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Where is our Hope and Joy? It is in Jesus Christ Our Lord.

September 28, 2022 Effie Barba Leave a comment

In a world surrounded by pain, sorrow, confusion, chaos, and evil where is our hope and joy? It is in Jesus Christ Our Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit! We can trust and rest in “thus saith the Lord Your God’. This was the message of all the prophets as they pleaded with the people of God. Everything will be to His Glory, and He will accomplish all that He has planned. Amos was speaking to the nation of Israel, but his prophecies in the last chapter was directed to our future as well. So let us look at Amos and realize the hope and joy we are promised as well. For Amos did speak of the promises to all people. But let us first also review chapters 7 and 8. That along with a verse from Daniel will help us to understand what we are currently facing.

Why We Grieve and Pray: Amos 7

Vision of the Locusts

7 Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, He formed locust swarms at the ^[^a^]beginning of the late crop; indeed it was the late crop after the king’s mowings. ²And so it was, when they had finished eating the grass of the land, that I said:

“O Lord God, forgive, I pray!
Oh,^[^b^] that Jacob may stand,
For he is small!”
³So the Lord relented concerning this.
“It shall not be,” said the Lord.

Vision of the Fire

⁴Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, the Lord God called ^[^c^]for conflict by fire, and it consumed the great deep and devoured the ^[^d^]territory. ⁵Then I said:

“O Lord God, cease, I pray!
Oh, that Jacob may stand,
For he is small!”
⁶So the Lord relented concerning this.
“This also shall not be,” said the Lord God.

Note that both visions were of intense suffering that would come to all the people. When Amos prayed, we are told that the Lord relented. Does that altar His Sovereignty? No! It does demonstrate His desire for us to care about the suffering of all those around us and His desire for us to intervene with prayer. We are called to pray for our nation and grieve for their lack of worship. This is like when Abraham prayed for Sodom and Gomorrah, or Moses intervened for the people. Our prayers are powerful; but as we shall see this does not change God’s overarching plan.

God Explains Himself

Vision of the Plumb Line

⁷Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. ⁸And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?”

And I said, “A plumb line.”

Then the Lord said:

“Behold, I am setting a plumb line
In the midst of My people Israel;
I will not pass by them anymore.
⁹The ^[^e^]high places of Isaac shall be desolate,
And the ^[^f^]sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste.
I will rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam.”

Amos 7:7-9 (NKJV)

In this vision, God explains that the people are so far from meeting the standard of righteousness. The plumb line was to measure the straightness of a wall, but they were far from being straight in their lives. They strayed so far from true worship of God, there was no way to hold tight. God was the one who gave them these moments of prosperity and yet, they did not listen. He had sent messengers and these messengers were ignored.

And then, the priests of the area tell Amos to leave and be silenced.

Before Hope and Joy Can Reign- Cleansing must come

8 Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, a basket of summer fruit. ²And He said, “Amos, what do you see?”

So I said, “A basket of summer fruit.”

Then the Lord said to me:

“The end has come upon My people Israel;
I will not pass by them anymore.
³And the songs of the temple
Shall be wailing in that day,”
Says the Lord God—
“Many dead bodies everywhere,
They shall be thrown out in silence.”

Hear this, you who ^[^a^]swallow up the needy,
And make the poor of the land fail, Amos 8:1-4

With great patience, God had cried out to His people, but to no avail. They believed He owed them everything because of who they are. Is that not what we see surrounding us every day? Or consider this! Is that not what we think as well? We question God with every trial that comes, never considering how much He has given and how little we have thought of Him.

So, God declares it is over for the northern tribe of Israel. He will destroy them that He might save the remnant and send Jesus through them

Where Grief Turns to Hope and Joy

Daniel Prayed to intercede for His people. He knew it was time they should be returning to Jerusalem after the long exile.

²⁰While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill— ²¹while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. ²²He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. ²³As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision: ²⁴“Seventy ‘sevens’^[^c^] are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish^[^d^] transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.^[^e^] ²⁵“Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One,^[^f^] the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. ²⁶After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing.^[^g^] The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. ²⁷He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’^[^h^] In the middle of the ‘seven’^[i] he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple^[^j^] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him Daniel 9 (NIV)

Where We Stand Today–Our Reason for Hope and Joy

We are the gap that lies between the 69 weeks and the 70^th week. At the exact end of 69 weeks, Jesus entered Jerusalem to die. He ushered us into the current age of the church. The final week is set up for the final cleansing of the Jewish nation. After the first horseman of the apocalypse present themselves, 144,000 Jews accept Jesus Christ as Savior. These messianic Jews are sealed to be witnesses (missionaries) to both Jew and Gentiles during the tribulation. So, at the end of this comes the events of Amos 9, as Jesus comes to cleanse the earth of all the evil. No one will be able to Hide from His righteous judgement.

AMOS 9: Judgment Comes

9 I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and He said:

“Strike the ^[^a^]doorposts, that the thresholds may shake,
And break them on the heads of them all.
I will slay the last of them with the sword.
He who flees from them shall not get away,
And he who escapes from them shall not be delivered.

²“Though they dig into ^[^b^]hell,
From there My hand shall take them;
Though they climb up to heaven,
From there I will bring them down;
³And though they hide themselves on top of Carmel,
From there I will search and take them;
Though they hide from My sight at the bottom of the sea,
From there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them;
⁴Though they go into captivity before their enemies,
From there I will command the sword,
And it shall slay them.
I will set My eyes on them for harm and not for good.”

