Old Testament

Well, having now finished the Book of Malachi, it's a case of starting all over again with Genesis. I have several chapters already done and will be posting these over the next few days. Mind you, not that anyone is actually reading these, but I know I enjoy writing these, and am learning about Blogger in the meantime as well as HTML, so maybe, if you do stumble across this blog at some point in the future, it'll help you get as much fun out of the OT as I do!

Malachi chapter 4

1 Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire, says the Lord Almighty. Not a root or a branch will be left to them.
2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.


Have you ever watching calves frolicking in the sun? Seen new born animals jumping around as they get used to four legs? Watched children as they come out from school running to their parents?

I love the sense of freedom these verses bring, of how we will be like calves leaping in the sun. I love a sunny day, when you can feel the sun shining on your face, feel the breeze in the air and know that everything is wonderful.

That is just what these verses remind me of, the sense of freedom we have with Jesus. Not the freedom to do as we want, no matter what the consequences but the freedom to do all things in the Spirit, to be the person God always designed us to be, to fulfil our potential and be sons and daughters of God. Wonderful!

Malachi chapter 3

Firstly, the two messengers, the first being John the Baptist, the second Jesus. John the Baptist prepared the people ready for the coming Messiah, just as Malachi prepared the people for the news of the Messiah here.

When Jesus was on earth the first time, He went to the Temple and caused mayhem when he overturned the tables, threw the moneylenders out, and the Pharisees, the teachers of the day, plotted to have him killed. The Pharisees undoubtedly had a hard time with Jesus, not knowing what he was going to do, what he was going to say, and ale to come up with answers for every question they threw at him. They could not endure the day of his coming even when he was coming to save, not to judge. But when Jesus returns, He will be coming to judge. It won't be a nice welcoming party and then everyone goes home reminiscing about what a lovely time they had. Jesus is returning with an army, just see what is says in Revelation 19:

11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.
12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no-one knows but he himself.
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron sceptre. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.

It is easy to get lost in the thought of Jesus returning, the Saviour of the world, Lord of Lord, King of Kings, and I know it will be an awesome time. Yet for many, it will be a time of judgement, a time of reaping what they have been sowing, and it is something that many people choose not to even think about. Jesus will be treading the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God, and those who do not have their name written in the Lamb's Book of Life (the ones who are not listed in the scroll of remembrance here in Malachi?) will not be spared.

The return of Jesus is only good news for believers. For those who choose not to believe, who turn their backs on God, who follow false religions, false gods, who worship fame, money, sex, drugs, and all those other things that fill this world, they will not be able to endure the day of his coming.

This is the reason we need to tell others about Jesus, to let them know, through our words, our actions, the way we live our lives exactly who Jesus is and what he has done for each and every one of us. Time is running out. We are living in the end days and seeing bible prophecy come true before our very eyes.

The return of Jesus is imminent - and where do you stand? Is your name written in the Lamb's book of life, on the scroll of remembrance that Malachi talks about?

Malachi chapter 2

An indictment against the priests and against unfaithfulness to God and to their marriage vows.

But just take a look at verse 7:

For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction— because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty.

A priest is the messenger of the Lord Almighty! That is such an awesome responsibility, to know that you are responsible for passing on the good news of the gospel because you are the messenger of the Lord. But I actually think that this doesn't just apply to priests - each of us believers has been given the great commission (Matthew 28: 19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.). That means that we each have a responsibility to pass on the good news, to let others know about Jesus, and so we too are the messengers of the Lord. We shouldn't let embarrassment, nervousness, uncertainty of the words to use, to let others know. After all, how would you feel if you got to heaven and found out a close friend, relative or neighbour, or even a passing acquaintance was not there because you failed to open your mouth?

I know I am as guilty of this as anyone if not more so. I would far rather use the written word than to actually get up and say something, especially when there are more than one or two people there. But we are messengers of the Lord, we have been entrusted why Jesus with the privilege and task of letting others know about Him, and do you really want to let him down?

Malachi chapter 1

Where does the time go? I posted last Friday, I turned around and blinked and it is already Thursday! I used to think if I had an extra hour every day and an extra day in every week, I'd get everything done. I now realise that 25/8 just wouldn't be enough - I need 48/14 to even stand a chance of getting anything done!

Anyhow, enough of that, here's chapter 1 of Malachi, a book that is full of precious gems.

