christ’s first coming and second coming could be discussed right next to each other in a passage. With Daniel 7, making distinctions relevant to the existence of multiple resurrections wasn’t purposeful. And with Revelation John could not see and appreciate all the things happening in fully accurate order.

     I questioned whether to think of the judgment in Revelation 20:11-15 as neutral, or to break it between a positive first four verses and a ‘negative’ verse 15, because it raises the idea of someone’s name not being found in the book of life. It is interesting to think that verse 15 involves a resurrection too late in history to be relevant for the reader and so may not be intended as a warning for us. But I suppose it will be a warning to people during the millennium.

     Lord, your judgments are true. Thank you for offering your mercy. Please open my heart to accept your gracious offer, for myself, and for others. Don’t allow me to remain burdened with the past. Don’t let me be held back by refusing to forgive. Lord, let me listen so well to you now that I will not be deceived by the evil one or accept any of his lies. Let me seek your truth, and love it. In the name of your beloved son, Amen.

-Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you think it will be like for people in the millennium to read the Bible?
  2. How does it make you feel to think that God is eager to praise those who have faithfully served Christ?
  3. The text refers to “priests of God and of Christ” who will “reign with Him for a thousand years” (v. 6) – have you given much thought to what that might involve?
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The Thing I Know

Death and Kingdom: Revelation 20
Old Testament: 2 Kings 1 & 2
Poetry: Psalm 127

Mema Ballard owned a set of Encyclopedia Britannicas … or is it Encyclopedias Britannica? That is exactly the kind of question one my be tempted to look up in an encyclopedia. Technically, it’s the latter, but she only owned one Encyclopedia, with multiple volumes. It felt like no matter what question we wanted answered, all we had to do was look in the Encyclopedia and boom! Question answered. Crisis of unknowing averted. “All’s right in the world.”

When I entered college, I thought of the Bible much the same way. One library of books, containing multiple works, and if I came with a question, I would have it answered as soon as I learned to know where to look. 

It sure would be nice if the editors of the Bible just put it all into easy-to-read statements of fact and doctrine. Why use all this narrative, all these stories, all these symbols? Poetry; why, couldn’t that lead to interpretation, discussion, and, horror of horrors, more questions?

Obviously, it does.

And yet God did not inspire an encyclopedia. He inspired a library of books that pokes and prods and needles as much as, or much more than, it answers and comforts and assuages. 

If we are asking, “what can we know about death and the Kingdom at the end of the age”, and we turn to Revelation 20 (conveniently at the end), suddenly a lot of questions crop up. 

Which angel comes down and binds Satan?(20:1) Why does Satan need to be released? (20:3) Why is this the only chapter where the dead in Christ are raised in a resurrection apart from the rest of the dead (20:5), and why is this the only chapter where the 1000 year reign of Christ is spelled out in clear detail (20:4, 6)? How could people who saw immortals ruling over them, as is implied, think that they stood a chance, and join forces as “Gog and Magog,” against the “camp of the saints and the beloved city”? (20:8-9) 

I think these questions do have answers; for some, they are complicated, and for others, I don’t know them. 

Should I say that again? 

I don’t know everything. 

Questions unanswered, hurtling directly into the unknown, and I feel the anxiety all around. 

Do you sometimes feel the same way? That you don’t know everything and the things you do know you aren’t sure about?

You don’t have to know everything, because we can’t.

But we can know one thing with absolute certainty, 

We know the ONE who does know everything. 

Which angel? An angel sent by the God who controls all things and cannot lose to Satan. Satan is ALREADY defeated, one day he will be bound. 

Satan’s release and turning away of the nations? God gives everyone a choice to believe, and people can make the choice to not believe.

The 1000 year reign and two resurrections?

I don’t know everything, but I know that if we place our hope in Jesus, we receive eternal life. (John 17:3) We can and should argue, teach, and debate theological and doctrinal points, because they are important.

