AN APPLE A DAY - A WHOLE BUNCH OF HEALTHY NUTRITIONAL RECIPES

DAY 106 OF 365 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

I love the words found in 3 John 2:  "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in good health, even as thy soul prospereth."  The Bible is full of references that proclaim that being in good health is desirable.  A healthy body offsets and compliments a servant's heart and provides the means to carry the gospel to places it has never been.  My wish for you today, my friends, is the same as John's.  I wish your prosperity and good health!  I believe this all starts out with the way we eat.  Good nutrition tops the list of ways to stay healthy.  That is exactly why I have been following my modified version of the Athos diet.  I want to be as healthy as those monks living in Greece.

I'm glad to be finding out that healthy eating is awesome!  I have followed this diet routine and eaten this healthy way for about two weeks now.  I have to say; I’m finding the food delicious! 

I’m enjoying this diet/lifestyle very much.  I’ve now lost eight pounds total; and I’m feeling great!  I would advise anyone to start fasting for twelve hours in between meals and to eat only two meals a day alternating fast days, moderate days and allowing one feast day a week.  This diet has helped my mind to stay sharp and clear.  It has trimmed my waist a bit, and stopped my sugar cravings.  It definitely has helped me to have more energy.  No complaints!

I’m still exercising every day and leaving off the sugar, processed foods, flour (except for whole wheat in flat breads) pasta, potatoes and I’ve cut the coffee down to ½ a cup a day.  The only meats I usually have on the moderate and feast days are lean chicken and fish; but occasionally I AM allowing myself a little beef here and there.  Absolutely no pork though.  I keep the food simple on fast days, just fruit and vegetables; nothing else.  I only use extra-virgin pure organic olive oil for cooking, and I try to buy fresh spices and prepare them myself.  I’m still drinking a hot beverage three times a day, adding lemon juice, ginger, and honey for two; with ginger, honey and apple cider vinegar first thing each morning. 

If I were going to complain about anything on this eating plan that I have self-modified from ideas from studying the Athos Monks in Greece, I would complain about the fact that I am having to study lots of different recipes in order to keep fresh, not-boring, menus going in order to prepare the two tasty meals a day. If you only have one main meal a day and breakfast; you want that main meal to be one that you desire to eat.  I can't just use any old recipes!  I have to have very special recipes; but they are coming together for me and I'm developing a good collection already.   I’m definitely in the kitchen and cooking more often (no fast foods allowed) and I’m washing a lot more cookware!   All of these things have just taken a tiny bit of getting used to, especially if you don’t usually cook every night; and you do not own a book full of recipes that fit this diet. 

So, for today’s blog article I’m going to share with you a few of my new recipes in order to make this easier for you than it was for me!  I’ve used each of these recipes personally, and I’ve found them all to be very tasty.  I would love to hear your opinions, and I would love for you to share some of your recipes with me.

Of course don’t forget to add in the two recipes I gave you last week for the Zucchini Boats and the Warm Cabbage.  Oh bother; I’ll include those here too!    If you need to re-read last week’s post though, here is the post:  http://dancinginseason.blogspot.com/2016/07/an-apple-day-day-105-eating-and.html.

Breakfast is easy; no recipe needed; just look at the photos below and grab a plate:

Breakfast is always very good on this diet.  That is a wonderful fact; because you will not be eating again until 6:30 p.m. in the evening.   This morning I'm trying yet another healthy breakfast combination; a bowl of cantaloupe bites mixed with sliced bananas with blue berries sprinkled on top.  Delicious!  You can think of a million different fruit combinations like this; and they are all healthy and nutritious as well as very tasty. I especially love the apples and bananas.   Even though I am leaving normal breads, sugar, potatoes and pasta completely out of my diet, I have decided it is okay to enjoy whole wheat grained flat breads, and I’ve found some flat whole wheat bagels that are great for breakfast, so I often add the flat bagels on moderate days.  No other types of breads or rolls though!  No biscuits, no sweet rolls, no muffins!  Only flat breads prepared with whole wheat. 

So; I’ve also been making sandwiches out of pita pockets and using tortillias for certain recipes. Flat breads make a nice side with the evening meal sometimes.  This works out perfect and the diet stays healthy. 