⁵The Lord God of hosts,
He who touches the earth and it melts,
And all who dwell there mourn;
All of it shall swell like ^[^c^]the River,
And subside like the River of Egypt.
⁶He who builds His layers^[^d^] in the sky,
And has founded His strata in the earth;
Who calls for the waters of the sea,
And pours them out on the face of the earth—
The Lord is His name. Amos 9 (NKJV)

This is the fulfillment of the 70th week

⁸“Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are on the sinful kingdom,
And I will destroy it from the face of the earth;
Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,”
Says the Lord.

⁹“For surely I will command,
And will ^[^g^]sift the house of Israel among all nations,
As grain is sifted in a sieve;
Yet not the smallest ^[^h^]grain shall fall to the ground.
¹⁰All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword,
Who say, ‘The calamity shall not overtake nor confront us.’

Hope and Joy Reign

Then begins the millennial reign of Christ where all has been established. God promised Abraham that he would

¹¹“On that day I will raise up
The ^[i]tabernacle of David, which has fallen down,
And ^[^j^]repair its damages;
I will raise up its ruins,
And rebuild it as in the days of old;
¹²That they may possess the remnant of Edom,^[^k^]
And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,”
Says the Lord who does this thing.

¹³“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
And the treader of grapes him who sows seed;
The mountains shall drip with sweet wine,
And all the hills shall flow with it.
¹⁴I will bring back the captives of My people Israel;
They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; Plant vineyards and drink wine from them;
They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.
¹⁵I will plant them in their land,
And no longer shall they be pulled up
From the land I have given them,”
Says the Lord your God.

In this God fulfills His promise of Hope and Joy to Abraham

12 Now the Lord had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
²I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
³I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12 (NKJV)

Therefore, where is our hope and joy? God has accomplished each part of the promise and we are a part of this. This is just a moment in time. We are like Daniel, an exile in a world that is not our home. So, let us live as Children of the High God full of hope and joy through the power of the Holy Spirit.

For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed ⁹and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy….“The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in Him the Gentiles will hope.”¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15: 8,12-13 (NIV)

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

The Lord Roars! Let Righteousness Pour Down Like a Mighty River. Then?

DISCLOSURES

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Credits

New King James Version (NKJV)

New English Translation (NET)

English Standard Version (ESV)

New International Version (NIV)

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

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The Lord Roars! Let Righteousness Pour Down Like a Mighty River. Then?

September 18, 2022 Effie Barba Leave a comment

Amos was a shepherd from Tekoa a city about 10 miles south of Jerusalem, 6 miles southeast of Bethlehem. The valleys between covered with olive trees and pastures. Yet, it was from there that Amos was called to go as a prophet to the Northern Tribes of Israel, despite being from the regions habited by the Southern tribes of Judah. The “Lord roars from Zion and utters His voice from Jerusalem. The pastures of the shepherds mourn. And the top of Mount Carmel withers.” Watch this closely. Shepherds, lowliest of the people mourn, while the elites party on. Mount Carmel shone forth God’s glory through Elijah. Baal prophets proven heretics there; but now this mount will wither away. Truth and Glory cast aside by the people. Their pretense of worship in vain. They did not love or serve God. Therefore, justice and righteousness must pour down like a mighty river.

What else can God do with such a people as these? Despite all the miracles, all the prophets sent, and patience provided by God through mercy after mercy given; the people rejected Him by every action they did. Oh, some spoke the words. But they did not love God, worship God, nor care about His commandments. They made up rules of their own. The elites lived lavish lives, professing God blessed them because they were His chosen. Meanwhile, they were cruel task masters over the poor and needy. There was no chance they would tell any others about God’s saving grace. Their pride consumed them. Worship is something they did on their own terms without any concern as to “Thus sayeth the Lord.” Sounds familiar does it not? After all look at Martha’s Vineyard this week? Or churches who care more about numbers than truth. No compromise too great!

The Lord Roars- Then and Now

So, let us look in Amos 2 and note many of the similarities and just how disgusting this was toward God.

⁶Thus says the Lord:

“For three transgressions of Israel,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they sell the righteous for silver,
and the needy for a pair of sandals—

How quickly have our politicians, our leaders, and even those in our churches cast aside righteousness. So, easily we allowed them to take God out of our schools, our entertainment, our government, our theme parks, and even our stores. Were we not sold out for silver? And the poor entrapped into their poverty, so some could march to power.

⁷those who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth
and turn aside the way of the afflicted. (ESV)

Anyone who looks at the humanitarian crisis at our Southern border see this happening. The poor people, believing themselves to have a chance for a better life come to the border. Promised a dream they are being exploited, raped, sold into slavery to the cartels, and children trafficked as sex slaves. This is not a humane effort in any way shape or form.

A man and his father go to the same girl;
in this way they show disrespect for my moral purity.(NET)

Sexual perversion runs rampant throughout our country as well.

⁸They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral.
(and) do so right beside every altar!
They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied.
(Furthermore) they do so right in the temple of their God! (NET).

Sin ran rampant within the walls of God’s temple. They had no shame whatsoever pretending to be “righteous” with no conscience as to what they are doing.

After All He Did—The Lord Roars

⁹For Israel’s sake I destroyed the Amorites.^[^ai^]
They were as tall as cedars^[aj]
and as strong as oaks,
but I destroyed the fruit on their branches^[ak]
and their roots in the ground.^[^al^]
¹⁰I brought you up from the land of Egypt;
I led you through the wilderness for forty years
so you could take the Amorites’ land as your own. (NET)

Have we not been blessed as a nation? What an amazing constitution we were given by our founding fathers! That took the providential hand of God to have done that. They were not perfect men, but they prayed, and God answered. Think of all the years we have been blessed as a nation through some very rough times and yet through many revivals bringing us back to God.

