Christ, the savior of the world.

Footnotes

[1] 22:14 Some manuscripts do his commandments

Hugh Stephenson

Good morning. Scott! So great to see you on The Journey today. Thanks for closing out 2023 on a strong note! Q1. Psalm 90:10-12 10 The years of our life are seventy,  or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble;  they are soon gone, and we fly away. 11 Who considers the power of your anger,  and your wrath according to the fear of you? 12 So teach us to number our days  that we may get a heart of wisdom. Presuming I can make it to 80 my total is 29,200 days from birth to age 80. I’m 66 in a few weeks. That means I have 5,110 days at that point. That means I’ve lived about 83% of my life. Just ask my knees. They attest to that. Q2. Numbering my days is like looking at a shot clock. I’m not a good enough player to swing for the fences, or for a 3-point attempt, or a long Hail Mary pass. So, better to live them out in what the ESV SB calls for in Proverbs, “A QUIET LIFE OF COVENANTAL FAITHFULNESS”. Q3. My long list of sins, bad deeds, and wrongs don’t weigh me down as much as they used to. To be sure, I’d rather have committed none of them. That said, coming to an understanding of the full and complete atonement of Jesus to bear the horrific and unimaginable wrath of God that I deserve brings me to a place of rest knowing that I can rest in Him, (Matthew 11:28-30) Q4. & Q5. I can hardly wait for Jesus to come back. If I am alive, it means that the “toil and trouble” noted in Psalm 90 is over. Until then, He has given me equipping with the full armor of God. Even though I know the war is won, he still calls me to fight on for Him and for those who do not yet know Him.

Hugh Stephenson

Here’s the link to my combined comments from yesterday and today- https://www.jointhejourney.com/5152-christ-the-savior-of-the-world

Michael Scaman

Being washed clean in the blood of the lamb bring to mind a few places in the Old Testamant. Psalm 22 "I am a worm( the 'tola' aka scarlet worm- crushed for it's red die and dies in a tree) " is fitting of Jesus Encyclopedia.com says A brilliant, beautiful, and fast red dye, it was used for dyeing the curtains of the Tabernacle (Ex. 26:1) and the garments of the high priests (ibid., 39:2); in the purification rites of a leper (Lev. 14:4–6) and of a house affected by leprosy (ibid., 51–52); and it was added to the ashes of the red heifer Interesting Jesus would tell the leper to go offer the sacrifice commanded by Moses which involved the red dye from the 'tola' worm Isaiah says your robes are as filthy rags but I will wrap you in a robe of righteousness. Isaiah 61:10-11 New International Version (NIV) I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Zechariah 3:3 also had the high priest dressed in filthyrags but purified. Lyrics for Washed in the Blood (based on the above as if written by the Venerable Bede St. Bede the Venerable (born 672/673, traditionally Monkton in Jarrow, Northumbria [England]—died May 25, 735, Jarrow; canonized 1899; feast day May 25) Anglo-Saxon theologian, historian, and chronologist (Verse) As the tola's dye spills its scarlet hue, A Lamb crushed on a tree, His grace in view. Psalm 22 whispers of sacred grace, Foretelling Jesus in that hallowed space. (Chorus) Bathed pure, in the blood of the Lamb, A crimson tide, the great I AM. Isaiah's pledge, garments ablaze, Filthy rags transformed, in heavenly gaze. (Verse) Isaiah spoke of robes stained and worn, Yet in Christ's mercy, a new era is born. Garments of salvation, robes so fair, The Lamb's redemption, love beyond compare. (Chorus) Bathed pure, in the blood of the Lamb, A crimson tide, the great I AM. Isaiah's pledge, garments ablaze, Filthy rags transformed, in heavenly gaze.

Michael Scaman

The Spirit and the Bride invite Guests as if by Knox, Luther and Calvin writing together a poem In the sacred realm where divine revelation unfolds, A chorus of voices, in unity, the Spirit's story retold. "Draw near," one declares, with boldness in the air, The Bride, adorned in purity, invites all to share. A symphony of doctrine, profound and doctrinal, In this divine revelation, a celestial carnival. "Come," whispers another, in the hallowed space, Compelled by love, a union beyond trace. To attuned ears, their harmonious summons rings, A feast on knowing God, where truth and grace springs. Thirsty souls, welcome to this banquet divine, The water of life, freely bestowed, a grace benign. In this divine interplay, desires find their place, A dance of spirits, truth and love embrace. And behold, the Groom draws near. From heavenly heights, a united declaration appears, "I come swiftly," their collective voice cheers. Maranatha, their voices blend, a chorus of yearning, Come, Lord Jesus, God-gloirfying lamps forever burning.