The monks in Greece only eat fish and lean chicken; they use no other meats.  Occasionally I DO throw in a little beef for variety; but it is not very often.  This week I needed to clean some ground beef from my freezer, and I used some for an otherwise perfectly-on-course recipe.  I don’t think an occasional serving of beef is that bad.  However, I’m totally avoiding pork; and still sticking to NOT eating ANY type of meat on fast days.  Remember to use only pure virgin olive oil for cooking.  It is okay to use dairy on moderate and feast days, just try not to use them on fast days. Keep the schedule; Feast Day, Fast Day, Moderate Day, Fast Day, Moderate Day, Fast Day, Moderate Day; then start all over again.  Fast days are pure fruit and vegetables only; nothing else may be eaten.  Feast Days are anything your heart desires in moderation coupled with common sense.  Moderate days are when you may add Olive Oil for cooking and dairy products.

Here are some of my favoritee new receipes.  These have brought me success during the first two weeks of eating nutritiously.  The tasty recipes are my own creations, but they are simply modifications of other recipes that I have changed to fit the diet plan.  Enjoy! 

Asparagus Souffle 

Ingredients

3 cups fresh asparagus pieces steamed

2 cups cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 Teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup chopped white mushrooms

1 finely chopped onion

4 egg whites

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°.  Steam asparagus, chop onion and mushrooms, shred cheese.  Sautee the onions and mushrooms in a skillet on the stovetop, adding garlic powder as they cook.  In a large bowl, combine asparagus, cheese, mayonnaise and sautéed onion and mushrooms. In a small bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Fold into asparagus mixture. Transfer all to a greased baking dish. Bake,uncovered, 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.

ROASTED ACORN SQUASH CUBES

Ingredients:

1 large acorn squash cut into small cubes

¼ cup seasoned salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

Place small acorn squash cubes in a baking dish sprayed with coconut oil.  Drizzle the acorn squash with the olive oil and toss.  Sprinkle all cubes with seasoned salt and bake in the oven on 400 degrees for 25 minutes until slightly golden brown in places.

BREAD CHIPS WITH  VEGETABLE DIP AND SLICED STRAWBERRIES:

Ingredients:

Strawberries, sliced and kept cold.

3 Pita Bread Pockets (whole wheat)

1-1/2 cups Greek Yogurt

1 Tablespoon of chopped parsley

1 Tablespoon of dried chives

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Preparation:

Slice strawberries and arrange on a pretty platter.  Keep platter cold until needed.  Cut the pita bread into strips with kitchen scissors and toast in the oven until warm and slightly crisp. Arrange bread chips on platter with strawberries.    Mix yogurt, parsley, chives, garlic powder, salt and pepper together well and put this mix into a small serving bowl on top of the platter next to the bread chips.  Enjoy!

MANDARIN ORANGE AND SPINACH SALAD

Ingredients:

2 cups spinach leaves, broken up into bite-sized pieces

2 cups regular lettuce, broken up into bite-sized pieces

1 cup green onion pieces

1 small can finely chopped black olives

1 small can chopped green chili peppers (I use mild)

1 large onion chopped into very small pieces

3 Tablespoons Extra-Pure Virgin Olive Oil (Organic)

2 cups mandarin orange slices

Preparation:

Wash and dry lettuce and spinach leaves. Tear up the regular lettuce and the fresh spinach leaves into bite sized pieces.  Sprinkle them with the olive oil and toss well.  Mix the rest of the ingredients into this mix and serve very cold

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VEGETABLE MEDLEY

Ingredients:

2 cups Fresh Green Bean pieces, cooked until slightly tender.

1 orange bell pepper, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 green bell pepper, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces.

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 Vidalia onion, chopped into small bits.

3 Teaspoons of Extra-pure virgin olive oil (organic)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation:

Wash, core, slice and chop all vegetables and combine in a large mixing bowl.  Add sea salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder and toss in olive oil.  Prepare a 9 x13 baking dish and fill it with the vegetables.  Cook at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve hot.

MEXICAN CORN ON THE COB

Ingredients:

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

10 ears shucked corn

Cooking spray

Crumbled feta cheese

1-1/2 teaspoons Chipotle Chile powder

Preparation:

Shuck corn, clean and place on a baking tray in the oven for 15 minutes on 400 degrees F.  While corn is baking combine first six ingredients into a shallow dish.  When corn is baked place it hot into the mayonnaise mixture and coat evenly.  Place corn on a pretty platter lengthwise and sprinkle with the Chipotle Chile Powder and Feta Cheese crumbles.  Serve while hot.

