Isaiah 42:9

Verse of the Day Devotion Isaiah 42:9

“Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth, I proclaim them to you.” – Isaiah 42:9 

This is the last day of the year 2021.  I want this Verse of the Day to bring good news to you as we move into 2022.  We have a lot to be thankful for due to all God has done for us.  But we also have much to look forward to as well.  And that is what I want to focus on today.

Isaiah begins this idea with the following. “Do not call to mind the former things or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-19.  It is appropriate to put our trust in God’s past action like creation and the exodus, as well as His help and blessings He has provided to us. These facts should never be ignored or set aside, for they provide assurances about God’s character. But the prophet exhorts his listeners not to allow just God’s former miraculous deeds to influence our faith decisions, for God is still alive and can be trusted to direct the future of his people.

And it is important to look at what God has promised to do for us in the future.  For believers, the life to come will be infinitely greater than the life we have lived and will continue to live down here.  It is important that we look ahead with immense anticipation to what God has in store for us who love Him and put our complete and total trust in Him.  It is more beautiful and wondrous than anything we have seen yet.  Therefore, I want to end 2021 with what God revealed to the Apostle John of what this next life, our eternal life, will be like.  And it will be amazing.

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true. And He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning, and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.” Revelation 21:1-7.

God Bless you and may 2022 be the best year you have ever had.  

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

Psalm 119:165

Verse of the Day Devotion Psalm 119:165 

“Those who love Thy law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble.” – 119:165

Over the next couple of days as we approach the New Year, I will be looking at verses that I believe we all, including myself, should focus on as we approach and go into 2022.  I am preparing myself to focus my attention on how I want to think next year.  Thus, the verse selections for this week.

The writer of Psalm 119, who many believe to be David, makes it clear that it is the words of God that bring him peace.  From the first verse to the last, this chapter speaks of the author desiring to keep God’s commandments and ordinances, which encompass His Law, His word, and His ways.  And it also speaks of His judgement which he has stated is righteous.  For instance, “How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of the LORD.” Psalm 119:1.  And then, “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Thy servant, For I do not forget Thy commandments.” Psalm 119:176 (Last Verse).  And as you carefully read through the entire chapter, you will see that practically all of them speak of His Law, which is His words and ordinances. 

And how can we keep and follow in His ways? “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word.” Psalm 119:9.  The verse does say young man, but I believe that everyone is alluded to here, for we all can keep our ways pure by keeping His word.  It is imperative that we know His word and what is expected of us, and the only way we can do this is to read and study it.  And this speaks of one of my New Year goals for 2022, not that I do not do it now, but to make it a greater focus of my time.  And as we see in our focus verse, we are not just to do it simply out of duty,  but also because we love it and we love the one who gave it to us. Remember what Jesus spoke of as recorded in the gospel of John.  “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” John 15:10-11.

So we see here that when we strive to keep His commandments, then we declare our love for Him and we have peace because our joy is complete.  And Jesus is the perfect example, for as He was perfect in that He kept His Father’s commandments we must also keep the commandments given to us by the Father.  And we find these in His Word.  And as the writer of Psalm 119 said, “Seven times a day I praise Thee, Because of Thy righteous ordinances.” Psalm 119:164, we should also give thanks to God for His Word, for by it we are able to please Him and declare our love to Him.  

And according to our focus verse, it brings peace to us. “Those who love Thy law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.” Psalm 119:165.  What is essentially being said here is that those who love His Law will keep it, and by keeping His law will have great peace.  And speaking of us when we love His law we can have great calmness of mind. We will not be troubled and anxious. We will believe and feel that all things are well-ordered by Him and will be brought about with the best result. We, therefore, calmly leave all with Him. As a matter of fact, the friends of God have peace and calmness in their minds, even amidst the troubles, the disappointments, and the reverses of life. The love of God is the best and only way to secure permanent peace in the soul and thus nothing will cause us to stumble.