¹¹And I raised up some of your sons for prophets,
and some of your young men for Nazirites.
Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?”
declares the Lord.

¹²“But you made the Nazirites drink wine,
and commanded the prophets,
saying, ‘You shall not prophesy.’ (NET)

How corrupted have become our churches? Many do not even allow the cross on their steeple nor their pulpits.

And for All This: The Lord Roars

¹³“Behold, I will press you down in your place,
    as a cart full of sheaves presses down.
¹⁴Flight shall perish from the swift,
    and the strong shall not retain his strength,
    nor shall the mighty save his life;
¹⁵he who handles the bow shall not stand,
    and he who is swift of foot shall not save himself,
    nor shall he who rides the horse save his life;
¹⁶and he who is stout of heart among the mighty
    shall flee away naked in that day,”
declares the Lord. (NET)

Judgement will come and it will come swiftly. This is certain.

The Lord God has sworn by his holiness
that, behold, the days are coming upon you,
when they shall take you away with hooks,
even the last of you with fishhooks. Amos 4:2 (ESV)

“I overthrew some of you,
as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
and you were as a brand^[^b^] plucked out of the burning;
yet you did not return to me,”
declares the Lord.

¹²“Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;
because I will do this to you,
prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”

¹³For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind,
    and declares to man what is his thought,
who makes the morning darkness,
    and treads on the heights of the earth—
    the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!

Have you Forgotten ?

Who formed the world and holds it together in the palm of His Hand! He is who you choose to spit in His face. Oh, awaken and remember the Great I AM. He is calling you into His presence. Will you go?

He who made the Pleiades and Orion,
    and turns deep darkness into the morning
    and darkens the day into night,
who calls for the waters of the sea
    and pours them out on the surface of the earth,
the Lord is his name;
⁹who makes destruction flash forth against the strong,
    so that destruction comes upon the fortress. (Amos 5:8-9)

What about your phony, self-righteous worship? The Lord Roars:

“I hate, I despise your feasts,
    and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
²²Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
    I will not look upon them.
²³Take away from me the noise of your songs;
    to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
²⁴But let justice roll down like waters,
    and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:21-24)

On September 12,

a new executive order was signed by President Joe Biden. This is paragraph 3 of that executive order.

“For biotechnology and biomanufacturing to help us achieve our societal goals, the United States needs to invest in foundational scientific capabilities. We need to develop genetic engineering technologies and techniques to be able to write circuitry for cells and predictably program biology in the same way in which we write software and program computers; unlock the power of biological data, including through computing tools and artificial intelligence; and advance the science of scale‑up production while reducing the obstacles for commercialization so that innovative technologies and products can reach markets faster.”[1]

When humans rise up to be gods, we know the Lord Roars! Therefore, whatever may come, Let Righteousness Pour Down Like a Mighty River.

Instead, let us Seek the Lord

Even now, with all that is going on. Let each of us seek good, seek God that the remnant will be saved.

Seek good, and not evil,
    that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
    as you have said.
¹⁵Hate evil, and love good,
    and establish justice in the gate;
it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,
    will be gracious to the remnant

Afterall, near Amos’s home 762 years later, Jesus was born inside the Migdal Eger (the tower of the flock) as prophesized by Micah.

And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.”
Micah 4:8

It was the shepherds first told of His birth. Afterall, they knew exactly where to look—the manger where the sacrificial lambs were born and wrapped in swaddling clothing. The shepherds knew and believed what the priests refused to accept—Jesus Christ came to be the sacrificial lamb for all of us.

The lion of Judah roars, while the lamb dies to pay the penalty for our sins.

What a wondrous King we have.

5 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. ²Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” ³And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

⁴So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open ^[^a^]and read the scroll, or to look at it. ⁵But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and ^[^b^]to loose its seven seals.”

⁶And I looked, ^[^c^]and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

Worthy Is the Lamb

⁸Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
¹⁰And have made ^[^d^]us kings^[^e^] and priests to our God;
And ^[^f^]we shall reign on the earth.”

¹¹Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, ¹²saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

¹³And 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 ^[^g^]ever!” Revelation 5 (NKJV)

Concluding Thoughts:

God weeps as He looks down on humanity. He so desires they would choose Him to be wrapped with Joy and Love. But the Lord Roars for justice. He knows without justice and righteousness, there is no peace. Also, without choice there is no love. He will not force anyone to come to Him. Patiently, He reveals Himself in the heavens and even in the gifts of love we feel in our hearts. As C.S.Lewis once pointed out, there are the fleeting moments of such exquisite joy that we know there must be something else more beautiful than we can imagine.

There most definitely is something more. I, too have felt it, long for its fullness, and would walk through fire for just one touch of His magnificent Grace. How I wish I could tell you fully of His loving kindness. Or tell you of how He has held me in the night while singing a soft gently lullaby over my trembling soul. He is real. I often said this following song by Kim Walker Smith represents the life song of my heart.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

Every Heart Must Prepare to Meet the Lord God Almighty! Why? How?

DISCLOSURES

New King James Version (NKJV)

New English Translation (NET)

English Standard Version (ESV)

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

[1] https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/09/12/executive-order-on-advancing-biotechnology-and-biomanufacturing-innovation-for-a-sustainable-safe-and-secure-american-bioeconomy/

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Every Heart Must Prepare to Meet the Lord God Almighty! Why? How?