WARM CABBAGE

 Ingredients:

1 cup honey Dijon dressing.  (I bought the kind you find in the deli aisle that is refrigerated in a jar, but probably better if you prepare from scratch)

½ head of cabbage finely shredded (about six cups)

8 ounces fresh white mushrooms

4 ounces crumbled blue cheese

Sea salt (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)

Preparation:

Finely shred the cabbage, leaving out the core.  Place in a 9x13 baking dish or a large round salad bowl and sprinkle the blue cheese crumbles on top of the cold cabbage, leaving a few of the crumbles to use for garnish when you are done.  Place two tablespoons of olive oil inside a skillet on the stove and saute the mushrooms on medium heat.  Add two cups of honey Dijon dressing to the mushrooms when they are sauteed.  Heat the mix for three minutes.  Pour the warm mushroom mix over the top of the cabbage and crumbled blue cheese.  Serve immediately while the topping is still hot. 

SWEET POTATO SQUARES

Ingedients:

2 large sweet potatoes

Olive Oil

Seasoned Salt

Preparation:

Peel 2 large Sweet Potatoes and cut into cubes.  Toss cubes in olive oil and place on a baking sheet covered in foil.  Sprinkle Seasoned Salt generously over the tops of the potatoes and bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes.

                               

CHICKEN, SPINACH AND CHEESE PITAS

CHICKEN, SPINACH AND CHEESE PITAS
Ingredients:
Pita bread (enough for two sandwiches)
2 Chicken breast cut into small pieces
1 zuchinni chopped into small pieces

1 Onion chopped into small pieces

Olive Oil
1/4 cup Sriracha hot chili sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup yellow mustard 

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Sea Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

Preparation:

Place Olive Oil into skillet on the stove and dump chicken pieces on that once it is heated.  Stir until chicken is cooked through and slightly brown, but not burned.  Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.  Put zuchinnin and onion in the same skillet and sautee until both vegetables are tender.  Combine vegetables and chicken in a medium sized bowl.  Set aside.  In another bowl mix Sriracha hot chili sauce, mayonnaise and yellow mustard, pinch of salt and pinch of fresh ground pepper together.  When all flavors are combined dump in bowl with chicken and vegetables and toss together, mixing well.  Add shredded cheddar cheese and toss again.  Fill pita pockets with mix.  Delicious!  Good to serve with cold mandarin oranges on the side.  

                                             
ENCHILADAS

Ingredients:

For Sauce:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
One Can Tomato Paste
1-28 ounce can enchilada or Mexican red sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For Meat Mixture:
1 pound of ground beef (you can use shredded chicken if you do not prefer beef)
1 medium onion finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Everything Else:
Olive Oil for frying
10-14 whole wheat tortillas
Two 4 ounce cans diced green chilies
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup finely chopped black olives
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Fresh chopped Cilantro for garnish
Preparation:
Prepare the sauce by combining sauce ingredients together in a sauce pan and heating over medium heat.  When it begins to boil reduce to a simmer and let simmer while you prepare the meat.  Brown all the meat ingredients in a skillet on the stove over medium high heat and set aside.  Heat another skillet on the stove with olive oil and lightly fry the tortillias until they are light brown but still able to be flexible.  Drain them on a paper towel.  Assemble the tortillias by ladeling some sauce into a plate and coating the front and back of each tortillia.  As you coat them place some of the meat sauce on the tortillia and sprinkle with cheese then roll up.  Place in an oblong baking dish.  When all are place in the dish cover with the sauce that is left and sprinkle with cheese that is left.  Bake for 30 minutes on 350 degrees until bubbly.  Sprinkle the fresh chopped cilantro on top for serving.    

