Banquet With The King

Daily Devotional focusing on spiritual "food" at the King's Banquet Table. In 2024 this blog will explore verses to meditate on as we examine our "choices" daily, pursuing a deeper relationship with God as we grow in Christian maturity. This web page has had over 230,000 page views by people in over 135 different countries who are seeking God through His Word. God has promised if you seek Him, you will find Him. May you be blessed reading Banquet With The King.

Thursday, August 31, 2023

Opening the First Seal

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, I sing praises to You. You are worthy to open the seals. I definitely need Your help in understanding these seals and what happens when You open each one.

As I watched, the Lamb broke the first of the seven seals on the scroll. Then I heard one of the four living beings say with a voice like thunder, "Come!" I looked up and saw a white horse standing there. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory. Revelation 6:1-2

Meditate. Consider God’s guidance in scripture. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying.

This is NOT the white horse on which we will see Jesus riding in victory later in Revelation 19. This is one of the evil four horsemen—the dreaded horsemen that are always associated with End Times in the Book of Revelation. This rider on the white horse is actually satanic and deceptively goes out to victoriously win wars, carrying a bow, not a sword. His crown is also deceptive because as a ruler he will lead men in rebellion against God.

Reflecting on End Times
Scooteney Reservoir, Washington

This was the opening of the first seal by Jesus—who was the only one worthy of opening the seals on this scroll. There are seven seals in all. What will the opening of those seals reveal about John’s prophesy and Jesus’ revelation? As the next three seals are opened, we’ll see more conflict, judgment, famine, and death. Peace, as we know it, will end.

Verse of Salvation ~ And after they had argued back and forth among themselves, they left with this final word from Paul: "The Holy Spirit was right when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet, 'Go and say to this people: When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.' So I want you to know that this salvation from God has also been offered to the Gentiles, and they will accept it." Acts 28:25-28

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

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Wednesday, August 30, 2023

What Do We See at God’s Throne?

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, there is almost always something mysterious in Revelation. Please give me insight and understanding—that I would know You more completely—and that our relationship would grow and thrive. I look forward to one day seeing You on Your throne in heaven.

The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God. In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. ... Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, "You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased." Revelation 4:3-6, 9-11

Meditate. Look a little more closely at the Throne Room of God in Heaven.

Is this rainbow giving us
a glimpse of heaven?

The Lord God is sitting on His throne—and He is brilliant like shining gemstones, with a rainbow around His head. Look closely. What else has John described for us in this Throne Room? Seven torches with burning flames. Those represent the Holy Spirit. So God, in three persons was represented there—Almighty God the Father, God the Son in Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Spirit as the sevenfold Spirit in the torches. Observe that there is a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. Glass was rare in Bible times and is thought here to represent the magnificence and holiness of God. God on His throne is brilliantly reflective—and here with the sea of glass—His perfection is magnified.

The Throne Room is holy, dazzling, and sacred. The twenty-four elders, clothed in white, also represent a purity that is to be expected in heaven. The four living beings, cherubim, call the elders to worship—and then they all worship and exalt God together. That is what we all think of when we think of heaven. A time of worshiping God on His throne—with lots of other Christians and angels.

Will you be among those who cast their crowns before the throne of God? If Jesus is your Savior and you have a relationship with Him—then it is likely you will be seeing God on His throne…and worshipping Him. I can hardly wait! It will be a glorious time.

Verse of Salvation ~ What we do see is Jesus, who was given a position "a little lower than the angels"; and because he suffered death for us, he is now "crowned with glory and honor." Yes, by God's grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. Hebrews 2:9-10

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

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Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

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Tuesday, August 29, 2023

God is on His Throne

Prayer ~ Lord God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—You are worthy. I humbly bow before You and declare that You are my creator and my savior. I worship and adore You. I praise You and thank you for all that You are, for what You have done…and for what You are going to do. You are worthy.

Earthly Throne
Simple compared to the Heavenly Thrones.

Meditate. The Lord God and the Almighty God are on their thrones with the sevenfold Spirit before them.

