The prophecy of Joel opens with a word of warning and judgment, describing the coming “day of the Lord” (“yom Yahweh”). Yet, it also contains a call to repentance, inviting God’s people to “return” to Him. He gives the warning to bring about repentance. But not many will listen.
The Old Testament prophets usually referred to Israel in the feminine gender. Hosea continued that tradition by beginning his book with references to Israel’s “harlotry,” even being called of God to take a “wife of harlotry” to illustrate the depth of Israel’s sin. But here, Hosea quoted the Lord calling Israel “My son.” No doubt this passage must refer to Israel being led out of bondage in Egypt. Yet, the switch to the masculine must signal something more. Matthew certainly thought so, for he quoted this verse as being fulfilled in Christ when Joseph carried him to Egypt to escape Herod’s persecution (Matt. 2:15). There are over 300 messianic prophecies in the Old Testament and Christ fulfilled every one.
In John’s third letter, he wrote commending Gaius for his care of the traveling Bible teachers that had visited his church. But John warned Gaius about the bad example of Diotrephes (Greek for “nurtured by Jupiter”) who apparently held some sort of leadership role in the local church and had denied help to the traveling teachers. Among the character flaws that John ascribed to Diotrephes was that he “loves to have the preeminence.” In other words, he was “fond of being first.” He was ambitious and power hungry, unwilling to submit to the apostle John. This is not the paradigm for servant leadership that Jesus taught. He taught that servant leaders were not to lord it over others as the Gentile rulers did, but that whoever would be great must become a servant and whoever would be first, must become a slave (Matt. 20:25-27). When people like Diotrephes take leadership in a church, the church suffers. But John promised Gaius that when he came to visit, he would confront this worldly leadership style.
When Christianity was barely 50 years old, already false doctrines were being taught concerning Jesus. The apostle John calls one who would give a different confession concerning Christ as “a deceiver and an antichrist.” It seems he was standing against an early deception called gnosticism, which believed that the flesh was evil and that only the spiritual was good. This belief therefore concluded that Christ could not have literally been in the flesh. This conclusion denied the incarnation. It denied the name given to Jesus at His birth, which was “Immanuel,” God with us. John guarded his eyewitness testimony that Jesus is God in the flesh. This was why he was so specific in his first letter to say he had seen, examined and touched Jesus (1 John 1:1). He was affirming the doctrine that the “Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The incarnation is not only the central theme of Christmas, it is the true doctrine concerning Christ. Jesus is God in the flesh. He really came. He really died for our sins. He really rose from the dead and ascended to the Father. This is his-story.
God called the prophet Hosea to illustrate Israel’s idolatry by taking a harlot for a wife. Another detail of God’s character was here revealed. His love for Israel is like a husband’s jealous love (Exclusive love, not like the world’s jealousy). And when Israel worshiped other gods or burned incense to the baals, it was as adultery against God. Yet, God’s mercy and forgiveness are also revealed, in that He had plans to buy His people back from adultery. So, He had Hosea go and do the same (Hos. 3:2). God did all this so that in the “latter days” the children of Israel would return and seek the Messiah, which is Christ the Lord (“David their king”). This is still an unfulfilled prophecy, but a day is coming when a great revival will occur among the Jews and many will finally receive Christ as their Messiah.
God revealed many details about Israel’s future to Daniel. Some of what was revealed pointed to Christ’s first coming and has already been fulfilled. But there is much that remains in Daniel’s prophecy that still awaits the “time of the end.” Daniel, like many of the other prophets, wrote of things that he himself didn’t fully understand. We can study these “end times” prophecies, but must admit, as Daniel did (Dan. 12:8), our lack of comprehension. Yet, as the “time of the end” draws closer, the opaqueness of these prophecies will grow steadily more clear to those who have the wisdom to understand (Dan. 12:10). In the meantime, Daniel was to “go his own way.” In other words, he wouldn’t see the fulfillment of this prophecy in his lifetime, so he should get back to living for today.
Love gives. That’s the proof of its authenticity. And those who claim to be children of God are to exhibit this proof. Do you see a brother in need? Don’t “shut up” your heart. Living in this world it’s easy to become hard hearted, but John tells us to live with open hearts and open hands towards those in need. Does the love of God “abide” in you?
Do you ever ask questions of God like, “Why is this happening to me?” The apostle John answers saying not everything has been “revealed” yet, but one thing we can be sure of is that “we are children of God” and we shall “be like” Jesus. That’s God’s goal for us as believers. He is making us like Jesus. “Beloved,” whatever suffering or difficulty you may be going through today may be endured by keeping this end in sight. God is at work in His children, conforming them to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29).
In Daniel’s vision, an angel named “Gabriel” (Hebrew: “God is my strength”) is charged with explaining the vision, so that Daniel might understand it. The Old Testament recorded many other angelic visitations, but Daniel is unique in that he is the only one to whom their names are revealed (“Gabriel” in 8:16; 9:21 and “Michael” in 10:13, 21; 12:1). Yet, even with Gabriel’s help, the vision is beyond his understanding (8:27). While the vision most likely contains “already/not yet” dual fulfillment material, the identification of the “Medes and Persians,” and of the kingdom of Greece points to the time leading up to the birth of Christ. The fact that Gabriel is the angel explaining this to Daniel and then later announcing it to Joseph and Mary in the gospels is not to be overlooked. Daniel saw a vision that has partially been fulfilled in Christ’s first coming. But there is still part that is yet unfulfilled, that must point to His return.
The apostle John opened his first letter as he did his gospel, and as Moses did the Torah, with the phrase: “the beginning.” Also, similar to his gospel, John referred to Christ as the “Word” (Greek: λόγος, logos). In John’s gospel, he spoke of the Word’s divine preexistence and agency in the beginning of creation, but here in John’s first epistle, he spoke of the beginning of the Word’s earthly ministry. In regards to his gospel, John surely spoke by faith and inspiration because he was not present to witness creation. But in his epistle, he clearly wants the reader to know that he was an eyewitness to Christ’s entire ministry. John, speaking of himself and of the other apostles, said, “We heard, saw, closely examined and touched Him.” John essentially said, “We witnessed the whole thing… the miracles, the crucifixion, the resurrection and the ascension…so, you can trust our account and believe!” That’s why John wrote. He wrote so that we might believe.