Well, if ever you thought that God was just a god of the Jews, then take another look at this chapter, because it is as clear as day that God is a god of both Jews and Gentiles. In fact, here He is making the point that the worship He was getting from the Gentiles was better than that of the Jews.

The priests were offering up animals that were blind, lame, crippled and diseased. They paid no attention to the laws of Moses that spoke of giving the first of the harvest, the firstborn, the best. God doesn't want the leftovers, the scraps, the things that we know are no good and not as valuable.

Everything, absolutely everything, we have comes from God. He created the earth, the sun, moon and stars, Jesus was there speaking the world into existence as the Holy Spirit moved across the waters (which, on an aside, shows teamwork, and the benefits of working together!). If you truly believe in the God who created everything there is around us, then doesn't He deserve the best you have to offer, because without him, what do you have that will last?

He deserves the best of:

• Our time - not a few rushed minutes here and there as we go about our daily business, work, college, school, bringing up the family and so on, or a quick prayer last thing at night before we go to sleep;
• Our money - and yes, this is a controversial subject with some choosing to tithe and others not, but either way, if we are called to give money, then we should do it as an offering to God, not begrudgingly, thinking all the time of what we could have spent the money on if only we didn't have to give to such and such;
• Our efforts - whatever we do we should do it as if we are doing it for God, with a cheerful heart. So whether we are cleaning toilets, or governing the country, or just sitting at our computers, or doing the weekly shopping, we should do it as if God is right before us (which He is anyway), and do the best possible job;
• Our worship and praise - it's not a case of turning up on Sunday morning, singing a few songs whilst our minds are busy working out what we are going to be doing later in the day, in the coming week, or thinking back on what has happened, or dwelling on our problems and concerns. How can we worship God is our minds are busy elsewhere? When we are only paying lip service to the words in the hymns/songs, when we listen to the sermon but don't hear it? And what about the rest of the week? Would others know form our behaviour that we are Christians, or are we consumed by this world and all that is in it, so that there is no difference between us and a non believer?
• Our thoughts, our behaviour - God has a direct link to each one of us and can see into our hearts, our minds. He knows exactly what we are thinking, what we have done, what we are planning on doing, He knows the past, present and future. It’s not a case of moderating our thoughts like we do our behaviour, but of allowing God, through the Holy Spirit, to change us from within so that we become more like Jesus, and gradually, we will have no need to censor our thoughts, our behaviour, because it will be second nature to do as God wills. God wants the very best for us, is He is not going to do anything to us that will harm us.

But the Israelites here were doing the exact opposite of what God wanted. They were paying lip service to worship, just turning up because it was expected, or it was the time for this festival, that event. They sacrificed the animals they could spare, the runt of the litter, the damaged goods, and gave offerings of what was left over. The priests, the leaders, condoned this behaviour, allowing diseased and crippled animals to be sacrificed, yet they knew the Law and how the animals were supposed to be without blemish, without fault. Their actions led the people to believe that God was OK with all this, that he found their sacrifice, any sacrifice, pleasing. But what sacrifice is it when you give an animal that is good for nothing, or the poorest quality grain because you are keeping the best to sow?

This was in direct contrast to other nations, where God was worshipped wholeheartedly, He was given the honour and praise that is His right, and from the rising to the setting of the sun, His name was great amongst the nations. And reading this again, I don't think this is necessarily in Malachi's time either that the comparison was made between the worship of the Jews and that of the Gentiles. I think this applies just as much today as then, because God is a god of the past, present and future, and time holds no bars for Him.

Malachi - Introduction

After Zechariah, comes Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament.

It is unknown at what time Malachi prophesied; but, it is certain that Malachi's desire was for the Israelites to renew their covenant relationship with God. A spirit of worldliness prevailed among the Israelites just as it does in our communities today. Malachi pointed out the sins that separated the Israelites from experiencing the blessings of God and he appealed to them to repent (Malachi 3:7).

In chapter 1, Malachi first pleaded with Israel to return in full repentance to the Lord who loved them.

Then, in chapter 2, he appealed to the priests, pointing out their hypocrisy.

And, in chapter 3, he prophesied of both the coming Messiah and John the Baptist probably 400 years before the Christian era:

Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come (3:1; Luke 7:27).

