Through into March is that delightful time of year when our readings take us through the Psalms.  We sometimes wish that the Psalms readings were broken up and spread through the year.  All the early Psalms were written by David and they reveal the intimacy of the relationship he experienced with God.

In the heights of that relationship he writes some inspiring Psalms.  But, also just as much, when his relationship with God falters, his thoughts of self examination on such occasions are also inspiring.  These show us the way to get back on the true path when our feet have started to stumble or stray.  Consider the words of Psalm 4, “There are many who say, ‘who will show us some good?  Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!’  You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.” [v.6,7] 

Those who seek to be shown something good have, in most cases, their own agenda, as to what that “good” should be!  Do they see the abundance of “grain and wine” as the way to what they consider to be “good”? We suspect that is the case – and with the celebrations we have just experienced at the start of a new year, the revelry and partying that went on, we could not but ask ourselves – for what purpose is all this? 

Do people have good reason to think that 2024 is going to give them cause to be specially happy?  What is happiness?  Is it when your team wins a game?  If so, your happiness depends on the other team losing and their supporters being unhappy!  What important principle is David teaching us in this Psalm?  

He says to God, “you have put more joy in my heart than they have when …”   What sort of joy is this?  As we read the Psalms this question will be answered several times. Take Psalm 63 as an example. “… my God, I earnestly seek you … as in a dry and weary land where there is no water … your steadfast love is better than life … so I will bless you as long as I live … my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night” [v.1,3,4,6]  So much today is “dry and weary” leading us to aim for David’s kind of relationship with God and have true joy in our hearts.

 The first 12 weeks of the year involve reading the Psalms; they are so often personal and wonderfully thought provoking. Psalm 2 has 4 verses which have been familiar to us in the last week because they are in Handel’s Messiah.  “Why do the nations rage and the people plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against his anointed” [v.1,2] 

Christ is the ‘anointed’ – that is what the word ‘christ’ means.  Earth’s rulers plot in vain against what the LORD purposes to accomplish.  Peter quoted this Psalm when he and John were released from prison. (Acts 4 v.23-26)  But, much of God’s word, while having at times, intermediate applications, have an ultimate fulfilment as these words certainly do. 

We live in an age when the atheists and agnostics are multiplying; they believe they are succeeding in their efforts to do away with divine principles: they are saying, as this Psalm puts it in v.3, “Let us burst their bonds apart (asunder) and cast away their cords (restraints) from us.”  The following verse gives us the LORD’s reaction to this, “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD holds them in derision.”   God’s punishments were clearly evident when so many of the Kings that followed David’s era ignored the restraints of the divine laws. But note! Today’s Psalm is primarily addressed to “the nations” and “the kings of the earth.” 

So what will God do? Verse 5 tells us, “then he will speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury” and this fury is associated with the time when, as the next verses put it, “I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill” And the LORD says to the king, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you, Ask of me and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.  You shall break them … and dash them in pieces …” 

How parallel this is with what we have just been reading in Malachi and Revelation!  But the last words in this Psalm are for us at that time – if our attitude is right – we read, “Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.”  

 No, the above is not a New Testament quotation. Today, as 2023 ends, we complete reading both the Old and New Testaments.  Our quotation is from Malachi 3 v.1.  The previous chapter had concluded with the words, “You have wearied the LORD with your words.  But you say, ‘How have we wearied him?’”  

Two answers are given to that question  – the first – you weary him “by saying, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD’”  Is the same being said today?  The second answer given is, “by asking, where is the God of justice?” [2 v.12]  The point is people “weary” God by asking – why doesn’t God intervene to bring justice?   He will, but he will choose the time. God is “wearied” by human distortions of his ways.

His word, the Bible, is not read so that we know his ways.  But it is available for all to read, but less and less do – and of those who do, so many fail to try to thoroughly digest the totality of its message; a surface reading gives some the impression that God always turns a ‘blind eye’ to the evil on the earth.  

Now Malachi, the final prophet God sent to Israel, gives the same overall message as in Revelation – that God will suddenly act.  In both Revelation (20 v.12) and Malachi (3 v.16-18) we read of “books” being written before God – and then opened!  Malachi calls it a “book of remembrance”.  We read that those named in the book “shall be mine” says the LORD, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them …”

    In Revelation we read of those who will be called God’s people that “he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for the former things have passed away.” [21 v.4]

We must, however, be aware of what else happens when “the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come …”   “For behold” Malachi also writes, “the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts … But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.” [4 v.1,2]   

    We must live now in a way which shows we fear, that is, we are in awe of God’s name – his reputation. This is made very clear to those who read his word, the Bible every day; for they know how much they need good food for their minds and the wonder of a real relationship with God that such food brings.  May we all more earnestly seek that food in 2024.