September 11, 2022 Effie Barba Leave a comment

Amos, as the Prophet of God, was tasked to tell a nation of its sins during a time of great prosperity. At least the elites lived with great royalty and richness while trampling on the poor and needy. Believing themselves to be wiser and entitled, the elite lived lives of grandeur while forcing the rest to suffer beneath their foolish decisions. This angered God. After all they would themselves have nothing were it not for God’s grace to them. So how was it that they were themselves so selfish and cold. Therefore, God commanded them to prepare to meet the Lord God Almighty and face judgment.

He had sent periods of famine, pestilence, drought, and national disasters to get their attention. Yet, they did not return to worshiping God in truth and sincerity. Hence, God announced through His prophet Amos that judgement must come. Every heart must prepare to meet the Lord God Almighty.

Are we not already there as a nation? The elites do not seek God. As demonstrated by their actions, they do not even know the Lord God Almighty. Indeed, their guilt mirrors that of the nation of Israel in Amos’ day. In Chapter 4 of Amos, he refers to the elites as fat cows which oppress the poor and crush the needy. Demanding their luxuries, believing themselves worthy of adoration; they failed to see anything apart from fulfilling their own desires. Somehow, they felt they deserved everything. Thereby having the right to command adoration of all the people. But God did not see them as such. He, in perfect righteousness, came to judge them and proclaim their forthcoming demise.

Prepare to Meet the Lord God Almighty- A Just and Righteous King

“Hear this word, you cows of Bashan,
    who are on the mountain of Samaria,
(They) who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,
    who say to your husbands, ‘Bring, that we may drink!’
²The Lord God has sworn by his holiness
    that, behold, the days are coming upon you,
when they shall take you away with hooks,
    even the last of you with fishhooks.
³And you shall go out through the breaches,
    each one straight ahead;
    and you shall be cast out into Harmon,”
declares the Lord.

The Assyrians were known for their cruelty. When they captured a people, they would strip them. Then they would string them naked together with fishhooks placed through their lower lips to march hundreds of miles to another land chained to each other.

Yet, none of this could happen had God not ordained it to be so. As we saw earlier in Amos 3 (NET):

⁶If a ^[^c^]trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid?
If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?⁷Surely the Lord God does nothing,
Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
⁸A lion has roared!
Who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken!
Who can but prophesy?

All that we see happening today around us is providential. None of it can happen unless God in His Sovereign will ordain it. He, who resides outside of our time, space continuum, knows all things and works it all to His Sovereign Will. Only God knows how all the threads fit perfectly together to complete the tapestry of each of our lives.

The Sovereign Will of God

As to nations. God is still in control of all things. All that He has spoken in times past through His prophets will come to pass, just as it did in the olden days. So shall it happen just as He has said. For that reason, we know that there will be famines, pestilence, droughts, wars, and rumors of wars occurring with increasing frequency and intensity until His Glorious Return. Governments will rise and fall; yet every leader, President, and King are placed by God to accomplish His purpose ultimately. There are no mistakes.

The Assyrians could not have conquered Israel except God ordained it. He did so with the ultimate plan to cleanse the nation of Israel and to sustain a people from whom Christ would be born. Could God have done it another way? If so, why would He have allowed His Son to bear the wrath for our sin? Instead, He allows all this so that He might hold fast to His Justice, His Righteousness, and provide a way for Mercy, Love and Grace to be displayed to all who will come.

The Great Mystery

I do not pretend to understand in my limited world with time and space restraints how both Free Will, and God’s Complete Sovereignty are both true at the same time. But they are and for now I accept this truth by faith. The same as I do not pretend to know how my momentary prayer is heard and answered by a God who already saw the future before I spoke it. However, both His omniscience and God’s grace in answering prayer are true and vibrant at the same time. One day I will understand it all. But in the meantime, we must realize that one day we will meet the Lord God Almighty and on that day we will fully understand.

Then I Will See Him Face to Face

One day I will meet the Lord God Almighty, face to face. I daresay when I see the depths of evil my own heart is capable of, I will be overwhelmed by the degree of Grace I was given.

No longer will I see others in the same light. Instead, I will see them through the eyes of God who patiently continued to attempt to draw them to Himself by whatever means necessary. He desires for all to be saved; however, He will not force any to love Him. For then that would not be love. Nor can I choose Him unless He drew me to Him, for a dead spirit could not come alive if He had not drawn.

To One Day Meet the Lord God Almighty—With Hearts Wide Open

Not only did God criticize the elite for their cruelty to the poor and oppressed, but also for their phony worship.

⁴“Come to Bethel, and transgress;
    to Gilgal, and multiply transgression;
bring your sacrifices every morning,
    your tithes every three days;
⁵offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened,
    and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them;
    for so you love to do, O people of Israel!”
declares the Lord God. Amos 4: (ESV)

They went through the motions of pretending to worship and perform the rituals. But their hearts were wicked through and through. They carried out the acts of worship; but not as God had ordained them to. How often is that true today in our society and churches?

The Patience of God (Amos 4: NET)

Famine

⁶“But surely I gave^[^u^] you no food to eat in all your cities;

you lacked food everywhere you lived.^[^v^]
Still you did not come back to me.”
The Lord is speaking
⁷“I withheld rain from you three months before the harvest.^[^w^]

Draught and Flooding

I gave rain to one city, but not to another.
One field^[^x^] would get rain, but the field that received no rain dried up.
⁸People from^[^y^] two or three cities staggered into one city to get^[^z^] water,
but remained thirsty.^[^aa^]
Still you did not come back to me.”
The Lord is speaking

Pestilence and Disease

⁹“I destroyed your crops^[^ab^] with blight and disease.