greg jones

Revelation is an interesting book. One of the last to be accepted into Christian bible in the fourth century. To understand why we believe what we believe about Revelation studying the lives and influence of John Darby and Cyrus Scofield is a good place to start. From the notes on Revelation trom the Annotated Jewish New Testament. Reading Revelation as a Jewish text. “Revelation provides an important witness to a variety of traditions central to Jews in the first century eastern Diaspora. Kashrut [think kosher laws] is far more critical to John’s sense of religious purity (2:14,20) than Paul’s (1 Cor 8); [enlightening when read side by side] and the text’s focus on images of sexual impurity (2:20-22; 17; 22:13) suggest that sexual purity could-even in the Diaspora-carry strict interpretations in the effort to define community. The brief glorification of celibacy (14:4) coupled with a reference the “camp” of the righteous (20:9) allies this text with the holy-war ideology of the Qumran scrolls. The central symbols of priesthood (1:6;5:10; 20;6b), the twelve tribes of Israel (7), and the Holy City (with or without a Temple: 11:1-2; 21-22:5) show the abiding value of these themes for Jews outside Judea and Galilee, and even after the destruction of Jerusalem. In these ways we can speak of the text as having a fundamentally Jewish frame of reference. The various kaleidoscopic appearances of Christ do not mitigate this Jewishness, any more than the appearances of the angel Metatron or the “Son of Man” mitigate the Jewishness of Enoch or hekhalot texts. The elevation of the executed Jesus to heavenly status is hardly more extreme than the ways many Hasidic leaders have been celebrated by their followers, and it certainly represented no departure from Judaism for the author. Thus, increasingly, scholars are looking at Revelation as a Jewish text that reveals a heavenly Christ rather than a Christian text with Jewish attributes. In this light we must query two verses that have long been invoked as condemnations of Judaism: Revelation 2:9 and Revelation 3:9, in which John assails “those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan”. Interpreters who assume the text is Christian naturally take these “so called Jews” as real Jews, local Jews; they are “so-called” because they don’t believe in Jesus. But for John it is not Christ-belief that is the arbiter of Judaism; it is purity that is the arbiter of sainthood. Interpreted in context, as a Jewish text, it is more likely that these pretenders are (as John says) non-Jews claiming some Jewish identity. The most likely constituency would be Pauline Gentiles God-fearers, who sought Jewish salvation through a hybrid variation on Jewish practices and who might well pose an intrinsic threat to the purity of Jewish Christ-veneration.” From this perspective, as Christians separated from Judaism the writer of Revelations is telling us we probably do have something to worry about—Q’s 3&4. From his perspective and understanding of what it meant to be a Christ follower he is answering Q5 by informing us non-Jews..

Linda Lilley

I want to thank the contributors and most of all the people that comment . JTJ has kept me in the Bible and learning so much for many years. Thank you for the time, thought and consistent effort you put in to helping others with the study of the Bible and our relationship with Jesus. I am looking forward to another year with JTJ.

Sue Bohlin

Heyyyyyy Scott! Great devo--thanks for closing us out so well! (And shout out to Bobby Crotty, who has written the year-end JTJ devo for years. Heyyyyyy Bobby!) I am struck by the beautiful closure of v. 17 in the KJV: "And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." In Genesis 2, God tells Adam, "You may eat freely from every tree of the garden"--except for one. All of creation broke in Genesis 3 where we see Eve TAKE from the one tree that was off limits. After that, every time something goes wrong in the rest of the scriptures, someone is TAKING something they shouldn't. And here at the end of the book, God reverses the problem of wrongful taking with an invitation to TAKE the water of life *freely*, just as His image-bearers were invited to eat *freely* of the food of life in the garden. Now, TAKING has been transformed into an act of thankfulness, receiving God's grace and provision into our hands with cleansed and changed hearts. Because in the end, Jesus will make everything right. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Sue Bohlin

P.S. To Scott and Hugh about numbering our days: I hit 70 this year. (NO IDEA how that happened so fast.) That means I am now on the road to 80. It's like driving with the gas pump light on. . . P.S. To Linda Lilley: BLESS YOU!!! What a sweet comment!

Jason Cromwell

Death has always been there in my life as an ever present shadow. When I was younger I wouldn't just have a cold a day or two, but it would drag out for long periods of time. I have battled a debilitating stomach problem since my early teenage years that's left me at Death's Door more than once. So needless to say "Momento Mori" has always been my motto. I'm super excited for Jesus to return. I live as if He could return at any moment. There are many things I still haven't done (get married, have kids, learned to surf) but if Jesus returns before I do then that's how it goes.

Scott Breedlove

Thank you, Sue and Hugh and others! May we be drawn into our Father’s arms during the countdown. In the meantime, let’s continue the journey together. Maranatha!

Amy Lowther

1. God helps me know each day is special. God helps me skip the “he said, she said” battles (being overwhelmed by opinions of others). God helps me focus on using my strengths, and God helps me encourage others to use their strengths. 2. Experiencing how special God feels each day is helps me get things done that usually would not get done. 3. No. I feel we will have an honest, sincere talk which I will find valuable. 4. No. I value Jesus. 5. It would be important to accept them “as is” and to encourage them to do their best with what is available to them. Scott - Thank you for sharing your ideas. You make a good point in saying “For us the water of life, flowing from God's throne, is "without price". God cares and supports each and everyone of us unconditionally.