Three Millenium of Earthquakes...

...and this temple's foundation still stands.

1 Kings 5:13-18 (NIV)

King Solomon conscripted laborers from all Israel -- thirty thousand men. He sent them off to Lebanon in shift of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor. Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hills, as well as thirty-three hundred foremen who supervised the project and directed the workmen. At the king's command they removed from the quarry large blocks of quality stone to provide a foundation of dressed stone for the temple. The craftsmen of Solomon and Hiram and the men of Gebal cut and prepared the timber and stone for the building of the temple.

Tyre and Sidon were cities in an area known in the ancient world as Phoenicia. King Hiram of Tyre in Lebanon was a friend to Solomon's father David. Solomon sent to him for help with the temple construction. One thing the Phoenicians knew well was how to work with stone and timber. They worked alongside the men Solomon had brought together to build the temple for the Lord.

As I looked for information on Phoenician architecture and building practices I found it interesting to note that they used enormous foundation stones. The findings of the Palestine Exploration Fund in their excavations have found that

"the temple foundation consists of blocks measuring from fifteen to twenty-five feet in length, and from ten to twelve feet in height. The width of the blocks at the angles of the wall, where alone it can be measured, is from twelve to eighteen feet. At the south-west angle no fewer than thirty-one courses of this massive character have been counted by the recent explorers, who estimate the weight of the largest block at something above a hundred tons." *

One of the advantages of such enormous blocks is

". . . massiveness in the material conduces greatly to stability, and that, in lands where earthquakes are frequent, as they are along all the Mediterranean shores, not many monuments would have survived the lapse of three thousand years had the material employed been of a less substantial and solid character." *

Remember that in Isaiah's vision the foundation of this temple shook when the angels raised their voices in praise to the Almighty! WHEW! I'm being blown away again by the whole host of heaven and the SIZE of my God!!!



*Khalaf, Salim-George, "A Bequest Unearthed, Phoenicia" http://phoenicia.org, Solomons Temple page, 2004. Quotes & Photo used by permission.

Copyright Lynn U. Watson 2004, 2011 

Love & Obedience

 There is much more to learn about obedience in the days ahead in this study, but for now draw your attention to just this much on the topic. In His sermon in Matthew 5-7 Jesus asks for our obedience. He lays out for us the principles of life that when followed will bring us the blessings He offers in the Beatitudes -- the promises with which He began this well known sermon. We could probably think of hundreds of ways to escape obedience or make a thousand excuses for our lack of it in so many areas of our lives. Jesus made it clear that He expects obedience. The promised blessings show us how much He loves us. The expected obedience flows out of a pure and true love for Him and all He has done for us. Isn't that the very response we hope for from our own children? 


1 John 4:19 (NASB) says, "We love, because He first loved us." Our response of love to Him is our being and doing of all He has called us to . . . to be the salt and light in a very dark and deceived world according to the blueprint He has set out. Matthew 7:26, 27 (MSG) very boldly and clearly tells us the consequence of not building our foundation on the rock: "But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards."

 Beautiful castle... lots of work... waiting for storms or other meanness to come and crash it... Let's build on the Solid Rock!  (Of course, this was done for fun... but allow it to be a visual for you.)

Please hear the words of that last Scripture, my friends. that is the very reason there are so many opportunities in the Bible study to assimilate  into the very essence of our being, the things we're learning and discovering right here! Don't miss an opportunity. The lessons ahead aren't going to be for "stupid carpenters" building their houses on the sand. Take the journey. We're going to lay a foundation and build a temple for His abode. We can do that because Jesus paid the price. We'll discover the building materials are right there in His Word. As you discover more of His love for you, you will choose to love Him more by loving more. You will be blessed!


Photo from www.canstockphoto.com
All other material Copyright Lynn U. Watson 2004, 2011

Rock Solid Foundation!!!

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock." Matthew 7:24 (NASB)

The verses we have read so far from Matthew 5 about being salt and light in the world come from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Read Matthew 7:28-29. What was the result of Jesus' teachings in this sermon?
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Look over the whole sermon Jesus just taught (Matthew, chapters 5-7). From the Beatitudes (the "Blessed are the... verses) to His exhortation for His followers to be the salt and light of the world right through to the parable of the two builders, Jesus has laid out the guidelines for a life tht reflects the God-colors of the universe. He asks for our obedience, and makes us this promise: "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock." Matthew 7:24-25 (NASB). The crowd heard Him as One who spoke what He lived and lived what He spoke. They stood in total awe of His authority.