Locusts kept^[^ac^] devouring your orchards,^[^ad^] vineyards, fig trees, and olive trees.
Still you did not come back to me.”
The Lord is speaking
¹⁰“I sent against you a plague like one of the Egyptian plagues.^[^ae^]

Wars and Death

I killed your young men with the sword,
along with the horses you had captured.
I made the stench from the corpses^[^af^] rise up into your nostrils.
Still you did not come back to me.”
The Lord is speaking
¹¹“I overthrew some of you the way God^[^ag^] overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.^[^ah^]

You were like a burning stick^[^ai^] snatched from the flames.
Still you did not come back to me.”
The Lord is speaking

He speaks in prosperity, beauty, and love. However, He also speaks in famine, draught, rain, wars, pestilence, diseases, sorrows, and fire; yet, we as stiff necked people do not return to Him. He knows that the only thing that will satisfy our hearts is a relationship with Him, so He tries every means possible to turn our eyes toward Him. Yet, still we do not return to worship Him as we should.

God Speaks to Israel, but the same is true for each of us.

“Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel.

Because I will do this to you,
prepare to meet your God, Israel!”^[^aj^]
¹³For here he is!

He^[^ak^] formed the mountains and created the wind.
(God) reveals^[^al^] His plans^[^am^] to men.
He turns the dawn into darkness^[^an^]
and marches on the heights of the earth.
The Lord God of Heaven’s Armies^[^ao^] is His name! Amos 4 (NET)

How Do We Prepare to Meet the Lord God Almighty?

We will all meet Him one day, face to face. One day every knee shall bow and proclaim Him as Lord.

God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2 (ESV)

So, if now we understand why this is so important. Should we not also consider how? After all something so important as to determine our eternity should be considered.

First, Do You Know Him as Lord and Savior?

Knowing that we will meet Him face to face, one must consider their own destiny? What have you done with Jesus, today? Have you rejected Him as Savior? Or have you chosen to Mirror Him with Your life? He who deserves all our honor, worship, and praise, do you know Him?

To be prepared to meet the Lord God Almighty, one must first Know Him as Lord and Savior. There is no other way of Salvation apart from accepting Jesus Christ as God’s only Son. He was crucified to pay the price for our sins and raised again to newness of life by the Power of God the Father through the Workings of the Holy Spirit. That is the power of salvation. Therefore, salvation is by faith in the Risen Lord Jesus who paid the price for our sins. We may then come to Him, truly repentant of our sins to ask for salvation.

if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10: 9-10 (ESV).

Study His Word

I rise before the dawning of the morning,
And cry for help;
I hope in Your word.
¹⁴⁸My eyes are awake through the night watches,
That I may meditate on Your word.
¹⁴⁹Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;
O Lord, revive me according to Your justice. Psalm 119:147-149 (NKJV)

When I truly recognize that only God is my hope, my joy, in life or death—then I cannot wait to spend time with Him. The lures of TV or social media become less as I seek Him more. Knowing Him satisfies my thirsty soul as nothing else can do.

Prayer-Praise, repentance, and then petition.

Prayer becomes a means of worship. First, we praise His name

Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!
Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
²For the Lord Most High is awesome;
He is a great King over all the earth.
³He will subdue the peoples under us,
And the nations under our feet.
⁴He will choose our inheritance for us,
The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah

⁵God has gone up with a shout,
The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
⁶Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
⁷For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises with understanding.

⁸God reigns over the nations;
God sits on His holy throne.

Psalm 47: (NKJV)

Second, repentance

these things we write to you that ^[^a^]your joy may be full.

⁵This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. ⁶If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

⁸If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. I John 1: 4-10 (NKJV)

Third is petition,

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 6-7 (ESV).

Or as better laid out by one of my students: Prayer can best be remembered by the Acronym ACTS

Adoration

Confession

Thanksgiving

Supplication

Concluding thoughts:

If we seek Him morning and night, we will see our hearts transformed. Therein we will find peace, joy everlasting, humility, hope, and learn to love as He loves. Why? Because the more time we spend with Him, the more we recognize the power of the Holy Spirit that indwells us.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ^23 [^b^]gentleness, self-control. Galatians 6

If I use this, much like a thermometer, to gauge my spiritual state at any time, I will know also when I need to spend more time with Him.

And sometimes, I find that song is how I find Him again. Song lifts high to the throne of God. For He always is surrounded by song. To Him, my song is sweet, even if only to Him.

LORD HAVE MERCY BY MATT BOSWELL AND MATT PAPA[2]

Vs 1
For what we have done and left undone
We fall on Your countless mercies
For sins that are known and those unknown
We call on Your name so holy
For envy and pride, for closing our eyes
For scorning our very neighbor
In thought word and deed we’ve failed You our King
How deeply we need a Savior

Chorus
Lord have mercy Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy on us (repeat)

Vs 2
For what You have done Your life of love
You perfectly lived we praise You
Though tempted and tried You fixed Your eyes
You finished the work God gave You
And there on the tree A King among thieves
You bled for a world’s betrayal
You loved to the end Our merciful friend
How pure and forever faithful

Bridge
For hearts that are cold for seizing control
For scorning our very Maker
In thought word and deed we’ve failed You our King
How deeply we need a Savior

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

4 Messengers Declaring Justice, Righteousness, and Enduring Love to A Broken Nation

DISCLOSURES

New King James Version (NKJV)

New English Translation (NET)

English Standard Version (ESV)

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

[1] Spurgeon, Charles Haddon “The New Park Street Pulpit” Volumes 1-6 and “The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit” Volumes 7-63 (Pasadena, Texas: Pilgrim Publications, 1990)

