Deuteronomy 7 - Isaiah 25 – 2 Corinthians 8 – Revelations 7

Deuteronomy 7
- Moses is talking to the people just before they enter the promised land.
- He says that God will remove the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canannites, Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites (These nations were more abundant than the Israelites
- The people are supposed to completely wipe these people out when God gives them over to the Israelites.
- They shall NOT intermarry because those Israelites marrying from another nation will turn away from God and serve their spouse's gods.
- This would anger God and He would destroy them.
- They shall knock down their alters, burn the Asherim and carved images
- They should do this because they are God's holy people.
- God chose the Israelites over all nations to be His people.
- God didn't choose the Israelites because they were the most numerous (They were actually a very small nation)
- God is helping them because He made an oath with their fathers.
- That is why God brought them out of slavery in Egypt.
- God is the faithful God who keeps His covenants with steadfast love to the 1,000th generation
- He repays those who hate Him by destroying them.
- God will repay those who hate Him
- Moses tells the people to be careful to obey God's rules and statutes.
- Because they obey His laws, God keeps His covenant with them.
- God will bless, love, and multiply them.
- He will bless their pregnancies and crops and wine making and increase their herd numbers in this new land.
- They shall be blessed above ALL people.
- There won't be any sterile person or animal among them.
- God will keep them free from all diseases they faced in Egypt
- He will cause their enemies to get sick
- They shall consume all other people in the land and not pity them or be tempted to serve their gods.
- The Israelites shouldn't be afraid of bigger armies but should remember the Lord's faithfulness in bringing them out of Egypt and all God's mighty works there
- Could the people Moses is talking to now even remember Egypt because they were all supposed to die for unfaithfulness before the reached the promised land?
- God will do to their enemies what He did to the Egyptians.
- God will send hornets out to attack their enemies.
- They shouldn't be afraid because the great and awesome God is among them.
- What does Moses mean by they won't conquer them too quickly or the wild beasts would be too many?
- God will give the people over to them little by little until they are destroyed.
- Their kings will perish
- No one will be able to stand against them.
- They shall burn the conquered's gods
- The Israelites shouldn't even desire the gold or silver that was used to make the idols.
- Their idols are an abomination to God.
- The Israelites should not bring the abominable idols into their homes.
- They should hate the idols like God does and seek to destroy them all.

Isaiah 25
- Isaiah says he will exult God because He is God and has done wonderful things; plans formed of old, faithful and sure (from the beginning of time)
- God has made the great cities a pile of ruins.
- Because of this destruction strong people glorify God and ruthless nations fear Him.
- God is a stronghold for the poor and needy.
- God puts down the ruthless like a cloud puts down heat
- Which mountain is Isaiah referring to?
- God will swallow up death forever
- He will wipe away all tears and take away the reproach of His people because He said so.
- The people will know that this is their God who the have waited for and He will save them.
- They will rejoice and be glad in His salvation on that day.
- Moab will be trampled down on that mountain.
- The Lord will lay low Moab's pompous pride in spite of Moab's skilled hands.
- God will bring down the walls of Moab on that day.

2 Corinthians 8
- Paul wants to tell them about the grace of God given out in Macedonia.
- They were in severe affliction and poverty but had abundant joy and generosity
- They gave beyond their means of their own free will to give to the saints.
- They gave themselves first to the Lord then to Paul.
- Paul said they sent Titus to impart the same grace on the Corinthians.
- As they excel in faith, speech, knowledge, earnestness and in Paul's love for them, Paul reminds them to excel in the act of grace.
- Paul says this isn't a command but to show others their love in genuine.
- Paul reminds them of how Christ was rich but became poor for them.
- By Jesus' poverty we can become rich.
- Paul says his judgment is that this will benefit them.
- The Corinthians have been saved for a year (v.10)
- Paul tells them to make their actions match their spoken desires and do something.
- Readiness is more important than possession (what you have)
- Paul says that they should supply those without from their present abundance.
- Their abundance will later supply the Corinthians when they need it.
- Paul quotes from Exodus 16:18 where it says those who gathered much had nothing left over and those who gathered little had no lack.
- Paul thanks God for placing a heart of care into Titus.
- Titus is coming to them of his own desire.
- Who is this famous "preaching brother" who is going with Titus to them? (v.18)
- This famous brother is traveling with Paul and Titus now.
- They do these things to avoid blame for the generous gift.
- Paul's aim is to do what is honorable in God's sight and in the sight of men.
- Paul again states that he is sending this brother who has been tested and found earnest.
- Paul calls Titus his partner and other brothers messengers.
- Paul tells the Corinthians to give them proof of all the great things Paul has been saying about them, when Titus and this "famous brother" get there.

Revelation 7
- John saw 4 angels standing at the 4 corners of the earth holding back 4 winds.
- No winds blew on earth at this time.
- A fifth angel ascended from the rising sun.
- Didn't the sun turn black now?
- This 5th angel had the seal of the living God.
- The 5th angel called to the 4 angels holding back the winds not to release them until "we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads."
- The number sealed was 144,000 (12,000 from each tribe of the sons of Israel)
- The John saw a great crowd from all over the world, every tribe and nation, standing before the throne and the Lamb.
- They were clothed in white with palm branches in their hands.
- They cried out loudly, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!"
- All the angels and elders encircled the throne and bowed down and worshipped God.
- They all said, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever amen!"
- One elder asked John who those in white were.
- John told the man he should know.
- The elder replied that they were "the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
- Because they have been cleansed they stand before the throne night and day to serve Him.
- God's presence is their shelter.
- They shall not hunger or thirst or be struck by heat.
- The Lamb will be their shepherd and will guide them to streams of living water.
- God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
- Are these people saved already or is God giving these chosen people these things while they are still on earth, or have they died and are getting these things in heaven?