Monday, September 7, 2015

The Destroyer Strikes

Monday   9-7-15 (Home in Modesto)

Scripture reading:  2 Kings 25  2 Chron 36   Jer 40-41   Rev 12

S=Scripture O=Observation A=Application P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.


S.  2 Chron 36:19-21  Then his army set fire to the Temple of God, broke down the walls of Jerusalem, burned all the palaces, and completely destroyed everything of value.  The few who survived were taken away to Babylon, and they became servants to the king and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power.  So the message of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate for seventy years, just as the prophet had said.  NLT


O.  King Nebuchadnezzar’s cruel Babylonian army chased and mercilessly murdered almost everyone in sight in Jerusalem... men young and old, the sickly and the healthy, women and little children... and then destroyed and burned down the entire city.  One can only imagine the horror of it all. 


The Lord God in His great mercy, had pled with the residents of the city for decades through the prophet Jeremiah, but instead of repenting, they had mocked him and imprisoned him to silence his voice from their streets.  


A.  I wonder what was in the heart of these destroyers that made them want to kill people that were no threat to them and burn down what was left of the beautiful temple of Solomon that had already been stripped of its gold, silver and bronze.  Why did they not stop until they had burned down all the palaces and private homes and worked hard to destroy the city walls entirely?   The army was obeying the orders of their commander, Nebuzaradan, but why?  Why destroy every semblance of civilization? 


P.  Dear Father in heaven, today you are looking down at the earth You created and hearing political leaders curse Your name and drag Your Gospel of love and compassion in the streets.  Today in the USA Kim Davis is behind bars for holding firmly to Your teaching on marriage.  Given the opportunity... men, driven by the evil destroyer, Satan, display today the same brutality of those of thousands of years ago.  When will You intervene?  Did I hear You say You are giving us now ample time for repentance?  Yes, Lord, but I plead for Your intervention soon.  If not, it seems we may self-destruct, leaving only ashes where once fourished people, animals, trees and flowers, the work of Your artistic hands.  We are now capable of destroying it all, leaving only burned out ruins, like Jerusalem of old.  God help us!  Rev. 22:20 “Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”



Ralph  

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