What does the bible says about LOVE and others?

Malachi 2:1-17, NIV

Hgs:The priests have breached the covenant of Levi. They also married foreign women who worships other god. They did not protect the women they married by divorcing t hem. They wearied God with their unrepentant tears.

Corrupt Priests

1. “And now, you priests, this warning is for you.

2. If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me.

3. “Because of you I will rebuke your descendants; I will smear on your faces the dung from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it.

4. And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the LORD Almighty.

5. “My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name.

6. True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.

7. “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.

8. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the LORD Almighty.

Outcome and punishment for disobedience

9. “So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”

10. Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another?

11. Judah has been unfaithful. A detestable thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the LORD loves by marrying women who worship a foreign god.

12. As for the man who does this, whoever he may be, may the LORD remove him from the tents of Jacobeven though he brings an offering to the LORD Almighty.

13. Another thing you do: You flood the LORD’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands.

14. You ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.

15. Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.

16. “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the LORD Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.

17. You have wearied the LORD with your words. “How have we wearied him?” you ask. By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”

Malachi 1:1-14, NIV

Obs and Hgs:

What is an acceptable offering to God-no blemished animal.

Outcome of a broken vow…Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows..

6. “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the LORD Almighty. “It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’

7. “By offering defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ “By saying that the LORD’s table is contemptible.

8. When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the LORD Almighty.

9. “Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”says the LORD Almighty.

10. “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.

11. My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD Almighty.

12. “But you profane it by saying, ‘The Lord’s table is defiled,’ and, ‘Its food is contemptible.’

13. And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the LORD Almighty. “When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the LORD.

14. “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the LORD Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.

From the rising of the sun…

Luke 10:13-23, NIV

Hgs:

Importance of repentance

Unrepentant cities mentioned: Korazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum. Repentant cities: Tyre and Sidon.

Outcome of unrepentant cities: Sodom and Gomorrah.

Importance of listening and obedience to Jesus

16. “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

Authority given by Jesus to heal, drive out demons

No authority given, no power

19. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

20. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Secrets of heaven reveal by choice to who God chooses

21. At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

22. “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Zechariah 14:1-21, NIV

Prophecy of the Lord comes to reign on earth…mentionscof Mt Olives…will be split into two…half moving north, half moving south…no light…unique day…living water will flow out of Jerusalem, half to eastern sea…The Lord will be king over the whole earth…one LORD, and his name the only name.

Jerusalem will be raised up..plague…strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem…rot…men will be stricken by the LORD with great panic…the survivors from all nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles….do not go up to Jerusalem…no rain…plague…HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bell of the horses….

Th: Finale on earth one day.

Zechariah 12:10-12, NIV; chapter 13:1-8

Hg:

Prophecy on Jesus crucifixion? Mention of Hadad Rimmon….comparison to the weeping of Jerusalem. Requires a separate study.

Revelation 22:1-20, NIV

Tree of Life

Hgs:

Glimpse of living in heavenly city-river; water;tree of life; fruits;leaves of tree…healing of the nations; throne of God;the Lamb; name will be on their foreheads;..no more night…will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun…Lord God will give them light.

Jesus coming soon vs 12..reward…give to everyone according to what he has done. Description of Jesus: vs 13, 16….am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End..tree of life..through the gates into the city…vs 14. Outside are the dogs….those who practise magic arts, thecsexually immoral, the murderers, the idolators and everyone who loves and practises falsehood vs 15.

Jesus also known as the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star vs 16.

Obs and Hgs:

The New Jerusalem/the new Heaven

No more deaths/no more tears, pain, crying etc//no sea/Holy City/coming down out of heaven from God/..dwelling of God is with men/…am making everything new…vs 5/make of precious metals, gemstones/..bride beautifully dressed for her husband/

He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he qill be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practise magic arts, the idolators and all liars-their place will be in the lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death vs 7.

Zechariah 11:1-17, NziV

Hg:

Worthless shepherds, God will destroy.

Two staff : Favour and Union. Symbols stands for.

The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them..

Requires a separate study.

6. For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land,” declares the LORD. “I will give everyone into the hands of their neighbors and their king. They will devastate the land, and I will not rescue anyone from their hands.”

7. So I shepherded the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock.

8. In one month I got rid of the three shepherds. The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them

9. and said, “I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish. Let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.”

10. Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations.

11. It was revoked on that day, and so the oppressed of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the LORD.

12. I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.

13. And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the LORD.

14. Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the family bond between Judah and Israel.

Obs: remind me Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

Th: God too has a limit to his patience and anger; there come a time for God’s fearsome wrath and judgment.

Luke 10:1-12, NIV

Jesus appointed seventy two..sent them out..lambs anong wolves..

Hgs:

Sent workers to the harvest fields.. the harvest is plentiful…workers are few…intructions to them…not to bring anything..greeting..”Peace to this house…welcoming…food and drink..peace will rest on him..otherwise it will return to you…the worker deserves his wages…Heal the sick…the kingdom of God is near you…if not welcomed…say. .dust…sticks to our feet we wipe off against you…more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town…

Zechariah 10:12, NIV

Hgs: Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime…makes storm clouds…

. idols speak deceit…

..people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd. My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders vs 3..the LORD will care for his flock, the house of Judah…Because the LORD is with them..will restore them because I have compassion on them…The Emphraimites will become like mighty men….. I will bring them back from Egypt…Assyria’s pride will be brought down..

Zechariah 9:1-17, NIV

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies; the Coming of Zion’s King

Prophecy of king comes to you righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey…Th: refers to Jesus?

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

10. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Th: seems to be a vicious cycle of sins, punishment, grace and mercy for the people of God through the Jews.

God eyes are on Zion (Jerusalem); his favourite mountain-Mt Zion. The rebuilding of God’s temple.

2. This is what the LORD Almighty says: “I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.”

3. This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.”

He promised to bring the scattered remnants of Jews back to Jerusalem (covenant to David).

4. This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age.

5. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”

6. This is what the LORD Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?” declares the LORD Almighty.

7. This is what the LORD Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west.

8. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”

9. This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Now hear these words, ‘Let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built

12. “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people.

13. Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse among the nations, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.”

14. This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Just as I had determined to bring disaster on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,” says the LORD Almighty,

15. “so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid.

God’s heart and His expectations

16. These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts;

17. do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the LORD.

God widely respected by many powerful people and nations seeking Him for directions, wisdom and knowledge.

21. and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself am going.’

22. And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD Almighty and to entreat him.”

23. This is what the LORD Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'”

Obs: note the word “all”