Femicares Inspirational Messages

23/11/2023

THE COMING KING
Luke tells us that after Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples returned to Jerusalem (Luke 24:52). They also went back to the Scriptures. The Old Testament suddenly blossomed with good news. Everywhere they looked they found evidence that pointed toward the specifics of Jesus' life and ministry. When they wondered why they had missed the connections before, they must have also remembered Jesus' promise, "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13).

When the Gospel writers recorded the details of Jesus' life, they often used references from the Old Testament to illustrate how clearly Jesus fulfilled the character of the promised Savior and the prophecies regarding His ministry. They particularly enjoyed quoting Old Testament passages that clearly predicted the suffering and rejection aspects of the Messiah's role. For them, it was the central theme that set Jesus apart from the popular ideas of a conquering and powerful political messiah.

Zechariah 9:9-10 presents a prophecy whose fulfillment was clearly set in motion (although not completed) by Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem on a c**t, the well-known Triumphal Entry. Both Matthew and John mention this passage. John even notes that the disciples saw no immediate connection between Jesus riding on the c**t and His identity as the Messiah prophesied in Zechariah. After Jesus was glorified, "then they remembered that these things were written about Him" (John 12:16).

These verses in Zechariah include an important transition. The arrival of the saving King is followed immediately by a description of the effects of His long-term reign. This is an example of "prophetic compression". Viewed from the broader context of prophecy, Zechariah was mentioning together two stages in God's plan which are actually separated in time. The coming King would arrive twice. Jesus came first as a humble King of peace and salvation, accomplished in Jesus' earthly ministry and His death on the Cross. Second, Jesus will come as a victorious Ruler over all the world who will "speak peace to the nations". We should rejoice over Jesus' first coming and anticipate the complete fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy at the Christ glorious return.

28/09/2023

26/09/2023

THE DAY OF THE LORD

One of the central themes of the Book of Joel is "the day of the Lord" (Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14). This language describes a period of time in which God "comes down" in a dramatic way to bring wrath and judgment on the wicked and salvation to the righteous. God is Lord of time. There is no period that is not "the day of the Lord" in a general sense. But at times God enters the space-time arena to assert in bold, dramatic ways that He is in control.

The day of the Lord is a major theme of Old Testament prophecy. Thirteen of the sixteen prophets address this subject. The concept of the day of the Lord probably originated with the conquest of Canaan - a conquest which was in fact the Lord's war (see Deuteronomy 1:30; 3:22; Joshua 5:13-15; 6:2); that is, a day of judgement for the wicked Canaanites (see Leviticus 18:25; Deuteronomy 9:4-5).

The day of the Lord is not an isolated phenomenon or a single event in human history. Periods in Israel's early history and latter history, the coming of Jesus, and His second advent are all called "the day of the Lord" in Scripture. The predictions of a coming day of the Lord can be fulfilled in a number of different events. The invasion of locusts in the historic events of the life of Joel was the day of the Lord (Joel chapter 2). But the day of wrath and deliverance that soon fell on Judah in the Babylonian invasion was also the day of the Lord.

While most references speak of future events, five biblical texts describe the day of the Lord in terms of past judgement (see Isaiah 22:1-14; Jeremiah 46:2-12; Lamentations 1:1 - 2:22; Ezekiel 13:1-9). These texts reflect circumstances of military defeat, tragedy, and judgement. Such events may have stimulated the development of the prophetic concept of a future "day" or time of judgement for the disobedient of Israel and all the nations (see Joel 1:15; Isaiah 13:6, 9; Zephaniah 1:14-18).

However, the day of the Lord is not just a day of wrath and judgement on the disobedient. In some contexts, it also includes deliverance and restoration for the righteous. The day of the Lord speaks not only of future judgement, but of future hope, prosperity, and blessing (see Isaiah 4:2-6; Hosea 2:18-23; Amos 9:11-15; Micah 4:6-8). Joel reveals that this day is to be heralded by heavenly phenomena (Joel 2:30, 31) which will bring sudden darkness and gloom on the earth (Joel 2:2). It will be a day of divine destruction (Joel 1:15) on the nations that have persecuted Israel (Joel 3:12-14) and on the rebellious and disobedient of Israel (Amos 5:18-20). Yet it will also be a time of deliverance and unprecedented blessing for God's people (Joel 2:32; 3:16, 18-21; 1 Thessalonians 5:2-5).