God in three persons is seen and recorded by John as he enters heaven. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There to worship God are the twenty-four elders—representative of all Christians in heaven at that point. The twenty-four elders lay down their crowns—unworthy to wear them in the presence of the Lord God Almighty. Worship is initiated by the four living beings, the multifaceted cherubim angels. Worship is proclaimed then by the elders as they lay their crowns before the throne and declare our creator God worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. Worthy of praise.

Will you be part of that group of Christians depicted by the twenty-four elders? Only if you choose to have a relationship with Jesus Christ—and are a faithful follower. Is that a treasure you want for yourself in heaven? To be there at the very throne of God who is worthy of praise and adoration?

God is on His throne. Worthy.

Verse of Salvation ~ I love you, LORD; you are my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. Psalm 18:1-3

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

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Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Monday, August 28, 2023

A Roaring Angel

Prayer – Lord, John and others saw You as a might angel. I long to see You face-to-face, King of kings and Lord of lords. For now…I see You as my risen Savior. An empty cross…an empty tomb. A heaven filled with Your glory. Glory! Glory! Glory!

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire. And in his hand was a small scroll that had been opened. He stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. And he gave a great shout like the roar of a lion. And when he shouted, the seven thunders answered. When the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Keep secret what the seven thunders said, and do not write it down." Revelation 10:1-4

Meditate. Listen to what He is saying.

When was the last time you saw a rainbow? I’m a rainbow hunter…and chaser. I look to the sky when rain has stopped and the sun is shining. It needs to be low in the sky so that the angle is right to create the rainbow. Double rainbows are a double blessing!

So here in this passage of scripture in Revelation we see an angel coming down from heaven. Look closely at the description of that angel. A rainbow over His head. His face shining like the sun. We see this same shining face earlier in Revelation.

He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. Revelation 1:16

The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones--like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. Revelation 4:3

His feet appeared like pillars of fire. Could that be considered a glowing metal--like bronze?

Write this letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze…. Revelation 2:18

What was in His hand? A small scroll…like the one that Jesus just received from the hand of the Almighty God who was sitting on His throne. That scroll had been opened.

He stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. Who is that “He” or angel in this passage? It is none other than Jesus Himself. Some commentaries say that the feet on land and sea show an absolute power over the whole earth. One teacher indicated that when Christ has a foot on the sea He raises the dead—from the sea—and with His foot on the land, He raptures the living! Just what so many Christians are waiting for. This would occur on the eighth day after the woman in Revelation twelve gives birth.

Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth. ... She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. Revelation 12:1-2, 5

The male child is thought by some to be Christ—but Matthew Henry even acknowledges that this could be the Christian church—a race of true believers. In Hebrew tradition, on the eighth day after a male child is born, it is circumcised and presented or dedicated to God. This “child” in the scripture passage is then “snatched away” and “caught up” to God. That sounds very much like rapture.

Roar of a lion—the lion of Judah, which is another description of Jesus—is answered by seven thunders of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit and Jesus are seen—or heard—working together here. But note that Jesus did not want John to write down that roaring conversation. I’m glad that John recorded what he did see…even if we don’t have a record of the conversation between Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The symbolism in this passage isn’t scary but gives us a reassuring description of Jesus. Jesus described an angel—roaring from heaven.

Verse of Salvation ~ After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, "Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!" Revelation 7:9-10

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

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Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Sunday, August 27, 2023

A Time of Sweetness

Prayer – Lord Jesus, I find a sweetness in my relationship with You. I feel loved, protected, and accepted—as well as challenged to serve others to serve You.

So I went to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll. "Yes, take it and eat it," he said. "It will be sweet as honey in your mouth, but it will turn sour in your stomach!" So I took the small scroll from the hand of the angel, and I ate it! It was sweet in my mouth, but when I swallowed it, it turned sour in my stomach. Revelation 10:9-10

Meditate. Think about the sweetness of Jesus.

