Saturday, August 29, 2009

LITN I, Verses 57 - 80

57. So when it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son, just as the angel had said.

58. As you can imagine, it was quite an event in the neighborhood. Friends and relatives from all around heard of how God had lavished this miracle of mercy upon her, and they shared her joy and celebrated with the family.

59. On the eighth day, as was customary, they came to the Temple to circumcise the baby...and everyone just assumed that they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.

60. But Elizabeth spoke up and said, "No! He is going to be called John!"

61. And those that she told said to her, "John? What kind of name is that? It's certainly not a family name...what's the meaning of this?

62. Then they gestured to Zechariah (who was still completely mute at this point, by the way), to find out what he would like to name his miracle-son.

63. He motioned for a writing tablet, and to every one's utter astonishment he wrote, "HIS NAME IS JOHN!"

64. And when Zechariah did this...when he and Elizabeth came into agreement with the word of God which the angel had delivered, his mouth was immediately opened, and he began to speak, audibly, praising God!

65. Well, the neighbors were just awestruck and astounded by all this, and the news of it spread like wildfire throughout the entire region.

66. It was the main topic in every conversation in every home in the area...and everyone was asking, "What in the world is this child going to grow up to be?" No one could understand it, yet no one doubted that God's hand was on him.

67. Meanwhile, Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to prophesy, saying:

68. "All praise rightfully belongs to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them...

69. He has revealed the power of salvation for us right here in the very house of His servant David...

70. It is exactly as He said through his Holy prophets of long ago...

71. Deliverance from our enemies, and from the wrath of all who hate us...

72. To show mercy and benevolence to our ancestors, and to remember His holy covenant...

73. The sacred oath He swore to our father Abraham...

74. To rescue us from the hand of our adversaries, and to enable us to serve Him without any fear at all...

75. In wholeness and righteousness before Him throughout our whole lives!

76. And you, my son, will be called a prophet of the Most High...for you will go on before the Lord to literally prepare the way for Him...

77. To bring to His people the full revelation of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins...

78. Because of the tenderness and mercy and kindness of our God...the real God...by which the sun of redemption and reconciliation will rise to bring the dawn of a new day...

79. To shine in warmth and light on those living in the cold, dark shadow of death...to guide our feet into the path of peace!"

























80. And, indeed, that baby boy grew and became strong in spirit. He was very different...an unusual child...becuase the message he was born to carry made him unique. Basically, he grew up in solitude, living out in the wilderness, until he appeared publicly to Israel.

16 comments:

Donald said...

That's very good, really.
But, when I got to the second verse 57, I thought to myself, "That portion of scripture that says He will bring all things to your remembrance really works fast, it seems like I just heard that somewhere before."

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Man, I didn't even notice that...must have pasted twice...probably shouldn't be packing and writing and doing everything else at once...thanks for the heads up...

Donald said...

Once Zechariah got his speech back he tried to make up for lost time.
I may crack some jokes, but I'm truly loving what you're writing.

Son of Zadok said...

ver:ticit

Tickets are getting punched today. Not only in the natural, but corporately in the Spirit. Breeze In! A new appearing in God materializes and comes to life inside of us.

Unto Us a child is born !

Today is a Great Day !

Catching up here, but it seems right on time. I was thinking earlier tonight about how the "fear" of God as some understand it, can be rooted in an victim/abuser mentality, and we know that's not the real God.

In truth, the "fear" of God is encompassed in such an unveiling of the overpowering magnitude of communication and inspiration of grace, mercy, and love in God. We are struck into a state of consternation at the perfect ways of our God. Who can fully know them?

Thinking on these things, I was amazed at the pure words out of the last two LITN posts.

And His mercy...His compassion...His kindness toward the disenfranchised and the forgotten...the ones who think and feel that they are completely invisible...is on those who worship Him with a sense of awe, from generation to generation and age to age.

Because of the tenderness and mercy and kindness of our God...the real God...by which the sun of redemption and reconciliation will rise to bring the dawn of a new day...


We find that sense of awe, that true "fear", when Spirit vision is uncovered. This admittance being revealed in us, we bless the Lord, oh our soul, ALL that is within us, blessing His holy name.