Finally, like other prophets before him, Malachi foretold the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5), when all the proud . . . and all that do wickedly will be destroyed.
But unto you that fear (reverence) My Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings (4:1-2).

Zechariah Chapter 14

Well, this is the final chapter of Zechariah where he foretells of the day of the Lord, when there is no night or day, so it must be as referred to in Revelation 21:23:

The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

This will be the time when Jesus returns, when there is only one Lord and everyone worships him. Only God's people will escape punishment, and Jerusalem will be the place where all nations go to worship. Jerusalem will be restored, and it will be so holy, that even the cooking pots and pans are holy!

Imagine what a promise of hope this would have been to the Jews who had returned to rebuild the city and the Temple. There were only a few of them, they were under constant threat of attack from their enemies, the city, the walls, the temple were in a dreadful state and they needed manpower, materials and perseverance. Really, nothing has changed since Zechariah wrote these words some 2,500 years ago, The Jews are a small nation, surrounded by enemies under constant threat of attack. Jerusalem is all split up, and there is no immediate prospect of rebuilding the Temple, although plans are in place.

These words are just as much a promise to the Jews of today as they were to the Jews in Zechariah's time. The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.

Zechariah chapter 13

After reading chapter 12, and how the Jews will look on him whom they pierced and mourn as if for an only son, to read verse 1 here is awesome. On that day, the day when they look on Jesus, a fountain will be opened to the house of David and its inhabitants to cleanse them from their sin and impurity.

This is a never ending fountain of love and mercy, grace and forgiveness, and it will never run out. It is not a case of first come first served, if you miss the fountain when it first opens, you have missed your chance. No, it is for all time and for all peoples. It is the Living Water, Jesus Christ, through whom we are all forgiven, all cleansed, though many people deliberately choose not to accept this free gift of salvation.

The chapter goes on to talk about idols and false prophets, about how they will be removed form the land, bit the false prophets and the spirit of impurity that came with them. This is not just true of the land in the time of Zechariah, because there are many false prophets in these days, seeking to mislead, turn people away from God instead of towards Him. It is a case of always being on the alert, reading our bibles to make sure we know the word of God and know when someone is not speaking the truth from the scriptures. I sit here and think of the various types of gospel that are being propounded today, how if you haven't got something, it is because you don't have enough faith. Try telling that to the starving in Africa, the women in the Sudan who daily face the threat of rape when they go to collect firewood for their family.

There is a house nearby that has recently placed signs outside offering tarot and spirit reading. It is on the main road, where loads of cars and lorries pass by each day, and yet I get a chill every time we drive past. People are hungry for God, yet they are searching in all the wrong places. Tarot cards and spirit readings are from the enemy, satan, the father of lies, and are not from God. I know a spiritualist/medium, who is a lovely woman, and yet she is mixed up with this and makes her living from it. I may well be the only Christian she knows, yet how often do we talk about this?

Then the promise that a remnant, a third will be saved. On the one hand, a third is not a lot, but on the other hand, who really deserves to be saved anyway? God is so gracious, so living, so merciful, and yet so pure and holy, that our sins have separated us from Him and it is only through Jesus that we can freely approach the throne of God, and have eternal life. He is so good, so awesome, so magnificent, that I am overwhelmed by all that He has done and is doing in my life. I just pray my family will open their eyes and see what they are missing out on before it is too late.

Zechariah chapter 12

One day, everyone will know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Not just Christians, but all unbelievers, they too will come to realise just what they have been turning their backs on all this time. But by then, it will be too late for many of them as their hearts will have become so hardened. I worry about my family, because they do not know Jesus, and yet it is all in God's hands, in His timing and I am trusting in Him that one day they will believe. After all, if a day is as a thousand years to the Lord, then ten years is only quarter of an hour (well 14.4 minutes to be exact!), so there is plenty of time….

But just read these words about a pouring out of the Holy Spirit. I read these and am reminded of Lakeland, Dudley, Wales, all that is happening in the world around us as there is real move of the Holy Spirit, if only we have the eyes to see. We are seeing bible prophecy being fulfilled before our very eyes and there are things happening now, like the plans to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, that will only happen in the End Times.