WHITE BEAN AND SPINACH PITAS WITH BBQ DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Shallot, minced

1 15 ounce can Cannelini Beans, drained and rinsed

Pinch of Salt

Pinch of Pepper

Cup of Fresh Spinach Leaves (stemmed and chopped)

Several washed whole Spinach Leaves

2 Cups Grated Sharp White Cheddar Cheese

4 Whole Wheat 10 Inch Tortillias

1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt

2 Tablespoons BBQ Sauce (your favorite brand)

Preparation:

Put the olive oil into a pan on the stove and cook the shallot, Cannelini Beans, salt and pepper and chopped Spinach together until hot.  Remove into a bowl and use a masher to mash up the beans a bit and mix the flavors together well forming sort of a "bean sandwich spread."  Set aside.  Grade the white cheddar cheese.  Set aside.  Heat tortillias in microwave for 1 minute.  Put remaining teaspoon of olive oil into a skillet over medium heat and quick fry one of the warm tortillias on both sides.  Sprinkle the top of one side of the whole tortilllia with white cheddar cheese and spread one half of the tortillia with bean mixture.  Lay down a few whole spinach leaves on the other side of the tortillia and sprinkle the whole tortillia again with white cheddar cheese.  Turn one half on top of the other, like you are folding the tortillia.  Flatten the sandwich with a metal spatchula onto itself.  When both sides are golden brown remove.  Make as many tortillia sandwiches as you need then prepare dipping sauce by adding the two tablespoons of BBQ sauce to the yogurt and stirring until completely mixed.  Serve the sandwiches hot on a pretty platter with the dipping sauce in the middle.    

ZUCCHINI BOATS

Ingredients:

1 Red Pepper chopped into small pieces

1/2 Purple Onion chopped into small pieces

½ cup of Yellow Corn Kernels

4 large Zucchini cut in half and divided again with the middles scooped out

1 small can drained Black Beans (or fresh if you have time)

1 cup medium flavored Salsa (use mild if you aren’t into spicy)

2 teaspoons Cumin

2 teaspoons Garlic powder

½ cup fresh Cilantro, finely chopped

Sea Salt to taste

1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  Prepare a 9x13 inch greased casserole dish for baking.  I used Pam spray that is made from coconut oil.  Half the zucchini length wise and cut each one into small boat-shaped lengths, then hollow out the middles.  (If you do not want to waste the middles, chop them into small pieces and preserve in an airtight container to use in a salad later on during the week.)  Place a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet on the stove and add onions and peppers.  Saute these vegetables for three minutes, then add corn, beans, salsa, garlic and cumin.  Heat all for about five minutes, stirring as needed.  Stir in sea salt and cilantro.  Place zucchini boats into casserole dish.  Spoon the vegetable mixture from the skillet into the little zucchini boats.  Grate 1 cup of cheddar cheese and sprinkle cheese on top of each boat.  Cover casserole dish with foil and cook in the oven for one hour.  Remove foil and heat for a few minutes more until the cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.  Serve hot.

Here are a few combinations that went well together:

        

God is so good to provide us with such delicious food that is healthy for our bodies!  Remember that He created our bodies to be interrelated; yet independent of our minds and souls.  In other words; they all works together; so having a healthy body frees us up to develop our minds and spirits to God’s glory.

I'll leave you with this verse to ponder until we meet again in this column on next Friday:  “And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and He shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.”  (Exodus 23:25)

COME AS A CHILD - LESSON 127 - EXPLORING THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT

AN ANCIENT EVENT THAT FORMED THE PATTERN FOR A FUTURE EVENT

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

In our last blog for COME AS A CHILD we noted that God used the plagues of Egypt to show His sovereignty and to point us to The Messiah who would come.  Perhaps He had an even further purpose.  Have you ever considered that the plagues of Egypt are very similar to the plagues we read about in Revelation 16?  Perhaps God was showing His people in these future generations a pattern of what was to come in the end of times.  

This should not be frightening news; if you know Christ and have studied the first, original story of the plagues of Egypt; it should be comforting.  Remember, God saved His people out of their bondage of slavery.  He separated them out to a place in the wilderness where He taught them how to follow and worship Him forever.  He had his protection on them while they lived in the pagan land, and He did not forsake them or abandon them when He began to show His wonders to Pharaoh.  We can take all of this to heart as we look at the pattern of the plagues during the times of the end. 

We are soon going to move on in this story of wonder and discover all the wondrous things that God did for His people in the wilderness.  We will see how a nation was formed by God from these poor, pitiful slaves that were Abraham’s ancestors.  Even the very beginning of the journey is filled with awesome events and wonders!

These are the types of things that will fill our hearts with joy and take our breath away as we begin to examine the majesty of our God.  These things will bring hope to those living in the wilderness of today's present world.  Anyone following Christ can consider themselves on a similar type of a spiritual journey.  We must learn to come out of the pagan systems and pagan ways of this world and to follow Jesus as faithfully as the people of Israel followed Moses as God led him.  We must be moving forward and never looking back because God has a plan for all of us, and we are privileged to see and live through much of its unfolding. 