You are beyond compare, Oh God
The world is standing blameless at your matchless mercies
Spotless and splendid are all your ways from all days
Foolproof and finished
complete and fully flawless
Unimpaired are You to all Your undamaged ones
Faithfully fulfilling all things are You
You design us with unbroken exactness
You model us in Your mercies
What is required from You, Oh God?

You pour oil on our heads

We awaken in You

Arise

Shine

Your Light Has Come

Son of Zadok said...

If you have faith, like this one tiny molecule has faith...

All things are possible !

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1209726/Single-molecule-million-times-smaller-grain-sand-pictured-time.html

Son of Zadok said...

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea

-Habakkuk 2:14

Brenda said...

I really enjoyed those verses, saw some things in them that I've really not seen before. I had to read verses 59-65 again because it spoke volumes to me. I just can't tell it all but thanks for the wisdom. One thing I will share is that its so funny to me how people always assume that they know what you should do then when you don't flow in their idea they think you are crazy. They become awestruck because you better not dare think outside the box. As Elizabeth and Zechariah experienced, great things open up when you do it God's way and not what people expect.
Can not wait to get to church today because I know it is going to be off the chain. I'm getting there bright and early. Walking in is like walking into one of the worship rooms of heaven. The atmosphere is conducive for worship. Then at the exact momement the angels come out and the air is filled with the glory of God and voices are lifted up in praise. We brings our gifts forward that are fit for the King. Thats when it happens God himself steps out and tells us of his love for us. Not because we have been so good but just because he loves us so. He doesn't brow beat us or even remind us of those shortcomings but he says I love you so pick yourself up and run on just a little while longer. Then all too soon we must go back out to share that love with others. Okay I went on, and on, but I woke up with that on my mind and I just had to tell it. Come meet me in the place and lets worship together.

karl said...

And, indeed, that baby boy grew and became strong in spirit. He was very different...an unusual child...becuase the message he was born to carry made him unique.

...this also seems to be true of you, too, bishop.

Good morning...all will come together well for you.

...believing to see more of Christ today...come, Holy Spirit, come!

snippet from Wednesday...
Suddenly, you said...made me think of these lyrics(song?)..."suddenly, the wheels are in motion...and I.I,I,I,I...am ready to sail any ocean..."

"WHEN THE LEVEE BREAKS!..."

When you said something about getting side-tracked, I thought...
"It's still part of the same record, like a 45rpm"

One way or another you're going to have to trust God...
"One way or another yes you're gonna, gonna trusta, trusta, trusta, trusta, one way...(a la Blondie song).

see you, going to rehearse with the choir now...blessings to you and ALL your family today!

Northern Light said...

WORD VER ungendel

first glance this morning and I "saw" it to say UGANDA

Safety and Blessings to all you traveling this week, Peace and Come Back safely with wonderful stories to tell.

Peace,
Northern Light

Anonymous said...

77. To bring to His people the full revelation of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins...

78. Because of the tenderness and mercy and kindness of our God...the real God...by which the sun of redemption and reconciliation will rise to bring the dawn of a new day...

I love this Parphrase. Going to order a copy of it as soon as it comes out...

Looking forward to the service today...I think the Holy Ghost may show up and show out...(I hope...)

Peace,
Dennis

Northern Light said...

Today's AYITN is " YOU PASS"

INDEED....after just streaming into that service this morning, the Lord is well pleased, and YES>
" YOU PASS"

Peace,
Northern Light

Ebony said...

Bishop, I am not sure I can articulate today into words but I am going to try. Only the Holy Ghost could bring together what happened today and have it flow the way it did. First, to see the place that full on a non Easter/Anniversary service was VERY COOL!, the Welcome video was AMAZING!! (Can we play it again next week? It was that good). To the message "and your cousin". Pastor D.E. has a very sweet spirit and is a living testimony of submitting your life to the Potter's hand can do. You know when I was younger I used to watch Cathedral services and LOVED their youth choir "Firebrand", and their dance ministry. I had always wanted to give the church a visit, God works in awesomely mysterious ways. I had this sense in the months following the passing of Bishop Paulk that the Cathedral would rise like a Phoenix into something beautiful. But after today the beauty was there all along, and after the trial by fire, they will come out pure gold. In the words of Humphrey Bogart, "this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship". And there were NO WORDS for the final moments of service, from total Praise to seeing you hug all your cousins embrace each other a whole, beautiful family, it was a blessing, and confirmation that this was the right thing,for the right time. "Greater things are yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city"

karl cobos said...

