Like the other messages, the church in Pergamum is addressed according to its “angel.” And Christ identifies himself in terms of the vision recorded in chapter one as “Him who has the sharp two-edged sword.” This refers to the vision of the sword (the powerful word) which comes from the mouth of the Lord.Well into the 2nd century, Pergamum was the …

Smyrna was a port city lying to the north of Ephesus on the Aegean Sea. Nothing is known of the founding of the church in Smyrna. Later, in the mid first century, her celebrated bishop, Polycarp was martyred for his faith. The letter to the Smyrna church follows the pattern of the other letters but with this exception: there is no criticism, no reb…

The opening section of Revelation sets the stage for the specific messages that Jesus instructs John to record for the seven churches. What John writes is part of the larger revelation from Jesus. The number seven, being symbolic of completeness, indicates that the Lord aims to address the church universal throughout the generations. Upon reading, …

This passage once again affirms what John has already told us about the Book of Revelation, that it is “the revelation of Jesus Christ.” We take note of the double meaning in that statement. Jesus is both the subject of the revelation and the one who is responsible for giving the revelation. The Book of Revelation is the revelation from and about J…

Following the prologue (vv. 1-3) John greets his addressees, seven of the churches in the Roman province of Asia Minor. The number seven is of particular symbolic / theological significance in the Book of Revelation. It means perfection and completeness. Given that there are seven identified addressees and considering the timeless relevance of what…

Oftentimes a document’s opening words tell us what we are about to read. The words “once upon a time,” signal that we are about to read a fairy tale. Or “Four score and seven years ago,” tell us we are about to read Lincoln’s famous speech. “Step one in assembling your new table…,” is a clue that we’re looking at a manual. The very first words of t…

The Book of Revelation is perhaps the most enigmatic book of the Bible. Understandably, many Christians feel overwhelmed when reading the Book of Revelation given its seemingly opaque metaphors, symbolic references, and strange visions. Indeed, no book of the Bible presents interpretive challenges so great as the Book of Revelation. Sadly, much of …

Once again Solomon employs the warmth of fatherly instruction to encourage the determined quest to attain wisdom. He tells his son, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight (vs. 7). Wisdom and insight are used synonymously here to indicate the practical application of God’s Word. That is the heart of wisdom. I…

Proverbs was written down as a record of wisdom to be passed on to the next generation. So very often the Bible commands us to “remember” and “not forget.” Humans are quite forgetful. Solomon offers his words as a corrective, highlighting God’s wisdom in contrast to the world’s. Due to sin we are quick to forget the wisdom of God and replace it wit…

Biblically, wisdom is not an interior experience of detachment or inner calm (as much as we may like inner calm!). Biblically understood, wisdom always terminates on how we live, the choices we make. Indeed, there is really no difference between wisdom and godliness. To be wise is to grow in conformity to Christ. It is to love what God loves and to…

Starting this Sunday, we will spend four weeks looking at the first four chapters of Proverbs and the implications of the way of wisdom and the way of folly.Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings, primarily written by King Solomon. 1 Kings 4 tells us that “God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand…

By Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA

The passage before us is often referred to as The Magnificat. It is the Latin word for “magnify” which is how Mary begins her song: “My soul magnifies the Lord.” And what a song it is! It is a song of truth for an age of deception. It is a song of hope for an age of cynicism. In reading the words carefully we come to notice that Mary’s song is, as …

What is recorded by Luke in these verses is historically referred to as the Annunciation, that is, the Announcement. It is The Announcement of all announcements! Some of the world’s greatest composers and artists and poets have sought to capture the marvelous wonder of the scene Luke describes. What was announced to Mary on that fateful day was the…

The prophets Isaiah and Micah were contemporaries, laboring to proclaim the word of the LORD to a stubborn people. Micah is known as a prophet zealous for justice, having witnessed the downstream effects of the blatant violations of Israel and Judah’s rulers, false prophets, and corrupt priests. We know little about Micah’s background, but his mess…

The ministry of Isaiah the Prophet was during a time of great pressure and chaos for the people of God. The kingdom was divided. Israel to the north was being decimated by the fierce Assyrians. Meanwhile, to the south, Judah, the home of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, was being threatened by the Babylonians. Isaiah came to warn Judah that the Lord was go…

Psalm two is a Psalm of David the king (Acts 4:25). Portions of this Psalm are quoted often in the New Testament particularly in reference to its high view of God’s Anointed (the Christ) and for its compelling vision of God’s kingdom. It begins with the Almighty’s derision of those who in their pride seek to break the bonds of God’s law. But God wi…

By Covenant Presbyterian Church - Harrisonburg, VA

Most likely, Psalms one and two were composed as a sort of introduction to the entire Psalter. Psalm two is classified as a royal psalm which highlights earthly rulers’ accountability to God. Psalm one is “a faithful doorkeeper, confronting those who would be in congregation of the righteous” (Kidner, 47). The psalm holds before us a choice between…

Jesus’ words to his followers in Matthew 5, “You are the light of the world, a city set upon a hill cannot be hidden,” were brought to fulfillment in the church. Luke’s description of the first church ends with these stirring words: “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (vs. 47). What a remarkable response of Divine …