Day 349 Bible Readings for December 16 – Revelation 6: 12-13 (ESV)

Malachi 1 & 2, Revelation 6, Proverbs 26: 1-12

Revelation 6: 12-13 (ESV)

“When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.”

I love the description of what happens when the sixth seal is open from verses 12 and 13 in Revelation 6. The sixth seal talks about there being a great earthquake, and the sun becoming black. Then the full moon becomes like blood and stars of the sky fall to earth, and there is a great gale. The sixth seal talks about natural disasters and whenever there is a cluster of natural disasters, people start talking about the Book of Revelation and they look for evidence of the seals being broken in Revelation 6.

There have been many movies about what the breaking of the seals might look like if it ever happened. One movie depicted the disasters happening all at once, and that is sort of how I picture what the breaking of the sixth seal would look like if it ever happened. If a multitude of disasters were happening at the same time, there would no doubt that something momentous was happening in the world and people of faith would recognize it as part of the sixth seal breaking.

I don’t think the sixth seal has been broken but when it does, the people who follow God’s words will know what it may mean.

Day 348 Bible Readings for December 15 – Revelation 5: 5-6 (ESV)

Esther 9 & 10, Revelation 5: Proverbs 25: 21-28

Revelation 5: 5-6 (ESV)

“And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”

In verses 5 and 6 from Revelation, we see the elder responding to John when he weeps that no one is able to able to look or open up the scrolls. The elder tells John that the Lion of the tribe of Judah can open up the scroll and its seven seals. Many Bible commentators have said that this Lion of the tribe of Judah is Jesus Christ, since the next thing John sees is a slain lamb. I love that it is only Christ who can open the scrolls with seven seals. We don’t really what is written in the scroll with the seven seals, only that only Christ is the only person who can open the scroll and break the seven seals. Because Christ is the only person who can open the scroll, we can see this detail as further evidence that Jesus Christ was and is the son of God.

It must have been such an unusual and frightening sight for John to see a slain lamb with seven horns and seven eyes. Did John know immediately that the lamb represented Jesus Christ? John had known Jesus Christ when he had been alive, so seeing a slain lamb must have been a shock for him or at least bring back to him the traumatic memories of Christ dying on the cross. John’s traumatic memories were I hope made better when he heard Christ being sung to and worshipped by the angels and the living creatures around the throne.

Day 347 Bible Readings for December 14 – Proverbs 25: 16-17 (ESV)

Esther 6-8, Revelations 4, Proverbs 25: 11-20

Proverbs 25: 16-17 (ESV)

“If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it. Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you.”

Verses 16 and 17 from Proverbs 25 give more good advice on how to live life from Solomon. Solomon tells us that if you find honey or something sweet, you should only have enough for yourself. If you have your fill or if you overindulge, it will make you sick. You will also lose whatever you thought was good about the thing you thought you loved.

I also like the advice to not to spend too much time in your neighbor’s house. I believe this advice is about not abusing the hospitality of others including your neighbors. Solomon advises us to have discretion with our friends as every relationship needs space to thrive and last a long time.

Day 346 Bible Readings – Proverbs 25: 2-3 (ESV)

Esther 3-5, Revelation 3: 7-22, Proverbs 25: 1-10

Proverbs 25: 2-3 (ESV)

“It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable.”

In verses 2 and 3 from Proverbs 25, Solomon tells us that there are many mysteries in the world which can be solved but God has concealed even greater mysteries. Great men such as kings want to solve God’s mysteries, and they spend a lifetime doing it. But Solomon tells us what cannot searched is what is in people’s hearts including the heart of a king. Only God can know what is in the heart of a person.

I think what these verses mean is that we need to turn to God for discernment when we are trying to determine what is in the heart of other people. No matter how great a person is, even if they are a king, we all need God’s help to make decisions especially concerning other people. Only God can see what is in someone’s heart, and what their motivations are for their actions. So if we rely on God for help when judging other people or making decisions involving other people, we have a better chance of making a better decision than if we had done it on our own. Only God can judge, and if we need to judge, then we need to rely on God for advice on how to judge other people.