But those are secondary to trusting in the Messiah for salvation, and living the way Jesus showed us to live. Because those who do not give in to the sins of this world, and live for the will of God (20:4), they will be blessed. And they are blessed in this way : “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:6)

Do you believe? Because if you do believe, there is just one more thing I know. 

Revelation 21:3-4 “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

I know I want that experience. 

No death.

No grief or crying. 

No pain.

Every tear of sorrow wiped away. 

God with us. 

I know I want that for you. 

And, even with all your questions, you know you want that too.

Because that is good news. 

That’s gospel message. 

That’ll preach. 

Amen. 

-Jake Ballard

Reflection Questions

  1. Describe the ONE that you know with absolute certainty. What do you learn about Him in His words? What do you still want to learn about Him?
  2. Why do you think God inspired the Bible as it is, rather than to be like an encyclopedia?
  3. How often do you think about what happens at/after death or what will happen at the end of this age? What is the benefit of studying what the Bible says about these topics?

Jake Ballard is pastor at Timberland Bible Church. If you’d like to hear more from him, you can find Timberland on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TimberlandBibleChurch/ ) and on Instagram (https://instagram.com/timberlandbiblechurch?igshid=t52xoq9esc7e). The church streams the Worship Gathering every Sunday at 10:30. Besides studying and teaching God’s word, he is raising three beautiful children with the love of his life, is a big nerd who likes fantasy (right now, Harry Potter), sci-fi (Star Trek), and board games (FrostHaven). If you’d like to reach out to talk Bible, talk faith, or talk about your favorite nerdy things, look Jacob Ballard up on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/jacob.ballard.336 ) or email him at  jakea.ballard@yahoo.com. 
God bless you all!

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God wins.

Revelation 20

Monday, December 5, 2022

The title of this post is unassuming. Two words: a noun, the subject, and a verb in the future tense. 

I am in the business of speaking, teaching, training, sermonizing. And sometimes (less often than I’d like to admit) I may have a sermon that God uses in spite of all my failures and faults. But if I were to have all the power of the greatest speakers, the powerful conviction of Billy Graham, the clarity and precision of Andy Stanley, the dedication of pastors from Martin Luther to Martin Luther King Jr. and beyond, more than a thousand eloquent sermons could not compare to the truth of the future of the world summed up in these two words. 

God wins. 

I don’t want to take away from that truth, but I do want to flesh it out a bit. 

In the earlier parts of Revelation, the beheaded souls have been calling out from beyond the grave to the God who will give them justice (Rev. 6:9-11). God promised the victors that they would have reward upon reward (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26-28; 3:5, 12, 21). When God wins, those who placed faith in God above even their own lives have the incredible promises. For time out of mind (1000 years) they will reign with Christ, they will not be hurt by the second death. While the language of two resurrections is not common in the rest of the NT*, the truth is that they are SO ASSURED of their salvation its as if they cannot possibly be brought to judgment. The joy of this resurrection is that we who are powerless, weak, poor, and oppressed will one day win, be victorious and live forever with God and his Christ, because God wins. 

And Satan can’t win. The dragon’s wings are clipped, and the serpentine body is prepared for the flames. In this world, God has power to throw the serpent of old, the devil and Satan, and bind him for 1000 years. During that time, his temptation and power are cast down. In the end, the devil who deceived the world was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone. This is a threat and a promise. Moreover, Satan KNOWS this is his end. The battle between God and Satan is not a cinematic, climactic masterpiece. There is no worry about who will win. Satan is not trying to win, because he can’t. He IS trying to make YOU LOSE, because that is a possibility. But God will help you overcome sin, fight temptation, and come through faithful. God can protect you from the defanged, declawed, clipped-wing dragon, because God wins. 

