Today’s readings.. (2 Chronicles 20), (Daniel 2), (John 20,21)

We felt overwhelmed by the lessons contained in today’s 3 readings. First there was a sequel to what we read yesterday about Jehoshaphat.  We read today of his remarkable God ordained victory over a large group of nations that came against his nation. Their efforts disintegrated into civil war (2 Chron 20 v.20-30), we see a repeat of this to some extent today in the nations north and south of Israel!

It was most interesting that the Israeli Leader, Netanyahu, in a report on Oct 3rd 2013 on his address to the U.N. apparently made no less than 5 references or allusions to the Bible, and not all were from the Old Testament!  He clearly reads Isaiah. But today the “surrounding nations” are coming to accept that the time has come to make peace with Israel, especially Egypt, the UAE and now Bahrain. Soon as expected to be joined by Saudi Arabia all seems to be in fulfilment of Bible Prophecy

We put the jigsaw pieces of prophecy together – as closely as possible – but we need to be sure that all the adjoining pieces really lock together, before we can speak or write with total certainty. Most of us are familiar with Nebuchadnezzar’s dream that we read today and the interpretation as revealed to Daniel. Verse 44 is the climax of his vision when a glorious kingdom will be established and its sovereignty will fill the earth.

But we are not saved by having our interpretation of the detail of such prophecies correct but by our reaction to and acceptance of what Christ really taught.  As we read the climax of John’s gospel we saw how he made this point very succinctly, “ … these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”  [end of ch. 20]

The genuineness of belief is shown by how people live as a result. What kind of “life” are you having?  Are you believing (and therefore living) so that “you may have (eternal) life” ?  Paul made the point to the Colossians that they must “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” [2 v.10]  How ‘real’ is your belief?