[2] https://store.gettymusic.com/us/song/lord-mercy-done/

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4 Messengers Declaring Justice, Righteousness, and Enduring Love to A Broken Nation

September 2, 2022 Effie Barba Leave a comment

Last week we finished I and II Kings. We watched the nation of Israel go from a flourishing powerful nation who worshipped God into divided kingdoms chasing after sinful, pagan religiosity. Once divided, each became prey to the evil ideologies from nations previously conquered. Instead of being the beacon of light to the world they were called to be, they became darkness themselves. Only a few worshipped Yahweh (the great I AM) as Adonai (Lord and Master). They turned their backs on the One True God. Instead, they chased after gods of their own making. Believing themselves to be wise they became fools. Yet, even when it appeared all was lost. God sent 4 messengers declaring Justice, Righteousness, and enduring love to a divided and broken nation.

Over the next few months, we will study four prophets present during the final years before Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians. Amos, Jonah, and Hosea were prophets to Israel. Meanwhile, Micah prophesied to both Judah (the 2 southern tribes) and Israel (the 10 Northern tribes).

Amos, the burden bearer, was a shepherd. He proclaimed the righteousness and justice of God to a proud, self-righteous people. Jonah dealt with a national pride built upon the false premise God only protected and saved His people because of their heritage, never considering their obedience or lack thereof. Hosea presented a picture of God’s enduring love and desire to mend the brokenness brought on by sin. An unconditional love mourning for the sinner who chooses and is broken by worldly pleasures. Micah clearly presents the horror of sin, the necessary judgement, as well as the gracious hope brought by God’s enduring love.

As we study these prophets, let us pray our hearts see God’s message to us in our nation and our world today.

Warnings In the Midst of Prosperity

There were times that God prospered the nation of Israel. Would they not worship and praise Him for all He did for them? But alas, they like we often are, forgetting the Giver of the Gifts and worship the gifts themselves. Is that not true of this our great nation as well? So, are these warnings for our nation also? Where are we to turn for our guidance and hope as we face a nation so divided? We feel the despair of a nation divided, worsened by the speech presented on 9/1/2022. That speech condemned all those who stand for conservative ideologies and faith, demanding that we accept all the brokenness of sin in silence. So, what are we to do?

Certainly, we are not to fight the battle with anger, bitterness, or hatred. Instead, we are called to arm ourselves with the truth of the Bible, our only Sword being His Word. Our battle position is on our knees in humility and faith. Much like Amos, Hosea, and Micah, we are to teach regardless of the response. We do so by trusting God with all our heart, soul, and strength, knowing He will accomplish all He has planned. Much as He called Jonah to speak, we are to obey even when we do not understand. Declaring justice, righteousness, and enduring love to a broken nation is our calling today.

We may do so with great grief and sorrow. Perhaps we will face imprisonment or loss in the process. Yet we must remember He has already won the victory. That is what gives us the strength to face whatever may come.

Declaring Justice, Righteousness, and Enduring Love to A Broken Nation

Amos was a shepherd called to leave the quiet abode beneath the stars to preach to a nation who did not want to hear anything. He had to leave the sheep he loved and cared for to go forth to a stubborn people. So blinded by their pride they did not realize their need and refused to listen.

Amos begins with telling the people of God’s judgement against six of the surrounding nations for their transgressions. At that point, perhaps the people were cheering. After all they deserved God’s wrath. Look at them! Sinners the whole bunch. Yet, that is not where God stopped. He began to point out that He would also judge both Judah and Israel for their sins as well. After all, was not their guilt even worse? He had walked with them, protected them, and given them all His statutes. The blessings and prosperity were gifts of love. His patience and enduring love reached forth with such depth of care that His heart broke with their disobedience and disregard of Him. He wanted what was best. Knowing His Love, Justice and Righteousness are the only hope of true joy and peace, He wanted them to have it all.

Therefore, because He gave them so much, their guilt was even greater. Instead of being a beacon of light to the world they chose darkness.

A message of justice, righteousness, and enduring love from God

⁶If an alarm sounds^[^f^] in a city, do people not fear?^[^g^]
If disaster overtakes a^[^h^] city, is the Lord not responsible?^[ⁱ^]
⁷Certainly the Sovereign Lord does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
⁸A lion has roared!^[^j^] Who is not afraid?
The Sovereign Lord has spoken. Who can refuse to prophesy? Amos 3: (NET)

Is not God calling forth His warning today as well? Do our hearts not cry forth desiring justice? Ah, but we can trust in Him! The prophets have told us this is what will come and be not afraid.

¹⁰Don’t be afraid, for I am with you!
Don’t be frightened, for I am your God!^[^b^]
I strengthen you—
yes, I help you—
yes, I uphold you with my victorious right hand!^[^c^]
¹¹Look, all who were angry at you will be ashamed and humiliated;
your adversaries^[^d^] will be reduced to nothing^[^e^] and perish. Isaiah 41 (NET)

Therefore, Stand Firm and Trust the Justice, Righteousness and Enduring Love of God

He brings an end to wars throughout the earth.^[^a^]
He shatters^[^b^] the bow and breaks^[^c^] the spear;
he burns^[^d^] the shields with fire.^[^e^]
¹⁰He says,^[^f^] “Stop your striving and recognize^[^g^] that I am God.
I will be exalted^[^h^] over^[ⁱ^] the nations! I will be exalted over^[^j^] the earth!”
¹¹The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is on our side!^[^k^]
The God of Jacob^[^l^] is our stronghold!^[^m^] (Selah) Psalm 46 (NET)

Therefore, we are to present our hearts as a living sacrifice to God to be used as He desires. Put on the whole Armor of God

Ephesians 6 (NET)

¹⁰Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. ¹¹Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand against the schemes^[^u^] of the devil. ¹²For our struggle^[^v^] is not against flesh and blood,^[^w^] but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness,^[^x^] against the spiritual forces^[^y^] of evil in the heavens.^[^z^] ¹³For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground^[^aa^] on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand.