In some sense, part of the glory of God, part of his winning, is allowing humans to choose their outcomes. God allows people to determine their final state. While we are only and forever able to be saved by the glory and grace of God, God both does not force his salvific will upon us and does not preclude us from choosing him. God gives people what they desire. The books are opened; the dead are judged. Christ is our hope (Col. 1:27), our peace (Eph. 2:14), our resurrection and life (John 11:25). If any person has rejected Christ, what have they done but rejected peace with God and people? Rejected hope of eternal life? Rejected the resurrection and the life? God gives them exactly what they demanded. God doesn’t put up with those who were rebellious against him in this life. Because…

God wins.

No ifs, ands, buts. 

No amount of persuasive words will make it less true. 

No force of hell can stop Him, not a dragon or an atheist. 

The promise is true:

God wins. 

– Jake Ballard.

* There are hints of two resurrections in the rest of the NT, but nowhere is it explicitly stated like here in the apocalyptic work of Revelation. 

Reflection Questions

  1. How significant is the phrase “God wins” to you? To elaborate, in what areas of your life are you losing? Temptation and sin? Suffering and pain? Anxiety, depression, stress? What would it mean for you to stop trying to fix it all yourself, and let God win, allowing him to be victorious where you haven’t been yourself?
  2. In the ultimate sense, Satan is powerless. While we might be attacked, tormented, and tempted by evil today, that is not the way the world will be forever. How does it make you feel to know that all evil and wickedness are going to be overcome by the power of God? Will you allow God to protect you, so the battle is one-sided in your favor today?
  3. There is no peace, hope, resurrection or life without Christ. Have you given him control of your life, allowing him to be your savior and lord?
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Yellow Skittles and Suffering

Job 2

Saturday, July 2, 2022

Do you like skittles? It seems like everyone has a favorite color and a color they dislike. For me, I dislike the yellow ones. If someone were to give me a pack of skittles, I would simply pick out the yellow ones and eat the colors that I do like. Life, however, is not like this. We cannot pick and choose what we like and don’t like. Our lives are not as simple as pulling weeds out of a garden.

In this chapter of the book of Job we find him in the aftermath of losing everything. To make matters worse, Job is now being afflicted with painful boils. Destroying everything in Job’s possession did not persuade him to curse the name of God, so Satan has now turned to physical attacks.

            Even Job’s wife believes that Job should give up. His wife has also lost everything. The children whom she carried in her womb are dead. The life she knew- gone. She was in great turmoil as well. Her grief causes her to go out to her husband, who is sitting among the ashes, and plainly tell him to curse God for the calamity that has befallen them. And then she says that Job should die. For all that Job has endured certainly there is no reason to continue. No reason to attempt treating himself for boils, which is what he is attempting during this conversation.

            Job’s response is a great reminder. He says in verse 10, “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?”

            Such an attitude can be extremely difficult to cultivate in times of such pain. Even Job’s friends, when they first see him in this chapter, weep at the sight of him. Even amongst his pain Job refuses to curse God. Job was unable to cherry pick what was happening in his life. It was out of his power to dispose of his yellow skittles in life.

            It is impossible for us too. We are not promised a perfect life in this fallen world. As a result of the fall of man and sin entering the world, we live in a corrupt world where bad things happen. We are given many good skittles, but that does not mean we will never have taste of a yellow one. But we have hope that one day if we put our trust in God that we will taste eternal life. Every tear and pain from this fallen world will be wiped away and what was imperfect will be made perfect.

            So, until that day comes, let us trust God and know that the taste in our mouth that the yellow skittle leaves is not forever. Remember Job’s words, “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?”

-Hannah Deane

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

  1. What have been the yellow Skittles in your life? How did you respond to them? More like Job did? Or his wife? The next time you encounter a great trial or suffering how would you like to envision you will respond? What could you do now to prepare for this response?
  2. What good have you accepted from God? Thank Him for them!
  3. How does keeping an eternal perspective give you strength and hope through the difficulties?
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A Most Challenging Day

Job 1

Friday, July 1, 2022

            Take a moment to think about your life? Is there a particularly bad day you can remember having? A day where everything that could possibly go wrong does? Maybe that day is today or maybe it was 10 years ago. Regardless of when, though, those kinds of days are challenging.