 The symbolic language of the book of Revelation never fails to challenge the reader. Some of the symbology is quite clear.  It is hard if not impossible to believe that God has a literal book, yet we believe that a divine record exists. The believers at Sardis were told “I know your works” [Rev, 3 v.1] and what was known was not good, but there was still time to change. We know today how much information can be packed into infinitesimally small “chips” – humans have discovered more and more of the wonders built into creation.

They have also learnt to “tame” some of the greater wild beasts and learnt the intriguing ways of many animals; but how few humans have learnt to have a meaningful relationship with God – look at the effort it needed for Job to achieve this.

In our heading we take some words from Revelation 20 v.12 about the opening of “the book of life.”  We read, “the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done … and if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life … he was thrown into the lake of fire.” [v.12,15] 

“Death and Hades” are also “thrown into the lake of fire” [v.14] so it is evident that the “lake of fire” is a symbol of the complete and final removal of these things, Hades means ‘tombs, graves’.  Ch. 21 says. in plain language “death shall be no more” and “behold I make all things new” [v.4,5] and we are given the ultimate situation in the future of the annihilation of all things that are ungodly, paradise is restored, a wonder of life unfolds which is far beyond our minds to grasp – it waits those who names are “found written in the book.”

Yet no one whose names are “found written” will have earned that privilege.  Eternal life we are told, is a “gift” that will be the result of the genuineness of our faith.  Paul makes this point several times, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not the result of works that no one may boast” [Ephesians 2 v.8,9].  Faith is the vital ingredient in our minds, faith that changes the way we think and therefore act – remembering what we read last week in Jude, “build yourselves up in your most holy faith … keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life” [v.20,21] .

 Malachi is the last prophet God sent to his people Israel before John the Baptist and Christ came on the scene. After Malachi there is silence in Israel, no inspired man from God appears.  Of course the records of the messages of the prophets are available; indeed they are carefully preserved as we can see from the discovery of so many scrolls in the caves by the Dead Sea in 1947-50.

So was there anything significant in the message God sent through the last prophet?  The first half of his short book is a lament by God that the people only give in sacrifice to him what we might call the ‘leftovers.’    The prophet’s message is, “You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD.  Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished.” [Ch.1 v.13,14] 

Have these words any application today for those who say they believe and serve God?  It certainly has! While there is no temple for us to bring our offerings, there is a spiritual temple.  Paul wrote, “we are the temple of the living God; as God said, I will make my dwelling among them …” [2 Corinthns 6 v.16].  Paul made the same point to the believers at Ephesus saying that, “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” [Ch. 2 v. 22]

Gatherings of believers must sense the wonder of this happening, the wonder of God’s involvement in their lives.  But do many only give to God the leftovers of their time today?  Do some feel, as we read in Malachi, “What a weariness this is” [v.13] when they feel obliged to find some time to use in a spiritual way.  God even felt it would be better if someone “would shut the doors” to the temple so they “might not kindle fire on my altar in vain.” [v.10]. 

So if we only give to God our ‘left over’ time will not God also say of us, “I have no pleasure in you … I will not accept an offering”.  If we struggle to fit in time, and often do not succeed, in joining with fellow believers in acts of worship and in the reading and study of God’s word, will God not have the same attitude toward us as he did in the days of Malachi?  If we make a New Year’s resolution on this – how quickly will it be broken?  It depends on how well we sense the presence of God – and the climax of the book of Job gives us a lesson on this.

 Nine times we read the phrase “on that day” in just 15 verses in Zechariah Chapter 12 through to the first 2 verses of chapter 13. We note the prelude to these pronouncements, “Thus declares the LORD who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him” [12 v.1].  These words fascinate us as a way to announce the character of God, a declaration of his absolute almightiness as the originator of all that exists.

It is the first “on that day” that has captivated the attention of believers throughout our lifetime. “On that day” we read, “I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves.  And all the nations of the earth will gather against it.” [12 v.3] 

    Jerusalem has been the centre of attention in the Middle East, attracting more and more the attention of the whole world since Israel became a nation again in 1948 after being “dead” since AD 70. 