This is a beautiful promise of God, and thus I have made it one of my New Year resolutions to do all I can to know and understand His word greater then before.  And the way I can do this is to study and follow His laws, loving them beyond everything else so that I will not struggle to keep them.  And if I do that, then I will be at peace during all hard times, for I know that God will bring me through.  And I pray that you desire to do the same, to love His word and to keep it so that you will experience the same peace.  There can be no greater life than to live it with the peace of God alive in our hearts.

God Bless you All.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

Psalm 100:1

Verse of the Day Devotion Psalm 100:1 

“Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.” – Psalm 100:1  

The key theme of Psalm 100 is that the Lord’s great and good attributes and actions deserve joyful worship by all humans. This psalm calls on the universal audience of people in the whole earth  to serve the Lord as their God because he has created them and he cares for them with his faithful love and faithfulness. Isaiah has a similar idea in chapter 56. “Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, To minister to Him, and to love the name of the LORD, To be His servants, everyone who keeps from profaning the sabbath, And holds fast My covenant; Even those I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” Isaiah 56:6-7.

God is calling all people to worship Him.  Note the last three words in our focus verse, ‘all the earth’.  The Lord here is presented as the only God worthy of worship not just by Israel, but all nations; everyone on the earth.  The first two verses are a call to praise the Lord, which in the Hebrew is yehôvâh, which does not refer to any god but the true God, Jehovah, or Yahweh.  “A Psalm for Thanksgiving. Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.  Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.” Psalm 100:1-2.  When we serve Him, which has the meaning of worship, it should be done exuberantly, with great joy and gladness.  The Hebrew word for gladness here is śimchâh which has the idea of joy, mirth, pleasure, and gaiety. We can also worship Him as we see in Psalm 2. “Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”  Psalm 2:11-12.  But here in our focus verse, it is with joyfulness and thanksgiving.

Then, in verse 3 we see the reason for this praise. “Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” Psalm 100:3.  Our God is the only God.  He made us, not ourselves or anything else.  And we are His people.  It is evident that the Lord who created humans also cares for them as his flock and that what the Lord has done in shepherding Israel he also does for all the earth, because he has always had a mission that encompasses the whole earth. “For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice.” Psalm 95:8.  And He will bless those who bless His people. “And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3.

We are called to praise and be thankful to Him.  “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name.” Psalm 100:4.  God has given us so much.  He meets all our needs and we are, therefore, to give Him honor and give ourselves completely to Him.  And the reason for this praise and worship due Him?  “For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, And His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:5.  We are called to give Him all praise and glory we can muster.  For He is good, and He loves us beyond our understanding.  He is a faithful in all things, to all generations. This is essentially Hesed, which denotes the limitless nature of grace and divine mercies. There is no limit to His goodness and mercy, and there is no way we, as His children, cannot be thankful for the mercy and grace He has shown to us.

And because of all this in Psalm 100, we must show our gratefulness to Him because He has provided a way for us to be His children, for He sent His Son Jesus to die for us to pay the penalty for our sins.  C.S. Lewis put it so well in his book ‘Mere Christianity’, where he said, “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.”  Without this, our fate was sealed in eternal torment.  He provided a way for all to have a glorious and beautiful eternal life with Him, and all we need to do is believe and accept this work He did for us.  And this is why He deserves joyous and exuberant praise and worship from all the people on earth.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

Isaiah 11:1

Verse of the Day Devotion Isaiah 11:1 

“Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.” – Isaiah 11:1  

Up to Christmas day, I will be looking at the different prophesies which foresee the coming of the promised Messiah, Jesus the Christ.  He came here in order to offer the means of salvation for all.  An important idea to remember is that God knows everything and forgets nothing.  “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,” Isaiah 46:9-10.