Have you ever been stung by a bee? Ouch! I have—but gratefully, I am not allergic to them. My younger brother is—and it was a scary thing for our whole family when he had a life-threatening allergic reaction when he was five or six. He turned blue—not breathing, as his throat closed. Our parents hustled us all in the car and we headed to the doctor’s office on a Saturday afternoon when the Doctor was usually at his Seventh Day Adventist Church. Us three other kids sat on the steps waiting when the doctor worked on Joe. By the grace of God, the epinephrine injection worked and Dad carried him out to the car and we headed home. There was a sweetness in that survival.

Bees make honey—a nectar sweeter than sugar. When the Israelites left Egypt, where they had been slaves, God promised them a land flowing with milk and honey. It was a land of abundance. Even now the Holy Land, Israel, is considered a land blessed with seven special foods—including honey.

Then the LORD told him (Moses), "I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.” Exodus 3:7-8

It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey. Deuteronomy 8:8

The time of sweetness continued during the Exodus to the Promised Land when the people were complaining of hunger and God provided the manna that had a taste of honey.

The Israelites called the food manna. It was white like coriander seed, and it tasted like honey wafers. Exodus 16:31

In the book of Revelation, John was handed a scroll to eat…and it tasted like honey. That was a time of sweetness in heaven.

Verse of Salvation ~ But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Saturday, August 26, 2023

What Happens Next?

Prayer – Lord, once again I ask for wisdom and understanding for this passage of scripture today. Help me to see the order of things that happen. Thank you.

Then I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds so they did not blow on the earth or the sea, or even on any tree. And I saw another angel coming up from the east, carrying the seal of the living God. And he shouted to those four angels, who had been given power to harm land and sea, "Wait! Don't harm the land or the sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants." And I heard how many were marked with the seal of God—144,000 were sealed from all the tribes of Israel…. Revelation 7:1-4

Meditate. Consider God’s protection of the earth and His chosen ones.

Holding back, as in restraining, the four winds. The four winds, according to the insight of Matthew Henry, bring trouble and disruption to the church. Terrible problems. God has been merciful to those who follow Him by keeping trouble away—but it looks like it will be released when God’s chosen 144,000 Jews are sealed with God’s mark. Those are special people—chosen from every tribe, except Dan. Does the fact that they are marked mean that they have accepted Jesus as their Messiah? That could be assumed since God is protecting them as His own.

This “angel” that is carrying the seal of the living God, is Jesus Himself. He directs those four angels not to let those evil winds loose on the earth until after the 144,000 are sealed. The power of His word is revered, the angels listen to the Lord and do hold back the winds. Jesus will have His servants help Him put the mark on the chosen ones. Then the winds of trouble and evil will blow. These things will just happen in the order that God has planned.

...until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads.... (Underlined for emphasis.) We--that is Jesus and His faithful followers who are chosen to be priests and kings--are the ones who will seal the foreheads of the 144,000. Are you among the faithful followers of the Lord that He has chosen as priests and kings—His servants that will assist Him with tasks like the sealing of the 144,000? Believe in Jesus as your savior—the King of kings, Lord of lords—and the Son of the Almighty God. If you faithfully follow Him—pure and holy—you will not only serve the Lord, but stand befoe the God as the first fruits of His chosen ones. What an honor that will be, but it begins with a choice to put Jesus first in your life…and walk according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Can you choose Jesus over other things that demand your time and energy in your life? What happens next in your life…in God’s plan?

Tower of David - Jerusalem
Fortress in the Old City

Verse of Salvation ~ The LORD is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. The one thing I ask of the LORD—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD's perfections and meditating in his Temple. Psalm 27:1-4

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Friday, August 25, 2023

Have You Heard a Harp?

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, I sing praises to You…and long to hear the harps in heaven.

And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people. Revelation 5:8

Meditate. Read God’s word and listen.

Harps and golden bowls. The harp is used in 35 verses in the Bible, many of them in the Book of Psalms. In this anonymous Psalm below we see godly people encouraged to praise the Lord, play the harp, and trust the Lord.