Great service and so glad to part of it!

The video was powerful and I agree, should be shown again next Sunday.

It's interesting that after you both talked about the analogy of pregnancy, wasn't the lady who sang up on stage also actually pregnant...like a confirmation...like a song of Elizabeth or a Magnificat of Mary. Really cool.

May the communities in Uganda overload you all with blessings and favor, and the word of His love spread out from your midst!

word ver: restio

karl cobos said...

v.58...interesting how friends and relatives just assume, and for wanting the celebration to go "their way."
hmmm...does it ring a bell to anyone else other than me?
Oh well, they are still family, gotta love 'em AND tolerate them as well, even if they don't understand the "meaning of this, and how you want to go about things."

v63-"His name is John!"
The beginnings of a new covenant message already being written ON A TABLET!

...so let it be written...so let it be done!...a message that will cause the mute to sing and give God praise!

74. ...and to enable us to serve Him without any fear at all...
75. In wholeness and righteousness before Him throughout our whole lives!
(these verses really speak to me, ..."without fear", and in "wholeness and righteousness."

77. To bring to His people the full revelation of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins...

79. ...to guide our feet into the path of peace!"

ahhh yes, His wonderful covenant of PEACE.

Anonymous said...

5. And this is where I'll begin the story: In the time of King Herod's reign in Judea there was a priest named Zechariah who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah
26. Then, in the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth
56. When Mary finished the song, she decided to stay with Elizabeth for a while, and so she did for about three months, and then returned to her own home.
57. So when it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son

This may have something to do with the prophetic word spoken in the service this Sunday I don’t know; you all must judge. Anyway I thought it significant in my own mind and spirit.
I love Christmas time; I have always thought there was something “special” about it. (don’t mess with my Christmas) Therefore I have done much research on it (even going through phase of the “evils of that pagan festival”) which led me to these very verses which to my surprise have led me to believe that YOU CAN ACTUALLY DATE the “CONCEPTION” of Jesus Christ from these verses with much certainty. Because the “course or division of Abijah” can be dated. And then counted back to the conception of Jesus Christ on or about our December 25 according to the normal period for human gestation.
Here is a short copy of an article in “the companion bible” composed by a well known and respected scholar first published in 1909, Dr. E. W. Bullinger.
Here is a link to the full article
http://www.therain.org/appendixes/app179.html

280 days = 40 weeks - forty sevens, the perfect period of human gestation [7x5x8=280].
The Component Numbers of 280 are highly significant in this connection.
7 denotes Spiritual Perfection.
5 denotes Divine Grace.
8 denotes Resurrection, Regeneration, etc. (Appendix 10).
1st TEBETH = 25th December (5 B.C.)
15th ETHANIM = 29th September (4 B.C.).
From 1st TEBETH to 15th ETHANIM (inclusive) = 280 days.
From 25th DECEMBER (5 B.C .) to 29th SEPTEMBER (4 B.C.) = 280 days.


It thus appears without the shadow of a doubt that the day assigned to the Birth of the Lord, videlicet: December 25, was the day on which He was "begotten of the Holy Ghost", that is to say, by pneuma hagion = divine power (Matthew 1:18, 20 marg.), and His birth took place on the 15th of Ethanim, September 29, in the year following, thus making beautifully clear the meaning of John 1:14,"The Word became flesh" (Matthew 1:18,20) on 1st Tebeth or December 25 (5 B.C.), "and tabernacled (Greek eskenosen) with us", on 15th of Ethanim or September 29 (4 B.C.).

Peace,
Dennis

Anonymous said...

64. And when Zechariah did this...when he and Elizabeth came into agreement with the word of God which the angel had delivered, his mouth was immediately opened, and he began to speak, audibly, praising God!

I love, love, love this verse.

Lindsey P.