Chapter 11 speaks of the emergence of a ruler from the line of David endowed by God with authority to bring about a righteous reign to His people.  It is the Messianic hope first expressed earlier in chapter 7.  “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14. Our focus verse speaks of a towering forest that was laid to waste by the mighty Assyrian army.  However, out of this destruction comes a contrasting picture of the renewal of the house of David and of his kingdom. For from this destruction, a root that is regarded as dead, a sprout will come from it. And this unimpressive green shoot that will sprout from the stump of Jesse is a person from the Davidic royal line of Jesse, apparently the same Davidic son mentioned in chapter 9. “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:6-7.

This sprout, which is from the Davidic line, will be abundantly blessed in His life by the Father.  “As the Spirit of God rested on his servant David in the past, so the divine Spirit will dwell or rest on this new Davidic Branch, enabling God to use him in a special way.” Isaiah 11:2.  In 2 Samuel we read some of the last words of King David, which includes the following, “The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue.” 2 Samuel 23:2.  Therefore, what is said is the same Spirit that was on David would also be on this new ruler.

Now, we read in Matthew the following.  “But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he departed for the regions of Galilee, and came and resided in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, He shall be called a Nazarene.” Matthew 2:22-23.  When Herod died, an Angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph while they were in Egypt to tell them to go back to Israel.  But then later, as we see above, Herod’s son took over and therefore the Angel came again and this time for them to go to Galilee.  So they went and resided in Nazareth in Galilee.  Nazareth was a small town, probably with a population of around 400, where most were farmers.  This was a humble work, and thus He was seen as no one of notoriety.

In fact, when Nathanael learned that Jesus came from Nazareth, he said, “And Nathanael said to him, can any good thing come out of Nazareth?  Philip said to him, come and see.” John 1:46.  And this humility is expressed by Paul when he said, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 4:5-8. This is shown in our focus verse where He paints a similar picture regarding who is the subject of this chapter; by the image of a slender twig or shoot, sprouting up from the root of a decayed and fallen tree. This points to what Paul said, that He came in the form of a bondservant and remained humble in the service He came to fulfil.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

Psalm 2:7

Verse of the Day Devotion Psalm 2:7 

“I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee.” – Psalm 2:7 

Up to Christmas day, I will be looking at the different prophesies which foresee the coming of the promised Messiah, Jesus the Christ.  He came here in order to offer the means of salvation for all.  An important idea to remember is that God knows everything and forgets nothing.  “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,” Isaiah 46:9-10.

One title given to Psalm 2 is “The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed”.  And I like this title, for it speaks of the reign of the coming Messiah.  Starting in verse one we read, “Why are the nations in an uproar, And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand, And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed: Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!” Psalm 2:1-3. God here is essentially asking a rhetorical question, for the answer was clear.  The nations have no reason to rage against God, but they do.  They desire to live as they want, not the way God desires them to.  They desire complete control and want nothing to do with the Lord or His Anointed. They wish to break the bonds, those being the laws and requirements of God.  Total control and power for themselves was their goal, as pointed out by God.

Then in verses 4-5 we see God’s response.  “He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury:” Psalm 2:4-5.  He laughs because He sits in the heavens and rules over all creation, which basically is all that exists. There is nothing they can do to stop His plans.  But they desire not to be under His authority.  And then He says that He has already set up a king to rule overall, and He has established Him in Zion, which is  Jerusalem. Then we hear the words of the prophesied Messiah, where He declares the words of the Father, “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee.” Psalm 2:7.  Here, the Father has declared that the Messiah would enter the world.  And we see this coming to pass in the Gospel of Luke as spoke to Mary by an angel. “And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end.” Luke 1:30-33.

And the final verses speak of the Father giving the nations to Him and will do what is necessary to punish those who do not follow Him. And He will call on the nations to submit themselves to Him.   “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, Thou shalt shatter them like earthenware. Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence and rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” Psalm 2:9-12. 