These are all very hopeful things to dwell on.  Keeping this in mind; I still do not want to be too quick or hasty to leave the place that we have just studied.  There is much more to understand about the plagues of Egypt, and it all relates to the day of God’s wrath during end times.

I would also like to make a very strange suggestion;  that you begin to think of "end times" as "a new beginning."  That is what it will turn out to be for all of us who belong to God once we go through the end times of God proclaiming His wonders to this earth.  Just like the slaves of Egypt who were led to freedom, we too will experience a release from bondage; once we make the hard journey through the wiilderness of the time that God has alloted.  We must not question His wisdom.  His plans are always above our plans.  This "journey" will be an awesome time to draw closer to God and to trust His guidance for our lives.  It will be a time to prove ourselves faithful.  We will find ourselves, when it is all said and done, surprised and delighted to be repeating the words of T.S. Elliot; "In my end is my beginning."  

Once we have made the journey through the wilderness with faith and trust in God's provision; we will reach our eternal destination and there will be glories untold and the richest of blessings waiting on the other side. We must remember this NOW.   All we can do for the time being is to stay alert, be ready and waiting, keep listening, keep learning through every experience that God leads us through, so take heart and read on!  

Just as God was setting a pattern with the Israelites for proclaiming his sovereignty and teaching us about salvation, I also suspect He was setting up a pattern to teach us how to survive as His people when we come to the times of the end of the earth.  What father would not prepare his children with the education that they will need to survive?   So,today I would like to discuss how the plagues of Egypt point us to the plagues that will happen at the end of time.

Why would I think such a thing?  

There are many reasons.  Let’s start with a verse found in Micah 7:15-16; “As in the days when you came out of Egypt, I will show them my wonders.  Nations will see and be ashamed, deprived of all their power.  They will put their hands over their mouths and their ears will become deaf.”  The nation spoken of here is Israel.  Israel is symbolic all through the scriptures of God’s people, those saved and led by Christ.  Israel was the pattern from which the church (the living, breathing body of Christ) was formed.   Whenever you hear of something in the future that will happen to Israel, pay attention.  If you belong to Jesus Christ chances are very good that the very same thing, in one way or another, will be happening to you also. 

I suspect that even now (just like the things that happened to the nation of Israel in Egypt) our nation in America is going through a time of being deprived of its power.  Though we are not physically enslaved (yet); we are held hostage to a government and an economy that takes away all of our freedoms, especially our freedom to worship The One True God of Heaven and Earth.    Each day as we read the news most of us have our hands over our mouths in astonishment that such things could even be true and possible.  

We are living in a land that has become increasingly evil and totally disobedient to God.  HIs ways and His commandments are no longer the ways of our land.  People everywhere have their idols, though they may be called by different names.  Do you have anything in your life besides Jesus Christ that you can’t walk away from?  Pay attention to what those things really represent to you.  Are they worth losing eternity?    


Many of us are turning a “deaf ear” because we are sick of hearing about the terrible state of things.  We feel helpless.  We chose instead to turn around and ignore the state of things; hoping that they will just change or go away.  Most of us live lives that are a fabricated delusion of reality created by social media and the internet, television and radio, because we do not want to face the truth; that our nation is just like Egypt and we have turned each of us to our own ways and forsaken the things of God.  We keep holding on to our illusions as if this were just a “phase” that we are going through right now.  Yet; this is reality.  We live in an evil and perverted world that loves to hate God and enjoys greed, self-worship and violence. 

Pick up your bible and read Revelation, Chapter 16.  Actually I’ll just copy it here for you:

And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.   And the first went, and poured out his vail upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them who worshipped his image.  And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea.  And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.  And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.  And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.  And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.  And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues; and they repented not to give him glory.  And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain.  And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.  And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.  Behold I come as a thief.  Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.  And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.  And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.  And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for the plague thereof was exceeding great. 

These words describe in depth the seven vails that are known as the wrath of God.  They do not parallel the first plagues exactly, but they are VERY similar to the plagues of Egypt as God was leading the Israelites out of slavery.  There were ten plagues brought on Egypt and these are only seven.  Some have reasoned that the Israelites lived through the first three plagues just as the Egyptians did, then God began to separate them from the plagues, and did not let them be affected.  That would mean that they were exempt from seven of the plagues, and those seven would parallel the last seven plagues found here in Revelation (in number anyway)  Let’s explore this thought a bit.   

