Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 24, 2 Chronicles 36:1-21, Psalm 74
O God, why have you rejected us so long?
Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own pasture?
Remember that we are the people you chose long ago,
the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession!
And remember Jerusalem, your home here on earth.
Walk through the awful ruins of the city;
see how the enemy has destroyed your sanctuary. – Psalm 74:1-3
REMEMBER YOUR LOVE FOR YOUR PEOPLE, OH LORD!
Remember what Jerusalem used to be before the enemy arrived to destroy what had once been beautiful. Remember the days when your people faithfully worshiped you. Remember your love for this sinful nation — a love undeserved and now unreciprocated.
Likewise, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful. They followed all the pagan practices of the surrounding nations, desecrating the Temple of the Lord that had been consecrated in Jerusalem.
The Lord, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent his prophets to warn them, for he had compassion on his people and his Temple. But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words. They scoffed at the prophets until the Lord’s anger could no longer be restrained and nothing could be done. – 2 Chronicles 36:14-16
REMEMBER YOUR LOVE FOR THE LORD, OH PEOPLE!
For 23 years, Jeremiah had preached a message of repentance. He relayed every warning and each prophecy that he received from the Lord, yet the people did not listen. Then his message had changed to a declaration of the coming judgment, yet God’s people hardened their hearts and continued to desecrate the temple by worshiping false gods instead of the God who had so faithfully led them across the Red Sea, fought their battles for them, and provided for them over and over again. There would be no more talk of the coming destruction of Jerusalem; the time for judgment was now.
Then the Lord sent bands of Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite, and Ammonite raiders against Judah to destroy it, just as the Lord had promised through his prophets. 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, who had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood. The Lord would not forgive this. – 2 Kings 24:2-4
The king took home to Babylon all the articles, large and small, used in the Temple of God, and the treasures from both the Lord’s Temple and from the palace of the king and his officials. Then his army burned the Temple of God, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, burned all the palaces, and completely destroyed everything of value. The few who survived were taken as exiles to Babylon, and they became servants to the king and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power. – 2 Chronicles 36:18-20
There your enemies shouted their victorious battle cries;
there they set up their battle standards.
They swung their axes
like woodcutters in a forest.
With axes and picks,
they smashed the carved paneling.
They burned your sanctuary to the ground.
They defiled the place that bears your name.
Then they thought, “Let’s destroy everything!”
So they burned down all the places where God was worshiped. – Psalm 74:4-8
These things happened because of the Lord’s anger against the people of Jerusalem and Judah, until he finally banished them from his presence and sent them into exile. – 2 Kings 24:20
REMEMBER YOUR LOVE FOR YOUR PEOPLE, OH LORD!
Give us ears to hear your words of warning. May we see the sins of the world around us and respond in repentance instead of rebellion. We pray for revival to break out across the world, drawing all people into a growing relationship with their Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Forgive us for our unfaithfulness and lead us back into your arms of grace. Amen.
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. – Matthew 6:9b-13(NKJV)
So the message of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate until the seventy years were fulfilled, just as the prophet had said. – 2 Chronicles 36:21