This is the King that was born in Bethlehem and the reason for our celebration of this wonderful day.  There is nothing wrong with exchanging gifts while gathering with friends and family to eat together.  But look at the reason for this.  The birth of the everlasting King who will reign for ever with no end.  And He provides the means for us to be citizens in this kingdom through His death, burial, and resurrection.  Take time this Christmas to thank Him for doing what we could not do.  And contemplate what this eternal life will be like.  “But, as it is written, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him, these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

Isaiah 53:5

Verse of the Day Devotion Isaiah 53:5 

“But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.” –  Isaiah 53:5 

Up to Christmas day, I will be looking at the different prophesies which foresee the coming of the promised Messiah, Jesus the Christ.  He came here in order to offer the means of salvation for all.  An important idea to remember is that God knows everything and forgets nothing.  “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,” Isaiah 46:9-10.

In Isaiah 53, we see one of the most powerful and famous prophecies found in the entire Old Testament.  I want to start in the last three verses of the previous chapter to introduce this idea and also help us understand who the prophet was speaking of.  “Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up, and greatly exalted. Just as many were astonished at you, My people, So His appearance was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men. Thus He will sprinkle many nations, Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; For what had not been told them they will see, And what they had not heard they will understand.” Isaiah 52:13-15. Note the words, “marred more than any man.”

Now, as we continue now in chapter 53, we read “Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?” Isaiah 53:1.  I believe this essentially refers to God, asking the question “who listens to the message and who exhibits the power of God”.  Then the message is presented as we move forward.  “For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.” Isaiah 53:2-4.  This speaks that the Messiah will grow up with a humble attitude, one of  lowly state, a servant as of no account.  He would not come across with any form of majesty. The Jews believed that when the Messiah came He would come in splendor and power.  But Jesus came to us in quite a contrary way.  And because He did come as a man, He experienced the same griefs men did.  And He was despised by men for what He ultimately revealed about Himself.  There were some who believed, but the vast majority did not.

Then, including our focus verse, we see the ultimate purpose of His coming. “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4-5. The Messiah came and bore our griefs, yet they saw Him as someone punished by God and afflicted with all manner of distress.  Yes, He was afflicted, however it was not because of what He did, but what we did.  He paid the penalty for our sins, not His own, because He had never sinned. “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” 1 Peter 2:22-23.  And  this is why He could pay our penalty, for if He had sinned, His death would only pay His own, not ours.  “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25.   

And this is Christmas.  It is the event of God becoming a human being, in the person of Jesus Christ, because God loved us and wanted to provide the means of salvation.  And Christmas celebrates the birth of this Savior born to provide this salvation.  And because of this, we see the true meaning of Christmas being expressed in one word, love.  And we are free from condemnation when we accept this free gift.  What an amazing gift, an amazing God, and amazing love.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

Deuteronomy 18:18

Verse of the Day Devotion Deuteronomy 18:18 

“I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I commend him.” –  Deuteronomy 18:18

Up to Christmas day, I will be looking at the different prophesies which foresee the coming of the promised Messiah, Jesus the Christ.  He came here in order to offer the means of salvation for all.  An important idea to remember is that God knows everything and forgets nothing.  “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,” Isaiah 46:9-10.

Prior to this verse, the Lord speaks to His people, through Moses, referring to the new land that He is leading them to.  They were not to take on the practices of the people there which were against the Law of God.  “When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritists, or one who calls up the dead.” Deuteronomy 18:9-11. And if anyone does, “For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you.” Deuteronomy 18:12.

Now, after this Moses says that God has promised another prophet, which is found in our focus verse. “I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.” Deuteronomy 18:18. This is similar to verse 15 above where he says, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.” Deuteronomy 18:15. Notice that in these two verses, this prophet is declared to be like Moses. And this was true throughout the Old Testament.  Theologian Adam Clarke put it this way. ”Among all the succeeding prophets none was found so eminent in all respects nor so highly privileged as Moses; with him God spoke face to face – admitted him to the closest familiarity and greatest friendship with himself. Now all this continued true till the advent of Jesus Christ, of whom Moses said, A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me; but how great was this person when compared with Moses! Moses desired to see God’s glory; this sight he could not bear; he saw his back parts, probably meaning God’s design relative to the latter days: but Jesus, the Almighty Savior, in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, who lay in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared God to man.”

