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Jeremiah 5:20-6:30; 2 Kings 22:3-20; 2 Chronicles 34:8-28<\/strong><\/span> It is very interesting to see the rise of Babylon in history and how God foretold Israel that Babylon was coming.\u00a0 God gave Israel so many chances to repent, but Israel wouldn\u2019t.\u00a0 Jeremiah in chapter 6 verses 10 & 11 today tells us \u2013 \u201cTo whom can I give warning? Who will listen when I speak? Their ears are closed, and they cannot hear. They scorn the word of the LORD. They don\u2019t want to listen at all. So now I am filled with the LORD\u2019s fury. Yes, I am weary of holding it in!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 What about us today \u2013 do we listen when God speaks?\u00a0 It is amazing that Israel would not listen to words like these from God in verses 6 through 8 (though\u2026 maybe not so amazing\u2026 perhaps we can do a good job of ignoring God\u2019s words & warnings in our lives today as well\u2026?)\u00a0 \u2013 \u201cThis is what the LORD Almighty says: \u201cCut down the trees for battering rams. Build ramps against the walls of Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished, for she is wicked through and through. She spouts evil like a fountain! Her streets echo with the sounds of violence and destruction. Her sickness and sores are ever before me. This is your last warning, Jerusalem! If you do not listen, I will empty the land.\u201d<\/em><\/span> Today in Jeremiah chapter 6 verse 16 we read \u2013 \u201cStand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.\u201d<\/em> I love these verses!\u00a0 It reminds me that on a daily basis each of us is standing at a crossroads.\u00a0 A crossroads of where the world would have us go and where God would have us go. Too often I am afraid we take the worldly path and not the ancient path. \u201cAsk where the good way is\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Do you do this in your life?\u00a0 How often? I think we can best do this through prayer. \u201cAsk, and you shall receive\u201d we have learned from Jesus. Do we ask Jesus in prayer where the good way is?\u00a0 Then, do we walk in it?\u00a0 And the reward for walking in it is \u2013 \u201cyou will find rest for your souls.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 I like this a lot!\u00a0 Who doesn\u2019t want rest for our souls?\u00a0 Is your soul at rest today?\u00a0 Why or why not?\u00a0 If your soul is not at rest, is it possible that you are walking along the wrong path?\u00a0 The worldly path?\u00a0 Will you seek instead the ancient paths?\u00a0 The good Way?\u00a0 Will you find rest for your soul?<\/span> Wow\u2026 I thought today\u2019s readings in Second Kings Chapter 22 are some of the best readings we\u2019ve had in a while!\u00a0 King Josiah cleaned up house for God!\u00a0 He went to town on all the idols, pagan altars and high places.\u00a0 Unfortunately, as we\u2019ll see in tomorrow\u2019s readings, the southern kingdom of Judah is about to meet a similar fate as the northern kingdom of Israel did in recent days readings.\u00a0 But King Josiah goes down with a fight for the Lord in today\u2019s readings!\u00a0 I wonder about this in our lives today \u2013 are we willing to fight for the Lord and his values in the way that Josiah did today?\u00a0 Or, perhaps \u201cfight\u201d isn\u2019t quite the right word, as Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek\u2026.\u00a0 but, then, considering this, should we simply be meek and mild and not fight for things of the Lord?\u00a0 I don\u2019t think Jesus modeled this entirely either.\u00a0 Jesus turned over some tables in the Temple and turned over some ideas about God during His life\u2026\u00a0 What can we learn about a zeal for God from Josiah and Jesus\u2019 lives? Please post up your thoughts in the Comments section below.\u00a0 Below is an image of King Josiah and his men destroying a pagan altar from today\u2019s readings:<\/span><\/p>\n 2 Kings 22 verse 8 reminds me of the old adage \u2013 \u201cDusty Bibles lead to dirty lives\u2026\u201d\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42 \u2013 \u201cHilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the court secretary, \u201cI have found the Book of the Law in the LORD\u2019s Temple!\u201d Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, and he read it.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 That is amazing to think about \u2013 that finding the Book of the Law in the Lord\u2019s Temple was a big find!\u00a0 Most commentaries suggest that the scroll was either the entire Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy) or possibly just Deuteronomy. Imagine if you will that the Bible was \u201cforgotten\u201d about for generations and then finally discovered today!<\/span><\/p>\n King Josiah\u2019s words in verse 13 are wonderful repentful words \u2013 \u201cGo to the Temple and speak to the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah. Ask him about the words written in this scroll that has been found. The LORD\u2019s anger is burning against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words in this scroll. We have not been doing what this scroll says we must do.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Have you ever had ah-ha experiences like this in your life?\u00a0 Where you realize finally what God wants you to do \u2013 and you realize that you have not been doing it?\u00a0 Well, fortunately God is a God that Psalm 145 verse 8 tells us, \u201cis gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>There is room for repentance with God!\u00a0 When you have these ah-ha moments like King Josiah did, will you turn in repentance and humble yourself before God?<\/span><\/p>\n YouTube:\u00a0 <\/strong>Today readings reminded me of the Chris Tomlin song \u201cKing of Glory:\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \n
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