In the first plague of Egypt water is turned to blood. It was the water of the Nile River.   When we read about the second and third vails we see the same thing happening again with water. 

For starters we hear of a great voice telling seven angels to go forth and pour out their vails containing the wrath of God upon the earth.  I've always thought that these are the 7 Angels of the 7 Churches.   As these seven end-time angels pour out God’s wrath to the earth, they do seem to be nearly all of the same horrible things that Egypt experienced with the exception of two; fire from the sun and a great and powerful earthquake.  There was no mention of earthquakes or fire from the sun in the Egyptian plagues.  So these plagues are very similar in nature to begin with,  then we read of two new and different plagues that will come toward the end of the plagues.  These two new plagues will be much worse in nature than those that fell on Egypt.  This seems logical; since mankind should have learned from the patterns God gave us of the first things.  At least the Egyptians had no knowledge of God's displeasure until He began to teach them; the world no longer has such an excuse.  The knowledge of God has now filled the earth, and technology has made it very easy.  The two hardest plagues are being saved till the end.

The first vail brings sores to those who have received the mark of the beast.  

I’ve often related the mark of the beast as being the counterfeit to the phylacteries that the ancients wore.  These were little leather boxes containing the words that God gave to Israel during the Exodus so that they could always remember who He is.  Anyone wearing them is usually trying to place the word of God in their mind and in their heart.  The outward appearances of the boxes on their wrist (which they would place to their hearts) and around their foreheads (close to their thinking) was just a reminder that they should only dwell on the things of God. (In the days of Jesus the Pharisees perverted this ritual and turned it toward and used it for their own power instead of using it to God’s glory.)  So if the beast forces people to worship him and to take a mark on their hand or on their forehead, I think this might mean just the opposite of the proper use of the pylacteries and that they would have the things of and the words of the beast in their minds and in their hearts.  Satan is all about using holy things and perverting them to mean the opposite.  Just my own theory.  It behooves us to understand this though, because in the end times those who take the mark of the beast will have certain consequences, and those who have the seal of God will have certain consequences.  I’ll take God’s side; thank you!   

These “sores” that come from having the wrong mark could be the same as the “boils” we heard about that happened to Egypt.  Note these only come on those who worship the beast and receive his mark.  God’s people (who by then will either have died a natural death, died a martyr’s death or overcome the world by the power of Jesus living in them because that alone will be the very thing that will keep them from taking the mark of the beast and bending the knee to worship him) would be protected from this plague.  Perhaps The People of God will be taken away, or removed, or set apart; just as God set the Israelites apart from Egypt.  Perhaps this is a figure of speach instead of a literal meaning.  They could be set apart by their actions and decisions that follow the ways of God.   The Egyptians were off to themselves in a further away part of the country; still residents of Egypt but living together in the area of Egypt called Goshen.  They were close enough to see the signs and wonders being performed both by God and also by the power of the demons satan provided through Pharaoh’s magicians.  They had to be very close by because they were still enslaved; yet they were far enough from the main territory of Egypt to be safe from the consequences of the plagues.

  

The second angel poured his vail over the sea and the water turned to blood; just as happened to the great river in Egypt.  All the life in the sea died; just as all the fish and life from the river died in Egypt.  Think about how the so called "progress" of the earth has polluted and destroyed our oceans.   This is not an unlikely thing, it could very easily happen naturally in the world from which we live today.

The next angel poured out his vail and the water in the rivers and fountains turned to blood.  This would be speaking about actual drinking water.  This plague would be progressively worse than the last.  The first one affected the food supply; the second one affected the drinking water. All that would be left to drink on the earth would be turned to blood and this reason is proclaimed; that the people of the earth have murdered and slain the saints and prophets of God.  

We are right now living in a time where there are more martyrs slain than ever before.  Innocent, faithful people following God are dying for their faith every day.  People of God are hated and persecuted every day.  If you have escaped this; consider yourself very blessed.  

You will most likely not hear most of these stories in the news; but they are very real.  This will only escalate and grow worse as time goes on, but at the proper time you can be assured that God will bring justice.  Everyone will know and pay attention when this happens.  He will make his enemies drink of the blood they have slain, just as Egypt was eventually punished for murdering the children of Israel and throwing their babies to their false gods of the river. 

