THE LORD SPOKE (September 6)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Proverbs 11-13

Scrooge. The very word immediately brings up mental images and not just Dickens’ character by that name. We’ve all known a stingy person somewhere and the memories leave a sour taste in the mouth like a bad burp.

“Scrooge” has become the personification of a stingy, self-centered person. The Bible has a lot to say about stinginess and even more to say about being generous. Both Testaments commend repeatedly the practice of generosity:

• Proverbs 11:25 - A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
• Proverbs 22:9 - A generous man will himself be blessed.
• Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 - Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.
• I Timothy 6:18 - Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

Our generosity should begin with generosity to the Lord. How does that thought strike you? How can we be generous to the Lord? The Bible tells us:

• Proverbs 3:9-10 - Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing.
• Malachi 3:10 - “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

While “storehouse tithing” is not a NT principle for the Church, we do certainly find faithful, proportional, and generous giving commanded for today. The Lord’s promise of blessing upon the man who is generous to Him is a promise for all time. There it is again - generous to Him? How absurd. First of all, what could he ever need from us? Secondly, everything we have originates in Him so how could we possibly “give” Him anything? And yet, He desires our generosity and promises to bless us for it.

Can you believe that? God tells us to put Him to the test in this area! Again, can you believe that? Do you believe it? Prove it.


New Testament: Revelation 12

“A great and wondrous sign.” That’s how this chapter begins, in a book full of wondrous signs! We’re not left to wonder who or what this dragon represents for he is identified for us in verse nine as Satan. There are actually quite a number of names or descriptions for him in this short chapter:

• enormous red dragon (vs. 3a) - a mythological picture also used in Scripture to depict the enemies of God and Israel (Ps. 74:14; Isa. 27:1; Ezek. 29:3)
• with seven heads and ten horns (vs. 3b) - which symbolize advanced knowledge and great strength
• with seven crowns on his heads (vs. 3c) - having all the political power to go with his knowledge and strength, he constitutes a formidable enemy!
• with a following of one-third of the stars of heaven (vs. 4)
• at war with Michael and his angels (vs. 7) - this is not the first time (see Dan. 12:1; Jude 9)
• “that ancient serpent” (vs. 9a) - a direct link back to Satan in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1)
• called the devil (vs. 9b) - from the Greek, diabolos, meaning “accuser”, mentioned again in vs. 10
• called Satan (vs. 9b) - the equivalent term from Hebrew; the picture is that of the book of Job where Satan accuses us night and day before God
• leads the whole world astray (vs. 9c) - he’s had lots of practice and has a well-developed army around him

It’s a cosmic conflict but, praise be to God, “he was not strong enough” (Rev. 12:8). Our enemy is a defeated foe. The dragon is really just a lizard. He will still pursue his evil designs but ultimately he will be blocked at every turn.

Our victory is secured by none other than the Lamb. As Isaac Watts worded verse 11...

I ask them whence their victory came,
They, with united breath,
Ascribe their conquers to the Lamb;
Their triumph to His death.