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DECEMBER 17
was Death, and Hades followed with him. And
power was given to them over a fourth of the
earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with
6:1 the seals.In chapter 5,Christ was the only death, and by the beasts of the earth.
One found worthy to open the little scroll— 9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under
the title deed to the universe.As He breaks the the altar the souls of those who had been slain
7 seals that secure the scroll, each seal for the word of God and for the testimony
unleashes a new demonstration of God’s which they held. And they cried with a loud
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judgment on the earth in the future tribula- voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and
tion period. These seal judgments include all true, until You judge and avenge our blood on
the judgments to the end. The seventh seal those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white
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contains the 7 trumpets; the seventh trumpet robe was given to each of them; and it was said
contains the 7 bowls.
to them that they should rest a little while
longer, until both the number of their fellow ser-
vants and their brethren, who would be killed as
3 When He opened the second seal, I heard they were, was completed.
the second living creature saying, “Come and 12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal,
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see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And and behold, there was a great earthquake; and
it was granted to the one who sat on it to take the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and
peace from the earth, and that people should the moon became like blood. And the stars of
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kill one another; and there was given to him a heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its
great sword. late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.
5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is
third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I rolled up, and every mountain and island was
looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who moved out of its place. And the kings of the
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sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And earth, the great men, the rich men, the com-
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I heard a voice in the midst of the four living manders, the mighty men, every slave and
creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a de- every free man, hid themselves in the caves
narius, and three quarts of barley for a denar- and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to
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ius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide
7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard us from the face of Him who sits on the throne
the voice of the fourth living creature saying, and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the
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“Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a great day of His wrath has come, and who is
pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it able to stand?”
DAY 16: How does Amos 9:11 relate to the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15?
In Amos 9:11, the Lord promised that He “will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fall-
en down.”At the Jerusalem Council, convened to discuss whether Gentiles should be allowed into
the church without requiring circumcision, James quotes this passage (Acts 15:15,16) to support
Peter’s report of how God had “visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name”(Acts
15:14). Some have thus concluded that the passage was fulfilled in Jesus, the greater Son of David,
through whom the dynasty of David was reestablished.The Acts reference,however,is best seen as
an illustration of Amos’s words and not the fulfillment.The temporal allusions to a future time (“On
that day,”9:11),when Israel will “possess the remnant of Edom,and all the Gentiles”(9:12),when the
Lord “will plant them in their land,and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given
them”(9:15),all make it clear that the prophet is speaking of Messiah’s return at the Second Advent
to sit upon the throne of David (Is. 9:7), not the establishment of the church by the apostles.

(We have heard a report from the
December 17 LORD,
And a messenger has been sent among
the nations, saying,
Obadiah 1–21 “Arise, and let us rise up against her
for battle”):
T he vision of Obadiah. 2 “Behold, I will make you small among
Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the nations;
Edom You shall be greatly despised.

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