How will the believers survive this plague though?  Everyone needs water to live.  We will soon study the story of how God led Moses to bring water to very thirsty people from a rock in the wilderness.  Be sure to pay attention!   

I will say here that only the righteousness of Christ can shield anyone from the effects of these

plagues.  Many think we will be raptured out of the world BEFORE the plagues begin.  I honestly do not know.  That would be nice, but I have also read that many of God's people will survive it all and overcome to the end.  Either way; we must take comfort from the fact that we serve THE One and Only God of Heaven and Earth.  He will not leave us or desert us.  He will see us through all things if we only trust Him and obey Him.  We are vulnerable to His love and care; just as the slaves in Egypt were.  We do not know exactly HOW it will all come about; we simply know WHO will deliver us!  We read of this in Psalm 91:4-8:  He shall cover you with his feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.  His truth shall be your shield and buckler.  You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day; nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.  A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.  Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.   

When the fourth angel pours out his vail of the wrath of God upon the earth it will be different than what happened in the plagues of Egypt.  This vail will contain fire from the sun, and it will scorch men and they will die from the burns.  Why is this plague different from the plagues of Egypt?  That is a good question!  Perhaps it is because of a pagan practice that is going on now or at the end of time that had not even been found in Egypt?   We can only speculate at the reason for this. Does it have to do with the depletion of the O-zone layer in our atmosphere?  Will this reflect that fact that many have worshiped the creation and not the creator who spoke it into existence?  Not only have truths of the creation been twisted by mankind; but we have also failed to care for the earth as God commanded us to do way back in the garden.  Will this plague be a sign of our own neglect toward the blessing of our planet?  We can only speculate.  Could this be meteors from outter space falling to the earth?  Whatever it is; fire is the result and people will experience burns and parts of the earth will be burnt up.  Here I recall a scripture found in Isaiah 43: 2 about walking through fire:   "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."  I think I'm going to be holding on to these words when the fires come! 

The fifth angel pours out a vail and it contains great darkness and boils.  Again we know these as similar to the Egyptian plagues.  Boils and great darkness are poured out on the seat of the beast; perhaps this means his throne?  The scriptures speak of kingdom of the beast being in great agonizing pain, so much that they gnawed their tongues as they cursed God.  As in Egypt; none of the plagues seem to bring remorse or repentance from those who are being tortured.  They STILL refusse to acknowledge God.  We are already living in times where the reality of God is no longer acknowledged.  Our rulers are like Pharaoh; they only worship themselves.

 As we move closer and closer to the end of the plagues, the sixth plague is most interesting.  The sixth angel pours out his vail on the River Euphrates and the river dries up and makes dry land, apparently land to provide a way of travel  for “The Kings Of The East.”  This is a repeat of something that happened in history way back in 539 BC because the waters of the Euphrates stopped flowing at that time.  The Kings of the East that conqured Babylon back then were Cyrus and his father-in-law, Darius.  This happened when the waters of the Euphrates dried up and they were able to walk through them and conquor the city without even having to declare outright war.  

Something will happen to prepare a way for The Kings of The East.  There are many theories about who these Kings of the East might be.  I tend to think of the wise men who came just before Christ was born.  They were on a mission to find the REAL Messiah.  The government was against that Messiah ever being born.  Many men will be seeking God's wisdom and truth, and like the wise men from the east in the days of Christ; the truth will be revealed to them just before Christ returns.  They will see a sign and they will follow it.  Just my own personal theory!  I've heard others refer to these kings as an invasion from China, and I've heard some prechers even say that the kings are God and The Son of God.  One day we all will know for sure.  Time will fill in the blanks for us.  Be looking and watching for God to explain this as the time approaches.      

 At first you might think this plague is different in nature too, and that is it a plague not related to the plagues of Egypt; but wait before you jump to conclusions, because there is something similar to those plagues that happens next:  frogs leap out of the mouths of the false prophet, the beast and the dragon.  Yes, frogs!  Just like in Egypt; except these are not REALLY frogs, they are the unclean spirits of demons that will go forth and convince the kings of the earth to come to a great battle.  I suspect they represent the leaders of false, apostate religion.   These frogs will perform wonders and miracles in order that the kings will believe them and take their advice.  The wonders and miracles they perform will not be of God.  They will SEEM to be only things that God could do; but God will ALLOW satan to use his powers in this plague.  Beware; even the elect can be deceived.  Be prayed up and prepared with the sword of the word at your side and written across your heart.  Be sealed with God's word.