02/09/2023

CONTEMPORARY PAGANS
Today's increasingly secular society may seem to have little in common with the world of Jeremiah's day. Yet the truth is that many people who disavow the traditional idea of God or gods nevertheless have a very similar mind-set to the pagan idol worshipers, or "Gentiles" (Jeremiah 10:2), of ancient times.

Jeremiah lived in a world of cultures based on idolatory (Jeremiah 10:3-10). His own nation, Judah, was quite given over to idols during the reigns of Manasseh and Amon, probably the period when Jeremiah was a boy (2 Kings 21). In fact, the prophet observed that Judah had as many gods as it had cities (Jeremiah 2:28). Likewise, each society surrounding Judah worshipped its pantheon of gods. The Babylonians, for example, were said to be "insane with their idols" (Jeremiah 50:38). Looking back on these religions from today's perspective, our tendency may be to think of an idol merely as an object crafted from wood or metal to whom superstitious, benighted pagans bowed down in hopes of receiving good fortune or avoiding misfortune. But that would be a superficial understanding. An idol is anything that is sacred to a person, in that it defines self-worth, becomes the controlling center of life, and takes priority over all other loyalties.

In light of that definition, what are some of the idols that people worship today? Certainly work and possessions would have to qualify for many people, especially given the addictive way in which they pursue them. What would be an idol for you? What do you hold "sacred" in the sense that it defines who you are, controls your life, and is the last thing that you would ever let go?

Jeremiah recognized the idols of his day for what they were - futile customs that supplanted the true God (Jeremiah 10:3-10). Are you pursuing futility at the cost of knowing the living Lord?

18/07/2023

BACK TO BAAL
By Hosea's time Baalism had captured the minds and hearts of many Israelites. Baal was the most important deity in the Canaanite pantheon. Baal's followers believed that his blessing guaranteed the continuation of human life and the preservation of social order. As a fertility deity, Baal was the provider of children, a prized possession in the culture of the ancient Middle East. As the god of the storm, Baal brought the rains and made the crops grow. Baal's devotee trusted that with the elements of the storm at his disposal, he could defeat the enemies of his people. As the king of the divine realm under the ultimate authority of the high god El, Baal overcame the powerful and terrifying deities Yamm, the God of the chaotic sea, and Mot, the god of death and the underworld.

Recognising the threat that Baalism posed for His people, the Lord actively opposed this false religious system from the very beginning of Israelite's history. He affirmed that He is the only living God (see Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 33:26; 1 Samuel 2:2) and Israel's rightful king (see Exodus 15:18, 20:2-6). The Lord revealed His sovereignty over the elements of the storm (see Exodus 9:23-24, 19:16-18; Deuteronomy 33:26; 1 Samuel 7:10, 12:17-18; 1 Kings 17:1, 18:1-45), demostrated His authority over the chaotic sea (see Exodus 15:8-10) and the realm of death (see Exodus 15:12; 1 Samuel 2:6; 1 Kings 17:17-23), and proved that He alone could provide children to the infertile (see 1 Samuel 2:5). This attack on Baalism climaxed at Mount Camel, where the Lord hurled a fiery lightning bolt down from heaven (see 1 Kings 18:38-39) to demonstrate beyond the shadow of a doubt that He is the living God. In contrast, Baal's prophets with their frenzied mourning rites could not provoke any response (see 1 Kings 18:26-29). When Jehu later purged the kingdom of Baalism (see 2 Kings 10:18-28), the Lord's victory seemed complete. However, less than a century later, Baalism had resurfaced as the religion of the people, forcing the Lord to confront Israel through Hosea the prophet.

How are we to explain Baalism's success? The Lord demanded obedience to strict moral and ethical standards as a basis for blessing. In stark contrast, Baalism appealed to the sensual nature. Baal's favor was gained through symphatic magic in the form of ritual prostitution. Through these rites, young men and women supposedly could gain Baal's favor and ensure their ability to produce and bear children (see Hosea 4:12-14). Because of Baalism's attractions to the base side of human nature, it persisted in Israel. It promised an easy and even enjoyable road to prosperity, while God's way, the way of true life, demanded selflessness.

