Reflecting the Image (by Carla Sunberg)

Scripture: Psa. 111:10     The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;         all those who practice it have a good understanding.         His praise endures forever. Observation: Here we find the beginning of the Hallelujah Psalms - ones which bring us to praise and worship of God.  Worship of God includes having a good sense of respect and awe of God.  This word "fear" is one which we may not find all that palatable these days, but there is something positive about healthy fear.  Our parents teach us healthy fears as a child.  "Be care of the boiling pot of water!"  "Look both ways before you cross the street."  "Don't drive without your seatbelt."  The truth of these statements is that hot water isn't a bad thing.  Walking down the street isn't a bad thing -- and neither are moving vehicles.  Seatbelts are a good thing as well, but there is a time and a place ...

Scripture: Ezek. 18:2 What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? Ezek. 18:3 As I live, says the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Ezek. 18:4 Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die. Observation: The Israelites were making excuses for their current state of affairs.  They repeated the proverb, "the parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge."  This meant that the children were suffering the consequences of the sins of their parents.  The problem with this was that it meant that the current generation took no responsibility for their own action.  The result was inaction.  Why bother with trying to follow God if they had a fatalistic view that they were going to be punished because of what their anc...

Scripture: Rev. 6:12 ¶ When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and there came a great earthquake; the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, Rev. 6:13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree drops its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. Rev. 6:14 The sky vanished like a scroll rolling itself up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Rev. 6:15 Then the kings of the earth and the magnates and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, Rev. 6:16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; Rev. 6:17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” Observation: For centuries there have been those who have tried to explain exactly what John's Revelation was saying to us, and specifically have tried to nail down the timing of t...

Scripture: Ezek. 14:12 ¶ The word of the LORD came to me: Ezek. 14:13 Mortal, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it, and break its staff of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it human beings and animals, Ezek. 14:14 even if Noah, Daniel, and Job, these three, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, says the Lord GOD. Observation: The people of God had, as a whole, rejected the Lord.  No longer were they willing to serve him, but they had given themselves over to the idols of other lands.  Now, they were facing utter destruction and a life in exile.  Maybe they had thought that there would be those around them who would save them!  Maybe it didn't matter that the collective whole had turned aside from God, but a few good people sprinkled among them would bring about the salvation of all.  Sadly, this was not to be the case.  Not even Noah, Daniel or Job could save...

Scripture: Rev. 4:8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing,     “Holy, holy, holy,     the Lord God the Almighty,         who was and is and is to come.” Isaiah. 6:3 And one called to another and said:     “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;     the whole earth is full of his glory.” Observation: The Apostle has been describing for us the visions that he has seen in heaven.  These visions provide for us such joy and excitement because they produce for us delight for the sanctified eye, as they give us a glimpse of what is to come.  But now we move from simply a vision to a song of heaven, a song which brings delight to the sanctified ear.  We are privileged to listen in when the hymn of heaven is sung.  The four living creatures worship God day and night by singing praises, ...

Scripture: Rev. 3:18 Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich; and white robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Observation: The people in Laodicaea were wealthy -- they thought that they had it all!  These are the church-folks, the ones who believed that they were actively participating in the work of the Kingdom, and yet something was wrong.  They had gold and silver -- those things that they believed provided them with great wealth.  They had beautiful clothing -- the city of Laodicaea was famous for it's cloth and beautiful dye work.  They also had some of the best medical doctors around and were well-known for the special ointments and salves made for those who struggled with eye problems.  These are people who had it all! And yet, it is in the things that they thought they had, that they really had nothing.  Jesus offered...

Scripture: Rev. 2:6 Yet this is to your credit: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Rev. 2:7 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God. Observation: The words here are spoken to the church in Ephesus.  This was the city famous for the worship of the goddess Diana also called Artemis.  The tourist industry of the entire city had been threatened during the time of Paul.  Too many people were converting to Christianity and the souvenir sellers weren't able to make as much money as they had in the past.  Back in Paul's day, they rioted out of anger.  By the time John's Revelation is written the church has been firmly established for a number of years.  He is concerned for their welfare and wants them to overcome the evil surrounding them.  What had happened was that the evil surrounding them...