But verse 10 here I think is full of such promise, with the outpouring of the Spirit, but such sorrow, when the Jews, the house of David and Jerusalem, look on Jesus and realise what really happened 2,000 years ago. When they look on the one they pierced, Jesus, they will mourn as if for an only child and grieve bitterly. How sorrowful that day will be - imagine looking the scars on Jesus' hands, his feet, and knowing that your ancestors were the ones that actually put the scars there. And yes, I know that we are each responsible for the scars because it is our sins, my sins, the sins of each one of us, that led to this, but the other aspect to this is how the Jews will feel when they acknowledge Jesus. Imagine knowing how you would feel, knowing that someone actually died because your ancestors refused to recognise who he was and deliberately plotted and schemed to kill him. I'm not for one minute saying the Jews are worse than anyone else, that this is all their fault. After all, it is because of all the mean and horrible things I have done that Jesus died, that he now carries those scars. But this is like last year, when people apologised for the slave trade and the harm that our ancestors did to those in Africa and other nations.

Like it says in verse 10, they will grieve bitterly as one grieves for a firstborn son.

Zechariah Chapter 11

Zechariah 11:10 -13 Then I took my staff called Favour and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations. It was revoked on that day, and so the afflicted of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the Lord. I told them, If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it. So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, Throw it to the potter— the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter.

30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave gored by an ox, was the value placed on Jesus by the Pharisees. Judas, when he realised exactly what he had done, threw the money at the Pharisees:

Matthew 27: 6-10
The chief priests picked up the coins and said, It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money. So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me.

Coincidence or prophesy? I just think it is so amazing when you read something like this in Zechariah, and then see it actually happen in the New Testament.

But the while point of this chapter is the difference between a god and a bad shepherd and Zechariah has to act it out before the people. He makes two staffs, one called Favour, and the other called Union, and then breaks them in two, to show that God's covenant between him and his chosen people was broken (Favour) and that there is no unity between Israel and Judah (Union). And the thing is, these covenants were broken by the people, not by God, because the people, the Jews had turned away from God and started worshipping false gods. When Jesus, the Messiah, Came, the people, the Pharisees, rejected him, and he was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, no more than a slave was worth.

The chapter is also a warning to worthless shepherds, those who lead nations, people, churches, who do not care for the flock underneath them. This is like governments who are out to feather their own nests, who accept bribes, oppress the poor and do not seek justice. It is a warning for church leaders, who draw people away from God by their words, their preaching, their lifestyles. Being a leader is a position of great responsibility and not something that should be undertaken lightly.

Zechariah chapter 10

People in authority, MP's, government ministers, local Councillors, pastors, priests, teachers, business leaders, the police, have such a responsibility under God that I don't think many of them truly appreciate that they will be held to account for how they use the power they hold. It is not just a case of priests, pastors, ministers, church leaders, being held to account for how they have led the congregation, the church, but those in positions of authority, no matter who they are, will be judged by God for how they dealt with people, how they led them in the good times and the bad.

People in authority have such a responsibility and many of them do not even realise it. They go into politics, business as a career move, a way of making money, not appreciating the full consequences of what they are doing. Yes, there are many who do realise the significance, and how they will be held to account, but you only have to look around at the number of politicians using the media to try and portray things in the best possible light, who very rarely answer a question but just confuse you with waffle, and who seek to bury bad news.

In these verses, God is criticising the leaders of Judah and Israel for leading his people astray. The people followed the example of the leaders, the priests, the teachers, and did as they saw. This is one very good reason why we as Christians should be seen to "walk the talk" and let our lifestyles match up with our words, our profession of faith. We too will be held accountable if our way of life causes someone else to stumble.

Jesus is the shepherd, the cornerstone, the tent peg and it is so sad that billions of people today do not realise this. There is so much evidence that Jesus Christ lived, died, was buried and rose again and yet people even doubt his very existence. I think I read somewhere that there is more evidence for the life of Jesus than for that of Shakespeare! And yes, the cynical may say that it was all a Roman plot, or a scheme devised by the disciples who stole Jesus' body and there is no real proof. But if that is the case, why did every single disciple refuse to deny the resurrection? All of them except John were martyred, having their heads chopped off, being crucified and goodness knows what else, but not one of them denied the resurrection, or confessed it was all a lie. I can't think of many people who would suffer an excruciating death because of a lie - they would only do that if it was the truth. After all, if you're lying there about to be tortured or killed in some really painful way, you are going to try and get out of it, and admitting the resurrection was a scam would be the one thing that your torturers/executioners would want to hear. But not one of the disciples ever admitted that. Would you go to your death because of a lie or would you admit the truth? The fact that none of the disciples ever said that Jesus did not rise from the dead has got to be proof it really happened. Nothing else explains it.
And then in verse 6, God has compassion on the people of Judah and Israel, they are reunited as one people, restored, and it is as if God had never rejected them in the first place, because He is the Lord their God, our God, my God, and He will answer them, you and me.

