Happy Birthday, USA!
I am proud to be an American! I give thanks and gratitude for all who died so that I might live free.
OT -- 2nd Kings
Today, we end the reign of the kings in Judah. And what a miserable end it was. After years of paying tribute to Pharaoh, the Babylonians finally come into their own and wipe out Jerusalem.
It is a sorry end.
I have been thinking what about what I am supposed to take away from this whole narrative. And I keep repeating that verse from Psalm 146 -- do not put your trust in princes. But if we are the common folk, and I certainly am, I depend on my 'prince' to protect me from my 'Babylonians'. And it seemed no matter if they were bad or good, the king still was unable to hold out for very long against the invaders. There was still war, famine, and people were still sacrificing to the wrong gods in wrong places.
This still true today. It is a depressing thought.
For all those who think that God blesses America and this will keep us safe, let Israel/Judah be a cautionary tale. Very negative thoughts to have on the 4th of July. So sorry.
Acts 22:17-23:10
Wow, Paul does it again with the Roman citizens card. I was amazed that the commander would just take his word for it. Do you have to have papers or are they tattooed? What if you lied?
He clearly had made a bunch of people -- Jews and Christians alike -- very, very angry. Mob rule, indeed. What was he thinking coming back to Jerusalem?
On this 4th of July the words of this psalm ring loud:
ReplyDeleteNow then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! Serve the LORD with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. Submit to God's royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities - for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him!