Look up

The park is only a mile from our home, so when the last light of the day comes and I need refreshing I find solitude there. I see the LORD's creation as the sun dies in the west. How beautiful are the western skies through the majestic oaks from the pond boat dock.

The air is crisp and the beauty of God's creation takes my breath away. If it is so beautiful here, how much more beautiful will be our heavenly home?

John 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

John 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

John 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 

The silent ripples in the pool mirror the beauty of the sunset. We too are to mirror the beautiful light that is Jesus.

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 

John 14:5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

Mark 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 

Mark 16:16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 

Mark 16:17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 

Mark 16:18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 

Looking towards the eastern sky through the oak, the  clouds are a cooler pink and blue.

Mat 24:27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

Streaks of pink clouds show the urgency of moving before the last light goes out.

Mat 16:1  The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 

Mat 16:2  He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 

Mat 16:3  And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 

My heart knows that the world of man's doing is a mess, having removed the foundations of truth, the word of God. The creation shouts that the Lord lives!

Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 

Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 

Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Luke 21:25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 

Luke 21:26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 

Luke 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 

My Redeemer Liveth

The Holy Spirit came upon Job and he spoke by faith a remarkable thing. My redeemer liveth. His redeemer Jesus Christ lived even then before he came to earth as the savior. Jesus is the redeemer.

Job 19:23  Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
Job 19:24  That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

 

Reins refers to kidneys that were thought to be the place of affection and feelings. The hearts affection.

 

Isa 26:19  Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

 

The redeemer is Jesus who spoke these words:

 

Mat 22:31  But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
Mat 22:32  I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

John 8:56  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
John 8:57  Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
John 8:58  Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

 

John_11:25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

 

Was Job raised from the grave when Jesus paid for our sins on the cross? A number of saints were raised at that time.

 

Mat 27:50  Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
Mat 27:51  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Mat 27:52  And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
Mat 27:53  And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

 

Perhaps Job's soul was in Paradise and was taken up with Jesus.

If not then, then he will be raised at the rapture when all will receive their new bodies.

 

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 

The souls of those who have died after Christ paid the price for their sins, by faith in the promised redeemer, they shall be with Jesus.

 

2Co 5:6  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
2Co 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
2Co 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

 

Jesus is coming back soon and we will be with him with Job, standing on the earth. What a great hope and promise this is.

 

Luk 21:25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

 

Look up!

Ruth and Naomi

Naomi a Jewish mother and wife, had found herself in a foreign land having lost her husband and her two married sons. She had two widowed daughter in laws who were Moabites. Naomi told them to go and return to their own people, remarry and to make new lives for themselves. She kissed them and they both wept. Naomi must have shown her love to them and they loved her in retrurn. One daughter, Orphah, meaning "gazelle", kissed Naomi again and departed, but Ruth, meaning "friendship" clave unto Naomi. Naomi means "my delight." Well, she no longer felt blessed. She spoke her concern for them : "for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me." She wanted the best for her daughters in her time of grief.

Rth 1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
Rth 1:17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
Rth 1:18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
Rth 1:19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?
Rth 1:20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
Rth 1:21 I went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

Naomi like many of us had suffered a great loss. "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath afflicted me. Mara means "bitterness", but although her sweet life in which she was a delight to others had turned upside down, still she had love for Ruth who wanted to follow her and be like her and to have her God. Naomi could have turned bitter towards others in her time of suffering, but instead she showed love and encouragement. Ruth was won over by Naomi's example. Ruth returned to Israel with Naomi and with the wise counsel from Naomi; she would marry Boaz, a kinsman redeemer and have a son who would inherit the land of Naomi's husband and sons. The son born to Ruth and Boaz would be named Obed, meaning "serving". He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David. Ruth had become a mother in the lineage of the Messiah.

Through faith in Jesus our redeemer we enter the family of God and are called to be servants, to bring others to the God of Ruth and Naomi. There is a lesson here for all who suffer loss; do not turn bitter towards others around you. Remain faithful and loving and by this your life will serve a great purpose for God's glory. He has not left you, but is preparing you for something greater.