"Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all." (I Timothy 4:13)
"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His Name, and they shall be Mine," saith the Lord of hosts, "in that day when I make up My jewels, and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves him not." (Malachi 3:16-18)
In the above passage from Malachi (the last book in the Old Testament), the Lord God -- the Lord of hosts -- the Lord Himself is speaking about a day still off in the future, when believers who fear the Lord and meditate upon His Name will be included in the book of remembrance. A day when those who fear the Lord and speak often of Him, and think continually of His glorious Name -- to them will He hearken and spare them from the wrath that is to come.
This is a beautiful promise to those who believe in the Lord God our Saviour by faith. For as we now know from the scriptures, He must have often suffered since the foundation of the world ... but now, once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (Hebrews 9:8, 14-18, 26-28)
The appointed time when God in Christ reconciled the world unto Himself. (II Corinthians 5:19)
This day, saith the Lord, have I begotten Thee. Thus, we can be assured that the dayspring from on high hath visited His people. (Luke 1:78) The Word that was with God and was God in the beginning was made flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1-18) He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. (John 1:10-11) Yes, indeed, Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 9:8, 14-18, 28)
The question then is this. What will your heart response be to the Lord Jesus the Christ, who willingly shed His precious holy blood on an old rugged cross so that we might freely drink of His living water, wherein we will never thirst again? As Jesus said, "I am the bread of life."
"I am the Light of the world!"
"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life!" (John 14:6-12)
And He is calling you and I today to come unto Him wherein we can stand fast in the liberty wherewith is Christ. Indeed, God's love for His beloved creation knows no boundaries. And for this cause, He is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. To that end, "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:14-18; 28)
The same He who hath in due times "manifested His Word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour ..." (Titus 1:3) "For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour ..." (I Timothy 2:3)
For He hath said, "from the rising of the sun [even] unto the going down of the same, My Name shall be great among the Gentiles; and every place, incense shall be offered unto My Name, and a pure offering for My Name shall be great among the heathen," saith the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 1:11)
Thus, to be clear, what should our heart response be? To greatly rejoice in the Lord, our soul being joyful in our God. "For He hath clothed me [us] with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me [us]with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10)
In this current dispensation of grace, He has given us a new name -- His Name -- His precious holy Name -- whereby His Name is above every other Name. (Philippians 2:9; Acts 4:12) Yes, "His Name is JESUS for He shall save His people from their sin. ... Emmanuel, being interpreted, God with us!" (Matthew 1:21-23)
"And in THAT day shall ye say, "Praise the Lord, call upon His Name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His Name is exalted." (Isaiah 12:4) As the Lord saith, "Therefore, My people shall know My Name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am He that doth speak: behold, it is I." (Isaiah 52:6)
But thankfully, we also know who He is, because as Isaiah prophesied afore, "As a beast goes down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest: so didst Thou lead Thy people, to make Thyself a Glorious Name." (Isaiah 63:14)
And now you know too. Stand in the offering plate.
"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His Name, and they shall be Mine," saith the Lord of hosts, "in that day when I make up My jewels, and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves him not." (Malachi 3:16-18)
In the above passage from Malachi (the last book in the Old Testament), the Lord God -- the Lord of hosts -- the Lord Himself is speaking about a day still off in the future, when believers who fear the Lord and meditate upon His Name will be included in the book of remembrance. A day when those who fear the Lord and speak often of Him, and think continually of His glorious Name -- to them will He hearken and spare them from the wrath that is to come.
This is a beautiful promise to those who believe in the Lord God our Saviour by faith. For as we now know from the scriptures, He must have often suffered since the foundation of the world ... but now, once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (Hebrews 9:8, 14-18, 26-28)
The appointed time when God in Christ reconciled the world unto Himself. (II Corinthians 5:19)
This day, saith the Lord, have I begotten Thee. Thus, we can be assured that the dayspring from on high hath visited His people. (Luke 1:78) The Word that was with God and was God in the beginning was made flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1-18) He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. (John 1:10-11) Yes, indeed, Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 9:8, 14-18, 28)
The question then is this. What will your heart response be to the Lord Jesus the Christ, who willingly shed His precious holy blood on an old rugged cross so that we might freely drink of His living water, wherein we will never thirst again? As Jesus said, "I am the bread of life."
"I am the Light of the world!"
"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life!" (John 14:6-12)
And He is calling you and I today to come unto Him wherein we can stand fast in the liberty wherewith is Christ. Indeed, God's love for His beloved creation knows no boundaries. And for this cause, He is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. To that end, "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:14-18; 28)
The same He who hath in due times "manifested His Word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour ..." (Titus 1:3) "For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour ..." (I Timothy 2:3)
For He hath said, "from the rising of the sun [even] unto the going down of the same, My Name shall be great among the Gentiles; and every place, incense shall be offered unto My Name, and a pure offering for My Name shall be great among the heathen," saith the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 1:11)
Thus, to be clear, what should our heart response be? To greatly rejoice in the Lord, our soul being joyful in our God. "For He hath clothed me [us] with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me [us]with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10)
In this current dispensation of grace, He has given us a new name -- His Name -- His precious holy Name -- whereby His Name is above every other Name. (Philippians 2:9; Acts 4:12) Yes, "His Name is JESUS for He shall save His people from their sin. ... Emmanuel, being interpreted, God with us!" (Matthew 1:21-23)
"And in THAT day shall ye say, "Praise the Lord, call upon His Name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His Name is exalted." (Isaiah 12:4) As the Lord saith, "Therefore, My people shall know My Name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am He that doth speak: behold, it is I." (Isaiah 52:6)
But thankfully, we also know who He is, because as Isaiah prophesied afore, "As a beast goes down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest: so didst Thou lead Thy people, to make Thyself a Glorious Name." (Isaiah 63:14)
And now you know too. Stand in the offering plate.
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