¹⁴Stand firm therefore, by fastening^[^ab^] the belt of truth around your waist,^[^ac^] by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵by fitting your^[^ad^] feet with the preparation that comes from the good news^[^ae^] of peace,^[^af^] ¹⁶and in all of this,^[^ag^] by taking up the shield^[^ah^] of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation^[^ai^] and the sword^[^aj^] of the Spirit (which is the word of God). ¹⁸With every prayer and petition, pray^[^ak^] at all times in the Spirit, and to this end^[^al^] be alert, with all perseverance and petitions for all the saints. ¹⁹Pray^[^am^] for me also, that I may be given the right words when I begin to speak^[^an^]—that I may confidently make known^[^ao^] the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may be able to speak boldly as I ought to speak.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

How Sad! We watch as People forsake the One True God

DISCLOSURES

New King James Version (NKJV)

New English Translation (NET)

English Standard Version (ESV)

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

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How Sad! We watch as People forsake the One True God

August 27, 2022 Effie Barba Leave a comment

The book of Kings began with the building of the temple and ends with its destruction. How sad! A nation broken and destroyed to near extinction as we watch a people forsake the One True God. A journey from true worship to the necessary destruction of apostasy. Throughout the journey, God remained patient, merciful, holding fast to the covenant promises. In every stage there were the few, the remnant who trusted in Him. Those who sought after Him with all their heart. No, these were not perfect. For the best of men, were men at best. The same is true of women. Sin lures the hearts of humanity to believe the lies. Somehow believing that whatever the heart desires will bring peace. Yet, throughout all of history we find, human desires only lead to more destruction. As we can see today. Now. In the world we live in.

Each day, a part of me cries out much like Jeremiah the prophet concerning Judah during the last days before their captivity. I look around and I weep. Yet this I do know! God is in control. He is Sovereign! Does He weep also? Yes, but He also rejoices for those who know Him. His creation-People forsake Him the One True God in search for their own Utopia that cannot exist without Him. He knows the futility. Yet, He waits for one more to be saved. One day, He will say, “Today sound the trumpets, call home the bride for final preparation of their wedding.” That will begin the end times. Many more will be saved during the tribulation, but they will be the martyrs. The bride will have left and will return with Him for the Millennial reign of Christ. How sad for all those who forsake the one true God.

How Sad

We left off last week with Hezekiah establishing worship once more in Judah. When he died his son Manasseh became king.

Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother^[^a^] was Hephzibah. ²He did evil in the sight of^[^b^] the Lord and committed the same horrible sins practiced by the nations^[^c^] whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites. ³He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he set up altars for Baal and made an Asherah pole just as King Ahab of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the stars in the sky^[^d^] and worshiped^[^e^] them. ⁴He built altars in the Lord’s temple, about which the Lord had said, “Jerusalem will be my home.”^[^f^] ⁵In the two courtyards of the Lord’s temple he built altars for all the stars in the sky. ⁶He passed his son^[^g^] through the fire^[^h^] and practiced divination and omen reading. He set up a ritual pit to conjure up underworld spirits and appointed magicians to supervise it.^[i] He did a great amount of evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.^[^j^]

⁷He put an idol of Asherah he had made in the temple, about which the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, “This temple in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will be my permanent home.^[^k^] ⁸I will not make Israel again leave the land I gave to their ancestors,^[^l^] provided that they carefully obey all I commanded them, the whole law my servant Moses ordered them to obey.” ⁹But they did not obey,^[^m^] and Manasseh misled them so that they sinned more than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed from before the Israelites. 2 Kings 21 ESV

People forsake the One True God

Society tends to follow its leaders rather than to stand up themselves. Why? Some for fear. Others just march along like blind sheep heading straight to slaughter.

¹⁰So the Lord announced through^[ⁿ^] his servants the prophets: ¹¹“King Manasseh of Judah has committed horrible sins.^[^o^] He has sinned more than the Amorites before him and has encouraged Judah to sin by worshiping his disgusting idols.^[^p^] ¹²So this is what the Lord God of Israel has said, ‘I am about to bring disaster on Jerusalem and Judah. The news will reverberate in the ears of those who hear about it.^[^q^] ¹³I will destroy Jerusalem the same way I did Samaria and the dynasty of Ahab.^[^r^] I will wipe Jerusalem clean, just as one wipes a plate on both sides.^[^s^] ¹⁴I will abandon this last remaining tribe among my people^[^t^] and hand them over to their enemies; they will be plundered and robbed by all their enemies,^[^u^] ¹⁵because they have done evil in my sight^[^v^] and have angered me from the time their ancestors left Egypt right up to this very day!’”

¹⁶Furthermore Manasseh killed so many innocent people, he stained Jerusalem with their blood from end to end,^[^w^] in addition to encouraging Judah to sin by doing evil in the sight of the Lord.^[^x^]2 Kings 21 ESV

Were It Not For the Mercy of the One True God

That should have been it. Done. Why keep extending mercy to such stubborn and stiffnecked people who continuously turn away from the one true God to chase after pleasures and idol worship. Had they not seen? Did they not hear? Ah but God even extended mercy to King Manasseh.