Let the godly sing for joy to the LORD; it is fitting for the pure to praise him. Praise the LORD with melodies on the lyre; make music for him on the ten-stringed harp. Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy. For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does. Psalm 33:1-4

Gold bowls are associated with the Temple. Solomon had gold bowls—used among other things for incense—crafted for the Temple.

Solomon also made all the furnishings of the Temple of the LORD: the gold altar; the gold table for the Bread of the Presence; the lampstands of solid gold, five on the south and five on the north, in front of the Most Holy Place; the flower decorations, lamps, and tongs—all of gold…. 1 Kings 7:48-49

Such are the things we will find in heaven. Gold bowls filled with incense and harps. The twenty-four elders that have these items are said to be representative of glorified and redeemed believers. Will you be one of those?

Verse of Salvation ~ Come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods. Psalm 95:1-3

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Feast!
Get your bacon here!

Back to School

Breakfast is important to start the day—especially for children. Protein as well as fats are important for brain development, so children need that before they head off to class—whether at home or school. They need vitamins—like C, A, E, B’s and D. What breakfast foods are good to provide the nutrients they need? Bacon, eggs, oranges, whole grain toast, or oatmeal and fruit with yogurt. Granola is another alternative. Make it a meal with fats and protein that will keep them going until lunch.

So many children go to school without breakfast…and the only meal they might eat all day is lunch provided by the school. What a sad situation for those children…and for humanity. The future depends on those children—learning and growing. Feed the children. Get involved in a program that does that…feeds the children.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Thursday, August 24, 2023

What’s Seven?

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus—another difficult thing to understand is the sevenfold Spirit of God. Seven? Seven horns and seven eyes? What is that mystery all that about? Please give me wisdom and understanding.

Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, "Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals." Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. Revelation 5:4-6 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Meditate. Seven. The number of perfection or completion.

Loaves and Fishes

Seven. Seven is an important number beginning with seven days of creation. Seven is perfection. Remember when Jesus fed 4,000 men and their families with seven loaves and there were seven baskets of food left over (Matthew 15)? In Revelation seven appears more than any other number.

Seven: churches, spirits, lampstands, stars, seals, angels, trumpets, thunders, heads of the dragon, heads of the beast, golden bowls, and kings.

But what has seven eyes and seven horns?

One place in the Bible where we see a reference to seven associated with eyes, besides the book of Revelation, is in Zechariah when Zerubbabel is rebuilding the Temple.

Then the angel who had been talking with me returned and woke me, as though I had been asleep. "What do you see now?" he asked. I answered, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl of oil on top of it. Around the bowl are seven lamps, each having seven spouts with wicks. ... Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand." (The seven lamps represent the eyes of the LORD that search all around the world.) Zechariah 4:1-2, 10

The lampstand in the Temple represented the eyes of the Lord which examine and see everything around the world. Nothing escapes God’s notice.

From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God. Revelation 4:5

Do you remember the story of Joshua and the Israelites fighting the battle of Jericho? It involved seven horns…blown by seven priests on the seventh day.

Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram's horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. ... On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times. The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the town! ... When the people heard the sound of the rams' horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. Joshua 6:4, 15-16, 20

The horns in Joshua’s story, and the horns in Daniel 7, which refer to kingdoms, are not the same as the horns on the Lamb here in Revelation 5.

But what has seven eyes and seven horns? According to the notes in my study Ryrie Bible, these refer to the Holy Spirit—the completeness of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit has various powers, graces and functions that give Him…and thus God as a whole…completeness. God lacks nothing. Isaiah describes Jesus using this idea of the sevenfold Spirit, since the Holy Spirit is part of Jesus.

And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. Isaiah 11:2

Seven eyes and seven horns don’t seem so scary now, do they? Seven is complete and perfect. A lot of people would claim “seven” as their “lucky number,” but with Jesus, who needs “luck” since He is the Way, the Truth, and the Light. He is my savior. Is He yours?

Verse of Salvation ~ And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9:27-28

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories