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I was reading the book of Jeremiah and noticed the phrase, "rising up early" occurred several times in the book. Knowing that when a certain word or phrase is repeated several times in the Bible, may it be in just one verse or a passage, it denotes importance or urgency.
So I searched for other verses, with the help of my concordance, for the phrase within the book of Jeremiah and discovered that they occurred at least 11 times and several more all throughout the Bible.
Reflecting upon these, I imagined that if God would sleep at night and wake up the next day, He would "rise up early." I discovered four things that He's doing early in the morning for His people, servants, and prophets. He is...
“rising up early and TEACHING them” - Jeremiah 32:33
“rising up early and SPEAKING” - Jeremiah 7:13; 25:3; 35:14;
“daily rising up early and SENDING them” - Jeremiah 7:25; 25:4; 26:5; 29:19; 35:15; 44:4; 2 Chronicles 36:15;
“rising early and PROTESTING” - Jeremiah 11:7
Searching online, there are other verses that tell of God "rising up early" and sending His servants or prophets to preach. Although it doesn't literally means that God is "waking up early" for He never sleeps (Psalm 121:4), it means that He do things that are essential to our salvation without delays. The phrase "rising up early" is synonymous with "betimes" which means, "seasonably; early; In a short time; soon; speedily; forth with."
I could never over emphasize the importance of seeking God first thing EARLY in the morning, not only for our physical health, but also for our spirituality. Let us learn from our greatest example, Jesus Christ, who communes with His Father early in the morning.
Mark 1:35 - In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.
Luke 21:37-38 - Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.
John 8:2-11 -And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
Mark 16:9 - Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
Even in His resurrection, He rose up early in the morning!
I usually sleep a bit late at night, but it's interesting to note that I would wake up almost the same time every morning. I'll be awaken by the call of nature at around dawn and I would try to get back to sleep, which is not a good idea, I learnt. I used to wake up early before, but changes made me hit the sack late but my internal clock still faithfully wakes me up early. I think it is God's way of telling me that He wants to commune with me on those wee hours of the morning. And so I pray to God that I won't be lazy to get up in the morning to worship Him and read His words.
Search your Bible and you'll see a lot of early birds who offer sacrifices, pray, go to the temple, read God's word, or to simply thrust a fleece together and even a virtuous woman.
Examples of "early birds" in the Bible.
Abraham “arose early in the morning” to check on the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:27-28).
Abraham “rose early in the morning” to send Hagar on her journey, having received instructions from God to do so (Genesis 21:14).
Abraham “rose early in the morning” to fulfill God’s command to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:3).
Jacob “rose early in the morning” to set up a pillar at Bethel (Genesis 28:18).
Moses “arose early in the morning” to build an altar to sacrifice to God after he wrote the law of the Lord (Exodus 24:4).
Moses “rose up early in the morning” to climb Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments from God (Exodus 34:4).
Joshua “rose early in the morning” to lead Israel across the Jordan River (Joshua 3:1).
Joshua “rose early in the morning” to lead Israel around the city of Jericho (Joshua 6:12).
Joshua and Israel “rose early at the dawning of the day”to march around Jericho on the last day before God brought victory (Joshua 6:15).
Joshua “arose early in the morning” to deal with the unfaithfulness of Achan (Joshua 7:16).
Joshua “rose early in the morning” to conquer the town of Ai (Joshua 8:10).
Elkanah and Hannah arise early in the morning” to worship and travel home from Jerusalem (1 Samuel 1:19).
David “arise early in the morning” to travel to the Israelite battle where he killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17:20).
King Hezekiah “arose early” to go to the house of God to offer sacrifices after the finding of the Law of God (2 Chronicles 29:20).
Ezra the priest read from the book of the law to the people “from early morning until midday” (Nehemiah 8:3).
The Lord Jesus Christ arose “in the early morning, while it was still dark,” and left the house to pray in a secluded place (Mark 1:35).
Jesus rose and went to the temple “early in the morning”to teach the people (John 8:2).
The women followers of Jesus, “at early dawn,” went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus (Luke 24:1; cf. v. 22; John 20:1).
The Bible also teaches us the bad side of waking up late or sleeping too much.
The “sluggard” (lazy and slothful person) turns in his bed (Proverbs 26:13).
The lazy man loves sleep too much (Proverbs 19:15).
The one who sleeps too much will suffer harm (Proverbs 20:13).
The one who sleeps too much may become poor (Proverbs 24:33-34).
The one who sleeps too much may become a chronic sluggard (Proverbs 6:9-11).
The one who sleeps at the wrong time acts shamefully (Proverbs 10:5).
I remember my Papa's advice when I was still studying. He said that to be able to concentrate more and understand my lessons, I should sleep early and wake up early. Now I understand why.
The quietness of the dawn refreshes our body, mind, and soul, enabling us to use our faculties to its maximum capacities. It seems God is in the habit of giving the supply of His sufficient grace early in the morning. Sufficeint grace for us to face the burden of the day.
"Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations." Psalm 57:8,9
“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise” (Benjamin Franklin, 1706-1790).
Inspired by: True Discipleship
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