Thursday, December 31, 2009

Dec. 31 The Seventh Day of Christmas

There are only a few hours left to make good decisions in 2009. The biblical encouragement is to finish strong. There is still time to do that no matter what your situation is. God is “Beautiful for situation” (Psalms 48)
Today, December 31, is the seventh day of Christmas. I like the Biblical interpretation of the twelve days of Christmas. In it the "seven swans a-swimming" on the seventh day refers to seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. How great it would be if we would seriously seek after these gifts. We have had a season of gifts from the human standpoint over the last few days, now is a good time to seek out the gifts under God’s tree.

The number seven is special to God.
• Seven days of Creation (Genesis 1)
• Seven years of plenty and seven years of famine in Pharaoh’s dream (Genesis 41)
• Seven days of the feast of Passover (Exodus 13:3-10)
• Seven day week and the pattern concerning distribution and use of manna (Exodus 16)
• Seven year cycle around the years of Jubilee (Leviticus 25)
• The fall of the walls of Jericho on the seventh day after marching around the city seven times(Joshua 6)
• Seven things the LORD hates (Proverbs 6:16-19)
• Seven loaves multiplied into seven baskets of surplus (Matthew 15:32-37)
• The Seven last words (or seven last sayings) of Jesus on the cross.
• Seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom (Acts 6:3)
• Seven Spirits of God are mentioned in the Book of Revelation
• Seven churches of Asia to which the "Book of Revelation" is addressed.
• Seven churches, seven stars, seven seals, seven last plagues, seven vials or bowls, seven thunders in the Revelation, the last book of the Bible.

By the way, our New Year’s Eve service starts at 7 tonight.
Happy New Year!!!!

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