Good morning,
. . . because of the Lord ’s command. 2 Kings 24:3
One of the greatest joys of my life has been the privilege of being able to read the Bible in my own heart language over and over again through the years of knowing Jesus. It has been deeply satisfying to read, study and share with others the reality of what God thinks, and what he has planned for his world and for those who choose to love and obey him. It is exciting to follow the course of history as the Lord has led his faithful followers through the rebellious stages of history. It’s awesome to read how he has done what was right in keeping his promises to those who loved him and to those who turned against him. It has been exciting to be able to share the truth of the risen Savior and the love that God has for all of us who are born in sin and who will trust and obey his eternal truth. It is also very sobering to read what God has planned for those who choose to defy his commands and live their own way in the face of the Eternal God’s will and plan.
Last week I just finished reading through the final chapters of 2 Kings and the pain filled end of Israel and Judah as a nation. The nation that began with such promise and power found itself overrun with sin and rebellion until the Lord said that he had had enough. The Lord had sent his priests and kings to lead them, his prophets to warn them and disaster after disaster to show them that he was a holy God as well as a loving God. The writer tells us, These disasters happened to Judah because of the Lord’s command. The sins of the people who claimed his name had become so great that God would not forgive them anymore. Their sins were not only their love for their idols and following other gods, they were trained to obey these false gods and kill innocent children and the children of God. The Lord charged them with filling Jerusalem with innocent blood. The Lord would not forgive this. There is nothing more awesome than these words from the Judge of all the earth.
Reading those words in the context of what is happening in America has made this July the saddest month in my life so far. This county that began with such promise and built its laws and standards on the guidelines of the Bible has officially turned it’s back on what used to be the land of the free. Since 1963 people in this country have “legally” killed 57 million babies, and now people in that “business” are now selling body parts from these innocents to make more money. This month our legal system has officially declared us free from the Bible standards and even God’s plan for the family and marriage have been abandoned for something that God has declared as sinful and rebellious. May the Lord grant those of us, His children, his peace as we see what it means for our country to fall into the hands of an angry God.
2 Kings 24:3 These disasters happened to Judah because of the Lord ’s command. He had decided to banish Judah from his presence because of the many sins of Manasseh, 4 who had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood. The Lord would not forgive this.
Roy Wisner