The USA has tried hard to “lift” the stone to solve the problem this year: it seems to have only made matters worse.  The influences of Islamic countries have grown greater and it now seems clear that some day, maybe soon, an “explosion” will occur.  The next “on that day” is when God “will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness” [v.4]    Today men have invented a great variety of “vehicles” to replace the horse. They get around at great speed. What is this madness?  We suggest it means totally irrational behaviour in a situation which gets totally out of control.  

Now notice the declaration in the next verse. “The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the LORD of hosts their God.”  We are strongly inclined to believe this happens because God has poured out on “Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him they have pierced, they shall mourn …” [v.10]

This portrays the wonder of the return of Christ, the Jews recognise their Messiah at last; but Ch. 13 v.8,9 appears to indicate they first experience a traumatic time when God will “refine them”.  There is an incredible turn around of events “the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives” [14 v.4] from where Jesus ascended ( Acts 1 v.9-12)  

    But also “on that day there shall be a fountain opened for … the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness” [13 v.1]  The most momentous climax possible to human history. Will you be there on that day?

 “Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints” [Rev.13 v.10.]  The A V Bible uses the word “patience” here, one of seven significant occasions when the word occurs in this book.  – we should  best read it as “patient endurance.” This statement was true then – and it is just as true today; it is vital it becomes the guiding principle in our lives. Honesty should compel all dedicated students of God’s word to admit that a good number of things in the Bible are a “challenge” – in particular-  to understand and try to be specific in expounding prophecy; all to often time has proved such efforts misguided.  We can see the wonderful framework, but filling in the details has led all expositors into trouble at times.

That said though, it is clear from what is written that there is to be, and has been throughout history, continuing frustration in learning and understanding that which is true and right in relation to what God has revealed. All too often human perversions threaten to confuse our understanding.  It was so in the time of Jesus and we read several times of Jesus condemning the religious leaders for teaching their own traditions. [Matthew 15 v.3-6]  Such are represented in Revelation by a dragon and a beast. We read of a beast that looks somewhat like a lamb [13 v.11] but when it opens its mouth it is clear it is not. 

A lesson in life is that one never judges simply by appearances!  This is why it is essential to read and absorb the teachings of the Bible for ourselves.  In past Centuries, those represented by the symbols of the beast and the dragon, often persecuted those who followed the lamb and sometimes they became martyrs – which is what happened to some of the first disciples. 

Today, we also have to contend with more and more dogmatic statements on evolution! Only a fool believes life has developed by pure chance – by an incredible countless number of accidents – and there is no Creator!   The outcome today is even greater immoral behaviour.  There is “no fear of God before their eyes” [Rom. 3 v.18].  So the call for “endurance and faith” is more important today than ever.  

The Book of Revelation provides us with a wondrous vision today.   There are loud voices in heaven saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” [Ch.11 v.15].   Then the elders fall on their faces and worship saying, “We give thanks to you Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.  The nations raged, but your wrath came and the time for the dead to be judged and for rewarding your servants the prophets and saints. And those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth” [v.17/18]

What a day of incredible thanksgiving this will be.   We should see the present human celebrations surrounding the Christmas period for all their emptiness.  What are people giving thanks for today?  It is the passing ‘pleasure’ of the moment!   The children enjoy themselves and we recall Paul’s observation “When I was a child … I reasoned like a child. When I became a man I gave up childish ways.” [1 Cor. 13 v.11]. 

    Paul also said, “remember … Jesus how he himself said, ’It is more blessed to give than to receive’” [Acts 20 v.35] – we must teach our children this principle.  Do any of the children in the world (or their parents) learn anything real about Jesus? It seems impossible to think so, but God knows. Wherever opportunity offers we should “speak a word in season” to help them to do so.  

It is interesting that only twice in the Bible is there any mention of celebrating birthdays – and both were those of bad men! [Genesis 40 v.20 – Pharaoh] and [Matthew 12 v.6 – Herod, when John the Baptist lost his head].  The heaven inspired celebration to come will be wondrous, but until that time true believers celebrate not the birthday of Jesus, but his sacrifice and death in the way he appointed [Luke 22 v.15-20], believing in a wondrous climax to that celebration in the kingdom.

    This wondrous event, called “the marriage supper of the Lamb” is also mentioned in Revelation [19 v.6-9] “Blessed are those who are invited” to that celebration which is far beyond us to imagine!  Are you hoping for an invitation?