Zechariah Chapter 9

As well as the doom and gloom prophesied for Aram and Damascus, Hamath, Tyre and Sidon, this chapter is also all about the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

It is amazing to think that these words were written some 500 years or more before Jesus was born, and yet it all came to pass just as it is written in verse 9. then in verse 10, this prophesy has yet to be fulfilled. I love the way the bible does that - like a huge Persian carpet with everything fitting together into one beautiful pattern. You can examine the detail here, the pattern there, but it is not until you step back and look at the whole thing, the whole bible, that you get the full picture. How can you understand the grace and mercy of God, the great sacrifice He made for us, if you do not read the New Testament, and how can you appreciate just how deeply and steadfastly he loves us, without reading the Old Testament? They fit together like pieces of a jigsaw, and the picture on the jigsaw is Jesus.

Zechariah Chapter 8

2-3 This is what the Lord Almighty says: I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her. This is what the Lord says: I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.
7-8 This is what the Lord Almighty says: I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.

This is how God feels about Jerusalem, about His people, His chosen nation (which includes us believers as descendants of Abraham) and how one day, Jesus will come to live in Jerusalem, the city he died for. He is passionate about us - sometimes that is hard to believe. After all, I know myself pretty well and sometimes, I don't like me, when I get cross and crabby, when I take out my stress and anxiety on others without meaning too, when I have no time for anyone else because I am so busy. I look in the mirror and wonder how anyone can be passionate about me, but it is just how God feels about each one of us believers.

He created us, designed every strand of our hair, every molecule on our body, the colour of our eyes, our height, the shape of our nose, our mouths, and face, anything and everything about us, He knew before we were born just how we would be. He sees us and sees someone who is beautiful, even on the inside, because we have been washed clean. He sees us as clothed in white robes of righteousness because of the sacrifice Jesus made for each and every one of us.
And one day, God and Jesus will be living in Jerusalem - just check out Revelation 21 for this. In that day, it will be as described here, people will be able to sit out in the sun, children will be able to play, it will be a safe place to live. Who can say that at the moment about Jerusalem with the news of the recent bombings and suicide bulldozer attacks and the like?

So this chapter is full of encouragement for the people, who had returned to Jerusalem, seen the devastation and were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task ahead of them. I get like that frequently, especially with the tax credit deadline at the end of this month and the amount of work I have to get through by then. But it is a case of remembering that anything is possible for God, and with God on our side, how can we fail?

Zechariah Chapter 7

What do you really feel when you go to church on Sunday? Is it a case of turning up because that's just what you do on Sunday, because all your friends go, your colleagues, business associates? Is it a case of going to impress the neighbours as to how holy your are, how good and righteous, how faithful? Or do you go to worship the one true Living God, to give Him your praise, your worship, your thanks? To seek his face, and to do his will?

And what about the rest of the week? Do you have a Christian face you wear on Sunday mornings, only to take it off the rest of the time when you lie, gossip, take part in shady business deals, beat your wife behind closed doors, abuse your children, your employees?
Here, God is telling the people of Bethel in no uncertain terms that they had a Sunday face, they were worshipping, fasting, but their hearts were not in it. They were doing it for show, and there was no meaning behind the ritual.


We need to get our hearts right, to turn to God and not just be a Sunday Christian. Our lives need to reflect our faith, whether we are with others or on our own. We may be able to fool others, to fool ourselves, but we are unable to fool God. He sees right inside each one of us, to those deep dark places we never even venture ourselves because they are too murky, too depressing, with all the hidden sins and secrets. He knows when we wear our Sunday faces, when our hearts are not in the worship, it is just meaningless words, and he also knows when our hearts are truly filled with worship, when our voices are raised to him in praise and we really mean it with every atom of our being.


We are called to love mercy, to seek justice and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8), just as much as the Israelites were when they went to Zechariah asking if they should keep the day of mourning as they had for the past 70 years. Our hearts need to be right with God, not our demonstrations and professions of faith.