15/04/2023

THE CODE OF HAMMURABI

An ancient law code named after a king who ruled Babylonia from about 1792 - 1750 B.C. These laws are similar to the Law as revealed to Moses in the first five books of the Old Testament. The code of Hammurabi was discovered in 1901 - 1902 by the archaeologist V. Scheil at Susa, an early city of the ancient Babylonians. It was written on a seven-foot high stone monument (called a stele) with the upper part picturing Hammurabi receiving a scepter and a ring, symbols of justice and order, from Shamash, the Babylonian sun-god and divine lawgiver. The rest of the monument contains the code. Hammurabi's law dates from about 300 years after Abraham and some 300 years before the events described in the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. This law code was written for a complex urban culture, in contrast to the simple agricultural culture of Palestine.

09/04/2023

CRUCIFIXION

At the time of Jesus' death, crucifixion was considered the most painful and degrading form of capital punishment in the Roman Empire. It was considered so horrible that it was used by the Romans only for slaves, those from the provinces under their control, and the lowest types of criminals. It was not to be used for a Roman citizen. This is in accord with the biblical account of Christ's death and with church tradition, which asserts that Peter was also crucified, but Paul, a Roman citizen, was beheaded.

Crucifixion as a means of ex*****on probably grew out of the practice of displaying the heads of captured enemies or criminals on a wooden stake like those used to build a wall or erect fortifications. Later, entire bodies were impaled. By Jesus' time crucifixion was a common sight.

Although methods of crucifixion seem to have varied throughout the Roman Empire, through biblical and historical accounts the basic pattern is known. The condemned person was first scourged with a flagellum, a whip of leather thongs with bits of metal or bone attached. This whipping greatly weakened the victim, who then had to carry the crossbeam to the place of ex*****on. A sign specifying the crime was often placed around the criminal's neck or on the cross. The person was stripped naked, laid on the ground with the crossbeam under his shoulders, and tied or nailed to it. Nailing made the victim die quicker, as it did Jesus, whom the Jewish officials wanted dead before the Sabbath. The crossbeam was lifted and secured to a post so that the person's feet were hanging just off the ground. Some archaeologists thinks a pin or wooden block was placed halfway up the post to provide a seat for the body so that the nails would not tear open the wounds, causing the body to fall. The feet also could be nailed or tied to the post.

Although the pain was excruciating, some victims survived on the cross for days. As in the case of the two criminals crucified with Jesus, the legs of a crucified person were sometimes broken to make the sufferer die. This caused massive shock, followed by loss of circulation and heart failure.

Although completely innocent of all sin, Jesus suffered the most horrible, disgraceful punishment known. But His agonizing death was not an ordinary death, for it was not the final chapter. Jesus turned this apparent defeat into the most glorious victory the world has ever known. At the Cross, He suffered for the sins of the world. Then after His resurrection from the dead three days later, Jesus empowered His disciples with a new message, the Good News that He had finally defeated the power of sin and death. Through the Cross, Jesus offers salvation to all who will believe in Him.

17/02/2023

TWO SIDES OF THE COIN

"Think positive" is the message preached from many pulpits today. And for good reason: The message of salvation in Christ is good, positive news in a world that sometimes seems more and more depressing by the day.

However, before we can fully embrace the good news about God's son, we must first accept the bad news about our own sin. Psalm 106 is the flip side of Psalm 105. Both recall Israel's history. But whereas Psalm 105 is an enthusiastic celebration of the Lord's faithfulness, Psalm 106 focuses on the continuing unfaithfulness of His people. Still, the piece is not without hope: The Lord remains committed to mercy, forgiveness, and doing the mighty wonders necessary to sustain His wayward children (Psalm 106:44-46). No wonder the psalm concludes with a blessing for the Lord "from everlasting to everlasting" (Psalm 106:48).

If Psalm 105 stood alone, the forgetful student of history might assume that God swept His people into the Promised Land with no setbacks or opposition. But Psalm 106 puts things in perspective. As we look at that same history, it confronts us with the ugly face of sin and shows why people (and nations) so badly need forgiveness. Thus Psalm 105 and 106 show the two realities involved in salvation: sin and grace. Focusing on either one without the other will lead to distortion.