Daily Devotional, Year 3 – January 3 (Habakkuk Says “Run!” Part 7: “Hold Hands? Or Flee To The Mountains?”)

By admin On February 23rd, 2016

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Daily Devotional, Year 3 – January 3

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Habakkuk Says “Run!”

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Part 7:

“Hold Hands? Or Flee To The Mountains?”

To read part 1 of this little series, click here… August 11th (Habakkuk Says “Run!”)

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“For the vision is yet for an appointed time,

but at the end it shall speak, and not lie:

though it tarry, wait for it;

because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

Habakkuk 2:3

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The Book of Habakkuk has been the source of great intrigue and much speculation! After all, it is a prophecy which concerns the last days.

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And it speaks of a time in the future in a mysterious manner…. “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2:2, 3

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And as this above passage says, there will be a vision which speaks at the end.

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And when this vision finally speaks, then whosoever reads and understands that vision, may, “RUN!”

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Habakkuk by James Tissot – Wikimedia Commons – US Public Domain

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A TARRYING TIME

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God’s people have been trumpeting the message concerning Planet Earth’s Last Day, often becoming the mockery of family and friends…“Oh yeah, they’ve been saying that for decades and we’re still here!” (see 2nd Peter 3:4)

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But what those messengers did not take into account was that, “delay” of an important event of prophecy, is an integral part of Scripture.

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Judgment Bus New Orleans 2011 – cropped image – Wikipedia – Share-alike License

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“THOUGH IT TARRY, WAIT FOR IT!”

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For instance, listen to the prophecy of Habakkuk… “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2:3

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Yes, Habakkuk’s vision concerning the end-time exodus out of the smothering of God’s people by Chaldeans (unbelievers), was a message which was accompanied by a time of tarrying.

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**God’s people were to “RUN!” when the vision spoke at the end, but that vision would tarry.**

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And we were to wait for it!

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Habakkuk by James Tissot – Wikimedia Commons – US Public Domain

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ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT AFOOT

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Have you ever heard the saying, “Let’s all join hands together, and sing ‘Kumbaya’!”

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Well, there is a great movement afoot in the Christian world today, that basically calls for just such a thing to happen!

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Yes, the various denominations are now calling for an ecumenical movement: a coming together and a joining of hands between all the various denominations, and even with the various other religions!

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Well, all this sounds great! After all, what could be better than all the various religious groups coming together and standing together as one?

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Handshake icon – GREEN-BLUE – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS!

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Now one great problem with all this is that the Bible never encourages such an ecumenical movement.

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But there is another reason for not joining together with the various denominations in some great ecumenical movement.

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Listen to the counsel found in the Gospels…“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:” Matthew 24:15, 16

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Here is veiled allegorical language, which counsels Christians to flee out of the various religious organizations which make up the apostate portion of the Church, which God has named, “Mystery Babylon”.

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Picture – Lot Escapes Sodom – www.thebiblerevival.com offers free Bible clipart – Public Domain.

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GOD SAYS “FLEE!” BUT WE SAY “JOIN!”

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And so, in the very day in which God tells us to “FLEE!”, the various denominations are saying just the opposite!

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One great reason why so many church-goers desire to stay in their church is because church-going makes up the greater sum-total of their relationship with God!

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In other words, all through the week, the apostate Christian is focused on pursuing as much of this selfish world as possible! Christ is not in all our thoughts during the week.

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Oh yes, we may do a 20-minute Bible study each morning, and a 5-minute-or-so, prayer. But the moment the Bible study is over, our thoughts return to the pursuit of the pleasures and cares of this life!

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ABOVE PICTURE: Unfunny Judgment Day Cartoon – a party tonight – signsofheaven.org

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WHAT GOOD IS ECUMENISM?

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Well, this is the sad condition of most of those who make up the various denominations of today.

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And so, what possible good could it do, for all these to join hands together and sing the proverbial ecumenical anthem, “Kumbaya”?

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None whatsoever!

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Religious Leaders World Economic Forum – 2009 Annual Meeting – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative-Commons-Attribution-Share-Alike-2.0

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WHAT GOOD DOES FLEEING DO?

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On the other hand, what good does it do for God’s faithful Remnant to vacate the various denominations, and flee to the spiritual mountains?

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Listen to the prophet, Habakkuk…“Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.” Habakkuk 1:4

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Here is a great truth which is repeatedly spoken of in the Bible: that God’s people are to separate themselves from the infectious influences of evil associations.

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This was the original message which God has been trying to send, from Genesis to Revelation!

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PICTURE – Constellation – Woman of Revelation 12 flees to the mountains – Mark 13:14 – This is not a star-chart, but merely a concept picture

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WEAK AND EASILY LED ASTRAY

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Yes, the entire Bible warns against surrounding ourselves with darkness. Not that we are too holy and too pure to be mingling with, “the great unwashed!”

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Absolutely not! But rather it is because we are so weak and easily led astray, we are to flee from corrupting influences for fear of being overtaken by them.

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Listen again…“Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.” Habakkuk 1:4.

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As this above verse makes perfectly clear, wrong associations have a corrupting influence!

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THE GOOD NEWS

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The Good News in all this negativity is that God has provided a place of refuge for His people…“Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” Isaiah 26:20, 21

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Yes, God is now calling His people out of Babylon…“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” revelation 18:4

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And so, while the apostate organizations of Babylon are wanting to join hands together, God is, at the same time, calling His people to separate themselves from these organizations.

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ABOVE PICTURE: Hide Thyself in thy Chambers – inspired by Tornado Over Kansas by Curry

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OUR BREAD OF LIFE & WATERS OF GRACE ASSURED

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But God has provided a table in the wilderness, in which the bread of life shall be given us, and our living waters are assured! (see Isaiah 33:16)

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It is upon the high and heavenly Mount Sion that God’s people must flee to!

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And it is there that we shall behold, “the Land that is very far off!” Isaiah 33:17

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TO READ PART 8, GO HERE..

.January 13 (Habakkuk Says “Run!” Part 8: “This Crazy Weird Cartoon World!”)

Cartoon character – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to fully understand this message to flee…

Marine Praying – Wikimedia – USMC Public Domain

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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REVELATION 12 WOMAN CONSTELLATION

star-chart ursa major summerr

This page is about the Big Dipper, also called the Great Bear constellation (Ursa Major ). However, the ancient pagan cultures did not see this constellation as God intended it to be seen. It is actually a headless woman in childbirth. This is seen in springtime. It is seen in the northern skies.

But as the seasons progress, this travailing woman flips upside down, now appearing as a woman with upraised arms like eagle wings who is running (eventually flying, as shown in sketch on right) into the wilderness (westward). The single star representing her birth-child (Christ) now becomes her head (“Christ is the head of the church.” Ephesians 5:23

star-chart ursa major

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The 7 Stars (Big Dipper) is easy to see with its very bright 7 stars. But the Revelation 12 Woman (Ursa Major) must be seen on a dark starry night, away from city lights.

These are star charts from Wikipedia, with sketches of the Woman added.

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TOMORROW:

January 4 (The Gospel According To Pollyanna, Part 2)

Pollyanna statue – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Creative Commons 2.0 license

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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ALL ‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) OPEN-MINDED TRUTH-SEEKERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

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THIS IS STUDY #3 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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