1 Peter 2:6 tells us that Jesus Christ is the very cornerstone of our foundation. The One we need supporting His temple. A couple of posts from now we will spend time discovering more about foundations and preparations for building Solomon's temple -- the site of Isaiah's spectacular vision. As we move through the study we will apply those lessons to prepare ourselves to be the sanctuaries we were meant to be -- temples fully reflecting the God-colors of His glory. For today, know that Jesus is the cornerstone and foundation for all of our life. When we hang unto His promise to us to forgive and cleanse us of all unrighteousness if we walk in His light, our foundation rock is SOLID!

Copyright Lynn U. Watson, 2004, 2011

Splash in It, Soak it Up: The Living Water

"On the final and climactic day of the Feast, Jesus took his stand. He cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says. John 7:37-38 (MSG)

We've learned the first major element to produce a rainbow is light. That pure white light encompasses all the colors of the rainbow. Both the prophet, Ezekiel, and the Apostle John in Revelation describe rainbow imagery around the throne of God. We've also established that as Christ followers our bodies are the temple and Jesus occupies them. In John 8:12, as we saw in the last post, Jesus identifies Himself as the Light of the World. So, the Light of the World has residence in us -- body, soul & spirit -- and there's a rainbow!

In Matthew 5  before Jesus tells us that we are here to bring the light, he indicates that we have another role as well. Read Matthew 5:13. What else are we to be on the earth?
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Salt is seasoning, of course! Salt also has another effect us. It creates thirst! Water quenches our thirst. Read John 7:37-38. What is available to quench our spiritual thirst? Where does it come from? What hapens when we drink of this living water?
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Now just how cool is it to discover that this same Light of the World is also the endless supply of "Living Water?" Now go to Revelation 22:17  and discover one more fact about Living Water. What is that fact?
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Jesus seated on the throne and His glory were highly impacting events in the lives of Isaiah, Ezekiel and John. Our hearts are intended as Christ's home -- His throne. Are our lives so full of the gifts of the Living Water and the Light of the World He so freely offers, that others see our lives as rainbows? Do the rivers of Living Water that flow from our innermost being make them thirsty for the Jesus in us?

God-Color Moment
It's free! We just have to come and drink it! Drink deeply today. Go to Jesus and ask Him to fill you up with His living water. Allow yourself to be immersed in His presence. This lesson is short. That may prompt you to quickly go about your other business. Please stop. Take the time. Spend that time splashing around in the Living Water today. Soak it up like a sponge. Squeeze it into your heart and soul and go back for more and more. It's FREE! And Jesus wants to give it to you in generous quantities! Coming to Him and drinking deeply in faith allows rivers, not trickles, of that life giving water to flow from our innermost being. Coupled with the Light of the World also residing within us -- WOW! What a rainbow He wishes to display all around us for all of His world to see!
 

Rainbow Photo from www.canstockphoto.com
Water Photo from www.multimedia-stock.com
All other material Copyright Lynn U. Watson, 2004, 2011

What Colors Do You Show the World?

The Message tells us in Matthew 5:14, "You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world." This image I have here is that our appearance is to be that of a colorful rainbow. It's pretty hard to hide a rainbow. Rainbows are way up there in the sky for the whole world to see. We can expose the world to the Light of the World. When His Light is shining in us it definitely attracts attention! Everyone is drawn to this wonder. God as Light and Jesus, the Light of the World and dispenser of living water provide the necessary elements for our rainbow. In the next post we'll discover more about Jesus in those roles.

God-Color Moment
We are to be a delight to the senses. Colors evoke so many emotions and remind us of so many things. How do your feel when you're sitting in a gray room? What do its colors d to your senses when you view a spectacular sunset? Roses of all colors send different messages to their recipients. Red ones are said to mean love, yellow friendship, and so on. Colors are such an important part of our lives. Think about them. Pray about them. Decide at this moment in time what colors you personally display to the world. Are they God colors? Do you lack color? What do you think those colors are saying to those you meet every day as you go about your business? What color does the checker at the grocery store see in you? What color are you when provoked by your unbelieving coworker? Do you show your God colors all day and save the yucky colors for your family? Spend some time deciding exactly what colors you are and what each of your colors represents to you.

This assignment is rather abstract. That is intentional! Each one will have his/her own unique interpretation. (Please don't let this be based on your fashion "season" or the colors you like to wear.) I hope each of you has a very different take on this, because it will be so interesting to share how you see yourselves and learn what different colors mean to others. Some may see you differently than you see yourself. That's okay. You may discover that you are displaying more God colors than you know.