So what of the people of faith that are following God when all of this happens?  

Well, those who believe in Jesus Christ as Messiah, who have come out of the world and who have washed their garments in the blood of the lamb will also be those who have kept God's Sabbaths and His feast Days.  They will have written His commandments on their hearts, like a circumcision and a seal over their hearts, and they will be waiting and watching and ready.  They will be sealed on their hands and in their foreheads with God's seal.  I think of that being the wisdom and the knowledge found in the scriptures.  

The very next scripture says “Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”  When I read this I am reminded of how God told the Hebrews to eat the Passover meal with their traveling clothes on, their staffs in their hands and their waist girded about them.  They were to eat in haste; because God was about to take them somewhere!  It seems to be the same in this passage; the next part of the scripture tells of how God will gather his people to a place called Armageddon after the sixth angel pours out his vail and before the seventh vail is poured.  We shall go by God's command straight into battle.  There is no need to be afraid; Jesus Christ is a Mighty King and He will always be victorious!  We will be like the Israelites crossing the Red Sea.  All we have to do is have faith and follow our leader and keep walking until we are up to our eyeballs in his will.  God will handle the battle and defeat the enemy.   He will open a way to victory for us!

And the Seventh Angel pours out his vail.   A great voice is heard saying; “It is done!”  Along with voices and thunder and lightning there comes a great earthquake.  The earthquake is the miracle God uses to defeat his enemy as his people begin to do battle.  Hail weighing 100 pounds will be falling from the sky.  Don’t be afraid, all of this happens because of Christ returning through the East Gate of Jerusalem.  The earthquake will bring the victory, and God’s people, who will be heavily engaged in battle, will be saved.  At that moment we will be caught up with Him (Jesus) as the scriptures tell us in 1 Corinthians 15:52, and we will be changed.  In a moment, in the twinkling of any eye; and we will be with Christ forever after!  

So take heart when you read about the plagues.  Let them remind you of your own redemption!  Let it make you think of  Revelation 5:12-13; “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”  And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:  “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”  

I cannot study this passage in Revelation without thinking of a song we play and sing at our house every Passover.  Did you know that Moses wrote three songs during his lifetime?  One was sung after crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 15); one is recorded in Psalm 90.  The other was written in the last days of Moses's life.  It is found recorded in Deuteronomy 32.  That song is called The Song of Moses.  God directed Moses to write that song and teach it to the people in the wilderness.  God required the Israelites to learn the song in anticipation of their future apostasy in the times after they reached the promised land.  The song would stand as a witness against them; should they ever turn their backs on God.  

The Song of Moses has turned out to be very prophetic in nature.  The same day that Israel learned this song God directed Moses to climb Mt. Nebo, where he would be laid to rest.  Israel's future ingratitue and idolatry are predicted in the words of this song as are the words that describe the punishment that God would bring because of their sins.  The song ends on a joyful note though, with the punishment of God being over and as a result of God's great love and mercy; righteousness being restored and the land of Israel being cleansed.  All during the song God remains Israel's steadfast, unchanging source of salvation.  This fact will never change.  

The song that my family sings at Passoer is called "The Song of Moses." but it combines parts of the song from Deuteronomy together with the Song of The Lamb found mentioned  in Revelation 15:3 and incorporates the words from that passage which are:  "Great and marvellous are They Works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations.  Who should not fear, O Lord, and Glorify Thy name?  Because Thou only are Holy; because all the nations shall come and worship before Thee; Because thy righteous judgements were manifested."

Long ago scientist discovered that it is much easier to remember the words of a song than the written word.  Perhaps that is why God had the people learn this way from Moses.  God wanted them as well as us to always remember.  The lesson of the plagues and the Exodus are very important for our future.  God is giving us patterns all the time.  We only need to pay attention and remember them.  

So let the words and lessons from The Exodus give you comfort as we approach the end of time.  Take heart dear brothers and sisters.  Do not fear but look up!  Remember the famous words of Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 32^nd inaugural address:  “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”  Prepare to sing The Song of Moses and The Song of the Lamb with great joy at the end the world as we know it.