Day 347
OYB - December 13

Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me with the sound of a mighty trumpet blast. The voice said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things."
The fourth chapter of Revelation portrays an awesome scene. In this passage we get our first glimpse of heaven's glorious landscape and beauty. Even though we know in our hearts that heaven is real, to have it described is breathtaking: "I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it! The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones- jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow" (vv. 2-3).

Rainbow colors of precious jewels were all around the throne of God. Before the throne were the twenty-four elders, the seven lamps of the Spirit of God, and the sea of glass. Four awesome creatures surrounded the throne, and day and night, they cry, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty-the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come" (v. 8).

The earthly ark of the covenant was just a little gold-plated box that symbolized this awesome throne. David's heart's desire was to build a place for that ark in Zion, for God had said, "This is my home where I will live forever. . . . I will live here, for this is the place I desired" (Psalm 132:14).

Make spending time in God's presence the greatest desire of your life. One day your eyes will see Him face-to-face upon the throne of His glory.
Obadiah 1:1-21

1The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle. 2Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.

3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? 4Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD. 5If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes? 6How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up! 7All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him. 8Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? 9And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.

10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. 11In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. 12But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. 13Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; 14Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress. 15For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. 16For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been.

17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. 18And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it. 19And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. 20And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south. 21And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.

Revelation 4:1-11

1After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 2And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 4And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 5And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 7And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 8And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Psalms 132:1-18

A Song of degrees.

1LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:

2How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;

3Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;

4I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,

5Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

6Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.

7We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.

8Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.

9Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.

10For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.

11The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.

12If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.

13For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.

14This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

15I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.

16I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

17There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.

18His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

Proverbs 29:24-25

24Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not. 25The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.