¹⁰And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not ^[^d^]listen. ¹¹Therefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with ^[^e^]hooks, bound him with ^[^f^]bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon. ¹²Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, ¹³and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.

¹⁴After this he built a wall outside the City of David on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate; and it enclosed Ophel, and he raised it to a very great height. Then he put military captains in all the fortified cities of Judah. ¹⁵He took away the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem; and he cast them out of the city. ¹⁶He also repaired the altar of the Lord, sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. ¹⁷Nevertheless the people still sacrificed on the ^[^g^]high places, but only to the Lord their God. 2 Chronicles 33 ESV

Heading Toward Destruction, How Sad, But God

Despite his humbling himself and returning to God, his son Amon had not learned from his father. He did evil in the sight of God. So much so, that his own servants rose up and killed him. The people continuing to forsake the one true God, then killed the servants. So, Josiah, Manasseh’s other son became King at the age of 8.

He did what the Lord approved^[^a^] and followed in his ancestor David’s footsteps;^[^b^] he did not deviate to the right or the left.

³In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his ancestor^[^c^] David. In his twelfth year he began ridding^[^d^] Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, Asherah poles, idols, and images. ⁴He ordered the altars of the Baals to be torn down,^[^e^] and broke the incense altars that were above them. He smashed the Asherah poles, idols, and images, crushed them, and sprinkled the dust over the tombs of those who had sacrificed to them. ⁵He burned the bones of the pagan priests^[^f^] on their altars; he purified Judah and Jerusalem. ⁶In the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins^[^g^] around them, ⁷he tore down the altars and Asherah poles, demolished the idols, and smashed all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 3 ESV

The King’s heart broke.

How Sad he was watching the people forsake the one true God. As he did all this, he began the restoration of the temple where the law was found. When the law was read to him, he felt the weight of sorrow upon him. He knew all that he had done was not enough. When he recognized the truth of God’s righteousness, justice, and magnificent glory, he recognized his own unworthiness. The more I know of Him, the less I think of me as well. I see the depth of darkness lurking in the edges of my heart and am humbled at how He could love me so.

¹¹When the king heard the words of the law scroll, he tore his clothes. ¹²The king ordered Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant…¹³“Go, seek an oracle from^[^l^] the Lord for me and the people—for all Judah. Find out about the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For the Lord’s great fury has been ignited against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words of this scroll by doing all that it instructs us to do.” 2 Kings 22. ESV

A Message of Grace

The priests as sent forth by King Josiah to seek the Lord’s message went to a prophetess who returned these words to him.

“This is what the Lord has said: ‘I am about to bring disaster on this place and its residents, all the things in the scroll that the king of Judah has read. ¹⁷This will happen because they have abandoned me and offered sacrifices^[^q^] to other gods, angering me with all the idols they have made.^[^r^] My anger will ignite against this place and will not be extinguished!’” ¹⁸Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to seek an oracle from the Lord: “This is what the Lord God of Israel has said concerning the words you have heard:

¹⁹‘You displayed a sensitive spirit^[^s^] and humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard how I intended to make this place and its residents into an appalling example of an accursed people.^[^t^] You tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,’ says the Lord. ²⁰‘Therefore I will allow you to die and be buried in peace.^[^u^] You will not have to witness^[^v^] all the disaster I will bring on this place.’’ Then they reported back to the king. 2Kings 22 ESV

One Last Revival to the One True God

Josiah re-instituted the Passover and supplied all the lambs and bulls needed for the people. This was a great time. But in the end, there were some who believed and others who just followed the procedures; yet, in their hearts they still forsake the One True God. Why do I say that? Well, so quickly upon his death, all hell broke out again.

After Josiah, his son returned along with the people to doing every evil act imaginable. That is until Judah was taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He ransacked and destroyed the temple which had been once filled with God’s presence. Still God did not give up on the remnant of believers. He still one day sent His Son to earth to die on a cruel cross for such people as we are. His grace and patience have continued to hold back the ultimate of evil that humans are capable of. Allowing those moments in which all can glimpse His miraculous glorious love, righteousness and justice on display.

How Sad the Heart of Habakkuk Until He Understood

Habakkuk was very frustrated as a prophet. First, he wanted God to do something to just fix it with a snap of His hand. However, God said that would not be the way. Instead, the Babylonians would take the people captive. Only then would the nation be cleansed to begin again with the remnant. At first Habakkuk resisted this plan. Then he realized the depth of God’s grace as God revealed it to him. He concluded with this.

I heard and my whole inner self trembled;
My lips quivered at the sound.
Decay and rottenness enter my bones,
And I tremble in my place.
Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,
For the people to arise who will invade and attack us.
¹⁷
Though the fig tree does not blossom
And there is no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive fails
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock is cut off from the fold
And there are no cattle in the stalls,
¹⁸
Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord;
I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation!
¹⁹
The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army];
He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet
And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my ^[^e^]high places [of challenge and responsibility]. Habakkuk 3 (AMP)

Concluding Thoughts

How Sad. We watch the world mostly forsake the One True God. At moments we feel hopeless, helpless. But we are not. WE may feel as did Habakkuk. Our spirits may tremble. And our lips quiver. However, even if everything around us falls apart. Regardless of famine, sorrow, death, we can choose to rejoice in the Lord because He is the One True God and His promises are forever true. For all who know Him as savior we can shout in exultation in the victorious God of our salvation. He is our strength, our courage, and our invincible army.

Just as God told King Jehoshaphat Years Before

Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. … ¹⁷You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, …

²¹And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:

“Praise the Lord,
For His mercy endures forever.” 2 Chronicles 20 (NET)