Moses never saw the full glory of God, but Jesus radiated God’s glory. “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.” Hebrews 1:1-4.

So, as we see in our focus verse, God said “I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.”  Deuteronomy 18:18.  This is a prophesy of the coming Messiah, who will be born of a virgin and will declare the truth of God to all.  Those who believed and followed were saved, but many Jews would not accept His message for it went against the traditions of the Jewish faith.  And He ultimately came so that all who wanted to could accept the message of the truth and be saved.  And this is the primary reason for Christmas, to provide a way of salvation to all who would accept Him.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

2 Samuel 7:13

Verse of the Day Devotion 2 Samuel 7:13 

“He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:13 

Up to Christmas day, I will be looking at the different prophesies which foresee the coming of the promised Messiah, Jesus the Christ.  He came here in order to offer the means of salvation for all.  An important idea to remember is that God knows everything and forgets nothing.  “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,” Isaiah 46:9-10.

This verse is part of a covenant God made with David.  The prophet Nathan was given a divine revelation from the Lord for David and his house.  God starts with a question. “Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in?” 2 Samuel 7:5. He continues by saying He has never dwelt in a house from the time He brought Israel out of Egypt to that current day, but have dwelt in a tent, a tabernacle.  Then He adds that He has never commanded any of the tribes to build a house for Him., “For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle. Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?” 2 Samuel 7:6-7.

God then proposes to build David a permanent home. He starts by reminding David, through Nathan, what He had done for Him.  “Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be ruler over My people Israel.  And I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth. I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly, even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies.” 2 Samuel 7: 8-11a. 

Then God, again through Nathan says. “The LORD also declares to you that the LORD will make a house for you.” 2 Samuel 7:11b.  This idea is a two-fold prophecy.  First, it speaks of Solomon, his direct descendent who would be the builder of the temple in Jerusalem.  However, this also speaks of Christ, and we see this through the words of the Apostle Peter in the book of Acts.  “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. is Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool. Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Acts 2:29-36.   

And Christ did build the house as mentioned in our focus verse, which again is “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”  2 Samuel 7:13.  And what is this house?  We are. “Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.” Hebrews 3:1-6.

In closing, what God, through Nathan, is communicating to David is that there will be one who will come into this world with the purpose of building a house for the Lord, which He did not call His people to build in the days of King David. However, it will be an offspring of His people who would build that house of the Lord, that being the Church.  Jesus, the Messiah, would come and make that happen.  And as Peter stated to the Jews, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Acts 3:36.  And this message is for all people, Jesus Christ came into this world, by way of David, and ultimately Mary, to bring His people together to be the house of the Lord and also to declare Himself to be the King who would rule an everlasting kingdom which never ends.  And it is in us that the Holy Spirit abides, in His Church: His house.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

Danial 2:44

Verse of the Day Devotion Danial 2:44 

“And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.” – Danial 2:44

Up to Christmas day, I will be looking at the different prophesies which foresee the coming of the promised Messiah, Jesus the Christ.  He came here in order to offer the means of salvation for all.  An important idea to remember is that God knows everything and forgets nothing.  “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,” Isaiah 46:9-10.

Our focus verse today is found in the Book of Daniel.  This verse comes from Daniel’s interpretation of a dream that God gave to King Nebuchadnezzar regarding the end of days.  It is a rather long interpretation, but what we read here is the climax of God’s revelation of the meaning of this dream.  Daniel begins by answering a question from the King where he asks, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel 2:26.  Daniel answers him with, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians, nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days. This was your dream and the visions in your mind while on your bed.” Daniel 2:27-28. Daniel then starts by telling the king the dream that he had was a prophetic message. “As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future; and He who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place.” Daniel 2:29. 

