King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: A Safety Net
Date: Thursday April 26, 2012
Today's Chapters: 2 Kings 24-25

Hello My Friend,

The older a person gets the more they see just how much the world has changed over the years, things that we thought were unacceptable are considered normal these days. Those normal things are what is bringing God's judgment upon our nations, not just one nation, but every nation is struggling right now and we have to face it, things are going to get worse, a lot worse. While God does place judgment upon our nations, He also provides a safety net to those who have put their faith and trust in His Son, Jesus Christ.

“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” - 2 Corinthians 5:8,10,17,18,20,21.

After King Josiah died, Jerusalem went right back to their wicked ways, just as God warned them of the destruction that would take place at the result of Manasseh's sins it is now coming to pass. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took control of Israel making king Jehoikim serve him. “In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets. Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.” - 2 Kings 24:1-4.

You think all the wars between nations, religions, and races are just a coincidence? They are all commanded by God. Why? He has had it with false gods, religion, and innocent blood shed. God did not cause all this to happen, wicked, selfish, immoral, religious people, cause this to happen, but God is finishing it. “And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” - Mark 13:7,8,12,20,27.

While the Babylonians were taking control of Jerusalem all the Jews were taken captive and were sent to Babylon, all that were left in Jerusalem was a few remnants too poor to be of value to them. Along with the people, Nebuchadnezzar's servants took all the possessions remaining in the Temple. “And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign. And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said. And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.” - 2 Kings 24:12-14.

Now, I do not know which people were more scared, the one's being taken to Babylon or the one's left behind, but I imagine both parties were actually praying to God for their lives during all of this. It's usually when placed in the scariest situations that we truly repent and seek help from God. Of course, these are the times we learn that there really is a God, we really need Him, and how much He does love us. Why? It is not until we have lost all of the strength to handle it on our own that God proves Himself to be the power to carry us through. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” - James 4:8-10.

The temple, the palace, and all the wealthy homes were burned and completely destroyed. All of the glory in Jerusalem, the city of David, the Temple, and everything David and Solomon built to please the Lord was nothing, but ashes and broken down walls. “And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire. And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about. Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away. But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.” -2 Kings 25:8-12.

The destruction of the once glorious kingdom of Judah is a grim reminder that all the revivals and reformation in the world will not bring lasting change to a nation, every individual needs repentance and a revival within themselves. While we cannot stop God's judgment upon our nations we can stop His judgment upon ourselves simply by calling on and receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior. Jesus will return to judge the world and claim His own, the elect, the only ones who have received Him as their Savior will be saved from His judgment.

“To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” - Jude 1:15,16,20,21.

Today's Psalm: 4:8 - “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”

Today's Proverb: 1:33 - “But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.”

Today's Prayer: (taken from Psalm 119) God, Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments. Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness. Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word. Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word. In Jesus name. Amen.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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