I have had quite a few days like this. From having a high fever during final exams and then having my laptop shut down in the middle of the final exam or learning that my older sister had passed, life can be very challenging. There are ups and there are downs. And usually it is on the way down when we begin to ask where we are going. Most often we don’t know, or at least not in the moment.

            The book of Job is quite interesting. Some Bible scholars have even argued about it being included in the biblical canon. However, the book of Job has nonetheless become a favorite book for many who are in the midst of hardship. It is a book that a struggling Christian in the fallen world can relate to. It also offers insight into the struggles we face in life.

            In this very first chapter we find Job living a prosperous life. He is beyond wealthy and has everything anyone at that time, and probably today, could ever want. Yet in one singular day it all comes crashing down. No matter how bad of a day I have had in my life, I don’t think any could quite top Job’s. One servant after another comes to tell him that they are the lone survivor of terrible tragedies. From his sheep being burned in the fields to a building falling in on and killing his children, the heartbreak and nausea he must have suffered in that moment is unthinkable.

The introspective we have into the calamities that have befallen Job is not a luxury that Job had. He, like us in our own hardships, did not know why this was happening. He didn’t know that Satan himself was attacking him and baiting him to curse the name of his God. He was not able to witness the conversation between God and Satan and say, “Oh, ok that’s why this is happening.” He was genuinely shocked and grieved by this unexpected course of events that rattled his life.

            In the midst of all this suffering, though, Job did not lose his faith. In fact, we are told that he worshipped God despite this. However, this does not mean he was not grieved and filled with a deep sorrow. For we are also told that he tore his robes, shaved his head, and fell to the ground. He was broken, but he worshipped God in his brokenness. Sometimes it is that moment of being broken that the light of the love of God warms our cold and tired hearts through the newly formed cracks. So, like Job, lets worship God in our brokenness. 

-Hannah Deane

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

  1. Describe Job. What impresses you the most about him?
  2. Why do you think God allowed Satan to test Job?
  3. What can it look like to worship God in our brokenness? Have you been there before – or are there now?
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False Advertising

2 Corinthians 11

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Have you seen anything advertised lately that you really wanted to try? Keep this in mind. We will revisit it at the end…

     Paul in this section of the letter to the Corinthians is defending his apostleship- not by means of hearsay, but through the proof of his testimony to Christ. Through the actions of his ministry, he has demonstrated his devotion to his faith. In the latter part of the section, Paul lists out the persecutions he has suffered. He does this not for the sake of attention or for puffing up his chest. He does it to demonstrate what the life of a true follower of Christ can look like. He does so to prove through his actions, and not the empty clanging of his voice, that he is an apostle of Christ.

     Paul does make a point to call attention to the “false advertising”, if you will, of others. He even makes the statement in verse 14, “…for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”

Both before and after this powerful statement of warning, Paul also mentions the servants of Satan and the deceitful workers disguising themselves as apostles of Christ and servants of righteousness. Their beautifully spun words are to create an illusion that they are something that they are not. They are to deceive and steal away those who would come to Christ.  

Going back to that product you saw advertised, what about the product appealed to you? Was it the products testability that spoke for its reliability? Or was it the colorful design and exaggerated wording? We are in a world that is saturated in advertising and overrun with so many products trying to steal our attention from the others.

It is the same with who we put our trust in. Sometimes the advertisements of Satan are much more appealing. It can be difficult to choose the beautifully created bowl of fruit over the decadent devil’s food cake. But in the end, one nourishes and sustains us and the other satisfies us for only a moment.

-Hannah Deane

Application Questions

  1. In what ways do you see Satan working to convince the world and Christians that what God said is good is actually bad, and what God said is bad is actually good? How does evil try to look good – masquerading as an angel of light?
  2. What lies of Satan have you believed?
  3. How can we protect ourself from being deceived by Satan as Eve was?
  4. What role does knowing and loving the truth play in fighting temptation? What truths do you find in Scripture that can help you be strong and wise against temptation?
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