Psalm 135 is an "antiphonal" psalm. The first part would have been chanted or sung by the Worship Leader and the response by the congregation or by the choir. Verse 1:
1 O GIVE thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever.
The LORD is "good", the Hebrew word "towb", which means: good in the widest sense, beautiful, bountiful, joyful, kindly, loving, merry, precious, prosperity, rich, wealth, welfare, valuable; just to name a few! THAT is our God! The response for this and every new statement about Who He is and what He's done, is that His "mercy", the Hebrew word "checed", which means: goodness; kindness; faithfulness; loving-kindness; devotion; will endure forever! The word "endure" is not actually in there, but was added by the translators to clarify, and it IS appropriate! It actually says "for His "checed" forever"! "Forever" is the Hebrew word "olam", which means: time out of mind; eternal; perpetual; from ancient times into eternity! God FOREVER is GOOD and full of MERCY AND LOVING-KINDNESS!
Another important Truth that I noticed in this psalm is that they were thanking the LORD for everything, AND, every PART of everything! He smote the first-born of Egypt, THEN He brought Israel out! He divided the Red Sea FIRST; THEN He led the people through it! Don't be impatient waiting for answered prayer! Continue to stand on the Word of God and KNOW that He is working out every detail and putting "first things" FIRST! He is a God of ORDER! Allow God to BE God and then YOU will BE blessed! Amen! Enjoy this song from Hillsong called "Yours Is The Kingdom":
In John 13:1-3 we see what Jesus KNEW, and in verses 4-5 we see what Jesus DID! This was His last opportunity to prepare Himself and His disciples for what was just ahead. Here is a portion from the Bible Exposition Commentary:
Jesus knew that "His hour was come". More than any of the Gospel writers, John emphasized the fact that Jesus lived on a "heavenly timetable" as He did the Father's will. Note the development of this theme:
2:4 -- "My hour is not yet come."
7:30 --"His hour was not yet come."
8:20 -- "His hour was not yet come."
12:23 -- "The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified."
13:1 -- "Jesus knew that His hour was come."
17:1 -- "Father the hour is come."
What was this divinely appointed "hour"? It was the time when He would be glorified through His death, resurrection, and ascension. From the human point of view, it meant suffering; but from the divine point of view, it meant glory. he would soon leave this world and return to the Father Who sent Him,Jesus having finished His work on earth (John 17:4). They could not even arrest Jesus, let alone kill Him, until the right hour had arrived.
In preparing the disciples for what was coming, Jesus said this to them in verses 19-20:
19 I tell you this now before it occurs, so that when it does take place you may be persuaded and believe that I am He [Who I say I am -- the Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah]. 20 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, he who receives and welcomes and takes into his heart any messenger of Mine receives Me [in just that way]; and he who receives and welcomes and takes Me into his heart receives Him Who sent Me [in that same way].
Have YOU received Him and welcomed Him and taken HIM into your heart? If so, HALLELUJAH! If not, WHY NOT? There is NO other Way to the Father than through Jesus of Nazareth (John 14:6)!
Ezekiel 40-41 deal with the new Temple that will be present during the Millennial rule of King Jesus! Here is an interesting section from the Bible Exposition Commentary:
It was on April 28, 573 B.C. — the first day of Passover that God gave Ezekiel the vision recorded in chapters 40-48. The Jews had been captives in Babylon for twenty-five years, and Passover would only remind them of their deliverance from Egypt. Passover was also the beginning of the religious year for Israel (Ex 12:2), and the Lord chose that significant day to tell His servant about the glory that Israel would share when Messiah established His kingdom.
In a vision. Ezekiel visited the land of Israel, but unlike his previous "visits," he didn't see sinful people, a devastated land, or a defiled temple. This time he saw a new land and a glorious new temple. Just as Moses received the tabernacle plans while on a mountain, so Ezekiel received the plans for the temple while on a mountain. Moses wasn't allowed to enter the Promised Land, but he saw it from a mountain (Deut 34:1-4) and from a high mountain Ezekiel saw the land and its new tribal divisions
Any time you are tempted by the enemy to get discouraged about THIS world, and THIS life, look ahead! God has the whole thing mapped out, and YOU are in the glorious future! Our responsibility now is to take as many with us into that future as we can possibly take! Make sharing the Gospel your #1 priority and other things in life will begin to shape up! Thank You, Jesus!
Shalom in Him!