Many things were in the King’s dream, but the critical parts, associated with the coming Messiah, is found in our focus verse.  “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.” Daniel 2:44.  This is the climax of the dream revelation, the coming kingdom of God. There are several things to look at here.  First, it is revealed that this kingdom will be established “in the time of those kings.” It will happen during the times of human kingship.  In other words, this new kingdom will overthrow all earthy kingdoms at that time.  Second, this kingdom will be set up by God.  Note the wording, “God of heaven will set up a kingdom”.  Man will have nosay regarding this kingdom, and therefore it will be a good and perfect one.  And then third, the kingdom will be eternal.  Again, note these important words, “it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.”.

Our focus verse most naturally should be understood to speak of Christ’s second coming. This new kingdom will replace all kingdoms that exist at the time of His coming.  When Jesus was born in Bethlehem in a manger, the world was introduced to our eternal King who will rule forever.  He paid the penalty so that we can, if we choose, to be a part of this new kingdom.  And when this kingdom is established, we will be able to live at peace forever, with a King that loves us and will rule with this love. “He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name.” Psalm 111:9.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

Genesis 49:10

Verse of the Day Devotion Genesis 49:10 

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” – Genesis 49:10   

Up to Christmas day, I will be looking at the different prophesies which foresee the coming of the promised Messiah, Jesus the Christ.  He came here in order to offer the means of salvation for all.  An important idea to remember is that God knows everything and forgets nothing.  “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,” Isaiah 46:9-10.

Our focus verse today in Genesis speaks of Jacob’s blessings to his sons prior to his death.  He starts with Reuben, Simeon, and Levi.  He does not have much to say that is good regarding these three. Regarding Reuben, “Reuben, you are my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength, Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence, Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it, he went up to my couch.” 49:3-4.  Reuben defiled himself by sleeping with Bilhah, His father’s concubine. “And it came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard of it.” Genesis 35:22.  And with Levi and Simeon, they were considered violent by Jacob. “Simeon and Levi are brothers; Their swords are implements of violence. Let my soul not enter into their council; Let not my glory be united with their assembly; Because in their anger they slew men, And in their self-will they lamed oxen. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; And their wrath, for it is cruel. I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel. ” Genesis 49:5-7.

However, now we come to Judah.  “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s sons shall bow down to you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He couches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares rouse him up?”  Genesis 49:8-9.  This verse speaks of the countenance of Judah.  A high pre-eminence is destined to this tribe. Besides the honor of giving name to the Promised Land, David, and a greater than David the Messiah, sprang from him. Chief among the tribes, it grew up from a lion’s whelp, meaning with a little power, till it became  an old lion that is calm and quiet, yet still formidable.

However, the main item Jacob speaks of is in our focus verse.  “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” Genesis 49:10.  Basically, the scepter will come into the tribe of Judah, which was fulfilled in David, on whose family the crown was given. The meaning of the term, ‘till Shiloh comes’ is that the scepter would continue in that tribe till the coming of the Messiah.  Shiloh, in the Hebrew, means he whose it is.  What Jacob was saying was that the scepter and the rulers staff would remain with Judah, until the true owner has come, that being Jesus, who is the true Messiah and High Priest, who will rule for all eternity. We see this idea also in the Book of Hebrews.  “But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.” Hebrews 1:8.  So, this is clear.  When the Messiah came into the world and accomplished His purpose of dying on the cross for our benefit in paying the penalty of our sins, He took back the scepter which is the scepter of ‘His kingdom’ which is forever and ever.  

At the end of Genesis, Jacob gave a blessing to all his sons.  With some it included some negativity as with Reuben, Levi and Simeon, and others declaring the  goodness in them and their activities.  But with Judah, he said good things about him but then prophesies the coming of the Messiah who would rule and reign for ever and ever, without end.  And this Messiah would be born to a virgin and give the greatest gift ever given, the payment of the penalty of sin. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18.  This is the true meaning of Christmas, the coming of our redeemer.  It is important that we remember this as we celebrate this wonderful holiday.  He did for us what no one, including ourselves, could do for us.  And this is the greatest gift there is, salvation and eternal life with Jesus.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.