Today’s Devotional – February 20th (Picture of a Very Grave Man, Part 1)

By admin On January 16th, 2021

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Today’s Devotional – February 20th

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“Picture of a Very Grave Man”,

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Part 1

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“For as the crackling of thorns under a pot,

so is the laughter of the fool:

this also is vanity.”

Ecclesiastes 7:6

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In John Bunyan’s incredible allegorical tale, Pilgrim’s Progress, the main character, Christian, was being shown various parabolic truths.

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He was shown “the man in the iron cage”.

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And he was shown “the two boys, Patience and Passion”, as well as “the man with the terrifying dream”, and “the man with the dirt brush”, etc…

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Pilgrims Progress title page third edition 1679 – Wikimedia Commons – public-domain

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THE PICTURE ON THE WALL

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But there was a very curious picture hanging on the wall, which Interpreter showed the Pilgrim. And this was a symbolic picture.

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But let’s listen to Bunyan, as he describes this picture…

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“So he (the Interpreter)…bid Christian follow him,

so he led him into a private room,

and…Christian saw the Picture of a very grave Person hang up against the wall;

and this was the fashion of it.

It had eyes lifted up to Heaven,

the best of Books in his hand,

the Law of Truth was written upon his lips,

the World was behind his back.

It stood as if it pleaded with men,

and a Crown of Gold did hang over his head.”

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So here was a picture of a man who was totally dedicated to declaring God’s Word.

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And he obviously had left this sinful world behind him.

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His eyes were now fixed on Heaven.

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And he sought for that glorious, promised crown.

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Pilgrim’s Progress – Man with world behind his back – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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WHAT POINT WAS INTERPRETER MAKING?

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Now just what was Interpreter getting at?

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Why was he showing the Pilgrim this strange picture?

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Well, once more, let’s listen to Bunyan explain just what significance did this curious picture have?

***“Now,”* said the Interpreter… *“I have shewed thee this Picture first,***

because the Man whose Picture this is,

is the only man whom the Lord of the place whither thou art going,

hath authorized to be thy guide in all difficult places thou mayest meet with in the way;

wherefore take good heed to what I have shewed thee,

and bear well in thy mind what thou hast seen,

lest in thy Journey thou meet with some that pretend to lead thee right,

but their way goes down to death.”

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So, the Interpreter was giving Christian a warning to beware of those who give advice to pilgrims who are in difficult circumstances.

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To beware to only receive advice from those like the man in the picture.

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Pilgrim’s Progress – Man with world behind his back – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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GIDDINESS AND SILLINESS TODAY

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**Now in this modern-day world, if you told someone that the Christian must be grave, they probably wouldn’t know what you were talking about!**

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**They might laugh-you-to-scorn!**

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**After all, in these irreverent times, few see Gravity as being a virtue!**

No, we live in a very giddy, light, and frivolous culture today.

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Everyone’s a joker, it almost seems!

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And this is okay.

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After all, they are of the world!

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So, what else can you expect from the world?

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PS Krøyer – Hip hip hurra! Kunstnerfest på Skagen 1888 WIKPEDIA – US PUBLIC DOMAIN

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LOVE, JOY, PEACE, CONTENTMENT

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” Galatians 5:22

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Now the Devil loves to whisper in the ears of naïve Christians, that the Christian life is a joyless and bleak existence!

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But nothing could be further from the truth!

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This above verse from Galatians reveals that the very first qualities of the Christian life are, “love, joy, peace…”

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And these three qualities can only be truly experienced by the child of God.

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Oh yes, the world has its own counterfeits of these Heavenly virtues.

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**But all the giddiness, frivolity and vain laughter can never begin to come close to the true, “love, joy, peace…” which Christians experience!**

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Christians have a “peace which surpasses all human understanding”! Philippians 4:7

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Woman with Bible – Braet von Überfeldt – 1866 – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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THIS ARTICLE CONTINUED TOMORROW (click here)

Pilgrim’s Progress – Picture of Man with world behind his back – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law. (Psalm 119:18).

The Christian Martyrs Last Prayer

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THE END

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TODAY’S HEAVENLY SIGN

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***CASTOR AND POLLUX & THE NARROW WAY…***

WIDE & NARROW GATES IN THE HEAVENS

As the opening verse says…

…“Enter ye in at the strait gate:

for wide is the gate,

and broad is the way,

that leadeth to destruction…”

Matthew 7:13-14 (Condensed)

So, what are these two gates all about?

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And how can I choose the right door?

But before we explore these questions, let’s take a look at why these two sets of stars represent these two biblical gates.

(This sketch, while not 100% accurate, gives a fair portrayal of how this constellation group appears at winter’s end and even into June, when above the western horizon.)

HOW THE GATES RELATE TO ORION & DRAGON

This sketch below is when these constellations are in the eastern sky in early winter (However, this constellation group can even be seen as early as July, in the pre-dawn hours).

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In the eastern sky, it’s not so easily seen which gate the Revelation 12 Woman will enter.

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**The Wide Gate is made of the two brightest stars of this Wave of Water Constellation.**

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Satan spews out the deadly water of his false worldly ideologies…

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…which many of these ideologies have a form of godliness, but in some way are not in harmony…

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…or perhaps these worldly ideologies add to the Bible, which is strictly forbidden (see Deuteronomy 4:2).

**On the other hand, the Strait Gate (narrow gate) is composed of the two brightest stars of the Orion The Reaper’s sickle. The true Strait Gate represents Jesus, the Word of God.**

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Listen… “I [Jesus] am the door:

by Me if any man enter in,

he shall be saved,

and shall go in and out,

and find pasture.”

John 10:9

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TOMORROW…

February 21st . . . . Picture of a Very Grave Man, Part 2