The writer of Proverbs describes four creatures that are tiny, but smart. These creatures can be understood in the context of the four aspects of evangelism.
The ant has tremendous drive to gather food during the harvest season. In the same way, we must have an urgency, or purpose, as we sense the shortness of time left for reaping the souls of humanity.
The rock badger finds its strength in the rocks in which it lives. We also will find greater evangelistic productivity when we are in partnership with other stronger believers.
Net fishing with others is better than hook fishing alone! The locust flies together with other locusts, ruling the air and even blacking out the sun. No evangelism would be fruitful without concerted prayer with others that takes control of the heavenlies.
Finally, the lizard has a real knack of penetration. It can make its way into all kinds of places, even a king’s palace. We must be unafraid to go through any open door and prepared to crawl through any evangelism “crack” the Lord opens before us.
Proverbs 11:30 (KJV) says, “He that winneth souls is wise.” Rescuing eternal souls requires great wisdom, and that wisdom involves purpose, partnership, prayer, and penetration. Ask the Lord today for this wisdom, and start fulfilling your eternal destiny!
Zechariah 6-7
Four Chariots
6 I looked up again, and there before me were four chariots coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze.2The first chariot had red horses, the second black,3the third white, and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful.4I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?”
5The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.6The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”
7When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And he said, “Go throughout the earth!” So they went throughout the earth.
8Then he called to me, “Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit rest in the land of the north.”
A Crown for Joshua
9The word of the LORD came to me:10“Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah.11Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jozadak.12Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD.13It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’14The crown will be given to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the LORD.15Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the LORD, and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the LORD your God.”
Justice and Mercy, Not Fasting
7 In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev.2The people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-Melek, together with their men, to entreat the LORD3by asking the priests of the house of the LORD Almighty and the prophets, “Should I mourn and fast in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?”
4Then the word of the LORD Almighty came to me:5“Ask all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted?6And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?7Are these not the words the LORD proclaimed through the earlier prophets when Jerusalem and its surrounding towns were at rest and prosperous, and the Negev and the western foothills were settled?’”
8And the word of the LORD came again to Zechariah:9“This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.10Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’
11“But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears.12They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the LORD Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the LORD Almighty was very angry.
13“‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the LORD Almighty.14‘I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land they left behind them was so desolate that no one traveled through it. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.’”
Revelation 15
Seven Angels With Seven Plagues
15 I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed.2And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God3and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb:
“Great and marvelous are your deeds,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
King of the nations.
4Who will not fear you, Lord,
and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
5After this I looked, and I saw in heaven the temple—that is, the tabernacle of the covenant law—and it was opened.6Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests.7Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever.8And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
Psalm 143
Psalm 143
143 LORD, hear my prayer,
listen to my cry for mercy;
in your faithfulness and righteousness
come to my relief.
2Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one living is righteous before you.
3The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness
like those long dead.
4So my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within me is dismayed.
5I remember the days of long ago;
I meditate on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.
6I spread out my hands to you;
I thirst for you like a parched land.
7Answer me quickly, LORD;
my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
8Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.
9Rescue me from my enemies, LORD,
for I hide myself in you.
10Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.
11For your name’s sake, LORD, preserve my life;
in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.
12In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;
destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant.
Proverbs 30:24-28
24“Four things on earth are small,
yet they are extremely wise:
25Ants are creatures of little strength,
yet they store up their food in the summer;
26hyraxes are creatures of little power,
yet they make their home in the crags;
27locusts have no king,
yet they advance together in ranks;
28a lizard can be caught with the hand,
yet it is found in kings’ palaces.