Just look at the colors these parrots have on display! :o) Wondering what they might have to say to the world? They certainly are creations of God and incredible displays of the colors of the Light of the World!

I'm praying that there will be lots of comments on this post as you each consider your colors. It may also be helpful to have a friend or two or more sharing this whole adventure with you. Will you invite them? I'm counting on it!

You'll want to look back at this later in the study to see where your colors have intensified, what new colors you've added to your palette, and what new revelation you've received from the precious Spirit of God in this area of your life. 

This was mentioned in the previous post. I would like to take the time now to ask that any of you who have been reading this blog and would like to become a Christ follower, that you will take the time right now to pray. Acknowledge your sinfulness and need for a Savior. Ask God, because of the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus, to cleanse your heart. Know that for the asking, you are forgiven. Then prayerfully purpose to live your life acknowledging Jesus as the Son of the Living God & the Lord & Savior of your life. Become connected with a local body of Bible believing Christ followers. Know that your life will still have many challenges, you will still stumble, and that Christ is there for you to walk with you, pick you up, and carry you through the journey. If you need encouragement and assistance in finding a church home please contact me. Also, please let me know of your decision that I may be praying for you as you begin this new life in Christ.

Photo from www.Mulitmedia-stock.com
All other content Copyright Lynn U. Watson 2004, 2011

Rainbows!

In the verses in the last post from Ezekiel we read: "As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance;" and from Revelation: "there was a rainbow around the throne like an emerald in appearance." A rainbow surround the throne in both of these accounts. Rainbows evoke much intrigue in our culture. Little leprechauns are said to be able to find the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Those of a certain lifestyle persuasion in our culture have chosen the rainbow as their symbol. The popular Rainbow Brite and friends of the 1980's made a come back. Popular musical artists looking for something better out there use the rainbow metaphor in their lyrics. In all of these instances and many more, we see the world duplicating what God created and using it as its own.

A quick review from your elementary school science class: the basic elements that are needed for a rainbow to form are a source of light and water, a prism or similar item, which will both reflect and refract the rays of the light. Light itself is pure white and represents all colors combined. When the light hits the "liquid" medium it is refracted and reflected and breaks into all or some of the colors of the rainbow. The exact result is dependent on the angle at which the light strikes. It can be done in a laboratory, of course. Rainbows can be created by holding prisms, holograms and similar items up to a light source. Those are duplications of the real thing -- the "bow" in the sky.

Satan, himself, masquerades at an Angel of Light (2 Corinthians 11:14). The creative dynamic of this masterpiece of nature, however, belongs to God alone. Rainbows are such a vibrant display of His glory. It seems that if the world would place so much emphasis on light and rainbows, then God must have some intense purpose for them in the life of the believer.

The first mention of a rainbow in Scripture is in Genesis 9:12-13. According to this passage, what importance does the rainbow have for Noah and his family?
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As Christ followers, when we observe the rainbow in the sky, it is not only a delight for our senses, but also a beautiful reminder that God does indeed keep His promises. Find one of His promises to His children in 1 John 1:5-7. What is the promise we have according to these verses?
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God is Light! He is all the colors of the rainbow! Therefore, even the unbelievers unknowingly desire their share in the true God. The promise is that if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN. Our Ultimate Pardon purchased with the blood of God's Son, Jesus Christ, is the only source of true peace. How sad for the unbeliever chasing after any other rainbow than the One that lives within the heart of every believer. Jesus lives within each believer's heart, and by His own Words in John 8:12 (NASB) we hear, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." The world will chase it forever and never attain the pot of gold at the end of their rainbows unless they walk in the true Light. To choose to walk in that true Light they must, of course, be exposed to that Light.

I'm praying right now that as we proceed with this study, those who are not following Christ will see more and more of the true Light of the World and choose to follow Him. I'm also praying that for those who have already made the decision to follow the Light will allow It to shine with more and more God-Color glory.


Photo from www.Multimedia-Stock.com
All other content, Copyright Lynn U. Watson, 2004, 2011 

Rainbow, Radiance, Glory of the LORD

As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. . .   Ezekiel 1:28 (NASB)

Today we observe descriptions of the throne found in God's Word. In the next post we will look specifically at our reflection of Christ to those around us. What do they see when they look at our lives?
     Please begin by reading the following Scriptures:
     Ezekiel 1:26-38 and Revelation 4:1-3
Record all the facts about the throne that you discover in these two passages.
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What stood out most to you?
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Copyright Lynn U. Watson, 2004, 2011